Dear Daisy,
It has long been taught that Jesus will come like a thief in the night and that no one will know the day or the hour of Jesus’ return. There seems to be a large divide suddenly with believers in Jesus on this subject. So many followers of Jesus are now saying that we are to be watchful so that He won’t come like a thief in the night. Now I’m confused and don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing. Can you clear this up please? ~Signed, confused about the thief warning.
Dear confused about the thief warning,
You are not alone! Let’s dig deeper into God’s Holy Word and see what we can find to help you in your faith journey.
What we were taught
Most anyone who grew up in a typical church were not taught the whole truth of God’s Word, but only in part. As a result, there is so much we don’t know until we study it for ourselves. Truth is, by not teaching us the whole story, the pieces we were taught could be easily manipulated to fit our narrative, or what the pastor wanted us to believe.
Anytime someone gives you a lone scripture, put it back and read the whole chapter. Better yet, read the whole story; even better read the whole Holy Bible. As with any book, reading the entire Holy Bible is recommended to understand the complete story God has breathed for us.
Why didn’t they want us to know the whole truth
The answer to that question is longer than we have time for in this blog today. What is important now, is that God is giving His followers a hunger for His deeper whole-truth. Allow that hunger to lead you to spend time alone, one-on-one, with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to teach you all truth. He is waiting to study with you. Don’t take my word for, see His invitations:
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee,
and shew thee great and mighty things,
which thou knowest not.“
Jeremiah 33:3
“But you have received the Holy Spirit,
and he lives within you,
so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true.
For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know,
and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie.
So just as he has taught you,
remain in fellowship with Christ.”
1 John 2:27
Sadly, we live in a time when we are seeing pastors fall from grace everyday. The above promises should give you comfort and hope that it is possible to learn all truth, and straight from the source. God never intended for us to learn only from others. He wants a personal relationship with you. You can only get that through intentional one-on-one time with Him.
Choose today to allow the Holy Spirit to teach you.
“No one knows the day nor the hour”
If I’ve heard that once, I’ve heard it thousands of times in my life. So I totally understand your frustration with this question you posed.
This phrase has recently become a point of great debate between the non-believers in Jesus and the believers in Jesus vs the wholehearted followers of Jesus. Yes, you read that correctly; there is a HUGE difference between believing in Jesus and wholeheartedly following Him in all ways. Rather than take my word for it, sit back and watch those around you. If you leave out the non-believers for this scenario, you will see that there are Christians, that believe in Jesus, that will argue with wholehearted followers of Jesus about this phrase. Believers hold fast to the phrase, they don’t watch, and they criticize those that do; while followers of Jesus are warning others, watching, and ready to go. Once you allow the Holy Spirit to show you the difference, it will blow your mind.
You will notice that those who always refer to that phrase in the New Testament of the Holy Bible, they are using it as a deterrent to stop you from looking for Jesus’ return. You must ask yourself why these Christians don’t want you to look for Jesus’ return. While you are observing the differences between the two groups, you will notice that the wholehearted followers of Jesus never use that phrase. That is because they have studied scripture and understand what Jesus meant when He said that.
Let me ask you this: would it surprise you to know that this phrase did not originate in the New Testament? Do you recall the story of the golden calf in the First Testament of the Holy Bible? Let me park here a minute to explain and see if you can see the reference.
When Moses was on the top of the mountain receiving the stone tablets from God for forty days and forty nights in Exodus (24:18), he was gone so long that the people got restless and believed he was never coming back. They demanded that his brother Aaron make them a new god to serve, the golden calf (Exodus 32). They did not know the day nor the hour Moses would return, or if he would return at all. The people gave up and decided to worship a god of their own making instead. Sound familiar? People have given up on Jesus coming back because it’s been almost 2,000 years. They have given up no longer wanting to wait and many worship gods of their own making.
You can see the comparison when Jesus ascended up to Heaven and said He was going to see the Father and would come back to get His Bride, Moses told the people what he was doing; he was going to see the Father and would return to lead the people back to the Father. Moses had already been up the mountain with God and had come back (Exodus 19) and then went back up again. They knew the plan; he told them to wait and be ready. Before Jesus ascended to prepare a place for His Bride, He had already shared the plan, had died and rose again, came back and encouraged the disciples, then ascended until He returns at the appointed time. See the similarities?
It’s true, we won’t know the day or the hour, but like Moses did, Jesus shared His plan, and told us the signs and season to look for His appointed time to return for His Bride. Those who are His that are wholeheartedly following Him will be ready, watching and waiting. By watching the signs He told them to look for, they will know the season of His return. He doesn’t want us focused on the day or hour but on the signs and season. With humans, if you tell them when the boss will return, they will play around and goof off until right before he arrives. Jesus knows that about us. That’s why He didn’t tell the day or hour; He wants us to stay focused on Him and always be ready; not playing around and goofing off. Where you spend eternity is no joke. Take it seriously and be ready.
The masses of people didn’t believe then, and they still don’t believe today. Giving up on God their Creator because He didn’t move fast enough for them, they grew impatient and restless and decided to make their own plan. Only a remnant during Moses’ time believed and waited. Moses’ story was a foreshadow of what would happen when Jesus said He would be back. Only a remnant believe Jesus will do what He says He will do.
Now that it’s crunch time in these last days, you must decide: will you believe Him and watch for His return? Or, will you allow your doubts to cause you to listen to the lies of the enemy that Jesus is never coming back for you? Choose wisely.
Moses came back,
SO WILL JESUS!!!
“God is not a man,
that he should lie;
neither the son of man,
that he should repent:
hath he said, and shall he not do it?
or hath he spoken,
and shall he not make it good?”
Numbers 23:19
“Yea, before the day was I am he;
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand:
I will work, and who shall let it?”
Isaiah 43:13
“Fear ye not, neither be afraid:
have not I told thee from that time,
and have declared it?
ye are even my witnesses.
Is there a God beside me?
yea, there is no God; I know not any.”
Isaiah 44:8
“For I am the LORD,
I change not;
therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
Malachi 3:6
Believe!
Watch and Be READY!
What is God’s truth about the thief and the signs
In Matthew 24, the disciples asked Jesus privately, what would be the signs to know it was the end-times when He would sound His trumpet to call up His Bride. The reason this story was breathed in the Holy Bible for us is so that His wholehearted followers would know what to “look” for so that they would “know” it was close to time for His return. The disciples didn’t ask for a day or hour, they asked for the “signs to look for,” and He told them.
It’s important to notice in this chapter that Jesus gave this information privately to His wholehearted followers (vs 3). The haters are going to hate; the unbelievers are not going to believe, so He did not share this part of the information with them publicly. Study this whole chapter along with Luke 21; they are both very informative about what to do, according to Jesus. (Don’t take man’s word for what you are supposed to do! Only Jesus.)
When Jesus said He would come as a thief in the night, that statement was to warn the “unbelievers.” The unbelievers will not be looking for His signs or season of His coming. Jesus told His wholehearted followers to be looking, then they will know and be ready. He actually says in Revelation 3:3, “if you don’t watch, I will come upon thee as a thief.” Does that sound like He doesn’t want you watching for Him and to be ready?
Observe; here He says, be watchful, repent, focus on what He has done for you. He tells us to watch so we won’t be surprised and not ready.
“2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain,
that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard,
and hold fast, and repent.
If therefore thou shalt not watch,
I will come on thee as a thief,
and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
Revelation 3:2-3
Here He says, because you were patiently waiting, He will keep you from the judgement of the world, warning to hold on and not give up no matter how bad it gets and not allow anyone to take away your faith that He has given you.
“10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience,
I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,
which shall come upon all the world,
to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come quickly:
hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
Revelation 3:10-11
Here He reminds that He must test and try those He loves to make them ready; so repent and cling to Him.
“19 As many as I love,
I rebuke and chasten:
be zealous therefore, and repent.”
Revelation 3:19
Here Jesus encourages us, when things in your life and around you seem unbearable in these end-times (He is warning us things will be bad), He assures us that He sees and knows and will cut the time short (not early) for His chosen ones (those who wholeheartedly follow Him in all ways).
Indeed,
if the length of this time had not been limited,
no one would survive;
but for the sake of those who have been chosen,
its length will be limited.”
Matthew 24:22
So those that are criticizing you for watching and waiting for Jesus, and throwing that phrase up at you that you won’t know the day or the hour, they seem to be using it as “permission from Jesus” to not be watching. They say it as if they are honoring Jesus by not looking for Him, thereby living life doing what they want (not having oil in their lamps as Jesus suggested. More on that later.) That is what you call taking scripture out of context and manipulating the meaning. That’s why it is so dangerous to trust someone else to tell you what God’s Word says; study it yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to teach you.
To not watch for Jesus, totally goes against scripture! The naysayers are shutting you down to persecute you, and to destroy your faith. Don’t let them steal what Jesus has given you; His hope, peace, and promises!
The virgins and the oil
There is a parable story in Matthew 25 about the 10 virgins that Jesus shares immediately after He tells what signs to be looking for His return. These virgins were to be waiting for their bridegroom with oil in their lamps. Five obeyed and were ready, the other five weren’t prepared and had no oil when He arrived. The five who weren’t ready had to quickly go get oil and when they came back the door to the wedding was closed and they couldn’t get in.
The oil in this story represents the Holy Spirit. Is He in you? Or are you waiting until the last minute to commit your life to Jesus and be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit, and squeeze in at the last minute before the door shuts; not wanting to miss out on the fun in life by looking for Jesus?
This story is to show us that the virgins who represent the repentant wholehearted followers of Jesus were watching and ready for Jesus, their Bridegroom to arrive and were looking and waiting patiently for His arrival. It didn’t matter how long it took for Him to arrive, they were committed to Jesus and focused on watching for His return; not allowing anything or anyone to distract them.
