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apprehend the alternative `worthy to escape' and `they shall not escape' of the two
passages, and later when they received the second epistle, the context of II Thess. 1: 5, 11
with all its prayer that `God would count you worthy', and the exhortation `to watch' so
that they may `be counted worthy' (Luke 21: 36) would not escape them. The word
translated `to count worthy' in II Thess. 1: 5 and Luke 21: 36 is kataxioomai, and this
word does not occur elsewhere except in Luke's writings (Luke 20: 35 and Acts 5: 41).
While it makes no difference to us today, whether the Thessalonians were in possession
of Luke's gospel, or whether at this time they depended only upon what Paul had told
them, it is evident that Paul's influence on both of Luke's book is unmistakable.
There is no ground for fear or terror in the mere `suddenness' of an event, the
suddenness is only inimical if we are unready. Nothing can be more `sudden' than the
`twinkling of an eye', yet the Apostle declares that the change which must take place in
every believer before he enters glory will be as sudden as that, but there is no element of
fear in such a movement.
The Day of the Lord will come suddenly upon a world that is unready, and to such this
suddenness will be as a thief in the night, but for those who know the times and the
seasons, and who are ordering their conduct accordingly, this suddenness will be but the
exchange of `trouble' for glorious `rest' (II Thess. 1: 6, 7). Consequently we find in
IThess.5: that the Apostle relates the thief-like aspect of the coming of the Day of the
Lord with the drunken unreadiness of those who are of the `darkness'. It will come as a
thief in the night only to those who are of the night, but it will be the dawn of hope and
joy to those who wait for their Lord as children of the day.
Darkness and Light.
"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" (I Thess. 5: 4, 5).
Whether the Day of the Lord shall come upon men as a thief in the night, or whether
its coming shall be like the rising of the morning sun, depends, not so much upon the Day
of the Lord itself, but upon the character of those upon whom it dawns.
"Ye brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief."
In Matt. 24: 43, 44 the question as to whether that day shall `overtake as a thief', is
decided by `readiness'.
"But know this, that 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. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of
man cometh."
The Apostle associated darkness and being overtaken as a thief with drunkenness, so
Matt. 24: