16:15
The “like a thief” is a common motif in the New Testament: Matt 24:43; Luke 12:39; 1 Thess 5:2,4; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 3:3. The message is that the Lord will come at a surprising time when no one is expecting Him. It can seem that things will always carry on as they were, that nothing will change. We should not be taken in by this. Instead, like the wise virgins we should always be ready, so that whenever He does appear we will be ready. This, of course, does apply to the actual return of Christ, but also has a wider application. Things can and will change, and we should ensure that we are constantly faithful.
16:16
The battle of Armageddon is well known in general parlance, though the pictures we have of it bear limited resemblance to the Biblical use. No one actually knows there Armageddon is! There are various guesses, and ones related to Megiddo are the most convincing. However, the geographic location is of limited importance. It is the gathering of the rulers of the world against God that matters. As we will see, the nature of the battle is rather different than the popular portrayals.
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