The Thief in the Night and Faithful Church

Now, let's consider the "thief in the night." In temple days, priests would check on guards at night. If they were asleep, their robes would be set on fire, and they would run naked to find clothes. The priests became known as the "thief in the night." Since Yeshua is our High Priest, He is symbolically associated with the thief in the night. At His second coming, He will symbolically catch many believers sleeping.

He does not come as a thief in the night to the faithful church, but to the dead and lukewarm church. The faithful church is watching and understands these things. The reward for this is that you will not be caught as a thief in the night because you understand the times and seasons.

Revelation 3:1-3 describes the dead church: "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things says He who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: 'I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 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.'" If you will not watch, He will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour He comes.

Revelation 3:16-18 describes the lukewarm church: "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing—and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.' I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."

He comes as a thief in the night to the dead and lukewarm church, those who do not know the times and seasons. They will not escape, as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5.

For the faithful church, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 states: "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 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 Yeshua HaMashiach. Therefore comfort each other and edify each other, just as you are doing."

The faithful church knows what is going on. They know the times and seasons related to the Day of the Lord. They will not be caught as a thief in the night. They are sons of light and sons of the day. They watch and are sober. God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation.

The 10 days of awe are between the Feast of Trumpets and Yom Kippur. This is a very significant time. Grace does not save you out of this; those who do not know the times and seasons will not escape.