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A Thief in the Night
Will Yahweh give us a sign
of his coming?
This
seems to be a controversy for some because many Christians teach an eminent
return of the Yahushua and some teach that
certain signs must take place before Yahushua returns to establish his kingdom upon the Earth for a
thousand years.
The reason many believe in an
eminent return is because Yahushua said that he
would come as a thief in the night. The eminent return of Yahushua means that Yahushua could come at any time, at any moment, that there are
no signs to be fulfilled before he returns. The reason some stick with this
belief is because they feel that if there were to be signs that had to be
fulfilled before his return that he would not be able to take the Church by
surprise. This view supports the teaching that he must return secretly in
order to catch many unaware who will be caught as a thief by surprise. They
fear that if people are not left under this constant threat of the eminent
return of Yahushua that they will backslide
and become sinful.
This is known as the left behind theory. In this view it
is the Christians who will be taken by surprise, some will and some will
not be prepared for Yahushua to return. Those who are not prepared will be left
behind to go through the great Tribulation. This teaches that the rapture
must take place before the last seven years, commonly called the
Tribulation period. The Christian will be the only one taken by surprise in
this secret coming because the sinner won’t know anything about it, because
Yahushua will not appear at this event.
This view appears to be supported by the stories of
Noah’s Ark and the story of Lot and his escape from the Sodom and Gomorrah.
The revelation to this teaching to many is that Noah’s Ark and Lot’s City
of refuge was a type and shadow of Heaven instructing us that the true
believer will be in Heaven before the Wrath of Yahweh can come upon the children of disobedience. Yahushua did say. "And as it was in the days of Noe, also
the same day that Lot went out of Sodom." So this teaching appears to
be true. But, is this the true light of these scriptures? Let us take a
closer look at these stories.
The Days of Noah
Mt:24: 38
For as in the days that were
before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39: And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall
also the coming of the Son of man be.
40: Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other
left.
41: Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and
the other left.
42: Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43: But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch
the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered
his house to be broken up.
44: Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son
of man cometh.
Personally
I feel that to believe that the Ark is a symbol or type and shadow of
Heaven would be a distorted thing to believe. Why? Because, I believe that
the Ark is a type and shadow of Yahushua, He is the refuge from the coming wrath of Yahweh. To understand this parable, we must remember the
whole story of Noah. Noah and his family worked a hundred years to build
the Ark. They knew that when the Ark was finished that the flood would come
because Yahweh had told them so.
Question; Did Noah and his family expect the flood to come upon
them suddenly while they were working on the Ark? Did they expect it to
come upon them like a thief in the night? You and I both know that they
didn’t expect this to happen. Why? Because, Yahweh had told them that the Ark would be their refuge from the coming
flood. The Ark was a sign to them. They knew that the flood couldn’t
possibly come until the last nail was driven and the last of the Ark was
covered with pitch. The only people who could possibly be taken by surprise
were the sinners that Noah had warned of the coming flood. This was Noah’s
concern: that the sinners he was preaching to would refuse to believe his
message and when the Ark was finished the flood would come to destroy the
world and they would not be in the Ark.
The Ark was a sign to the whole world during the time of
Noah. They did not believe the preaching of Noah. Instead they went on with
their lives continuing to live in sin and their own personal dreams and
expectations of life. They married and were given in marriage as if the
world would continue as always. Yahweh in his mercy had given them something to watch. Yahushua said this; "if the good man of the house had
known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would
not have suffered his house to be broken up. They were not looking for the
signs that Yahweh had given them. Yahushua called the man of the house the good man of the house
because the world always has the view of them selves as being good. Yahushua said that there is none righteous no not one.
The
Ark was an open sign, it was not hidden nor was Yahweh trying to disguise it. Had they believed Noah’s
message they could have watched the Ark and when they saw that it was just
about finished they would have known that it was getting close to the time
of the flood. They could have come down to Noah and found refuge from the
flood. You know why they didn’t come? They did not believe the message. So
they ignored it and were taken by surprise when the flood came. The animals
that came to the Ark should have been a sign but they ignored it as well,
probably explaining it away to one another the way mankind does with things
they don’t understand.
