But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of all the earth. So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Adam.

– Luqas (Luke) 21:34-36

The seventh month on the Creator’s Calendar reminds us of the vital importance of standing prayerfully in these last days. Luqas (Luke) in chapter 21 outlines for us some very important warnings and signs of the end of this age. This aligns well with the narrative in MattithYahu (Matthew) 24, which also gives the signs of the times.

Among these signs we see wars as well as persecutions, as nation rises up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. We also see “great earthquakes” in different places, scarcities of food and deadly diseases. However, this is still not the end. There will also be “horrors” and great signs from heaven.

Luke adds: “…they shall lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the congregations and prisons, being brought before sovereigns and rulers for My Name’s sake.” As Rev 12:17 says, “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to fight with the remnant of her seed, those guarding the commands of Alahym and possessing the witness of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 Messiah. The enemy persecutes the woman because he was cast out of heaven and down to the earth; he knows his days are numbered and he has little time left (Rev 12:12), so he goes about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour the children of the Most High YAH.

Messiah 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 says, “This will be your opportunity to serve as witnesses. So make up your mind not to worry beforehand how to defend yourselves. For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” (Luke 21:13-15)

Then He warns that even our relatives will betray us and hand us over to our enemies, and sadly, some believers will be put to death. But He warns that we should be patient and endure, because not even a hair of our head will perish. Instead, those who are faithful to death will gain their souls. There is the assurance of the first resurrection for those who are killed or who die before Messiah’s return.

The central message in this chapter is not that terrible things will happen before Messiah’s return; it is that all believers should stand firm and faithful, no matter what the enemy throws their way. Even if the enemy kills us, Messiah said we should not fear them who can kill the body only, but that we should fear Him who can destroy the body and the soul in GěHinnom. (Matt 10:28)

This is why in Luke 21, we are reminded that, “By your patient endurance you will gain your souls.” Messiah asks in Mark 8:36-37: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

This will be the big question when the mark of the beast is enforced. Many will take the mark because they are given an ultimatum: take the mark or lose your ability to buy and sell. Buying and selling has become a necessity in this world. People need to feed their families, pay their bills, and meet their financial commitments, and being locked out of the financial system will mean that they will be unable to do these financial transactions.

A crisis is coming, and this is why we need to know the Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and stand firmly on it. Those who receive the mark of the beast may appear for a little while to be prospering; but they, too, will be unable to live in prosperity. In fact, the plagues will soon afterwards be poured out on them. The first one will be the boils of Egypt, which is a clear consequence to receiving the mark and worshiping Satan by obeying his decrees. (Rev 16:2)

Messiah 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 reminds us that we need to discern the signs of the times. He used the fig tree as a lesson, saying that when they sprout leaves, this signals that summer is near; so too when we see the signs of the times, we should know that the Kingdom of is near! (Luk 29-33)

He reminds us to, “watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.” (Luk 21:34) He says we should keep watch at all times, and pray that we may have the strength to escape all that is about to come upon the earth, and to be able to stand before Him when He returns. (Luk 21:36)

Mark reinforces this message in chapter 13. He says: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the messengers in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on your guard and stay alert! For you do not know when the appointed time will come. It is like a man going on a journey who left his house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will return—whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning. Otherwise, he may arrive without notice and find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch!” (Mark 13:32-37)

In the Hebraic reckoning of time, the day is divided into three-hour blocks. The night is divided into four watches, starting at twilight, when one day transitions into another. If sunset is falls at 6:00 p.m., the night watches are (i) 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., (ii) 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m., (iii) 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., and (iv) 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. It was during the fourth watch that Messiah went out to meet His followers at sea. (Mat 14:25) The daytime hours are divided to align with the morning and evening sacrifices. Messiah hung on the stake from the sixth to the ninth hour, as darkness fell upon the earth.

The watches and times of prayer set a daily rhythm for believers (see Dan 6:10) and followers of the Way of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. Each day, they help us to focus on prayer and worship, and they will become even more vital in the last days, to enable us to stand firm in the faith.

The message could not be any clearer. Those who have ears need to hear what the Ruach (Spirit) of Messiah is saying to the Bride! WATCH AND PRAY! Do not be so carried away with the cares of this life that you forget the value of this very important commandment. Yes, it is a commandment from the mouth of the Master Himself: WATCH AND PRAY!