Description
Paul describes the resurrection and rapture of believers. At Christ's coming, dead believers are resurrected first, and then living Christians are caught up with them to meet Jesus in the air.
Commentary
Resurrection and rapture of Christians (4:13-18)
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul tells us that the death and resurrection of Jesus are of first importance, without which our faith is worthless. Here in verse 14, he says, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians". Sleep is a euphemism for death, as used by Jesus in John 11:11. Paul is talking about the resurrection of deceased Christians who will return with Jesus as he comes from heaven back to earth.
The only example we have to guide our expectations of what this resurrection might look like is the resurrection of Jesus himself, who is the firstborn from among the dead (Colossians 1:18, Revelation 1:5). Paul teaches that our resurrection bodies will be like Christ's resurrection body (1 Corinthians 15, 2 Corinthians 5, Philippians 3:21). In other words, Christ's resurrection is the model for our resurrection. Jesus was resurrected on earth and exited an empty tomb. He appeared to Mary Magdalene and then returned to the Father (John 20:17). He then returned to earth and appeared to his disciples at various times over a period of 40 days, before ascending visibly to heaven. He has since remained in heaven, except for his appearance to Saul on the road to Damascus, and possibly other similar appearances to select individuals throughout Church history. We expect him to return in his physical resurrected body at the second coming.
So when Jesus brings with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians, it is reasonable to understand that it is their spirits that return with him, and that It is here on earth that those spirits are resurrected and clothed with their resurrection bodies. Graves may be visibly opened as prophesied in Ezekiel 37:12-13. Paul tells us that after this resurrection, living Christians will be suddenly caught up together with those who have been resurrected, and all will meet the Lord in the air. Living Christians will have been transformed in the blink of an eye as described in 1 Corinthians 15:52. So at that moment we will all have glorious resurrection bodies, whether we have been resurrected or raptured. Given that these bodies are both spiritual and physical, my assumption is that our ascension to meet the Lord will be visible to the unsaved who remain on earth. Although our bodily transformation occurs in the blink of an eye, I expect our ascension to be visible, just as Christ's ascension was visible (Acts 1:9-10).
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul tells us that the death and resurrection of Jesus are of first importance, without which our faith is worthless. Here in verse 14, he says, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians". Sleep is a euphemism for death, as used by Jesus in John 11:11. Paul is talking about the resurrection of deceased Christians who will return with Jesus as he comes from heaven back to earth.
The only example we have to guide our expectations of what this resurrection might look like is the resurrection of Jesus himself, who is the firstborn from among the dead (Colossians 1:18, Revelation 1:5). Paul teaches that our resurrection bodies will be like Christ's resurrection body (1 Corinthians 15, 2 Corinthians 5, Philippians 3:21). In other words, Christ's resurrection is the model for our resurrection. Jesus was resurrected on earth and exited an empty tomb. He appeared to Mary Magdalene and then returned to the Father (John 20:17). He then returned to earth and appeared to his disciples at various times over a period of 40 days, before ascending visibly to heaven. He has since remained in heaven, except for his appearance to Saul on the road to Damascus, and possibly other similar appearances to select individuals throughout Church history. We expect him to return in his physical resurrected body at the second coming.
So when Jesus brings with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians, it is reasonable to understand that it is their spirits that return with him, and that It is here on earth that those spirits are resurrected and clothed with their resurrection bodies. Graves may be visibly opened as prophesied in Ezekiel 37:12-13. Paul tells us that after this resurrection, living Christians will be suddenly caught up together with those who have been resurrected, and all will meet the Lord in the air. Living Christians will have been transformed in the blink of an eye as described in 1 Corinthians 15:52. So at that moment we will all have glorious resurrection bodies, whether we have been resurrected or raptured. Given that these bodies are both spiritual and physical, my assumption is that our ascension to meet the Lord will be visible to the unsaved who remain on earth. Although our bodily transformation occurs in the blink of an eye, I expect our ascension to be visible, just as Christ's ascension was visible (Acts 1:9-10).
