[Darris McNeely] We're going through the seven Beatitudes of Revelation and we're at number three, which is in Revelation 16. And I have to maybe express a preference because this in verse 15 is really a favorite of mine. It says this, Christ says, "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments lest he walked naked and they see his shame." 

It is said in the context of this final battle of the Great Day of the Lord Almighty, the gathering of armies into Megiddo and then down to Jerusalem for that final scene that Revelation comes to a conclusion with Christ's return. And it shows this massive movement of armies across the world at the time of the end. And Jesus says, at this point, "Watch, I'm coming as a thief in the night. Blessed is he who watches."

Now I admit to being a news junkie. I love history and I like to keep up and understand with what is going on in the world, but most importantly, why? The Bible helps us to understand why things are the way they are. When Jesus says to watch, that is a critical teaching that He gives us and He puts a blessing with it. 

He says, why? So that we don't be caught unawares when he does appear. When certain events happen very quickly like a thief in the night catching people unawares, Jesus does not want his people, his disciples, to be unaware of what is taking place in the world, the march of prophecy. Not that we're going to know every detail, not that we're going to know every event before it happens, but when it does happen, Jesus says, we can understand and not be caught unawares, and that is a blessing. 

Because really what He points to then, He said here that we keep our garments less we walk naked and they see his shame. Garments are in scripture and especially here in Revelation, a symbol of personal righteousness. That's what the garments is talking about. We need to keep our righteous level up, if you will. And we can do that by understanding God's Word, what it tells us about the world, the way it is, God's plan, His purpose, even the times in which we live today, and not be caught unawares. That is a blessing because it will motivate us to righteousness, to better works, to love of God and love of man. 

And therefore that's the basis for having garments on that are white, unadulterated, pure, and enabling us to understand what God is doing and to understand how Christ is working in this world at this time. So that's a blessing. Number three of seven in the book of Revelation. Join us next time.

That's BT Daily.