Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/2534

2534 'I will come like a thief in the night....'

November 2, 1942: Book 33

People carelessly pay no attention to the signs of the time, nothing seems unusual to them, and they accept every happening without realising its significance. And they do not believe the proclamations about the impending natural disaster either, for they think that the time which is mentioned in the Scriptures has not yet come.... They do not accept any kind of explanation because the thought that people of the present time should be the victims is inconvenient to them. Therefore the forthcoming event cannot be made plausible to them either and they will be taken by surprise and be unprepared when the day arrives. And these are the people to whom the Lord says 'I will come like a thief in the night....' They will be fast asleep and will have made no preparations, and their souls will suffer serious hardship when they are recalled from earth. They will not be able to call upon God anymore because the magnitude of the disaster will deprive them of every thought.... God's love will not let anything happen to humanity without informing them first.... And He warns them a long time in advance yet He will not force people to believe these warnings.

However, anyone who pays attention to the signs will not find it difficult to believe. And anyone who is in contact with God will also feel God's admonition in his heart. He will become aware of the signs of the time himself and he will try to attain God's grace, that is, he will appeal for it and commend himself to God's mercy.... Only a short time separates you humans from this event, and you should use this time so that you can expect it with composure.... You should not entertain the thought that you are perfect and have no need of mercy, you should humbly entrust yourselves to God's love and always believe that your last hour has come.... you should listen to the admonitions of those who, as representatives of God, bring you His Word; you should know that the hour is not far away and always be ready. And God's love and mercy will help you during the hours of adversity. He will remember you as you remember Him.... He will spare your life if it is helpful for you, or He will remove you from the earth and grant you a better life in the beyond if you are worthy of it.... But woe to those who approach this hour unprepared and lose their life.... Their fate in the beyond will truly not be an easy one. And God wants to protect people from this by announcing the forthcoming events to them and admonishing them to turn around if their way of life does not correspond to His will. And thereby He will demonstrate the Words of the Holy Scriptures 'I will come like a thief in the night, therefore watch and pray....'

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna