thief in the night
Silent nocturnal prowler
A thief in the night is something that arrives unexpectedly, without warning.
The phrase comes from biblical description of Christ's return, but now applies broadly to anything catching people unprepared: Death comes like a thief in the night.
The emphasis is on the suddenness and stealth, not criminality.
- burglarOne who breaks in
- home invasionUnlawful entry while occupied
- break-inUnlawful entry to premises
- second comingAwaited return of greatness
- housebreakerOne who breaks in
shadow · rapture · left behind · judgment day · intruder · alarm system · stealth · unexpected · apocalypse · tribulation · robber · prophecy · parable · heist · surprise · moonless · lock · eschatology
- End Timesapocalypse, Armageddon, rapture, end times, tribulation
- parablesprodigal son, Good Samaritan, mustard seed, lost sheep, sower
predictability/warning
thief in the nightforegone conclusion
Result assumed beforehand
writing on the wall · advance notice · fair warning · herald · harbinger
night, thief, theft, stealing, thieves, thieving, thievery, thefts, thieved