A MESSAGE FROM JAMES McCUTCHAN

AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT - AS THE DAYS OF NOAH

Retired Pastor/Teacher James McCutchan - Jmccutchan@aol.com Many there are in Christendom today who teach that Christians can't know when Jesus is coming because He's coming like a thief in the night. Yes indeed, Jesus is coming as a thief in the night. But, to whom is He coming as a thief? The Bible says:  "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night" (I Thes. 5:1-2).  There you have it, beloved. The day of the Lord is coming as a thief in the night.  Many stop right there to prove their point that no one can know the time.   The day of the Lord in this text is speaking about the time immediately preceding the Second Coming of the Lord.  How do we know that?  Let's go on to the very next verse.  Often we don't read far enough. The next verse says:  "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" (I Thes. 5:3). Who are THEY and THEM in the verse above?  THEY and THEM are the unbelievers in the tribulation before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus.  Always, in both the Old and New Testaments, the Day of the Lord refers to the Second Coming of the Lord in judgment, and the Day of Jesus Christ, refers to the Rapture of the Church.  So then, in the verses above, Paul is saying that the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night upon THEM, and THEY shall not escape.  Now,  let's go on to the next verse where Paul speaks to US about US:  "But YE, BRETHREN are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief" (I Thes. 5:4).  Will the Day of the Lord come upon the brethren (born again believers) as a thief in the night?  Not a chance!  Why not? WE, the brethren, have spiritual eyes to see; THEY do not!  Dear reader, do you and I not see the tribulation drawing nigh?   Of course, WE do!  The next verse says:  "YE are all the children of light, and the children of the day:  WE are not of the night, nor of darkness.  Therefore let US not sleep, as do OTHERS; but let US watch and be sober." (I Thes. 5:5-6).  Let US watch and be sober!  Let US watch, especially for the Road Map to Israeli-Palestinian peace; the covenant to be confirmed by the Antichrist.  Jesus also told the Church to watch and know the hour of His coming (Rev. 3:3).  Jesus said that from the negative side.  If we read Revelation 3:3 from the positive side, He said, "If YOU watch, I will not come upon YOU as a thief, and YOU SHALL KNOW what hour I will come upon you.  WATCH AND KNOW THE HOUR OF HIS COMING!  THUS SAITH THE LORD!    THE END OF PART ONE.