LESSON 19 – A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
What if you received a call from someone who said, “Hello, you don’t know me, but I know you. I’ve been watching you come and go. I know all about you and your family, and I know all about your house. There are some things in your house that I want, and I’m coming to take them from you!” This is not a joke. What would you do? I believe you would do whatever necessary to prepare for that day. Maybe you would install a home security system, notify the police, put up some security lights, purchase guns etc.
You may well do many of these things to prevent your house from being broken into. The warning phone call you received changed everything. You will now be extremely vigilant.
Jesus, applying this very illustration gives this warning to the disciples:
“Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore, you must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:42-44).
Jesus has sent us a message. He has said, “you don’t know me, but I know you. I know all about you and your family. I’m returning again. You don’t know when, but it’s certain. When I come, it will be sudden. This is no joke. You will have to deal with me someday!” In verse 32, Jesus gives us three guarantees that all he said will come to pass.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson; as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.”
This is the first guarantee. What the Lord means is when the world reaches the stage he describes, and the possibility that the Lawless One looms on the horizon of current affairs, then “he is near, at the very gates.” We are now in the first quarter of the 21st century, and each person can judge for himself whether or not the world is approaching these events.
Then the Lord provides a second guarantee in verse 34: “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place.”
Many have wondered what Jesus meant by “this generation.” It is almost certain that the word “generation” means the Jewish people, for he used the word “generation” in the previous chapter in Matthew 23:33-36. He meant that Israel was the chosen nation to God’s instrument to teach the entire world what he is like. Due to Israel’s failure, it became blamable for the results that failure brings. It is the nation which was in view when he uses the term, “this generation.”
The third certainty Jesus give us is his own dependable promise, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (verse 35). He said he would give his life as a ransom for many. He did. He declared he would rise again from the dead. He did. Now he says he will come again. Can we believe him?
Today we count on the most dependable thing we know. We count on tomorrow’s sunrise, on there being a future. We lay our plans on that basis. But Jesus says that will stop, will pass away, but his words will not. His coming then, is more certain than the most certain thing of which we know. He is coming back! Now, in verses 36-41, he brings before his disciples the remarkable event as the dominant point of emphasis:
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.”
Jesus does not know the day of his return. God, the Father, alone knows the day of His return. It’s “Top Secret.” That Jesus will return someday is certain (Verse 35). When Jesus will return is uncertain (Verse 36). Here is where it comes down to apply for us. If God, the Father, has chosen to keep this knowledge hidden from His only begotten Son, we should be content in not knowing as well. Any delay in His coming is an expression of His kindness toward the unrepentant. It’s another day given for those in need of repentance to repent their sins and bow to the Savior. When the Lord returns, there isn’t going to be any time to repent. The game will be over, and all will be decided. You will be with God, or you will be on the path of destruction! Those in Noah’s day drowned. Those in the future will burn.
So, Jesus says, since you do not know when your Lord is coming, then keep ready all the time. When our Lord says “Watch”! What does he mean? He clearly means is, be not deceived. He has been warning about the deceitfulness of the age. We will be surrounded by the false and fake claims that will dazzle and amaze us. If we believe the lies, we shall allow life to get out of focus and become tragically self-deceived.
The only defense is the reliance on God’s truth, displayed to us by an indwelling Holy Spirit.
Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31,32). I really don’t know how we can continue in his word, and do what God asks us to do, which is to spread his word, if we can’t find ourselves taking at least 15 to 30 minutes twice a month learning, studying, and sharing the word. I was once asked, When God asks you, have you read my book? How would you answer him? It’s a great question, and it moved me to action. That was many, many years ago.
Many Christians feel that waiting for Christ’s coming means that they should behave ourselves, be a good person, so we’re not ashamed of His appearing. The enigma of Chrisian life is though we look for him to come, yet all the while he is here with us now so we can enjoy his presence and experience his power. If the thought of his coming is a frightening thing, you most likely know very little of his presence now, but if you know what it means to live by Christ and are taking from him all that is available to you, you will find a yearning in your heart for his personal coming. This is difficult for us sinners as we may backslide from spirit to flesh and back to spirit, but by turning to him more often, it does make it easier to be the person he wants us to be by giving him our heart.
I read a brief story about a Scottish minister, Horatio Bonar. He sat with a number of fellow ministers, and he said to them, “Do you really expect Jesus Christ to come today?” One by one, he put that question to each. And one by one they shook their heads and said, “No, not today.” He then without comment wrote on a piece of paper these words and passed it around:
“Therefor you also must be ready; for the Son on man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Once Jesus arrives, it is over. There is no repentance once the Son of man is here. It will be judgement day! We must be ready.
Have a great couple of weeks, and until next time, may peace, love and joy be with you always.