Thessalonians. 5: 1 ‘But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.’
DAILY READING – John 1:19-34; 1 Chronicles 7-8; Zephaniah 3
One of the most surprising aspects of world war 11 was how Stalin, leader of the USSR was caught completely off guard by Hitler’s attack. This was quite surprising because the USSR was far larger than Germany, both geographically and militarily.
However the German attack succeeded because Stalin refused to heed warnings until it was too late. Due to a non-aggression pact, he and Hitler signed months earlier, Stalin virtually went to sleep believing that Hitler would not violate the pact. As a result of this belief he refused to listen to all the intelligence reports that showed that Hitler’s army were preparing to attack the USSR. Even when the U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill both tried to forewarn him, Stalin distrusted their intentions and stubbornly clung to his belief that Hitler would never attack. But he was wrong.
In a surprise assault called “Operation Barbarossa”, Hitler’s army struck on June 22 1941! On that first day, they destroyed almost 2,000 aircrafts—which was one quarter of the entire Russian air force. Most of these aircraft were destroyed on the ground, parked at their airbases. And over the next week, the Soviets lost an additional 3,000 aircrafts in battle,
Hitler’s forces advanced quickly across the Russian countryside. In little more than a week, by July 1, the Germans had pushed 200 to 300 miles into Russia and captured the major cities of Riga and Dvinsk in the north, Minsk in the central region, and Lvov in the south.
The German attack was devastating, involving some of the bloodiest and atrocity-filled fighting ever seen in the war. It took the USSR a long time to recover lost ground. And by that time several million Russians had perished, all because Stalin waited too late.
It has been said “All military defeats, can be summed up in two words: ‘too late’. Indeed battles are lost when one is too late to discern the danger and too late to act against it.
The five foolish virgins waited until it was too late before they began seeking oil for their lamps. And in the world today, many people are waiting until it is too late before they will begin to seek God seriously.
Everything today points to the soon return of Christ. But how many are heeding these warnings? While many people may claim to be waiting for the return of Christ — the truth is that only few are really watching for His return! “Waiting” indicates a passive and inactive stance, while “watching” indicates alertness and vigilance.
The Bible doesn’t teach us to wait, but to watch and pray for His return.
Thessalonians 5: 1 says ‘But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.’
Paul’s reference to “like a thief in the night” is to emphasize how Christ’s coming will be sudden, catching many off guard. When people are least expecting it, while they are still eating, drinking and making merry, suddenly the trumpet will sound. This is why the Bible admonishes believers, to live constantly watchful, prayerful and alert.
1 Thessalonians. 5: 4 says ‘But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others;’
Those who sleep, who are in spiritual darkness, will be caught off guard. But those who walk in the light of God’s Word, who are spiritually alert and vigilant will be ready when Christ returns.
Smith Wigglesworth said “Don’t get ready, live ready”.
We need to live ready. We need to buy oil into our lamps while we still can. We need to spend time in fasting and praying and in-depth study of God’s Word. We need to spend time in fellowship with The Spirit seeking to know Heaven’s agenda for the hour. Let’s not wait until it is too late. Eternity is at stake. Let’s do all we can, while we can because indeed no man knows the day or the hour when the trumpet shall sound.
PRAYER: Lord, please grant me the grace to continually live ready. Please help me to overcome every form of spiritual laxity. In this season, enable me to be spiritual vigilant and sober, earnestly watching and praying always in Jesus Name..
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God’s promises in Christ in your life may appear delayed, but never forget that delays are not denials. WORDBITE 222.