1 Thessalonians 5:2

[webdog]

"for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."

My father and I were talking about this, and he believes this is the proof the rapture will be a "secret event". I disagreed and stated it should be understood as something unexpected. I"m on the fence if the intention is meant to be a secret or world event, but I lean to the latter. I can even see some allowance for it to be a loud, confusing event...like a robber storming into a home while everyone is sleeping.

Thoughts (and this is not intended to be a amil, premil, "insert eschatology view here" debate)

 

[convicted1]

"for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."

My father and I were talking about this, and he believes this is the proof the rapture will be a "secret event". I disagreed and stated it should be understood as something unexpected. I"m on the fence if the intention is meant to be a secret or world event, but I lean to the latter. I can even see some allowance for it to be a loud, confusing event...like a robber storming into a home while everyone is sleeping.

Thoughts (and this is not intended to be a amil, premil, "insert eschatology view here" debate)

I think this means He will come and find those who are not ready to meet Him, and they will be caught with their pants down. It says that He will come with a SHOUT, with the Arch angel, and the Trump of God. I find that hard to be "secretive", don't you. He will catch them unaware, IOW.

 

[RAdam]

"When they shall say peace and safety, then shall sudden destruction come upon them..."

Paul isn't talking about some secret coming of Christ prior to the last day, he is talking about the last day. He is saying that it will not be something that will be seen coming. But, the believers in Christ are not in darkness that the day should overtake us, says Paul. We are commanded time and again to watch and wait for the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens shall pass away and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

 

[Iconoclast]

"When they shall say peace and safety, then shall sudden destruction come upon them..."

Paul isn't talking about some secret coming of Christ prior to the last day, he is talking about the last day. He is saying that it will not be something that will be seen coming. But, the believers in Christ are not in darkness that the day should overtake us, says Paul. We are commanded time and again to watch and wait for the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens shall pass away and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

Good post....sounds similar to this in that it is buisness as usual,until the last day;

26`And, as it came to pass in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man;

27they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were given in marriage, till the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the deluge came, and destroyed all;

28in like manner also, as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building;

29and on the day Lot went forth from Sodom, He rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed all.

30`According to these things it shall be, in the day the Son of Man is revealed;

31in that day, he who shall be on the house top, and his vessels in the house, let him not come down to take them away; and he in the field, in like manner, let him not turn backward;

32remember the wife of Lot.

33Whoever may seek to save his life, shall lose it; and whoever may lose it, shall preserve it.

34`I say to you, In that night, there shall be two men on one couch, the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left;

35two women shall be grinding at the same place together, the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left;

36two men shall be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other left.'

37And they answering say to him, `Where, sir?' and he said to them, `Where the body [is], there will the eagles be gathered together.'

 

[lastday]

Lastday

Convicted wrote:

I think this means He will come and find those who are not ready to meet Him, and they will be caught with their pants down. It says that He will come with a SHOUT, with the Arch angel, and the Trump of God. I find that hard to be "secretive", don't you. He will catch them unaware, IOW.

The Signs of the Day of God's wrath will appear before Christ descends with a
"shout and with the souls of the dead in Christ as He gathers the elect from earth on the 4 winds and sends the angels at a great trumpet sound to gather us out of the same 4 winds to meet Him at the gathering place in the sky". I Thess.4:13-14; Mark 13:27; Matt.24:31; 2 Thess.2:1. Believers will not only expect Him at any moment after these Signs of Seal 6 occur, but will "be blessed
as they watch (without exception) for His coming as a thief ...while keeping their clothes intact"! Rev.16:15.

This "watching" is nested in the context of armies having invaded Israel over the plains of Armageddon. The 6th Plague therefore
takes place before
Christ descends to gather the elect. "All who must die will be martyred before Christ avenges their blood". Since the two prophets are not the final martyrs, they will lie dead on a street in Jerusalem for 3.5 final days; and must rise up before the rest of the dead in Christ arise!! Rev.6:9-11.

This means the Day of God's Wrath is a single 12-Hour Day IMO. It is not a
period of years or months that come "as a thief". Jesus clearly places this
global catastrophe as coming "suddenly, as a thief, on the Day of His personal
Apocalyptic Presence in glory and power"...the day on which all Israel will be saved and anyone who begs for mercy will be preserved (kept alive)!!!
Luke 17:30-33; Luke 21:34-36.
Mel

 

[HankD]

"for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."

My father and I were talking about this, and he believes this is the proof the rapture will be a "secret event". I disagreed and stated it should be understood as something unexpected. I"m on the fence if the intention is meant to be a secret or world event, but I lean to the latter. I can even see some allowance for it to be a loud, confusing event...like a robber storming into a home while everyone is sleeping.

Thoughts (and this is not intended to be a amil, premil, "insert eschatology view here" debate)

Both (a true politician ey?).

Jesus likens it to the days of Noah and Lot (Sodom, Gomorrah).

The families of Noah and Lot were forewarned, no secret to them.

From the Scriptures, Noah is called a preacher of righteousness, yet only a few (he and his family) were delivered from the wrath of God.

Similarly with Lot, he and his family were delivered from God's wrath.

Yet, their world, being forewarned as the scripture declares of Lot's in-laws "he seemed as one that mocked".
So also with this world and the preaching of the Second Coming (the wrath to come).

When a thief comes by stealth in the night it is only evident in the morning after the fact when it is too late.

In this case Jesus only takes out His own blood-bought children before He comes to judge the world.

First comes the deliverence/removal of His children before the wrath of God comes upon this world.

After this deliverence/removal is perceived by the world with signs following then they will lament...

Jeremiah 8:20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.​

His coming wrath will then be visibly manifested to all.​

Isaiah 13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.​

Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.​

HankD​

 

[lastday]

Lastday

HankD wrote:

The families of Noah and Lot were forewarned, no secret to them.
From the Scriptures, Noah is called a preacher of righteousness, yet only a few (he and his family) were delivered from the wrath of God. Similarly with Lot, he and his family were delivered from God's wrath.

So also with this world and the preaching of the Second Coming (the wrath to come). When a thief comes by stealth in the night it is only evident in the morning after the fact when it is too late. In this case Jesus only takes out His own blood-bought children before He comes to judge the world.

After this deliverance/removal is perceived by the world with signs following then they will lament...His coming wrath will then be visibly manifested to all.
Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

It is interesting to note both the wicked and the righteous will recognize and
be stunned by the awesome warning signs of the Day of God's Wrath!

"The hearts of mean will fail from fear and those unbelievers who have been made aware of Daniel's prophecy,
prior to signs of the last day, will begin to "mourn" before they see Christ appear with all the Saints!!

As mountains collapse and storms rage, Israel will "know their redemption is near and will be begging to escape
all these things". When Christ appears, according to His own words, they will be "kept alive" to inherit an earthly
kingdom promised to David and to the "rest of the natural seed of Abraham": 5 million Jews and maybe 200 million
descendants of the 12 Tribes of Ishmael !!!
Luke 17:30-33; Luke 21:28-36.
Mel