It's The Right Time Of The Night

Question

What does it mean that Jesus will return like a thief in the night?

thief in the night

Answer

The return of Jesus Christ is likened to the coming of a thief in the night. Ii passages utilise the diction "a thief in the night": Matthew 24:43, "Sympathize this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of dark the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have allow his firm be cleaved into," and ane Thessalonians 5:2, "You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."

In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks of His 2nd coming at the finish of the tribulation. Paul calls it "the twenty-four hours of the Lord" in one Thessalonians 5. This is a twenty-four hour period of divine retribution featuring astronomical upheaval and the visible "sign of the Son of Man" in the heavens (Matthew 24:29–30). Jesus says it will happen "later on the tribulation of those days" (verse 29, ESV), a clarification that distinguishes this event from the rapture, which happens before the tribulation.

How is the second coming going to be like a thief in the dark? The key element of Jesus' comparing is that no ane will know when He will return. Merely as a thief catches a household by surprise, Jesus will catch the unbelieving world by surprise when He returns in judgment. People volition exist "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in union" (poetry 38), just as if they have all the time in the world. Only then, before they know it, Judgment 24-hour interval volition be upon them (verses forty–41). Paul puts it this way: "While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction volition come on them of a sudden, equally labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they volition not escape" (1 Thessalonians v:3).

The laic does not fear this swift and sudden judgment; the "thief in the nighttime" will not catch united states of america by surprise. Christians are in a split up category: "Only yous, brothers and sisters, are non in darkness so that this mean solar day should surprise you like a thief" (1 Thessalonians 5:4). It is only those in darkness who volition be taken unawares, and we "are all children of the light and children of the day. Nosotros exercise not belong to the night or to the darkness" (verse 5). Praise the Lord, "God did not appoint u.s.a. to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (verse 9).

The unsaved should heed Jesus' alarm: "Be set up, because the Son of Human being will come at an 60 minutes when you practise not expect him" (Matthew 24:44). How can yous be ready? God has provided the way for you to escape the judgment. That way is Jesus Christ (John fourteen:6). By accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are granted forgiveness of sins, mercy, and conservancy with the hope of everlasting life (John 3:16; Ephesians two:8–9). The "thief" is coming, but you can be a child of the 24-hour interval. Don't put information technology off; this is "the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:19).

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What does it mean that Jesus volition return like a thief in the nighttime?

This page terminal updated: January 4, 2022