A Thief in the Night

Infobox Film
name = A Thief in the Night


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director = Donald W. Thompson
producer = Donald W. Thompson
writer = Russell S. Doughten Jr.
Jim Grant
Donald W. Thompson
narrator =
starring = Patty Dunning
Mike Niday
Colleen Niday
Maryann Rachford
Thom Rachford
Duane Coller
Russell S. Doughten Jr.
Clarence Balmer
music =
cinematography = John P. Leiendecker Jr.
editing = Wes Phillippi
distributor =
released = Start date|1973
runtime = 69 min
country = USA
language = English
budget =
gross =
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"A Thief in the Night" is a 1972 Christian end times film produced by Russell S. Doughten. It is the first and best known film in Doughten's four-part series on the Rapture and Second Coming of Christ. The films together are often referred to collectively as the "Thief" or "Rapture" series.

The entire series includes:
* "A Thief in the Night" (1972)
* "A Distant Thunder" (1977)
* "Image of the Beast" (1980)
* "The Prodigal Planet" (1983)

Biblical references

The film draws its title from a term used to described Jesus twice "Thief In The Night" is a term given to Jesus Christ twice in the New Testament:1st Thessalonians 5:2-4 and 2nd Peter 3:10.

In the film, everyone must receive the "mark of the beast" containing three rows of "0110" written on their forehead or hand, or they will not be allowed to use money in any way, including food or water. This number in binary is six, hence having it repeated three times suggests the biblical number attributed to the end times. However, it might be noted that the actual way to write six hundred and sixty-six in binary is "001010011010" and not "0110 0110 0110."

Plot

The film deals with Patty, a young woman who knows and has heard the Christian gospel but dismisses it due to her satisfaction with secular life. One morning she wakes up to discover that her husband, a Christian, and millions of others have disappeared. Gradually, Patty realizes that the Rapture, mentioned in the Bible, has happened and she is living in the last days of the Antichrist. A government system called UNITE (United Nations Imperium for Total Emergency) is set up and those who do not receive the mark identifying them with UNITE will be arrested. Patty desperately tries to avoid the law and the mark but is captured by UNITE. Patty escapes but is cornered by UNITE on a bridge, and falls from the bridge to her death.

Patty then awakens and realizes that all she had experienced was a dream. Then she hears a report on the radio that millions of people have disappeared. Patty frantically searches for her husband only to find him missing too. Patty then realizes that the Rapture has indeed occurred and she's been left behind.

Music

This film includes Larry Norman's composition "I Wish We'd All Been Ready", one of the earliest Christian rock hits and one of Norman's best-known releases.

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070795/ "A Thief in the Night"] at the Internet Movie Database
* [http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?id=3199 A review of the film]
* [http://www.thiefinthenight.org/thief Thief In The Night] A fresh biblical view of the role of the Thief.
* [http://www.rdfilms.com rdfilms.com Official website]