1 Thessalonians 5:1-6The 'thief in the night' is swift destruction, not the 'rapture' of believers. For a thorough study as to why it does mean that, go here. Granted, I did the study, but I promise... it's thorough.
Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.(bringing swift, unexepected destruction) While they (that is not "you" so, those who don't know) are saying, "Peace and safety!" ("Hey life is good, there's peace and we are safe") then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child (Paul, here, gives another description of what the day of the Lord will bring - that is destruction that is swift and unexpected), and they (same they) will not escape(all the unrighteous will be destroyed). But you, brethren (the church), are not in darkness (following the literally hundreds of similar uses of darkness in the Bible - darkness is lost to sin - the church is in the light, or saved), that the day would overtake you like a thief (the day of the Lord won't bring swift destruction to the 'sons of Light'); for you are all sons of light and sons of day (see?). We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober(don't be overcome by darkness, remain active in the light).
Thanks for the link, what is the title and artist off the picture at the end of the blog.
Now you didn't learn that from scripture...You learned that from someone who doesn't like what the scripture says in plain language...
The 'thief in the night' is swift destruction, not the 'rapture' of believers. For a thorough study as to why it does mean that, go here. Granted, I did the study, but I promise... it's thorough.
Well, I gave your man, Herman Utics a fair shot...Here's one of the things he said...
That is, that on the Day of the Lord Christ will "steal away" the righteous before or during a period of tribulation and leave the unrighteous behind to endure the tribulation; or all will experience the tribulation, the righteous will be "stolen away" immediately afterwards, leaving the unrighteous to live during the post-tribulation reign of the anti-christ.
Now this is where your buddy Herman fails...Jesus doesn't come to steal anyone from anywhere...Jesus is NOT a thief...He shows up at a time when He's not expected, like a thief would...
But He doesn't show up as a thief to His flock of sheep...That's the point of the whole passage...
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
Jesus tells us what's going to happen...
1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
And we know the approximate time when Jesus will show up...And He won't be coming as a thief because we're watching for Him...
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
That's certainly what it will appear like to those that are 'left behind'...That's because they won't see Jesus...He doesn't step foot on earth...We go 'up' and meet Him in the air...They're going to think we got stolen, by someone, or something...
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
You guys figure a thief will come rolling in with the lights flashing and the horn blasting, screaming out the car window as he approaches???
Naw, but thanks anyway...I'll skip Herman Utics and trying to figure out what the scripture means...I'll just read it and believe what it says instead...