Timing and Context of the Rapture
In 5:1-2, Paul reminds us, "Now on the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night". So we should not expect to be able to predict the date of the rapture ahead of time. Nevertheless, it is still reasonable and appropriate to ask is, "When does the rapture happen in relation to the book of Revelation, in relation to the tribulation, and in relation to the second coming?"
Possible Answer 1) The Rapture occurs at the seventh trumpet in Revelation
Here in chapter 4, Paul associates the rapture with the following elements:
1) Jesus coming down from heaven (v16)
2) a shout of command (v16)
3) the voice of the archangel (v16)
4) the trumpet of God (v16), which Paul calls the 'last' trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15:52
5) us meeting Jesus in the clouds (v17).
Jesus descending upon the clouds (elements 1 and 5 combined) point to this as the exaltation and coronation of the Son of Man as envisioned in Daniel 7:13-14. According to this vision, Jesus approaches the Ancient of Days (God the Father) to receive ruling authority, honour and sovereignty over an eternal kingdom, and to be worshipped by all peoples, nations and language groups. When Jesus referred to this event at his trial before the high priest, he seemed to imply that it would be visible even to his enemies on earth (Matthew 26:64).
The last trumpet and the voice of the archangel (elements 3 and 4) correlate well with what happens at the last of the seven trumpets in Revelation 11:15, where there are loud voices in heaven and the seventh angel declares, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever". This is a coronation proclamation, and matches with the context of Daniel 7:13-14. And immediately following this proclamation, the twenty four elders get down from their thrones, prostrate themselves before God with their faces to the ground, and worship him.
The shout of command after seven trumpets (element 2) points to the fall of Jericho (Joshua 6:20), implying that Jesus returns as the end-time Joshua to claim the Promised Land. The fact that it is a shout of command implies that a particular response is required. This is surely the moment when every knee must bow and tongue confess Jesus Christ as Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Although many may do so, this event will also be met with a world-wide reaction of rage (Psalm 2). Jesus must wage war and smash the nations as with an iron sceptre in order to establish his rule over the earth.
If the rapture occurs at the seventh trumpet in Revelation, this is towards the end of the seven-year tribulation, and what we might call either a post-trib rapture, or perhaps a post-mid-trib rapture.
Possible Answer 2) The Rapture occurs at the sixth seal in Revelation
There are at least three good reasons to believe the rapture occurs at the sixth seal.
Firstly, when Jesus describes the rapture in Matthew 24:31, he sets it within the following context (Matthew 24:29-31), "Immediately after the suffering [or tribulation] of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other". His description of the sun, moon and stars in verse 29 correlates well with Revelation 6:12-13, "Then I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon became blood red; and the stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when shaken by a fierce wind".
Secondly, here in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, Paul says, "For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him". According to Revelation 6:16-17, the sixth seal marks the beginning of the great day of wrath, "They said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?""
Thirdly, at the sixth seal we see the sealing of the 144,000 Israelites, after which John says in Revelation 7:9, "After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands". Then in verses 14-15 we are told who these people are, "These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb! For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them". How is it that they have "come out" of the great tribulation? Either these are martyrs who have been killed during the fifth seal, or they are Christians who have been raptured at the sixth seal.
In 5:1-2, Paul reminds us, "Now on the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night". So we should not expect to be able to predict the date of the rapture ahead of time. Nevertheless, it is still reasonable and appropriate to ask is, "When does the rapture happen in relation to the book of Revelation, in relation to the tribulation, and in relation to the second coming?"
Possible Answer 1) The Rapture occurs at the seventh trumpet in Revelation
Here in chapter 4, Paul associates the rapture with the following elements:
1) Jesus coming down from heaven (v16)
2) a shout of command (v16)
3) the voice of the archangel (v16)
4) the trumpet of God (v16), which Paul calls the 'last' trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15:52
5) us meeting Jesus in the clouds (v17).
