Message 6 - 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5 – Paul Answers Matters Of Eschatology Asked Of Him – Part 1 (Verses 1-8) Series

MESSAGE 6 - 1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5 – PAUL ANSWERS MATTERS OF ESCHATOLOGY ASKED OF HIM – PART 1 (Verses 1-8)

PART 1. PAUL ADDRESSES TEACHING ON THE DAY OF THE LORD

{{1Thessalonians 5:1 “Now as to the times (stretches of times) and the epochs (particular times), brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you

1Thess 5:2 for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

1Thess 5:3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child and they shall not escape.”}}

You must note that this opening verse begins with “Now” in the NASB and the NIV, but the Greek is “But”. It is essential that we note carefully in the scriptures, the order and the progression of words and thoughts and themes. There were no chapter or verse divisions when written. The word “but” links us with the latter part of chapter 4 and the Rapture. Last time we saw Paul answer their concerning question about those who had died, and their loved ones thought they had missed out on the Rapture. However, after the Rapture, what then? They also had asked him other questions about the signs of the times. All these matters belong to the subject called eschatology. That word simply means the study of the last things, and biblically, it means all the fulfillment of prophecy for the future.

We must clarify VERSE 2. In speaking about the Day of the LORD, Paul says the Thessalonians know full well that that event is like a thief coming in the night. A thief in the night is sinister and destructive. There are a lot of people who use this expression to refer to the Lord’s coming for His Church, the Rapture, but it is very wrong because the Lord won’t be a thief and He won’t act as one prowling the night when He comes to take His beloved Bride to Himself. As well, we are not children of the night, but of the day as Paul mentions in verse 5. Jesus spoke about the thief when He said in {{John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy. I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.”}} The thief is not what our Lord will do for His loved ones, so that verse 2 is in no way related to the Lord Jesus coming to catch up His Bride. Therefore the Day of the LORD is NOT – NOT - NOT in any way connected with the Rapture but must happen after that event.

It is always good to compare scripture with scripture, so we need to look at Peter – {{2Peter 3:10-11 “But the day of the LORD will come LIKE A THIEF, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.”}} (That passage looks at Armageddon and a general view of the last times). John also takes up the “thief coming” (only 3 of these references in the New Testament) – {{Revelation 16:15-16 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame.”) and they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.”}} The ones said to be blessed by staying awake and keeping ready, are the saints in the Great Tribulation. The Church has already been in heaven for almost 7 years.

Now, what is the Day of the LORD? The Day of the LORD relates very strongly to Israel but also to all the nations. It is the time when God will stand in the events of the world and His power will be unleashed in wrath against sin. The Old Testament has much to say about it and the descriptions are often accompanied with darkness, clouds, fear, great judgements, and cosmic signs – moon and sun, and signs in the heavens and earthquakes and the earth trembling. It is a fearsome time. The Day begins after the Rapture of the Church and covers all the events of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming at Armageddon, the setting up of the Millennial kingdom over which Messiah reigns, the great white throne judgement and the new heavens and the new earth. I say again, the Day of the LORD is NOT for the Christian age because the Lord will take His Bride before that happens.