Noah
and his family was a type of Church. Question: how many of Noah’s family
gave up serving Yahweh during the
time of building the Ark? How many were lost and were taken as a thief in
the night when the flood came? Something to consider about this story is
this. It took a hundred years to build the Ark. They knew when the Ark was
only half way finished that it would probably take another fifty years to
complete. How many of Noah’s family decided to turn back to sin until they
saw that the others were about to finish and then jump in at the last
minute? Would you say none? I would say so as well. I mean, they knew the
flood couldn’t possibly come until they were finished, right? If Yahweh gave them a
sign to watch why didn’t at least one of them go back to sin since they
knew the flood would not catch them unaware? The reason was Yahweh’s grace. Yahweh would not allow them to do it, because they were his own and he
would have a remnant from this earth that would believe in him.
The
Bible tells us that Noah was a righteous man, but if Noah had not climbed
into that Ark he would have perished with the rest of the world. Noah held
on steadfast because he had found Grace in the eyes of Yahushua. Were any of those who worked on the Ark left behind?
Were any of Yahweh’s children in this story
left behind? The only ones left behind were those that did not believe and
were not watching the signs. Those that believed Yahweh were taken and those who believed not were left
behind. One shall be taken, another shall be left behind.
The
Ark did not rise above the earth the instant the flood came. It had to rain
for several days before the water was high enough to lift the Ark from the
ground. Was the Ark lifted completely away from the flood? Or did it rise
in the midst of the flood? Absolutely, it rose up during the flood. We are
kept by the power of Yahweh unto Salvation
no matter what happens around us. Yahweh’s people will endure until the end because Yahweh will work in
them to accomplish this end. The true children of Yahweh will not be taken as a thief.
In the story of Noah, after everyone had gotten aboard
that was going to go the door was left open for seven days as a sign for
others to get on board. It was unbelief that kept them out. Then Yahweh sealed the
door. After the flood came did any of Yahweh’s children get thrown overboard? No way, do you know
why? Yahweh sealed the door. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit as well.
Professing Christians are not sealed, only those who are truly his are
sealed by the Spirit. The Tares are being gathered into bundles to be
burned. I know that a Christian can lose their soul if they turn to another
Yahweh or try to go back under the Law of Moses for justification.
But, Yahweh is in no hurry to kick us out of the boat.
Lot’s deliverance
Lk:17:
26: And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of
the Son of man.
27: They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage,
until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and
destroyed them all.
28: Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank,
they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29: But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and
brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30: Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
31: In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the
house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field,
let him likewise not return back.
32: Remember Lot's wife.
33: Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever
shall lose his life shall preserve it.
In order to understand this parable we must also go back
to the original story. This story is very similar to that of Noah and the
Ark, before we are finished with this teaching I believe that you will be
able to see what I mean. In the story of Noah it was the Ark that was the
place of refuge, in the story of Lot and his deliverance from Sodom it is
the place that the angels told Lot to go to for safety.
In Gen.
19:12-13, Lot was told to take his family and anyone that belonged
to him and leave Sodom because Yahweh was going to destroy that place. Living with him, in his home, was
his wife and two virgin daughters. Him and his wife had other daughters who
were married that were living in the city. Lot went to his sons in law and
pleaded with them to leave at once because Yahweh was going to destroy the city. In verse 14 the scripture says that
he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. This is a very important
part of this story because it is telling us that they didn’t believe his
message. But this will end up in a tragedy for Lot’s wife.
The
next morning the angels told Lot to take his wife and his two daughters
that were living with him and leave at once so that they would not be
destroyed. In verse 16 the scripture says that Lot lingered. Now there is a
reason that Lot and his family was lingering. It isn’t very hard to figure
it out. They were killing time hoping that Lot’s other daughters and their
husbands would come on. It is only natural for them to do this. Most of us
would do the same thing. You don’t want to leave family behind to face the
wrath of Yahweh.
Yahweh was merciful and time was
running out so the angels took Lot,his wife and two daughters by the hands
and led them out of the city. After they had brought them out of the city
they told them not to look behind them, they should leave the plain at once
and escape to the mountain or they would be consumed.
In verse 18 Lot begin to plead.
18: And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
19: Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified
thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot
escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
20: Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh,
let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
21: And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing
also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
22: Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come
thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23: The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
24: Then Yahweh rained upon Sodom and upon
Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Yahweh out of heaven;
25: And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the
inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26: But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of
salt.
