Difficult Contradiction in the Second Coming

[Achilles6129]

I guess I don’t see the contradiction. The thief statement refers to the fact that you don’t know when it’s going to happen until it happens. The ocean turns to blood and the other catastrophes means that it is happening.

It helps to know that there is not contradiction in Scripture.

Hi,

I think the point with the “thief” statement is that this is totally unexpected - there is no warning whatsoever. I consider the judgments to be warnings. Take, for example, another statement about Christ’s return:

" Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.* 25 But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation. 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them 30 —it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed." Lu. 17:22-29 (NRSV)

However, if we take the “thief” metaphor in a different sense in Revelation (referring to the actual ‘moment’ of the return, instead of the general timeframe) then I suppose that it would work. Clearly, however, the other statements of Christ (about eating/drinking, etc.) refer to a different time then that prophesied in Revelation 16, where the entire ocean turns into blood. The eating/drinking statements of Christ must be referring to the rapture. Here’s another one:

"37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39 and **they knew nothing *until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man." Mt. 24:37-38 (NRSV)

 

[Ignatius]

The eating/drinking statements of Christ must be referring to the rapture. Here’s another one:

“37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39 and **they knew nothing **until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Mt. 24:37-38 (NRSV)

That passage talks of the Parousia, the end of all time when Christ returns to establish His Eternal and Everlasting Kingdom. It says nothing about a pre-tribulation rapture. You are reading that meaning into it based on your Dispensationalist Theology.

 

[John_Martin]

In the days of Pharaoh and the plagues, those apart from obedience to Moses (deliverer of the promise of God) were always taken by surprise and suffered the plague. But those with Moses were ready.

In the days of Noah, those not knowing God but only their sinful endeavors and desires, were taken by surprise and came beating at the door of the ark after it was closed. But those listening to God were building the boat before there was any indication of a flood and in the boat as rain began falling.

In revelation, the signs are happening, and the world is busy thinking natural things are happening and running around fearfully, and the People of God hear the interjection by Jesus that he will be coming like a thief comes, when you are busy with other things and concerns and not worried about nor thinking about God. But the People (the Catholic Church) is ready, doing what has been revealed through the Church to them.