A Thief in the Night

In the chapter “Peace and Security,” the case is made that the NWT mistranslated “Lord’s day” as Jehovah’s day. In context, Paul was discussing the parousia, and Christ said he was coming as a thief in the night.

The truth is right there. Christ’s coming, yes, his second coming, will be signaled by their saying “peace and security.” Thus, the Lord’s day will begin then. Is there any other way to read it?

Jesus specifically warned the Sardis congregation using the same analogy, saying: “Therefore, continue mindful of how you have received and how you heard, and go on keeping [it], and repent. Certainly unless you wake up, I shall come as a thief, and you will not know at all at what hour I shall come upon you.” – Revelation 3:3

Were you aware that the Grand Climax commentary on Revelation implies that Jesus has already come as a thief in the night, supposedly back in 1914? No doubt it is because of that delusion that Christ will come at an hour they do not know at all. 

There are a couple more passages that bear revision. In his second letter to the Thessalonians Paul again was discussing the parousia of Jesus and in the second chapter Paul wrote: “However, brothers, concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.”

As also pointed out in the “Peace and Security” chapter, there is no difference between the Lord’s day and Jehovah’s day, except that, according to the Watchtower, there is. Even so, in the passage above, the subject is the parousia, and Jehovah’s Witnesses know and believe that the parousia occurs during the Lord’s day. There is no dispute there.

But Paul is urging his brothers not to be taken in by inspired statements, spoken messages, or written material claiming that the day of the Lord is already here. Keep in mind, the subject matter is “the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The inspired apostle warns us not to believe authoritative pronouncements proclaiming that the parousia has begun or that the Lord’s day is here. There is, today, only one source of seemingly inspired statements, spoken messages, and literature proclaiming that the Lord’s day is here. And we all know what that source is.

One other passage to consider—the third chapter of 2nd Peter. The apostle was discussing those who will ridicule the presence of Christ, and he stated in verse ten: “But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed.”

As in the two instances in the letters to the Thessalonians, the passage above does not appear to be a direct quotation from the Hebrew Scriptures either, where the phrase “day of Jehovah” or “Jehovah’s day” appears many times. Just as Paul referred to the Lord’s coming as a thief, so does Peter. Both apostles are using the comparison that Jesus himself spoke regarding his coming as a thief in the night. That being true, the heavens passing with a roar and the elements being intensely hot must be describing the “sudden destruction” that will occur whenever it is they will be saying “peace and security,” which will initiate the Lord’s day.

Interestingly, a few verses down, Peter reiterated what he had already stated: “Keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be destroyed in flames, and the elements will melt in the intense heat!” Since the Watchtower consistently renders the Greek word “parousia” as “presence,” and the case has been made that both apostles are referring to the Lord’s day, ought not 2 Peter 3:12 be more accurately translated as: “Keep close in mind the presence of the day of the Lord”? 

In saying that the elements will melt in intense heat and dissolve, the apostle Peter seems to be describing what we might call the meltdown of the system—the dissolution of the political and economic system will seem as if the protective heavens have passed away. Earthly society will be exposed as Adam and Eve were in their nakedness.

Revelation invokes the account of Adam realizing his nakedness before God and also speaks of Christ coming as a thief, and where it will ultimately lead: “Look! I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one who stays awake and keeps his outer garments, so that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness.” And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon.

Click image to enlarge