• Hi Guest!

    Please share Talk Jesus community on every platform you have to give conservatives an outlet and safe community to be apart of.

    Support This Community

    Thank You

  • Welcome to Talk Jesus

    A true bible based, Jesus centered online community. Join over 12,500 members today

    Register Log In

Rapture-------like a thief at night

Loyal
the common thing I here about the rapture is Jesus will return like a thief at night to get his church and we will have no idea when this is. majority preach that it could be at any time. I personally am post trib at this point. and here is why

all these scriptures are describing Jesus coming like a thief at night,

2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

1 Thessalonians 5:2
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Revelation 3:3
Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.


Here is the question, is he coming like a thief at night,, for those that know him, that know his voice???

I mean in Revelation 3-3 it says he is only coming like a thief if we dont wake up,,

Could this whole thief in the night thing be for those that need to repent and not for the saints???

Could it be the saints wont be surprised at all??
 
Active
Look closer:

the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
 
Loyal
the common thing I here about the rapture is Jesus will return like a thief at night to get his church and we will have no idea when this is. majority preach that it could be at any time. I personally am post trib at this point. and here is why

all these scriptures are describing Jesus coming like a thief at night,

2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

1 Thessalonians 5:2
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Revelation 3:3
Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.


Here is the question, is he coming like a thief at night,, for those that know him, that know his voice???

I mean in Revelation 3-3 it says he is only coming like a thief if we dont wake up,,

Could this whole thief in the night thing be for those that need to repent and not for the saints???

Could it be the saints wont be surprised at all??


Yes, the rapture of the Church could happen at any time -- Only God knows when it will happen.

The Revelation 3:3 passage is talking to the church of Sardis

It appears that you're doing a phrase search. Looking at the various places where that phrase is being used. And That can be confusing.

Consider the events that will be happening in heaven during the 7 yr tribulation period. The marriage super of the Lamb.

The fact that the 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel will be sent to evangelize the Jews who've not repented yet. We are now in the time of the Gentiles -- God has not forgotten His Children of Israel. They will be feeling God's wrath -- not us. We are feeling the wrath of Man lately. That has happened off and on for centuries. Christians are being martyred Now and have been for centuries.

Scripture Can be confusing on various subjects. This being one of them.
 
Loyal
1 Thessalonians 5:4
But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.

seems we will not be surprised according to Paul


Matthew 24:36
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

just because we dont know the day and hour, we could know the season I would think??
 
Loyal
Not really -- that is all for God only to know -- that is why we are to be ready NOW. ¨Today is the day of salvation.
 
Loyal
1 Thessalonians 5:4
But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.

seems we will not be surprised according to Paul


Matthew 24:36
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

just because we dont know the day and hour, we could know the season I would think??
Note that these passages are talking about the Day of the Lord - a time when God judges and deals finally with evil. They are not talking about rapture.

We are not taken by surprise because we live our whole lives in expectation of Christ's return (Not because we have the date in our diaries).
 
Loyal
I am not suggesting we know the time, but we know things must happen before he returns, for instance scripture says the gospel must be preached through out the entire world, the word of God says the man of lawlessness must be revelead, the temple needs to be built

all the things must take place before he returns, we believers should know the signs, his return is not going to take us by surprise,, like the pre-trip timing suggest the pre trib timing of the rapture suggest that his return could be at any moment and they use the coming like a thief at night to justify this stance, coming like a thief at night is meant for those that dont know the LOrd. its not going to be like a thief at night for those that know the Lord

1 Thessalonians 5:4
But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
 
Loyal
As a pre-trib rapture person -- the Gospel Is available to everyone either by technowledge or through missionaries.

And, yes there Are many signs -- and this world Is getting progressively worse and worse -- we can see it in politics , etc so in That respect we have a pretty good idea that the rapture Will take place sooner rather than Later And God Also knows when each of our lives will end.

The 'thief in the night' can apply to Everyone. Because No one knows. There are Lots of people who have lots of knowledge about Bible -- but it's never gotten beyond their head and it Needs to be a heart belief.

And there are those who Don't believe that there Is a God -- well -- for them it Will be a big surprise. And those who don't really know? They will Also find out For Sure.

I was reading in Hebrews lately. The very first couple of verses. Thought-provoking.
 
Loyal
Look at the preceeding verses "For you youselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safe?" then sudden destruction comes upon them. as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape."

Since you're single -- have never experienced a woman in labor -- labor and delivery are different with every birth. The labor pains come and go in frequency and intensity until the baby is born. I"ve experienced both Long labor and very Short labor. But that baby Will be born. The rapture Will take place.

