Revelation: As a Thief in the Night

Revelation: Justification by Faith

As a Thief in the Night

[By M.L]

"Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you." (Revelation 3:2–3)

The church in Sardis was called to repent and hold fast to what they had received and heard. They had received the Gospel and heard its truth, but they needed to learn to hold onto it and not let it slip away.
They were to remain watchful in prayer and fasting so that Jesus would not come upon them like a thief in the night.

Some interpret the idea of Jesus coming as a thief in the night as referring to a secret rapture where Jesus comes in a hidden manner.
However, this is not the point here. Revelation shows that Jesus comes like a thief in the night specifically for those who do not repent.

Jesus clarifies this meaning:

"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." (Matthew 24:42–44)

Jesus calls us to be watchful. We are to be as vigilant as someone expecting an intruder at any moment. If we are not watchful, He will come like a thief in the night—suddenly and unexpectedly. We may then find ourselves shocked to realize that we have squandered the time graciously given to us and ignored the simple message of God's love.

We deceive ourselves by thinking that we can have peace despite living in sin against God. But Paul warns:

"For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:2–9)

Throughout the ages, false teachers and prophets have lulled God's people into complacency. The vigilance and active faith that fights against sin often grow dull under the assumption that we are "good enough" and that surely God will not judge us. But the wages of sin is death.

Jesus came to save us from our sins, and only those who genuinely desire to turn away from sin through His grace are appointed to salvation rather than wrath.

Christ Jesus is our Advocate and High Priest. He knows your weaknesses and sins. He knows the idols and sins you secretly hold on to. Why hide them from Him? Why not go to Him to receive forgiveness and assurance that He will write His law on your heart?

There is no rest for the wicked.

Before Jesus returns, there will be a call to repentance. More than ever, people will cry out, "Peace and safety!" But we need not despair over our sins. Christ came to save sinners, not the righteous.

Soon He will return to judge the world. Anyone who trusts in Christ’s merits alone can be assured of their acceptance. Let them not grow discouraged in fighting the good fight. The struggle will soon be over, and they will receive their reward.

But those who trust in their own righteousness or refuse to trust in Christ’s love have rejected the only defense against Satan’s accusations. They will stand without an Advocate, relying on their own insufficient righteousness. The Judge will see through their hearts and declare them guilty.

On that Day, they will be astonished. They did not expect the second coming or the judgment. Even those who claimed to believe assumed they were prepared.

What then must we do to be saved?

Listen to Peter’s words as if God is speaking directly to you:

"And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death.

For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; moreover, my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’

Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.

This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’

Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’" (Acts 2:21–39)