Gleanings in First Thessalonians
Chapter 5
1Thess 5:1-2
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
Now we have looked at the phrase “times and seasons” and its connection to the establishment of kingdoms on this earth that eventually culminated in the final eternal kingdom to be set up, the kingdom of Heaven, here on earth with Christ sitting on David’s throne in Jerusalem/Zion.
Then we painstakingly went through a long study of the places where “the day of the Lord” appeared in the Bible and its context to understand what “that day” is and what it means. [FYI: we just covered the verses/context where the phrase was specifically used]
These are prophetic terms and events, that are closely related to the nation of Israel and their chastisement and destiny – something that will take place after the body of Christ is off the earthly scene. Paul just got through discussing the exit of the “church, his body” in the preceding verses in the previous chapter (1Thess 4:13-18).
When he starts this chapter, or when he starts this section, he begins with “ye have no need that I write unto you”, which is concerning the “times and seasons” and “the day of the Lord” (because he uses: “For yourselves know perfectly…” to tie them together).
Paul had already discussed these things with them. And this was also information already written in the scripture that the Jews possessed and that the Thessalonians were obviously familiar with and had access to (the 39 Old Testament books)…“no need that I write”…“For yourselves know perfectly”…
However, Paul DID need to write 4:13-18 about the “rapture” because they DIDN’T know about that – so that is why he wrote it…. It was NEW information, it was part of the MYSTERY. Part of the mystery that was new, and is independent of the eventual coming of the chastisement of the “little flock” nation of Israel that will be in God’s will and make it into the kingdom here on earth (Mat 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”)
Now what Paul is explaining is that these events beginning the discussion in chapter 5, that were not a mystery, for they were prophesied in the Old Testament (OT), that when they happen will come “as a thief in the night”.
Now this does not mean that the Lord is going to take something that is not his, thus ‘steal it’, rather it is an idiom that refers to the suddenness of the event, to catch someone unprepared, catching them unaware and without seeing it coming. Obviously if you knew a thief was coming you would prepare to meet him and blow him away with your arsenal of weaponry; these people (not the Thessalonians) will be caught totally off guard.
How do we know?... next verse please.
1Thess 5:3
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
Notice how it went from “ye”, “you”, “yourselves” to “they” and “them”. There are two distinct, mutually exclusive groups being delineated.
Someone is expecting, promoting, and saying “Peace and safety”, and the opposite will happen.
Mat 24:37-39
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Maybe the time is during something like a covenant made like in Daniel’s 70th week prophecy, promises made by the “man of sin” to the Jewish nation?
Dan 9:27
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
There are boatloads of passages we could look at, but I will refrain. But we get the gist, another group of people are living the good life, have made a deal to have that good peaceful and safe life – but it is not the body of Christ.
“then sudden destruction cometh upon them” – not good. And pretty sure they would have been warned – but the ‘good life’ and the ‘easy life’ gets them.
Prov 1:20-33
Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
Isa 13:6
Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Eze 7:25
Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.
Mat 7:13
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 24:15-22
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
All these connections, are dealing with the Jewish remnant going through their chastisement, through great tribulation, through Daniel’s 70th week, through the time of Jacob’s trouble to enter the kingdom.
We shall look at the next descriptor: “travail” next installment.
Until then…
Grace and Peace James.
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