1Thes. 5:2; 2Pet. 3:10; thief in the night = The personal and timing designations of this expression implies secrecy and un-expectancy. CHRIST's Coming will take the world by surprise. Even CHRIST suggested the world, and often GOD's own people, will have little or no expectancy of HIS Coming (Lu. 18:8). Review CHRIST's parable of the Goodman and the Thief (Lu. 12:39-40).
At least six times, Scriptures compare CHRIST's Second Coming as "a thief in the night" ( Mt. 24:43; Lu. 12:39; 1Thes. 5:2; 2Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15). The world will view CHRIST's Coming as a "thief" because thieves:
+ work secretly ( Mt. 24:43),
+ steal that which is not his ( Mt. 6:19),
+ most often work during the cover of night's darkness ( Mt. 27:64),
+ stealthily surprise their victims ( Jn. 12:6), and
+ are prone to resort to violence if/when discovered ( Jn. 10:10).
The world will apply these same characteristics to CHRIST's Second Coming (the "Day of The LORD"). When CHRIST returns, HE will do so:
+ unannounced and suddenly,
+ taking the lives and possessions of the world from them which they consider their own,
+ during the world's most ignorant period of spiritual darkness,
+ coming as a complete and immediate surprise to the unprepared,
+ with great, indescribable, and unopposed violence.
Comparing CHRIST's Second Coming to the "thief" also appropriately justifies CHRIST's treatment of the world during that Day. Those who arrested CHRIST did so as they that "come out as against a thief with swords and staves" ( Mt. 26:55; Mk. 14:48; Lu. 22:52). They also crucified CHRIST between two thieves, placing CHRIST as the most notorious of the thieves ( Mt. 27:38; Mk. 15:27).
If the world treats CHRIST as a thief, CHRIST will rob the world using the same characteristics as a thief.
At least six times, Scriptures compare CHRIST's Second Coming as "a thief in the night" ( Mt. 24:43; Lu. 12:39; 1Thes. 5:2; 2Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15). The world will view CHRIST's Coming as a "thief" because thieves:
+ work secretly ( Mt. 24:43),
+ steal that which is not his ( Mt. 6:19),
+ most often work during the cover of night's darkness ( Mt. 27:64),
+ stealthily surprise their victims ( Jn. 12:6), and
+ are prone to resort to violence if/when discovered ( Jn. 10:10).
The world will apply these same characteristics to CHRIST's Second Coming (the "Day of The LORD"). When CHRIST returns, HE will do so:
+ unannounced and suddenly,
+ taking the lives and possessions of the world from them which they consider their own,
+ during the world's most ignorant period of spiritual darkness,
+ coming as a complete and immediate surprise to the unprepared,
+ with great, indescribable, and unopposed violence.
Comparing CHRIST's Second Coming to the "thief" also appropriately justifies CHRIST's treatment of the world during that Day. Those who arrested CHRIST did so as they that "come out as against a thief with swords and staves" ( Mt. 26:55; Mk. 14:48; Lu. 22:52). They also crucified CHRIST between two thieves, placing CHRIST as the most notorious of the thieves ( Mt. 27:38; Mk. 15:27).
If the world treats CHRIST as a thief, CHRIST will rob the world using the same characteristics as a thief.
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