In both First and Second Thessalonians Paul is teaching concerning the coming of the Lord, the Day of the Lord. If there is to be a special appearing of Christ prior to the Day of the Lord, Paul either did not know of it or else was hiding it from the church of the Thessalonians.

Also, the Lord Jesus hid it from His disciples (see Matthew, Chapter 24).

"So cometh as a thief in the night." The concept is not that Christ is coming to steal something from the earth. Rather, the idea is that of the unexpectedness of His appearing. The success of a thief depends on his not being expected.

Over and over again Christ warned us that He is coming suddenly and unexpectedly. We are to hold ourselves always in perfect readiness. When Christ appears the world will not be prepared and the lukewarm churches will not be prepared.

Satisfaction with the world and security within the world system will increase, even during the dark hours that are ahead. Numerous believers in Christ will be seduced into entanglement with the world system. We see that very entanglement today on a fairly wide scale.

The Lord's coming will catch these worldlings unprepared. They will not be able to move with the Lord just as they cannot move with the Lord today. The bondages and weights of the cares of life will hold them back then as they hold them back today. The believers are binding themselves with their own chains.

Like Lot's wife, they will be brought out from the city of destruction but will be unable to respond properly to the Lord at that time.

The Lord's coming will be sudden, abrupt, at the point in history that the world and the lukewarm Christians are the least prepared to receive Him. It will be in an hour least envisioned by those who are not serving the Lord.

The conquering remnant will be prepared instantly to welcome Him, to be changed in body, and to ascend to meet Him in the clouds. The Day of Christ will not overtake the victorious saints as a thief.

Sometimes it is taught that the so-called "secret rapture" must take place before the great signs in the heavens that the Lord Jesus mentioned. The idea is that if the signs take place first then the Lord's coming would not be unexpected. While this reasoning is more substantial than some of the other teachings about the "rapture" it also is incorrect.

The assumption here is that people can repent and turn to the Lord at any point. When the signs occur they can repent and thus be prepared for the Lord's coming. This will not be true when the signs in the heavens occur. The signs will be part of the coming of the Lord as a thief to the world. The world at that time, except for the godly remnant, will be worshiping Antichrist instead of Christ. The spiritual oppression will be so great the wicked will not be able to turn to the Lord even though the heavenly signs take place in their sight.

To be continued.