Lot
was afraid of the mountain and asked the angel to spare one of the cities
of the plains, since it was just a little city so that they could go there
for refuge instead. The angel accepted his request and told them to go and
to be quick about it because he couldn’t destroy the cities of the plains
until Lot had gotten into the city that he had chosen to be his refuge. We
must take a close look at this, the only place of safety for Lot, his wife
and two daughters were inside the gates of the city of Zoar. This is a type
of Yahushua just as the Ark in the
story of Noah. Noah would have been destroyed if he had not gotten inside
of the Ark. Lot and his family are to be destroyed if they do not get into
the city of Zoar. All of mankind is doomed that does not get into Yahushua who is our refuge to save us from the coming wrath
upon this world.
The
problem in this story is that Lot and his family were hesitating,
lingering, waiting and hoping that their friends and family would come with
them to the refuge. This could have cost them their lives. There was one
thing that preserved Lot. It was the same thing that preserved Noah. The
scriptures tell us in the story of Noah, that Noah had found grace in the
eyes of Yahweh. Notice in verse 19 that Lot
told the angel thy servant hath found grace in thy sight. This is the same
thing that brought about the deliverance of Noah, grace. This is why the
angels took him by the hand to lead him and his family out. It was grace,
but salvation from the destruction would not come until they were in the
refuge. Remember they are on their way to the refuge? This is a similar
type and shadow as Noah and his family boarding the Ark.
This
is a type of coming to Yahushua to be saved.
They were on their way to the refuge. Yahweh would not let the wrath fall until Lot had reached the
city of Zoar and was inside. Remember that Yahweh would not send the flood until the Ark was finished and Noah and
his family plus all the animals were inside. Which was a sign, as long as
these things were in the process of happening the flood could not come. As long
as Lot was not inside the gates of the city of Zoar the wrath would not
come.
The
angel had given specific instructions to Lot and his family. They were told
not to stay in the plain or to look behind. Some think that Lot’s wife was
looking back at the sins that she loved. I think that it was her daughters
that were still in Sodom that was on her mind. You see she made the mistake
of taking her eyes off of Lot. Yahweh had told Lot that once he was inside the city that the wrath of Yahweh would fall on
the plains and destroy everything except the city that Lot was in. All she
had to do was to watch the sign. What sign? Lot was the sign to watch, as
long as he was outside the city the wrath could not fall. Once he stepped
inside it would fall. Lot’s wife was lingering just like the whole family
was in Sodom before they left. This is why she was turned to a pillar of
salt. She should have been walking beside Lot and her two daughters that
were with them but she had fallen behind. I believe that she was longing
for her other children to come on. When Lot stepped into the city with his
two daughters beside him his wife was still outside the city in the plain.
This is why she was destroyed with the rest.
This is the reason that Yahushua said to remember Lot’s wife. She waited until it was
too late to get into the refuge; she didn’t pay attention to the sign. This
is like a sinner lingering to come to Yahushua because of family members or friends that cannot make
up their minds to come to Yahushua to be saved.
Lets look once again at these scriptures in the 17th chapter of Luke.
Luke
17:30: Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is
revealed.
31: In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the
house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field,
let him likewise not return back.
32: Remember Lot's wife.
33: Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever
shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Yahushua is telling us in these scriptures
that at the time of the end that it would be like Lot’s wife whose
hesitation to escape cost her life. In verse 31 he explained that if we
were on the housetop or were working in the field and had something
valuable in the house not to take time to go back for it because the end
might come before we get to safety. This is to say not to allow something
to cause us to hesitate about getting saved; it could cost us our soul.
Especially in the last days when time is drawing to a close. That is to say,
if we have family or friends or something that we value not to put them
first above our own safety when it comes to salvation. Do it now.
Understanding
these parables makes it a little easier to understand that at the beginning
of Matthew 24 that the disciples of Yahushua asked him a question.
3: And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him
privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be
the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Yahushua then told them of many things that would happen. There
would be wars and rumors of wars, false Christ would arise deceiving many,
the abomination of desolation would occur, that then would come a
tribulation on the earth that has never been before. Then Yahushua said this.
32: Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and
putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is
near, even at the doors.
The fig tree in this scripture is often quoted as the
sign that we should look for and I am not disputing that it could be a
parable concerning Israel but this is not what verse Yahushua was talking about when he said "So likewise ye,
when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the
doors."
