"A Thief in the Night." It's a phrase that many people are acquainted with, although they know not from whence it comes. We closed last time by pointing out the two places where that phrase appears in the New Testament (Matthew 24:43 and 1 Thessalonians 5:2) I promised to talk about that in some more detail, so here goes. First, I would ask you to notice that this phrase is consistent with Jesus' use of "birth pangs" and "fig trees." He points out that there will be several signs leading up to His Second Coming. The very last sign which He points to as preceding His Second Coming could be described as "cosmic disturbances." These disturbances include, among other things, unnatural darkness (or night).
I draw your attention to two parallel passages of Scripture. You may remember that early on in this series I pointed out how Jesus' teaching in Matthew 24 parallels John's vision as seen in Revelation 6. I hope you can now see a parallel between Matthew 24:29-31 and Revelation 6:12-14.
"Immediately after the distress of those days, 'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' [from Isaiah 13:10; 34:4] At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." (Matthew 24:29-31)
"I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sack-cloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place." (Revelation 6:12-14)
And what happens after these cosmic disturbances? Revelation doesn't give us any hint of the Rapture, but when Revelation is compared with Matthew 24, it takes place sometime between Revelation 6:15 and Revelation 7:9. It happens before the Day of the Lord or the Day of God's Wrath, mentioned in Revelation 6:16-17. Before that actually commences with the blowing of the 7 trumpets, there is an interlude where 144,000 Jews are sealed for protection in the midst of what is about to happen. Back in Matthew, immediately following the cosmic disturbances there is a very vivid description of the Rapture.
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left." (Matthew 24:36-41)
Please note that Jesus makes it obvious that the one who was watching and prepared was engaged in the same task of making a living as the one who was left behind. This paints a pretty clear picture that the faith that will bring us safely home, while it may be nurtured and fed in meetings at the church house, is a faith that is lively and active in the home, the market place, the work place and the social place. Many religious activities are about "hearing" the Word, true religion is about "doing" the Word. (James 1:22-27, Luke 6:46-49)
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built." (Luke 6:46-48) Build wisely!
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