1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

The Day of the Lord

5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,[a] you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children[b] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

It is good for us to be studying 1 and 2 Thessalonians because they address many of the “end times” events. Before we dig into today’s text, let’s see what our church believes about the “end times”. In regards to the “World to Come,” our Confession of Faith states:

We believe that the end of the world is approaching; that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven, and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution; that a solemn separation will then take place; that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy; and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness.

The Doctrine of Eschatology, which is also called a study of the “end times,” includes four distinct events: (1.)  a time of tribulation, (2.) the rapture of the elect, (3.) the imminent return of Christ, (4.) and His rule and reign with His saints forever. While all Christians believe in these four events, they may differ on when they will happen. Therefore, without getting bogged down with when, where, and how, let’s review what we have discussed and survey what 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5 have to say on these doctrines. First, beginning In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul describes the Second Coming of the Lord, which in the rapture of the elect, which is also called the church, or His bride. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, on the other hand, Paul now presents the terrible and dreadful Day of the Lord when Christ returns with His saints to judge the wicked and vindicate His elect of all their accusers. 

Yesterday’s passage in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, discussed the Apostle Paul’s teaching on the “parousia”, which is the seconding coming of Christ. As we read yesterday, the Second Coming of the Lord begins when the trumpet in heaven will sound and the Lord Jesus will descend in the air on a cloud. Then the dead in Christ will first arise from their graves to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. Those Christians who remain will immediately meet them all in the air to be with the Lord forever. This, as mentioned above, is the rapture of the elect to meet the Lord in the air. In this event, the dead in Christ will first be raised to meet the Lord in the air, then those in Christ who remain will then be caught up together to be with the Lord forever. 

Now, beginning in our passage today, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Paul presents other “end times” events. For example, in verse 2, Paul introduces the topic of the Day of the Lord, which shall come like a thief in the night. The Thessalonians are already fully aware of this event. Paul said that he did not have to mention to them this topic since they already know it. Nevertheless, Paul continues to present to them the same figurative language used by Jesus Christ in His Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24 and by Old Testament prophets. In verse 3, Paul says, “While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” The Lord says in Matthew 24 that many tribulations will come, but these will be the beginning, like that of a pregnant woman having labor pains. While Jesus pronounces this judgment on that generation who rejected Him and nailed Him to the cross, there is also a future prediction or prophecy that will continue to happen. We also see the same tribulations that Jesus is speaking of. We see wars and hear about rumors of wars. We hear about natural disasters providentially controlled by our sovereign Lord and God. However, these times of tribulations are like the beginning of labor pains of a pregnant woman, things will get worse. 

Paul now continues to describe what the Day of the Lord is. Beginning in verse 4, Paul says that we are children of the light; therefore, we have no fear of the Lord’s judgment, which is reserved only for the wicked. The wicked, however, are in darkness even today. They do vile and disgusting things that those in the darkness do. Therefore, the Apostle calls us to act like people in the light. We are not to sleep like those in the dark. We are to be watchful and ready for our Lord’s coming. In doing so, we must daily put on the full armor of God, as Paul presents in detail in Ephesians 6:10-18. For us, the elect children of God, are not destined for wrath, but for salvation through the blood atonement of Jesus Christ, our Lord God and Savior. He died for us. Therefore, whether we have died (being asleep in Christ) or are still alive in Christ, we are certain, by faith, to be with Him forever more. So we can be encouraged as believers in Christ, these Doctrine of Eschatology are for our comfort. We also, as instructed by the Apostle Paul, are to encourage others with this same hope. All praise, glory, and honor to our God! 

Christian Hymn: What a Day That Will Be, by Jim Hill in 1955