Ever Wonder Why Jesus Comes Back Like A Thief? (Part 1)

Before Jesus died on the cross, he revealed that he would be going back to the Father in heaven.  At a time, decided by our Heavenly Father, Jesus would be coming back to earth a second time, only this time he would not be coming back as a sacrificial lamb for our sins but rather as a king to judge the living and the dead. John, the last living apostle of the original 12 that walked with Jesus for 3 years, wrote in the book of Revelation that Jesus would be coming back on a white horse to wage war with humanity. 

Revelation 19:11                                                                                                                                                                                          And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.

Most Bible scholars are of the opinion that this passage is not referring to the Rapture, but rather to Jesus’ second coming with His saints at the end of the Tribulation. I, for one, do not believe in the Rapture of the church before the tribulation as history proves that this idea of the “Rapture” came about in the mid 1800 by a young girl. It was never a long standing belief until recently and yet if any one questions it people think you are a heretic.

Most scholars agree that the secret Rapture theory was launched into prominence around 1830 by a group of people in Scotland who had become known as the Plymouth Brethren. Under the direction of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) and others, they began to hold Prophetic Conferences. Supposedly, during one of those conferences or from a sick bed during those conferences, a charismatic utterance came forth as a prophetic message from the Lord through a young, fifteen-year-old Scottish girl named Margaret Macdonald. While in a trance, she received a private vision and revelation that only a select group of believers would be removed from the earth before the days of the Antichrist. However, she also saw other believers enduring the tribulation.  This is something most believers in the rapture theory do not teach or mention.

I am not going to get into all the particulars of his coming back but instead I want to focus on how he will return. Scripture states very clearly that he will be coming as a “THIEF”.  On the surface, this seems a little peculiar. Jesus spoke about his coming being in an hour when people least expect it. I want to establish this is indeed how he will return and then talk about why he returns in this manner. Look at the words of Jesus on the subject of his return.

Matthew 24:43-44                                                                                                                                                                                     “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. [44] “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. 

Jesus mentioned elsewhere that his return will be like in the days of Noah in Luke 17:26. People laughed at Noah and paid him no mind as it seemed like nonsense to them that God would judge the whole earth at one time with water.  Jesus also used a unique parable about his return using a wedding.  In this wedding, the groom was delayed and there were “Ten Virgins” waiting to usher in the groom, which refers to believers who had purified themselves waiting for the return of Jesus.

Matthew 25:1-3                                                                                                                                                                                                  “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. [2] “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. [3] “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 

Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and thus implies the foolish virgins somehow did not have the Holy Spirit moving in their lives and the light of Christ in their souls. There are many places where Paul admonishes believers to not be deceived or fall away from Christ and the faith even though so many in the body of Christ claim true believers can not lose their salvation. This passage in Matthew says otherwise.

Paul uses the analogy of a “thief in the night” because he wants to emphasize how disorienting Jesus’ return will be for those who have been “asleep” or who are not Christ-followers. Paul refers to Jesus’ second coming as the day of the Lord. He reminds believers again that Jesus’ return will be like a thief in the night, sudden and terrible for those not trusting in Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3                                                                                                                                                                                 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. [3] While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 

Peter talks about the return of Christ as a time when this earth will pass away with “Intense Heat“, which sounds like a nuclear war of some type. This again seems to discount the dividing of the so called rapture theory of the church at the end of tribulation. Peter is talking to the saints and not to unbelievers. He talks about this because of the warning Jesus gave to his followers and thus we should walk as holy people, not as people of the world.

2 Peter 3:10                                                                                                                                                                                                    But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

Some of the last passages about his coming as a thief are found in the book of Revelation. John the apostle wrote the words of Jesus as given to him, which desired for the church to repent. This particular message was sent to the church in Sardis, although it was meant for all the churches. Consider the language of Jesus saying, “If You Do Not Wake Up” as a great warning to all of us lest we fall asleep like the 5 virgins that no longer had the power and light of the Holy Spirit in Matthew 25.

Revelation 3:3                                                                                                                                                                                                 So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 

Revelation 16:15                                                                                                                                                                                    Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.”

There is so much in all these passages about Jesus returning as a “THIEF” and coming when we least expect it. These are a warning to us all to make sure we are following the Lord himself and not just some doctrine we learned.

In the second article on this topic, I will get into the reason why Jesus uses this concept of a thief.

Questions

1) Have you considered Jesus coming as a thief and will you be ready for his coming? There is total safety for those who are “IN” Christ Jesus and not going to church with a Christian name tag.

2) Have you considered the parable about the 10 virgins and whether you have the Holy Spirit operating in your daily life?  Ephesians 5:18 reminds us to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit.

Searching the scriptures to be ready for the return of Christ,

Pastor Dale