The Devil Has Managed To Make Himself Unnoticeable

Video from Holy Resurrection

The Devil Has Managed To Make Himself Unnoticeable

"St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia." from the video introduction

How to Stay Awake in a World of Spiritual Tranquilizers by Justin Dellehay

"It might seem odd to lump drowsiness and drunkenness together. It’s not like they’re moral equivalents. But that’s exactly what Paul does in 1 Thessalonians 5:6, telling us “not [to] sleep, as others do, but [to] keep awake and be sober.”

Paul isn’t issuing a call for mass insomnia. Rather, he’s tapping into a common biblical metaphor of sin as sleepiness and stupor, and righteousness as wakefulness and sobriety. Throw in some imagery of light and darkness, day and night, and you’ve got a powerful imaginative appeal to be transformed by the renewing of our minds rather than conformed to this evil age (Rom. 12:1–2).

This passage is framed against the coming day of the Lord, when Jesus will bring sudden destruction on his enemies (1 Thess. 4:13–5:3). Paul’s goal here is to help us wake up and get ready for it.

What Does It Mean to Stay Awake?

Note Paul’s other metaphor: “Let us keep awake and be sober.” Though morally different, Paul lumps together sleeping and getting smashed for two reasons.

Paul’s goal here is to help us wake up and get ready for [the day of the Lord].

First, because both normally happen at night: “For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night” (1 Thess. 5:7). Second, both lower your defenses and leave you vulnerable. If someone wanted to pick your pocket with a minimal threat of danger and maximum hope of success, his safest bet would be to wait until you’re drunk or asleep, since that’s when your guard is down..." from the article: How to Stay Awake in a World of Spiritual Tranquilizers

#extraordinarygod