So both the unsaved And the believer are given the same example. Over time -- both saved and unsaved -- have observed gradual increase in intensity in many areas of life -- this year in both the number Of and intensity Of hurricanes. The amount of damage being done to parts of the world And this country. Some people come to saving faith in Christ only as a result of Problems. Lots storm damage / of fire damage to large areas of several states. And we don't know How many people are coming to place their faith in Jesus Christ. We Do hear of large number in prayer groups -- people meeting outside for church.

God is the only One with all - knowledge -- :)

More and more disrespect for authority // more and more of the wrong being translated into Right by society. More and more destruction by rebellious people. All are 'signs of the times' -- the End times.
 
Member
"Christ shall appear UNTO THOSE THAT LOOK FOR HIM . . " - Hebrews 9:28
This makes no sense if you believe in a 3rd dimensional/natural "Rapture" - it does make sense for those believing in the 4th dimensional/spiritual "Rapture".

Are you loving his appearing . . or waiting to love his appearing.
 
Loyal
@ Primordial Light -- what you are talking about "a 3rd dimensional / natural 'rapture' compared to a '4th dimensional/ spiritual 'rapture'.
 
Loyal
I just Googled that -- it's from Full-Gospel Tokyo. Mysticism involved.

We're talking about the rapture of the Church , correct?!

A spiritual rapture would suggest that it doesn't really happen.

An 'external vs 'internal appearing?! explain.
 
Member
I just Googled that -- it's from Full-Gospel Tokyo. Mysticism involved.

We're talking about the rapture of the Church , correct?!

A spiritual rapture would suggest that it doesn't really happen.

An 'external vs 'internal appearing?! explain.

To keep it simple . . and Biblical, it's "Christ IN YOU the hope of Glory" (Col 1:27) -
Not 'christ outside of you'.
 
Loyal
For the born again believer -- to distinguish from a believer with head knowledge compared to a person with a heart acceptance. John 3 when Jesus Christ was explaining to Nicodemus that he must be born again spiritually and not just born physically.

The Holy Spirit comes to indwell the believer.

And the mystery Is "Christ in you , the hope of glory". That was the new hope for the Gentiles. They were being included in salvation. We have 'unity' in Christ / the Holy Spirit.

Christ 'outside of you' -- Jesus Christ ascended back to heaven after His bodily resurrection.

Because of the cross -- Jesus Christ becoming the mediator between God and man -- we are made perfect through Jesus Christ. Justification -- through the blood of Christ -- God sees us justified -- just as if we'd never sinned.

So -- What does all of This have to do with the rapture of the Church.

Without the cross of Christ -- there is no hope / no unity possible.

Still haven't really explained 'internal vs external' appearing.
 
Member
For the born again believer -- to distinguish from a believer with head knowledge compared to a person with a heart acceptance. John 3 when Jesus Christ was explaining to Nicodemus that he must be born again spiritually and not just born physically.

The Holy Spirit comes to indwell the believer.

And the mystery Is "Christ in you , the hope of glory". That was the new hope for the Gentiles. They were being included in salvation. We have 'unity' in Christ / the Holy Spirit.

Christ 'outside of you' -- Jesus Christ ascended back to heaven after His bodily resurrection.

Because of the cross -- Jesus Christ becoming the mediator between God and man -- we are made perfect through Jesus Christ. Justification -- through the blood of Christ -- God sees us justified -- just as if we'd never sinned.

So -- What does all of This have to do with the rapture of the Church.

Without the cross of Christ -- there is no hope / no unity possible.

Still haven't really explained 'internal vs external' appearing.

Jesus is now the Bright and Morning Star -
Is he getting brighter in you?
 
Loyal
When did Jesus become the bright and morning star? He has Always been the Son of God.

Born again believers are to be growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now -- again -- what does that have to do with external vs internal spiritual rapture of the Church. The rapture of the Church will be a very real event taking place. The dead in Christ will rise first and then those who are still alive at that time will be taken -- it will all happen in a split second of time.

The 'star of the morning' is a reference to Lucifer.

There Is the song called "The Lily of the Valley" He's the lily of the valley, the bright and morning start, etc. The concept that starting your day with God's Word will lighten / brighten a person's day.

Getting back to the 'external vs internal/spiritual rapture of the Church.
 
Member
When did Jesus become the bright and morning star? He has Always been the Son of God.

Born again believers are to be growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now -- again -- what does that have to do with external vs internal spiritual rapture of the Church. The rapture of the Church will be a very real event taking place. The dead in Christ will rise first and then those who are still alive at that time will be taken -- it will all happen in a split second of time.

The 'star of the morning' is a reference to Lucifer.

There Is the song called "The Lily of the Valley" He's the lily of the valley, the bright and morning start, etc. The concept that starting your day with God's Word will lighten / brighten a person's day.

Getting back to the 'external vs internal/spiritual rapture of the Church.

Maybe you should have Googled it -

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
 
Loyal
I did Google it -- now -- again -- the subject of rapture. The external / internal aspect ?!
 
Top