Sleep is a blessing for mankind Sleep allows our bodies to renew and gives us strength to accomplish tasks Like food, air and other essentials, sleep is a necessity Sleep disorders and deprivation can lead to many serious problems over time

Sleep deprivation has been used to extract information from enemy combatants Adequate sleep is essential to good health The word “sleep” and its derivations are found 164 times in the Bible

It is used metaphorically many times (referring to physical of spiritual death) It is also used in a literal sense many times Many Bible characters are connected is some fashion to sleep Note some things that occurred while or because some slept

One’s Strength Was Diminished

The story of Samson (Judges ) is well-known His forays into Philistine territory and his encounters with women there brought many hardships upon him and brought about his tragic end He is best known for his great strength, which was taken from him because of his relationship with Delilah

Having succumbed to her desire to tell the secret of his strength, while he slept she had his head shaved, and his strength departed from him

And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. Judges 16:19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. Judges 16:19

Having succumbed to her desire to tell the secret of his strength, while he slept she had his head shaved, and his strength departed from him The lessons this episode provides are so important His strength was lost while he was with the wrong crowd

He lost his wife, sight, strength and life because of his association with an ungodly people Although it was during physical sleep that his head was shaved, it was during his spiritual sleep that he surrendered his secret

A Scheme Was Devised

As with Samson’s strength, Solomon’s wisdom is renowned Following his prayer for wisdom (I Kings 3:5-15) we are told of his encounter with two harlots The harlot whose infant had died devised her plan and carried it out while her roommate slept

This she conveyed to Solomon

And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. I Kings 3:19, 20 And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. I Kings 3:19, 20

This she conveyed to Solomon His conclusion to the matter and wisdom in determining the true mother of the living child are immortal Perhaps illustrated by this account is the need for parents to be vigilant regarding their children

Satan is waiting for us to “fall asleep” in caring for them His attacks are relentless and come from every avenue at his disposal Just as with our own souls, we have to be vigilant in taking care of our children

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: I Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: I Peter 5:8

Some Seed Was Dispersed

The parable of the tares is one of seven parables recorded in Matthew 13 It is one of the few parables which the Lord explained in detail to His disciples (Matthew 13:36-43) The lesson taught in this parable is that corrupt seed has been sown among the good

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. Matthew 13:24, 25 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. Matthew 13:24, 25

It should be of great interest to note that it was “while men slept” that the tares were sown Jesus spoke this prophetically, of course, since His kingdom was not yet in existence when this parable was given We should be diligent to insure that tares are not being sown on our watch!

Some Seekers Were Denied

Another of the Lord’s parables is given in Matthew 25:1-13 (wise and foolish virgins) In Matthew 24:1-35, Jesus spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem (in answer to His disciples’ questions regarding it) Beginning in Matthew 24:36 He made a transition to the subject of the final judgment of all mankind

The subject continues throughout Matthew 25 The custom of the day was for the bride to be accompanied by her maidens until the arrival of the groom and his attendants, at which time the procession would proceed to the couple’s house for a wedding feast In this parable the groom was delayed and the maidens fell asleep

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. Matthew 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. Matthew 25:5

When suddenly the announcement was made that the groom had arrived, the maidens awoke, five of them to find that their lamps had gone out and that they had no oil for them They were not prepared and thus had to go purchase oil for their lamps while they should have been in the procession and at the wedding feast

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Matthew 25:8- 10 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Matthew 25:8- 10

The lesson is quite obvious- be prepared!

The Savior Was Disappointed

Having observed the Passover with His disciples and instituted the Lord’s Supper, Jesus led His disciples to Gethsemane There, three of the eleven were invited to go farther with Him into the garden He asked them to watch with Him, and then He proceeded a little farther and prayed earnestly that this cup might pass from Him

He returned to the three for encouragement and human compassion, only to find them asleep

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Matthew 26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Matthew 26:40

He returned to the three for encouragement and human compassion, only to find them asleep Having issued this mild rebuke Jesus proceeded to pray twice more, only to find His disciples asleep each time Following His third prayer, the hour of watching and praying had passed, the group was approached by the mob and Jesus was betrayed and arrested

While Jesus agonized over His approaching crucifixion and separation from the Father, His disciples slept While we might be quick to condemn these men, we should examine our own lives to see if we are asleep while awaiting the return of the Lord

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:14-16 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:14-16

A Service Was Disrupted

Just prior to the conclusion of his third journey, Paul stopped at Troas and stayed for a week (Acts 20:6) The church was assembled for worship on the third floor of a certain building Paul preached to them on that occasion, a sermon which lasted until midnight In a window in that room sat a young man named Eutychus

Around midnight, as Paul was preaching, Eutychus fell from the window and was killed

And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. Acts 20:9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. Acts 20:9

Around midnight, as Paul was preaching, Eutychus fell from the window and was killed Why is this incident recorded here? The obvious impact of it was that Paul raised Eutychus from the dead, encouraging the brethren greatly and, perhaps, emphasizing some of the truths he had just been preaching However, the incident disrupted their worship

We need to be aware of things we can do to prevent distractions during worship Some have made a habit of getting up and leaving during worship At times such is necessary; urgent situations arise Some are on medication, suffering the infirmities of age or other maladies that require them to leave

But, there are some (our younger ones being among them) by which you can almost set your watch by their habitual leaving during the worship hour Others find this a convenient time to catch up on their sleep, examine the contents of their purse or even give themselves a manicure Worship is demanding under the best of circumstances

We need to get enough sleep on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon so that we can be refreshed and prepared to worship properly We need to take care of the trivial and the necessities before worship so that we ourselves can worship correctly, and so that we will not be a disruption to the worship for others Let’s ask- Are my actions disturbing the worship of others?

Some Servants Will Be Distracted

The message of the Bible, boiled down to its simplest facts: He is coming; He is here; He is coming again One of the themes of First Thessalonians is the Second Coming Paul’s message to those of Thessalonica was that those in darkness would not escape His wrath, but those in the light anticipate and watch for His coming

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. I Thessalonians 5:5, 6 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. I Thessalonians 5:5, 6

Some have and will become distracted by the world along the way (Demas, many of the Galatians, many of the Corinthians, etc.) The great lesson regarding His coming- be aware that it could be at any moment and be prepared at all times

Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Mark 13: Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Mark 13:35- 37

Some have and will become distracted by the world along the way (Demas, many of the Galatians, many of the Corinthians, etc.) The great lesson regarding His coming- be aware that it could be at any moment and be prepared at all times As the song asks, “Are you ready for the judgment day?”

One’s Strength Was Diminished A Scheme Was Devised Some Seed Was Dispersed Some Seekers Were Denied The Savior Was Disappointed A Service Was Disrupted Some Servants Will Be Distracted

One’s Strength Was Diminished A Scheme Was Devised Some Seed Was Dispersed Some Seekers Were Denied The Savior Was Disappointed A Service Was Disrupted Some Servants Will Be Distracted