“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
will come as a thief in the night
The “day of the Lord” will come as a surprise. A “thief” does not announce his coming. He arrives unexpectedly and suddenly. Christ’’s Second Coming will be sudden and decisive. A thief’s coming is unexpected. He does not write a letter announcing when he will come! He would not be in business very long doing that! The Lord’s coming will be at an unexpected time in history.
Lu 12:30-40, “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.“
1 Th 5:1-4, “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.”
Re 16:15, “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.“
The words “will come” mean to be present, be here, and carry the idea of arrive. There will come a time when the Lord will arrive on earth.
PRINCIPLE:
We need to be perpetually prepared for the coming of Christ.
APPLICATION:
Jesus’ coming, whether the Rapture or the Second Coming, will be unexpected. He will come as a thief comes at an unexpected time. We will be prepared for His arrival if we constantly expect His coming. If we expect His coming, we will purify ourselves.
1 Jn 3:2-3, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
