“The day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” 1 Thess 5: 2. For decades the church has fed itself the continuous line that the “Day of the Lord” would come unexpectedly — like maybe even before I finish typing this sentence AAAAHHHH! But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. In today’s first reading, which we will discuss in. Paul reminds the Thessalonians that 'the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night', that is, quite unexpectedly, so they should be sober and put 'the breastplate of faith and love' and 'the helmet of hope of salvation'. Verse 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
The First Six Bowls of Wrath…14

The Day Will Come Like A Thief In The Night
16And they assembled the kings in the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.…But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
Luke 12:37
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.
Luke 12:39
But understand this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
1 Thessalonians 5:2
For you are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:4
But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief.
2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.
Revelation 3:3
Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know the hour when I will come upon you.
Revelation 3:11
I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
Revelation 3:18
I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Revelation 22:7
'Behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book.'
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
I come.
Revelation 3:3
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
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.
1 Thessalonians 5:2,3
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night…
Blessed.
Matthew 24:42
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Matthew 25:13
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Matthew 26:41
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
The Day Will Come Like A Thief In The Night
lest.

Revelation 3:4,18
Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy…
Exodus 32:25
And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)
Isaiah 47:3
Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.
As the Day Approaches
By Hal Lindsey
Global plagues and pestilence…rumors of war…earthquakes in “diverse places”…men crying “peace and safety”…lawlessness…persecution of Christians…growing Antisemitism…increasing violence…a worldwide mental health crisis…Iran’s alliance with Russia and Turkey…apostasy in the churches.
These are all biblical signs of the soon return of Jesus, and they’re heating up as never before. The technology the Antichrist will use to rule the world economy has been invented and is being implemented right now. An atmosphere of desperation has made the world ripe for the Antichrist’s plucking.
The signs go on and on and on. The accuracy of Bible prophets in talking about our time is nothing less than miraculous. And yet, most evangelical churches refuse to point it out. It’s too controversial. Christians don’t want to hear about it because they have placed their hopes and dreams in this world. They don’t spend their time thinking about the things of God. They prefer to think about what they’re going to do when their lottery ticket hits – the homes they will own and the cars they will drive. Sometimes they selflessly dream about what they will do for others. But the center of those dreams is not Christ and His eternal kingdom, but the earth and its pleasures.
Most Christians today don’t want to think about the Rapture because they like it here. They can’t yet say with the Psalmist, “Thy lovingkindness is better than life.” They can’t yet say with the Apostle Paul, “Chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; neither do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my course with joy.” (Acts 20:23-24)
The Bible repeatedly says to watch for the Lord’s coming, but it’s hard to watch when you’re intentionally looking the other way. When Peter said, “Scoffers will come in the last days,” who would have thought he was talking about Evangelicals? But he was.
2 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'” He told us what the scoffers’ last days argument would be. Today we hear almost these exact words from cold pulpits every week and cold Christians every day.
The Day Of The Lord Will Come Like A Thief
In verse 10 of that same chapter, Peter quotes Jesus saying, “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, Paul also quoted Jesus. “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
They were speaking prophetically about us – about this generation and our time. But for those who know Christ, the teaching does not stop there. Verses 4-6 say, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.”
That’s why Jesus laid out signs by which to know His return is near – so we won’t be in the dark, and so that the day will not overtake us like a thief. We will not know the precise time of the rapture until we hear the trumpet from on high, but we can know when we have entered the general time frame. And, friends, we’re there!
In recent years, large numbers of Christians allowed themselves to be lulled into complacency. But the events of this year have changed the calculus. It’s easy to see that you can no longer trust the world and its systems. The fragility of our cities, constitutions, courts, militaries, financial systems, etc. grows more obvious by the day. If you’ve never trusted Jesus as your Savior. Don’t waste time. Do it now.
And if you have trusted Him, realize that you will never be at peace if your hope is in this world and its institutions. Now is the time to “crack the faith barrier.” Put your complete hope and trust in Christ. Hebrews 13:5 tells us why. “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”
The Day Of The Lord Will Come Like A Thief
You can put your full weight on Him!