This
was the sign of his coming and the end of the world. The question that his
disciples asked him about in verse three. He was saying that you could look
at a tree and tell by the leaves that summer is close. That in the same
manner you could look at the events that Yahushua told us about in Matthew 24 and know that it was close to the
end.
1Thes:5:4: But ye, brethren, are not in darkness,
that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5: Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we
are not of the night, nor of darkness.
(The people who are living in darkness is the world, we who are born again
are children of light.)
A Common Sense View
So the next questions that follow are these:
- How could a person
possibly refuse salvation while Yahushua gives us visible signs of His
return?
- Another question is
how can He sneak in and catch a person by surprise if His coming isn't
imminent? Personally I would like to ask this one question to everyone
that believes in imminent return. Do you think that it is the nature
of Yahweh to want to
catch a person by surprise to bring judgment on him or do you think
that it is his nature to seek and to save? I believe that He wants to
seek and to save, but I also believe that he preserves or that we are
kept by the power of Yahweh
unto salvation. It is not His nature to want to catch us with fault,
but rather to give us life. The warning of being caught unaware is
given to those who are still in the darkness of sin and are sleeping
in the night.
In
order to answer the first question, "how could a person possibly
refuse salvation while Yahushua gives us
visible signs of His return?" As born again Christians we have a
tendency to see things in a completely different light than the world.
There are many atheists in the world today and millions that have not lived
in true Christian homes. This puts up the first block in the nature of
human beings. All the signs in the world will not convince a person that
they need to repent as long as they hold on to their atheists or humanists
ideas. Any sign given will be simply passed off as being some kind of
phenomena or unusual circumstance and will quickly be dismissed. It is the
same as it was in the days of Noah, they watched the Ark being built for a
hundred years hearing the same message everyday and were unmoved by the
promise of the coming destruction. Even when the animals gathered into the
Ark you can hear the people say things like: it looks like Noah is getting
ready to open a Zoo, Or Noah must a magician to cause all of those animals
to come to him and go into the Ark. Whatever excuse they had for the signs
that they were looking at they remained unchanged because of the spiritual
sleep that they where in. They could not recognize their own coming
destruction.
The
second question is based on the imminent return of Yahushua, that is Him being able to come at any given second.
How could Yahushua surprise anyone if there
were signs given? Along with what I just said in the previous paragraph, it
is imperative that we realize that people are willing to run the risk of
losing their souls no matter what we do or say. Telling people that Yahushua may come in the next few seconds has no affect on
people who do not want Yahushua. People
calculate risks and are foolish for doing so, but they do it anyway. It is
the nature of the human being. Knowing that the Church has been telling the
world that Yahushua is coming back and has
been for around two thousand years has a blinding affect on the normal
sinner. While weighing the odds they feel very confident that this will not
happen during their life and are willing to run the risk. Of course this is
if they believe in Yahushua at all.
Dying is a lot more probable than the coming of Yahushua ha
Messiah in the minds of a
sinner. In fact the odds of dying are a lot greater and still has little
affect on the sinner. It is not a probability that we will die, it is a
fact that we are going to die and this fact seemingly has little or no
affect on someone that is not born again by the Spirit. The only thing that
will cause a sinner to come to Yahushua is for the Holy Spirit to draw him and only then can
he come to Yahushua to find salvation. Whether we believe in the imminent
return of Yahushua or pre-trib Rapture or
post-trib Rapture makes no difference to
most sinners. Now with Christians this is a whole different matter because
we already believe in Yahushua and we cannot understand how anyone could
refuse Him. All of our arguments over this subject is totally off on the
sidelines of a sinners thoughts and are vain for us to be over concerned
about. We simply need to pray for the salvation of the lost and witness to
the lost for Yahushua.
I have often thought about those that believe Yahushua is coming at any second and wonder why the streets are
not full of such preachers. I do believe that they themselves do not
believe the message that they teach and preach or they would be doing all
that they can to make sure that everyone makes it. But, they are not there.
It is obvious where their real belief is. They don't believe that Yahushua is coming at
any moment anymore than those that believe that there are signs to happen
before He returns.
Thank
you for reading this teaching. I hope that you enjoyed it. Please feel free
to share any or all of our teachings with others. It is Yahwehs word; we don’t have a copyright on it.
Yahweh Bless
You
and Yours
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