Thief in the night: Difference between revisions

  - *"But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into"* (Matthew 24:43).

  - Jesus uses this metaphor in the Olivet Discourse to underscore the need for constant vigilance in anticipation of His return.

  - Paul expands on this theme in *1 Thessalonians 5:2*: *"For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."

  - This verse reinforces the idea that the timing of divine judgment or intervention is unpredictable.

  - *"Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!"* (Revelation 16:15).

  - Here, the imagery intertwines vigilance with preparedness, linking spiritual readiness to the preservation of one’s "garments."

  - *"Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts."*

  - This verse highlights the sudden appearance of the Lord, often interpreted as a Messianic prophecy. It also connects to John the Baptist as the forerunner.

  - *"They rush upon the city; they run upon the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter through the windows like a thief. The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?"*

  - Joel compares the Lord’s coming to a sudden invasion, with imagery reminiscent of a thief’s unexpected entry.

  - *"For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."*

  - Though emphasizing patience, this verse underscores the certainty and suddenness of fulfillment at the appointed time.

  - *"For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire will the Lord enter into judgment, and by his sword, with all flesh; and those slain by the Lord shall be many."*

  - This verse portrays a sudden and dramatic coming of the Lord in judgment.

  - *"For the Lord builds up Zion; he appears in his glory; he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer."*

  - This verse suggests a sudden revelation of the Lord’s glory, tied to Messianic hopes.