In 1 Thes 5.1-5 we read, “Now as to the times (moedim, festivals) and the seasons (zemanim or the festival seasons like Passover to Shavuot, or Passover to Sheini Atzeret; the Yamim Noraim of the ten days of awe between Rosh Ha Shannah and Yom Kippur, tec), brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well (Paul had taught them the biblical eschatology concerning the festivals and the coming of the Lord) that the day of the Lord (can mean Rosh Ha Shannah or the Atid Lavo) will come (not might) just like a thief in the night. While they (the unbelievers) are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly (the unbeliever because they were not ready) like birth-pains (the biblical term for the Tribulation Period) upon a woman with child and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness (they in the “daytime” and aware of what is happening), that that day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness.”
Rev 3.3 says, “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard (in regards to true Torah teaching like the Thessalonians) and keep it (a doer of the word), and repent (meaning to change your mind in response to the truth). If therefore you will not wake up (be spiritually on the alert), I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you (notice that he does not come as a thief to those who have repented and are “awake”-1 Thes 5.4-5).”
Now the statement “a thief in the night” relates to the Torah command about a thief in Exo 22.1-3 where it says, “But if a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. If the thief is caught breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account. But if the sun has risen on him there will be bloodguiltiness on his account. He shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.”
In other words, if a thief is found breaking in during the day and is struck down, the owner will be guilty because he could have assessed the threat, saw if he had a weapon or not, or called on others to help, and prevented it. On the other hand, if the thief comes at night and is struck down, and the owner could not assess because he was asleep, or it was dark, then the owner is not guilty and it is considered self-defense.
Eschatologically, Yeshua came the first time during the daylight, openly and in public (Matt 26.55), and he was assessed as a criminal and struck down without justice. They could see him and knew exactly who he was and what he was doing. However, during his second coming he will come as a thief in the night and people will not be able to assess him because he will come quickly and unexpectedly to those who are asleep spiritually, and they will not be ready because it is too late and they did not know the times and the seasons. They will not be able to strike him down again.
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