Like A Thief in the Night

Like A Thief in the Night

The two of them had been friends since the second grade. They did everything together. They lived just a few houses down from each other. They went to school together, they played sports together. They did all those things that close friends do. They even joined the Navy together under the Buddy Plan.

They went to Boot Camp together and experienced the abrupt change of lifestyle together, but Jim experienced an abrupt change in his life in addition to the Basic Training. He and Tom went to the Chapel Services each Sunday, it was a time that they could sit and relax a little without the Company Commander eyeing them. It was a refreshing break in the week. Jim began to listen one Sunday more intently than the other times. The Chaplain’s message was entitled, "What If I was left behind?" Jim thought that he would be talking about being put in the Holding Company and being left behind without the original Company he started with. This got his attention because that would mean that Tom and him would be separated, and he didn't want that to happen. Their plans were to go on to their first duty station and serve together, they wanted to get orders to an Aegis Cruiser. They could see the world together. Jim was relieved to find out that the Chaplain's message wasn't about being left behind in the holding Company, but something about Jesus Christ's Second Coming.

The Chaplain's message that morning was about the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins in Matthew Chapter 25. He told how the wise virgins had oil in their lamps and the foolish ones didn't, and the bridegroom came and the foolish ones had to try to get oil in their lamps. They were left behind. The Chaplain said that this Parable that Jesus told was a great spiritual truth. That it means that we must accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord then we will be prepared like the Wise Virgins were. The Oil represents the Holy Spirit, which indwells the believer when they first come to Christ in faith. The Chaplain went on to say that Jesus is the Bridegroom and that He promises to come again. He will come like a thief in the night. He will come unannounced, and we must be ready or we will be left behind. The Chaplain said that you can be prepared by accepting Jesus sacrifice on the cross for our sins and by faith trust him for our salvation.

Jim decided then that he did not want to be left behind. This was much more serious than being held back in the Holding Company. This was talking about being held back from heaven for eternity. When the Chaplain called for those to make a decision for Christ and come forward to the altar for prayer, Jim went.

Tom was wondering what Jim was doing when he went up to the altar in chapel. They always did things together. What was up with this. Tom wasn't interested in what the Chaplain was saying, he had other things on his mind, like graduation day, and getting out and doing all the things he imaged he would do in the real navy. He didn't care much for this preparation stuff. He felt he was ready for anything now.

When the Chaplain called for people to come and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, he thought, I have plenty of time for that stuff when I'm older and ready for a rocking chair. He did feel that day that he should make a decision for Christ, it was a strong feeling, but he put it off, he felt that would make him change up his whole way of life, and he didn't want to do that for anybody, not now anyway. He wasn't worried about this coming again stuff anyway, he went to church when he was at home, and they have been talking about Jesus coming again for thousands of years. He figured it was all kinda symbolic, God is good and loving, He wouldn't come and some would be left out of heaven.

Jim and Tom live in a world that needs a strong Navy, and they were proud to get what they both put on their dream sheets, the Aegis Cruiser. The world situation was one of constant unrest. Their command was always being deployed to one hot spot to another. It seemed to be increasing. They had read in the newspaper last month that a man seemed to appear from nowhere and claimed to be Jesus Christ. Many people were following him. Then just this week another man that looked just like pictures they had seen of Jesus, with long hair and a beard showed up in a state park and said he was the Christ. He even made water come out of a rock, and did other miracles. In the world news there were famines in many of the third world countries, which caused diseases to spread and many, were dying. But those kinds of things have been happening for years. Jim and Tom had noticed that people in general had become more and more unfriendly in all the ports they visited and even in homeport. The papers were always reporting about new highs in the crime rates and that they always needed more policemen on the streets. Things all over seemed to be getting worse. (Cf. Matthew 24:3-14).

One night Jim and Tom were out to sea on some local ops, they were both on the bridge, they had the mid-watch. Jim was on the Helm and Tom was Lee Helm. It was extra dark that night, no moon, and it was partly cloudy. All of a sudden the whole area lit up, we at first thought some knucklehead had turned on the white lights on the bridge by mistake, but it was coming from the sky outside. It was if the sun had come up in an instant! But somehow it was different light. It was brighter! We also heard what sounded like a trumpet. It caught everyone off guard. The OOD wasn't sure what to do. Should he call away general quarters? It was just a real bright light. Then the lookouts reported an air contact which was the source of the light to, but it was strange, they said it looked like a man in a white robe! As their eyes adjusted to the brilliance, they gave more details. He has white hair, a gold belt on, and shoes that look like brass. It was at that time that they heard a sound that sounded like rushing water, like a waterfall, not like the normal sound of water rushing by the hull and they went through the water, it was different, it was a total sound that seemed to reach everyone’s ears with the same intensity. And when He started to speak it sounded like a trumpet clear and loud.

Then we heard the man speak saying, "Rise from your graves you that are in me!" And all of a sudden we heard what we thought might have been a large school of dolphins jumping, but when we looked over the waters there were people in bright shinning robes shooting up out of the water. They couldn't believe their eyes, was this really happening? Had he fallen asleep on the helm and dreaming this, no it was really happening. Then Tim recalled a verse that he had read, it was I Thessalonians chapter 4 and it was happening before his very eyes. 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (1 Thessalonians 4)

That is what was happening! The lookouts had given up on reporting them as they shot up into the air and all were head right for the man in the white robe who was shining with the brilliance of the noon day sun.

Everyone was amazed. Some thought it was the most beautiful thing they had ever witnessed. It was indescribable! Some said it must be a UFO, but Jim and some others knew what was going on. It was happening just as Jesus had said! Even Daniel had said it would be like this... I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. (Daniel 7:13)

But Jim noticed that some were not thinking it was so great. He saw not joy but terror in their faces. There next to him Tom was terrified. And then Jim recalled the scripture passage that the Chaplain had preached in boot camp... 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. (Matthew 25)

Jim realized that it was now to late for Tom, he had rejected the Holy Spirit when the Spirit was trying to draw him to Jesus for salvation. Jesus surely did come unexpectedly like he promised.

As he looked at Tom, Jim heard Jesus wonderful voice again and He said to all His believers to meet him up in the air to be with Him forever and ever. And as Jim heard this he felt himself let go of the helm and rise up through the overhead and out into the open sky, and in a moment he was in the clouds with the Lord, he had changed, in a moment a twinkling of an eye he had a new body and was with the Lord he had trusted in for his salvation.