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Like a Thief in the Night

Like a Thief in the Night

Words of Faith 4-1-19

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2019

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA) - Melbourne, FL      

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940

(321)-259-7200

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, and our website, and our church app excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.  

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1 Thessalonians 5

     Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, [2] for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. [3] While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

 

        In many churches, this is the season of Lent, a time of introspection and preparation for the celebration of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.  Seasons of preparation are a good thing.  It is a powerful practice to think carefully about our readiness for the work of God in our lives.  

        Paul was talking here about a different kind of readiness and preparation.  He was talking about the dramatic return of Jesus at the conclusion of this age.

        Paul's first teaching on the return of Jesus had been very much one of joyous hope.  Our hope for those who have died in Christ is that we will meet them in the resurrection of believers and the Rapture of the Church. 

       Now, Paul added a solemn warning that came with these revelations about the future.  Paul introduced a new aspect of the subject of the Lord's appearing which begins after the Rapture and is called The Day of the Lord.

       No one knows the time or hour of this Second Advent of Christ (Acts 1:7).  Paul was affectionate in addressing the "brothers" about this. The terms ‘times’ and ‘dates’ probably refers to the ages (chronon) and events (kairon) preceding the day of the Lord. Paul did not need to expound fully on this subject as he had done with the Rapture. 

       But biblical literature is clear that the Day of the Lord is a future period of time in which God will be at work in world affairs more directly and dramatically than He has been since the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time referred to by many Old Testament prophets.  

      The day of the Lord will include both judgment and blessing. This day will begin immediately after the Rapture of the church and will end with the conclusion of the Millennium. This is a significant theme of prophecy in Revelation 6-19. 

      This Day of the Lord will come as a surprise to those on the earth at the time, like the visit of a thief to a sleeping homeowner (Matt. 24:43-44; Luke 12:39-40).  But the thief in the night illustration should not be pressed too far. The point is that this day will come unexpectedly, not necessarily that it will take place at night. Obviously, it will be night in some parts of the world and daytime in other parts.  This day will begin when world conditions appear calm rather than calamitous. This peace will come with the signing of the seven-year covenant, predicted in Daniel 9:27.  

       It is important to note that Paul did not include himself and his readers with the group who would see the day of the Lord, as he did when describing the Rapture (1 Thes. 4:15, 17). Evidently, 'them' refers to those left behind at the Rapture, that is, non-Christians. They will be ignorantly expecting peace and safety, but instead, destruction will come on them. 

       The "destruction" described here is not annihilation, but rather is the breaking up of their peace and security through the outpouring of God's wrath on earth in the Great Tribulation. The destruction will come suddenly. The illustration of the commencement of labor pains suggests both unpredictable suddenness and great personal discomfort (cf. Matt. 24:8; Mark 13:8). The wrath of God that will have been building up over some time will suddenly break forth.

        The signs of this Advent are discernible, even though the moment of its arrival is not unpredictable.  The world will not escape the coming wrath of God when it breaks out on the day of the Lord.  Just as a pregnant woman cannot avoid labor pains, this conclusion is inescapable. A strong expression is used in the Greek to stress that fleeing will be futile.

       Once again, the primary devotional thought is merely the readiness that we are called to in this time prior to the Rapture and the Day of the Lord.  Are we ready for His return today?  Have we shared the Gospel of Christ with those we love and those we do know to walk in darkness?  As we celebrate a season of preparation, are we really ready for the big even-- the Advent of the coming of the Lord?

 

       Father God, help me to walk today in readiness for the Second Advent of Jesus.  Show me the ones You are drawing to Yourself.  Show me the part you desire for me to play.  Set me apart for You use this day.  In Jesus' name.