19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army.

20 But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

21 And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse…

— Revelation 19:19-21

But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.

— 2 Peter 3:10

She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.

— Revelation 19:8

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and blessings from Christ to you.

John recorded in Revelation 16:15 that Jesus Himself speaks about His return. Christ’s second coming represents the great event toward which all history moves which is a significant part of God’s final judgment on earth. Jesus gives a personal message here about His return, the third of seven blessings in Revelation. Jesus says, “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and get shamefully exposed.” Believers must remain alert. Jesus will come suddenly, “like a thief,” with our warning. No one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return, except the Father. Jesus promises blessing for those who are “awake” and ready for His return.

Jesus says people are to remain watchful and clothed so they will not get exposed when He comes. Clothing in Revelation and throughout Scripture often represents character, virtue and God’s gift of a life of being renewed, sanctified, transformed and conformed to the image of Christ. Those who trust Christ as Savior are not only forgiven of their sin and declared righteous by God but they are also clothed in His righteousness. First and foremost, being ready for Jesus’s return requires repenting of sin and believing in Jesus for salvation.