In these days in which we live, there are many godly people exhorting us to be well prepared for the coming of the Lord, and this is indeed wise counsel worthy of our full attention. However, what many fail to apprehend is that whether the Lord tarries
or returns soon, it should not change our state of readiness with regard to our relationship with God. This was well illustrated by the comments of our sages, (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Shabbath 153a):
“Rabbi Eliezer said: ‘Repent one day before your death’ [cf Sirach 5:7 – apocryphal work written by the Jewish scribe Ben Sira of Jerusalem that is included in the Septuagint].
His disciples asked him:
‘Does one know on what day he will die?’
He said:
‘Then all the more reason that he repent today, lest he die tomorrow, and thus his whole life is spent in repentance.’
And Solomon too said in his wisdom:
‘Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack ointment.’ (Eccl 9:8)
Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai said:
‘It is like a king who summoned his servants to a banquet without appointing a time. The wise ones adorned themselves and sat at the door of the palace.’
They replied:
‘Is anything lacking in a royal palace? ‘
The fools went about their work, saying:
‘Can there be a banquet without preparations?’
Suddenly the king desired the presence of his servants. The wise entered adorned, while the fools entered soiled. The king rejoiced at the wise but was wroth with the fools. He said:
‘Those who adorned themselves for the banquet, let them sit, eat and drink. But those who did not adorn themselves for the banquet, let them stand and watch.’
Rabbi Meir’s son-in-law said:
‘Then they too would merely look on, being in attendance. But both sit, the former eating and the latter hungering, the former drinking and the latter thirsting, for it is said:
‘Therefore, thus saith the Lord God: Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed; behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart.’ (Isaiah 65:13ff).
The foregoing comments resonate with the parable of Jesus recorded in Matthew 25 of the five wise and five foolish maidens.
The blowing of the shofar is a primary feature of this season of Rosh ha Shanah, a time that many people believe will mark the return of our Messiah. Whether or not He does so in this new year of the Hebrew calendar 5778, it is a clarion cry for each one of us to stand ready and keep watch!
