Page 34 - Watchman- What of the Night

Chapter VIII: The Coming Imminent or Impending?

There is one point on which the doctrine of the secret rapture seems to have
cogency. It is this argument that kept this writer ―in line‖ for an extended period even
in the face of many scriptures that seemed to indicate the contrary, and it is this point

of reasoning that yet keeps hundreds in thralldom to the theory of a splitstage coming,
and a preliminary, secret, any moment rapture.
It is the matter of imminency.

There is no doubt that in the three synoptic gospels, the Lord in speaking to His
disciples, repeatedly commands them to ―watch‖ for the signs of His coming. This
can be taken to mean that His coming was to be regarded as imminent, by saints
beginning with the days of the apostles, and a momentary possibility throughout the
course of the age.

Before we proceed to discuss the matter, we feel constrained to point out the fact
that the authors of the secret-rapture theory are at the same time devotees of a
spurious ―dispensationalism‖ which Judaizes the synoptic gospels to whatever degree

they find it convenient to do so. They read the Olivet discourse like the sermon on the
mount, as being addressed to the disciples as Jews rather than as Christians, and
representative of that specific group known as ―the Jewish remnant‖ of the age-end, to
whom the words are to be exclusively applied. They deny that these discourses apply
to the ―church of this age,‖ and yet they teach an imminent, signless ―coming for the

saints‖ from a context, that, according to their hypothesis, is not imminent, and from
Christ‘s word ―watch,‖ that is always used with a list of signs. We take the position
that the Olivet discourse and the sermon on the mount were addressed to the disciples

as disciples, and Christians, representative of all believers during the age and not as
Jews. Therefore, the words of Christ have immediate application to saints of the
church age.
The command ―watch‖ as recorded of the Savior, is found in the following
scriptures: Matt. 24:42, 25:13; Mark 13:33, 37; Luke 21:36. The command is found in

each case as the culmination of a series of signs that will precede His advent, as are
the kindred phrases, ―Take heed,‖ ―Be ready.‖ The eyes of Christian disciples are
directed to the signs, as set forth in the words: ―And when these things begin to come

to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads: for your redemption draweth nigh.‖
Since these signs were so clearly and carefully outlined as precursory to His
coming, it was obviously intended that the saints should be on the lookout for them.
The sprouting leaf of the ever-present fig tree as indicative of the arrival of spring and
the approach of summer, is a simple illustration from nature of a seasonal sign. The
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