23rd September

For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "peace and safety", destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 1 Thessalonians 5, 2 - 4

And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3, 20

As a Saviour or as a thief

The Lord Jesus will come back again for everybody. But depending on if he is loved or not the Bible describes his coming again in two different ways: either he will come as the expected Saviour or else as a feared thief.

The coming of a thief has three awkward types: it is unexpected, unwished and finally it deprives and impoverishes him who is visited. What a contrast to the way of how the Lord Jesus will come back for those who belong to him!

He is expected : those who believe in his promise are described as "them wo expect him." The scoffers ask: "Where is this coming he promised?" They answer according to Scripture: "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise." (Hebrews 9, 28 & 2 Peter 3, 4 & 9)

He is wished : the apostle Peter tells us that although we have not seen him yet, we love the Lord and we are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. Paul speaks of them who love his appearing and of our blessed hope (1 Peter 1, 8; 2 Timothy 4, 8; Titus 2, 13).

He will enrichen them who belong to him : they will only be deprived from their lowly bodies. Christ will give them a new body, a body which is like his glorious body; and he will give them their eternal inheritance (Philippians 3, 20 & 21 ; Hebrews 9, 15).