Here is where we left off in our study of Matthew 24.
“But
be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time
of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert
and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 “For this reason, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
Matthew
24:43-44 NAS95
The context has everything to do with Israel and the Jews, with a special focus on the seven years of God's wrath.
Can it also apply to us now?
Certainly. In the broader picture, the head of the household - called the Jews, are the rabbis, Pharisees, and scribes.
In the narrow view, it is one in which the Gentile church body exists in the form of individual believers, the heads of our own households, a situation where we are anxiously looking for the Son of Man (Jesus). For some, Jesus will be coming as a thief in the night.
I have sat with religious people who have scoffed at my statement and ranted that they are ready and don't need me to lecture them on what it is to be ready, all the while denying that such a theme exists for them. Well, Paul, Peter, and the Apostle John also referred to this very thing.
The Apostle Paul wrote.
1 Thessalonians 5:1 NASB Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.
Paul could not say this unless he had clearly developed this teaching within this church body and left no room for argument.
Consider the words, times, and epochs.
Time, according to the Word Study Dictionary, is the Greek word chrónos. “This word perceives time quantitatively as a period measured by the succession of objects and events and denotes the passing of moments.”
Quantitatively, is something that is expressible in terms of quantity.
So Paul was comfortable telling them that this time that was coming was something expressible.
Epochs according to the WSD is the Greek word kairós. It is a season or an opportune time. It is not merely as a succession of minutes, which is chrónos (G5550), but a period of opportunity.
If you are paying attention to the events which are centered on Israel, then you would know that many of us are watching intently for Jesus return for His bride.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 NASB For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
Note the usage of the word “like”. It has similarities to the thief, but for the believer, He is not coming as a thief. Another scripture that speaks in similitude is Revelation 13:3, where it says.
Revelation 13:3 NASB I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;
Typically, when people read or hear this, they don't pay attention to fact that it is one of it's many heads that sustains the wound, nor do they realize that it is NOT dead, it just seems to be for the moment. The Ottoman Empire easily fulfills our understanding of this.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 NASB While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.
The United Nations and the World Economic Forum both repeated make calls for peace and security or safety, and, blame the lack of such on “antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, persecution of Christian minorities and white supremacist ideology.”1 All of this is evidence that the globe needs to live on social contracts like China already does.
Today is August 12, 2024. This is important for several reasons. 1. It is a day of mourning in Israel as so many bad things have happened on this day. Such as the expulsion from Spain and then England. The Destruction of both temples, and now the threat of Iranian missiles be shot as Israel in retaliation of several assassinations attributed to Israel. Iran has the intent of removing Israel from the map. So, Watchman River Tom, a YouTube channel I watch, spoke about the possibility that Iran could hold off on these launches and feign peace by holding hostage talks with Israel on Thursday. This could play into the common thread where either the Jewish people or the antichrist character says peace peace.
Look at the terminology that the Amplified Bible uses.
“When people are saying, All is well and secure, and, there is peace and safety, then in a moment unforeseen destruction (ruin and death) will come upon them as suddenly as labor pains come upon a woman with child; and they shall by no means escape, for there will be no escape.” 1 Thessalonians 5:3 AMP
1 Thessalonians 5:4 NASB But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;
Why will it NOT overtake us?
2 Timothy 4:8 NASB In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 NASB for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
Paul explains verse four above by telling this church and us, that we are not of night or or darkness; and, therefore, not subject to the fears of the night.
Again I turn to the Amplified Bible as it defines 1 Thessalonians 5:4 so well.
“But you are not in [given up to the power of] darkness, brethren, for that day to overtake you by surprise like a thief.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4 AMP
1 Thessalonians 5:6 NASB so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
The challenge, if you will, is to be alert and sober.
Sobriety has little to do with alcohol. According to Webster's it also means to be “Cautious; prudent; watchful on all sides; examining carefully all the circumstances that may affect a determination.
The Weymouth translation states,
“So then let us not sleep, like the rest of the world, but let us keep awake and be sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6 Weymouth
So then, let us not sleep like the rest of the world.
Can I spread a broad blanket and say that the majority of those who claim they are Christians are nothing more than asleep?
I recently saw a clip where Joy Behar, a commentator on the television show, The View, said, in talking about Donald Trump, after he said that it was God's grace that spared his life in this assassination attempt, that she, too, was a Christian because she was brought up in the Catholic church, and that Donald Trump's comments about God moving in his life were narcissistic. Growing up in a Catholic church does not make you Christian. Putting your life and faith into the hands of Jesus Christ by asking Him to come into your life, does. Joy Behar could never speak so corruptly about people who choose to uphold conservative values and standards and be deemed a Christian by anyone.
Matthew 24:44 Weymouth “Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come.”
Last night we went to hear a good band that was playing as part of the summer concerts in the parks. There were easily about three hundred people there. We often see people that we know from church. In a way, having a picnic in the park and listening to music makes the world seem normal, especially as the city picked up the bill for the band to be there and we just come and enjoy. The problem, that most will refuse to see, is that few of those people have any clue that we are on the cusp of Jesus' return and the start of the seven years of God's wrath.
The scriptures tell us that they were not looking for Him, nor were they aware.
Having said all that, Matthew 24:43-44 is implying that we, as the heads of our households, can know what time the thief is coming (He only appears to be a thief because they are not looking for Him.) Those of us who are alert and ready are so because we have given our hearts to Jesus as the Redeemer. Those who merely attach themselves to the name Christian will not be taken up in the rapture of the church, as they are not looking for Him, and neither are they ready for Him. For them, Jesus will come at an hour when they are NOT looking for Him.
1https://press.un.org/en/2024/ga12582.doc.htm
