The
word "watch", in its various forms watch,
watching, watchful, etc., is used to translate eight
different Greek words. The most frequent Greek word
translated watch is:
Strong's
Concordance #1127, "gregoreuo" 1) to watch,
2) give strict attention to, be cautious, alert
This
word is used in Matthew 24:43, "But
know this, that if the goodman of the house had known
in what watch the thief would come, he would have
watched, and would not have suffered his house to be
broken up." And in Matthew 25:13,
"Watch therefore, for ye know
neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man
cometh". … to watch for end
times, i.e. second coming of Jesus. The other
frequent use was when Jesus asked Peter to watch with
Him in prayer. Mark 14:37, "And he
cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto
Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch
one hour?" And Matthew 26:38-40,
"Then saith he unto them, My soul is
exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here,
and watch with me. And he went a little further, and
fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if
it be possible, let this cup pass from me:
nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he
cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep,
and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with
me one hour?"
Several
words are used to indicate being a guard or watchman,
especially during a specific time frame, i.e. as in
the second or third watch in Luke 12:38, "And
if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the
third watch, and find them so, blessed are those
servants." Other examples are Luke
2:8, "And there were in the same
country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch
over their flock by night." Luke
12:38, "And if he shall come in the
second watch, or come in the third watch, and find
them so, blessed are those servants."
Matthew 27:65, "Pilate said unto
them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure
as ye can."; Matthew 28:11, "Now
when they were going, behold, some of the watch came
into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all
the things that were done."
Two
words are used to indicate going with out to sleep to
pray.
Strong's
Concordance #69, "agrupneo", 1) to be
sleepless, keep awake, 2) to be circumspect,
attentive, ready
This
word, and its related word, Strongs #70, are always
used in conjunction with prayer and spiritual
warfare.
Endtimes:
Mark 13:33, "Take ye heed, watch and
pray: for ye know not when the time is."
Luke 21:36, "Watch ye therefore, and
pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to
escape all these things that shall come to pass, and
to stand before the Son of man."
Warfare:
Ephesians 6:18, "Praying always with
all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints;"
Hebrews 13:17, "Obey them that have
the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they
watch for your souls, as they that must give account,
that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for
that is unprofitable for you."
Strong'
Concordance #70, "aegaupino", derived from
#69, 1) sleeplessness
This
word is used in II Corinthians 6:15, "In
stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in
watchings, in fastings;" and II
Corinthians 11:27, "In weariness and
painfulness, in watchings <70> often,
in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and
nakedness." … to describe
Paul's often prayer vigils for the saints.
With
this background study, we define a Watch Night
Service as a specific time during the night when a
group of Christians meet to coordinate spiritual
warfare with praise, personal testimonies and prayer.
We end the service with sharing the Lord's supper.