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That which the Apostles called the day of the Lord and the second coming of Christ are one and the same day. This is seen persistently in the scriptures pertaining to His coming, or rapture. Take for instance the teaching given by Paul where he related the coming of Christ to be as flaming fire (2 Thess. 1:8) with the same moment of time when He will be glorified in His saints. (2 Thess. 1:10). He is glorified in His saints when the dead in Christ rise first and the living are changed at the time of the rapture. Thus we note, that His coming is the ultimate blessing to the believers, while at one and the same time it will be destruction for the ungodly. It is possible to see two categories of people here. Those who have no knowledge of God and obviously have no desire to even seek to know Him and those who have a knowledge of Him but refuse to obey His Word. Obedience to the Word of the Lord is an absolute necessity as far as the Lord is concerned. 2 Thess. 1:8
When He comes as a thief, in flaming fire, it will be an event releasing a world wide storm of dark clouds, thunder and lightening such as never has been before. That burning flame will ignite the oxygen in our atmosphere causing one colossal explosion. That is the great noise of which Peter wrote. So hot and powerful is the instant detonation of the atmosphere that the very elements of which this earth has been created will melt with the excessively great heat generated by the blast. None, absolutely nothing of the work, the construction of men, the cities, the buildings, the super highways will remain after this cataclysmic event. What is left to take over after this great catastrophe strikes the earth? 2 Peter 3:10, 12
When He comes as a thief, those who are in Christ are still seen carefully guarding their faith in the Lord Jesus. They are on alert, waiting and watching for His glorious appearing. They maintain their garments of righteousness. Rev. 16:15 His coming as a thief is called the battle of Armageddon. This conflict is not a battle between the nations of the world but is a great conflict between the righteous forces of heaven and the epitome of unrighteousness and ungodliness revealed during the great tribulation. Rev. 16:16 It is no marvel that John, when receiving the Revelation, described this great calamity as being a time when the heavens are rolled up and cast off as a scroll. Likewise and of extreme importance it was revealed to him that every mountain would be leveled and all the islands would be removed from their present position. Rev. 6:14.