The Day of the Lord 1 Thess 5:1-11 Intro Paul covered the Rapture in 1 Thes 4:13-18. Now he expands beyond that to what is called, The Day of the Lord. [1] Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. [2] For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. [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. [4] But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; [5] for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; [6] so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. [7] For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. [8] But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. [9] For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, [10] who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. [11] Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing. The Unknown Time of the Day of the Lord (DOL) 5:1,2 [1] Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. [2] For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 1
times = chronos a space of time (that might include a chronology of time) epochs = kairos a specific time, a fixed time, a special occasion, a specific date - you have no need for anyone to tell you because you know the DOL will come like a thief in the night. Not necessarily quietly, but certainly unexpectedly. Matthew 24:36, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Mark 13:32, "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Defining the Day of the Lord (DOL) - it obviously includes the snatching away which will happen in an instant - it also includes a time of judgment - it is more than just a single day o it starts with the rapture and ends with Christ s second coming o it has a time of tribulation inbetween o it has other names time of Jacob s trouble (Jer 30:7) the Great Tribulation (Mt 24:29) The Hour of Judgment (Rev 14:7) The Wrath to Come (1 Thes 1:10) The Hour of Trial (Rev 3:10) 2
Rev. 3:10 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. The Day of the Lord can be defined as the period of times stretching from the Rapture of the church through the judgment upon the world. (Show slides of church age, rapture, tribulation, second coming, millennial kingdom) The Destructive Nature of the DOL 5:3 [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. - we already saw the saving nature of the DOL in the rapture - but now there will be destruction o while they are saying peace, peace, suddenly destruction will come Matthew 24:21-22 for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall. [22] "And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short. 3
The Recipients of Judgment on the DOL 5:3 [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. - them destruction will come on them as opposed to us - they those who do not follow Christ the judgment will not be on us but on them, and some of them will turn to God. How Christians should live in light of the coming of the DOL 5:4-8 [4] But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; [5] for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; [6] so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. [7] For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. [8] But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. - alert and sober vv4-6 (not just joking around, but living with a sense of purpose) vv4-6 living with a sense of urgency - living faith, love and hope (living by faith, showing God s love, and never losing our hope! vv7,8 God s intent for Christians regarding the DOL 5:9-11 [9] For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, [10] who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. [11] Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 4
- save us from wrath - for obtaining salvation Rev 3:10 says that God will pour out His wrath on the earth - we can encourage each other Reasons why a pre-trib rapture is the correct way to see - God will save us from wrath - it wouldn t be very encouraging if 5