The five virgins who had no oil represent the believers in Jesus that got tired of waiting for His return and went on with living their lives. They were good people but their hearts were not focused on Jesus or His arrival. He showed up when they didn’t expect Him; they weren’t prepared, they quickly repented and begged to get in, but were not allowed in the wedding (the rapture). It was to late.
A very direct message, if you study it yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to show you His message. He is clearly telling us to forget about everything else and be ready and watching for His return.
After Revelation chapter 3, the church, Jesus’ Bride is gone to be with Him at the wedding feast He planned for His wholehearted followers. You won’t see them mentioned again until much later in Revelation 19 when His “Wife” (His Bride – the church – the wholehearted followers that have been celebrating with Him for 7 years [Vs.7]) comes back with Him after the 7-year tribulation for the battle at Armageddon.
He warns here again in Revelation 2:5, that you have sinned; it’s time to repent before He blows His trumpet. Hurry! Repent today! Fill your lamp with oil!
“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen,
and repent,
and do the first works;
or else I will come unto thee quickly,
and will remove thy candlestick out of his place,
except thou repent.”
Revelation 2:5
Does that sound like you aren’t supposed to be watching for the signs and season of His return? It’s not about knowing the day or hour; it’s about knowing the signs and season and being ready. He is saying there that if you don’t repent, He is going to remove His light, forever.
Consider this: A pregnant woman doesn’t know the actual day or hour she will go into natural labor and deliver her baby, but she will know the signs that it is very close. That applies here as well.
When you study about the process for the Galilean wedding during Bible-times, you will learn that the Bride will not know what day or hour the groom will come, but she knows the signs and season of his coming, and is prepared for his return to get her. Once he betroths her and she accepts, he leaves for a time to go to his father’s house to prepare a place for them to live together.
This wedding process is significant because that is exactly how it will happen with us as Jesus’ Bride. He betrothed us when He died on the cross for our sins. He said He would go to prepare a place for us in His Father’s House and then would come back to get us at the appointed time.
With the Galilean wedding, the groom didn’t go back to the Bride-to-be’s home, she knew when it was time for his return and she went out to meet him. That is what Jesus tells us, that He will sound His trumpet, and His wholehearted followers will meet Him in the air. He doesn’t return to earth itself until after the tribulation period.
Observe this exciting news:
“16 For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
1Thessalonians 4:16-17
When you study God’s Word and you discover through the Holy Spirit teaching you these truths, it will make you feel so loved and valued by Him. It’s really exciting actually!
What is “The Day of the Lord”
Observe: Paul is telling us here that there is no need for him to write and tell us the times and seasons because Jesus has already explained that. He encourages here that for Jesus’ wholehearted followers, they will NOT be surprised!
He gives us more information about the signs to look for so we will be prepared and see the day approaching. And His wholehearted followers (the ones watching), His children of His light, will see the day approaching. They will not be surprised like a thief in the night. Paul is telling us to get excited and watch.
“1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day:
we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep – sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love;
and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep,
we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” 1Thessalonians 5:1-11
Peter shows us here that that day will approach quickly and be very destructive for those left behind that weren’t ready:
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2Peter 3:10
They that say they are ready but aren’t watching because they were taught we won’t know the day or the hour and if we try to look and watch, then we are fools, ARE NOT READY!
IF YOU AREN’T WATCHING, YOU AREN’T READY!
YOU ARE FOCUSED ON SOMETHING OTHER THAN WATCHING!
What should we be doing
To re-clarify: Jesus says He will come like a thief in the night for those who are not watching. His wholehearted followers will be ready and waiting, watching the signs of His soon return.
All of us need to be watching; be ready!
We need to make sure our heart is right,
and we need to be warning others – regardless of persecution.
“42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 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.”
Matthew 24:42-43
“40 Be ye therefore ready also:
for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
Luke 12:40
Blessed are those who are WATCHING!!!
Jesus says,
“Behold, I come as a thief.
Blessed is he that watcheth,
and keepeth his garments,
lest he walk naked,
and they see his shame.”
Revelation 16:15
Make sure your heart is right and ready
Don’t complicate the process for salvation. Keep it simple. Regardless if you have prayed this before, rededicate your life today and go “all in” with Him. It’s time for a deeper relationship with your Creator, Adonai. FILL YOUR LAMP!
Do the ABC’s and repent today.
- A: Admit that you are a sinner. (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6, Ephesians 2:8-9)
- B: Believe in your heart that Jesus is the son of God and that He died for your sins and rose from the dead for you. (John 3:16-18, 1Corinthians 15:1-4)
- C: Call on Jesus and repent of your sins and turn back to Him and ask Jesus to show you the way. (Romans 10:9-13, John 14:6)
In closing,
Always ask Jesus what you should do in every situation. The Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you. If it’s not okay with Him, He will check your spirit and you will have an uneasy feeling and doubt about going forward. Always follow Jesus; NOT your heart; our hearts are fickle and can’t be trusted. Listen to the Holy Spirit; He is trying to protect you. You have a choice to obey or ignore. Choose to obey and stay under His protection.
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?”
Jeremiah 17:9
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.“
Proverbs 3:5
“When you know you grow!”