As a Thief in the Night

As a Thief in the Night – 2 Peter 3:10

When will the world come to an end?

This question has preoccupied the minds of men for centuries. Some have sought the answer in the night sky. Others have tried to divine such knowledge from the spirit world, itself. Still, others have believed that they could figure it out with an imaginative interpretation of the Bible. But, in spite of man’s best efforts, no one has yet succeeded in predicting when the end of the world will be.

Of that day and hour knoweth no man.

Of course, the reason for humanity’s lack of progress in cracking this conundrum is stated in the Word of God. In Matthew 24:36, Jesus said, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” The day and the hour when Jesus comes again is privileged information that no human being may know. All of these people who are trying to frighten us with dire warnings of the impending end of the world are absolutely wrong! They cannot possibly know when the end will be.

His coming will be a complete surprise.

That is why the apostle Peter wrote what he did in his second epistle, “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” (2 Peter 3:10). When a thief comes in the middle of the night to rob someone’s house, he does not phone ahead of time to say when he will drop by. His coming is a complete surprise—and so shall the second coming of Christ be to the whole world.

Be ready for the Lord to come.

Now, you might be thinking, “Doesn’t the Bible talk about ‘signs,’ which indicate that the coming of the Lord is near?” While that may be popular fodder for sermons in denominational churches, it is without basis in the Bible. In Matthew 24:4-35, Jesus talked about “signs,” which would indicate that the destruction of Jerusalem was coming (and it did, in A.D. 70). But, the Lord never indicated that we would be able to tell when He will come again. As a matter of fact, in Matthew 24:37-41, Jesus indicated that the day of His coming would be an ordinary day, just like any other. Also, in Luke 12:40, He said that His coming would be at a time when humanity is not expecting Him. Let’s all get ready for the Lord to come—for so He shall—sooner or later.

…the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not. – Luke 12:40