This verse hasn’t made sense to me for a long time. It just seemed out of place. It’s placement in the book of Rev. seemed illogical because I always assumed it was speaking of the rapture. I was discussing this with a post-tribber but it really doesn’t fit in with the post-trib scenario either. So, I’ve been pondering and praying for understanding for quite a while and here is what I’ve learned. I think the problem lies in the verses we normally associate with it.
I have a KJV study bible with many editorial comments. I keep forgetting that these comments are based upon the presumptions of their (the editors) beliefs. The editors are pre-trib and their comments reflect that belief and thus their relating scriptures may not always be the best, but are assumed because of their pre-disposition to pre-trib theology. I’ve seen this in other translations as well on other topics. The identity of the church as the bride is one that comes to mind.
With all that said, let’s take a closer look at the verse in question: Rev. 16:15 - “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”
The “relating” verses in my study bible are Matt. 24:43 and 2 Co. 5:3.
Matt.24:43 & Luke 12:39 - “But know this, that if the goodman 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.”
2 Cor. 5:1-4 - “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."
I added vss. 1,2,4 for the sake of context. The word “naked” (according to the editors) in this verse implies, “without a body”. That didn’t make a lot of sense to me either?!
I put in bold (back to Rev. 16:15) and underlined the important parts of our study. If we were to look at this verse literally and as it seems upon reading it, woe to the person who is showering or in a state of undress at the rapture. They would become the “laughingstock” of heaven. I’m sure in decades past many a sermon was preached on the dangers of sleeping in the nude based on this verse. However, a deeper look into this verse shows that a very different concept is in mind. Here are some other verses commonly associated with this theme.
1 Thess. 5:2-6 - “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
2 Pet. 3:10 - “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
Rev. 3:3 - “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
The first two say that “the day of the Lord” will come as a thief in the night. Now we know that the day of the Lord is a multi-themed event spanning over a millennia, so these three verses as well as Matt. 24:43 seem to be speaking of the sudden, unannounced arrival of these events. I don’t believe any of these tie into Rev. 16:15. If you remember, prior to this verse the two witnesses were making God’s forthcoming judgments known to the world (Rev. 11:3-12) and we had the three angels announcing to the world the same, (Rev. 14:6-9). With these facts in mind, His “coming as a thief” as normally understood, seems unlikely. While the world may not believe or heed the warnings they won’t be able to claim unawareness or ignorance.
We also need to decide who is Christ speaking to. There are three possibilities:
1. The church
2. Believing Israel in hiding, or
3. The unbelieving world.
I readily admit that I’m studying this with my own pre-disposition towards a pre-wrath rapture and will use scriptures that seem to support my understanding, however, I hope that this study will at least have most of you re-examining how you have previously interpreted the scripture.
Within the context of Rev. 16:15, just prior to this verse we have the three frogs going out to the three kings (kings of the east, north and south: the a/c is already there.) to call them to the “great battle”. The very next verse affirms that they are gathered to Armageddon.
I have a KJV study bible with many editorial comments. I keep forgetting that these comments are based upon the presumptions of their (the editors) beliefs. The editors are pre-trib and their comments reflect that belief and thus their relating scriptures may not always be the best, but are assumed because of their pre-disposition to pre-trib theology. I’ve seen this in other translations as well on other topics. The identity of the church as the bride is one that comes to mind.
With all that said, let’s take a closer look at the verse in question: Rev. 16:15 - “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”
The “relating” verses in my study bible are Matt. 24:43 and 2 Co. 5:3.
Matt.24:43 & Luke 12:39 - “But know this, that if the goodman 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.”
2 Cor. 5:1-4 - “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."
I added vss. 1,2,4 for the sake of context. The word “naked” (according to the editors) in this verse implies, “without a body”. That didn’t make a lot of sense to me either?!
I put in bold (back to Rev. 16:15) and underlined the important parts of our study. If we were to look at this verse literally and as it seems upon reading it, woe to the person who is showering or in a state of undress at the rapture. They would become the “laughingstock” of heaven. I’m sure in decades past many a sermon was preached on the dangers of sleeping in the nude based on this verse. However, a deeper look into this verse shows that a very different concept is in mind. Here are some other verses commonly associated with this theme.
1 Thess. 5:2-6 - “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
2 Pet. 3:10 - “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
Rev. 3:3 - “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
The first two say that “the day of the Lord” will come as a thief in the night. Now we know that the day of the Lord is a multi-themed event spanning over a millennia, so these three verses as well as Matt. 24:43 seem to be speaking of the sudden, unannounced arrival of these events. I don’t believe any of these tie into Rev. 16:15. If you remember, prior to this verse the two witnesses were making God’s forthcoming judgments known to the world (Rev. 11:3-12) and we had the three angels announcing to the world the same, (Rev. 14:6-9). With these facts in mind, His “coming as a thief” as normally understood, seems unlikely. While the world may not believe or heed the warnings they won’t be able to claim unawareness or ignorance.
We also need to decide who is Christ speaking to. There are three possibilities:
1. The church
2. Believing Israel in hiding, or
3. The unbelieving world.
I readily admit that I’m studying this with my own pre-disposition towards a pre-wrath rapture and will use scriptures that seem to support my understanding, however, I hope that this study will at least have most of you re-examining how you have previously interpreted the scripture.
Within the context of Rev. 16:15, just prior to this verse we have the three frogs going out to the three kings (kings of the east, north and south: the a/c is already there.) to call them to the “great battle”. The very next verse affirms that they are gathered to Armageddon.