Edom’s thieves

Jesus warns that His coming will be like the coming of a “thief” at night (Matthew 24:43; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4; Revelation 3:3).

This specific image – a thief breaking in at night – comes in part from the law, Exodus 22 gives regulations about how to deal with a thief breaking into a house. It is used only twice in the prophets. Jeremiah 49:9 warns that though thieves would leave a few things behind Yahweh will strip bare, and Obadiah repeats the same warning.

Importantly, both of these warnings are directed at Edom (or, in the LXX idoumia ). When Jesus says that He will come like a thief, He implies that Israel has become an Edom, Jacob has transformed into an Esau. And He also implies that His advent as a thief is specifically directed at the Idumianized kingdom of Israel, ruled by the Edomite Herods. In Revelation, the warning is directed at those who have imitated the “elder brother,” Esau, in other words, the Judaizers.