A Thief in the Night

“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2

July 13, 2023

Our nation is in a time of great moral, social, and political turmoil. So much so that many are asking are we nearing the end of the world. Though such a thought may seem far fetched to those who have lived through other horrible periods of time, yet young people, especially, are having to deal with fears that are very real. The young believers in the church in Thessalonica were unsettled about the world of tomorrow. Was not Jesus Christ coming back to earth soon to establish His kingdom? One matter of special concern was the day of the Lord. It would be a time when God’s judgments will catch the unbelieving world by surprise. The anti-supernatural bias of the world system will insulate it from the threat of divine judgment. The thief is going to come in the night, but the believers are declared not to belong to the night or the darkness. Believers in Jesus Christ belong to a different time reference. There is no way to date the day of the Lord. The world can go on whistling in the dark, but that doesn’t change the fact that it will come when it is least expected. Climate change is not the real fear. It is having to face the wrath of God. The period of wrath will not overtake the church as a thief, because the church will not be there.
H
“I’m not looking for signs, We’ve had plenty of them. I’m listening for a sound. Every time you see a scoffer who says there are not signs of His coming, you’ve just seen another sign. I’m listening for a shout.” Vance Havner