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AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT!
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1
1 Thessalonians 5:1-2

Matthew 24:42-51

 

“…the day of the Lord so cometh

as a thief in the night.”

 

AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT!
 
While Jesus was on earth He taught His disciples an important lesson: “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 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. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matt 24:42-44). That is the same message that Paul wanted to convey when he wrote that “the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” It will happen unexpectedly, unannounced, and much of the world will be unprepared.
 
The day of the Lord’s return is imminent. That is why prophecy has been given to us. On the one hand, we do not have every single detail of the times and the seasons such that we can predict the exact time and date of the Lord’s return – that has never been God’s purpose for us. Yet, enough has been revealed so that every generation of believers would be watchful and ready for when the Lord should come.
 
Although both 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 deal with the topic of the Lord’s return, the emphasis is different. The former was written to comfort troubled believers, whereas the latter is a warning to unbelievers, and as one commentator puts it: to trouble comfortable believers. Which category are you in? Does the prospect of Christ’s soon return bring you hope and comfort or fearful trepidation?
 
Our response then, must be one of watchfulness. We do not want to be caught unprepared. Just as a thief may come when we least expect it, we must always be ready. We cannot afford to be complacent and let our guard down. We must be spiritually vigilant, walking close to the Lord and actively serving Him. The right understanding of biblical prophecy will lead to a life of faith and godliness. Knowing that our time on earth is limited, we ought to then redouble our efforts to serve and witness for God, looking for and hasting unto the coming day of God (2 Pet 3:12).
 
THOUGHT: What would happen if we were told the exact day of the Lord’s return?

PRAYER: Help me, Father, to be watchful, ready for the Lord’s return.

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