Jesus descending upon the clouds (elements 1 and 5 combined) point to this as the exaltation and coronation of the Son of Man as envisioned in Daniel 7:13-14. According to this vision, Jesus approaches the Ancient of Days (God the Father) to receive ruling authority, honour and sovereignty over an eternal kingdom, and to be worshipped by all peoples, nations and language groups. When Jesus referred to this event at his trial before the high priest, he seemed to imply that it would be visible even to his enemies on earth (Matthew 26:64).
The last trumpet and the voice of the archangel (elements 3 and 4) correlate well with what happens at the last of the seven trumpets in Revelation 11:15, where there are loud voices in heaven and the seventh angel declares, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever". This is a coronation proclamation, and matches with the context of Daniel 7:13-14. And immediately following this proclamation, the twenty four elders get down from their thrones, prostrate themselves before God with their faces to the ground, and worship him.
The shout of command after seven trumpets (element 2) points to the fall of Jericho (Joshua 6:20), implying that Jesus returns as the end-time Joshua to claim the Promised Land. The fact that it is a shout of command implies that a particular response is required. This is surely the moment when every knee must bow and tongue confess Jesus Christ as Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Although many may do so, this event will also be met with a world-wide reaction of rage (Psalm 2). Jesus must wage war and smash the nations as with an iron sceptre in order to establish his rule over the earth.
If the rapture occurs at the seventh trumpet in Revelation, this is towards the end of the seven-year tribulation, and what we might call either a post-trib rapture, or perhaps a post-mid-trib rapture.
Possible Answer 2) The Rapture occurs at the sixth seal in Revelation
There are at least three good reasons to believe the rapture occurs at the sixth seal.
Firstly, when Jesus describes the rapture in Matthew 24:31, he sets it within the following context (Matthew 24:29-31), "Immediately after the suffering [or tribulation] of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other". His description of the sun, moon and stars in verse 29 correlates well with Revelation 6:12-13, "Then I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon became blood red; and the stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when shaken by a fierce wind".
Secondly, here in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, Paul says, "For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him". According to Revelation 6:16-17, the sixth seal marks the beginning of the great day of wrath, "They said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?""
Thirdly, at the sixth seal we see the sealing of the 144,000 Israelites, after which John says in Revelation 7:9, "After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands". Then in verses 14-15 we are told who these people are, "These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb! For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them". How is it that they have "come out" of the great tribulation? Either these are martyrs who have been killed during the fifth seal, or they are Christians who have been raptured at the sixth seal.
When does the rapture happen in relation to the great tribulation and second coming?
In Matthew 24:29-31 (quoted above), contrary to the popular dispensationalist theory of a pre-trib rapture, Jesus places the rapture after his second coming in glory, which happens immediately after the tribulation. So he presents us with a 'post-trip rapture'. If the second coming and rapture happen at the sixth seal, then Christians must endure and suffer the tribulation of the first six seals, including the persecutions that occur during the fifth seal. But they are raptured before the day of wrath, which begins after the sixth seal, and during which the trumpet and bowl judgments occur. The trumpet and bowl judgments function as a kind of aerial bombardment by Jesus of Antichrist's empire, in preparation for his military campaign through Edom and Arabia (Isaiah 63:1-6, Habakkuk 3:1-15), and for his final battle with Antichrist at Armageddon in Israel (Revelation 19:11-21).
What do Christians do after they are raptured?
At Christ's coming, both resurrected and living Christians are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Paul adds in verse 17, "And so we will always be with the Lord". But where do these Christians go next? The answer to that depends on where Jesus is after his coming. It appears to me that when Jesus comes upon the clouds, he first descends upon the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4, Acts 1:11-12) which he splits in two, creating a great valley through which the people of Jerusalem can escape when the city falls to Antichrist's invasion. In Revelation 12:5-6, this second coming arrival is portrayed metaphorically as a kind of birth. Jesus is then caught up again to God and his throne, while the people of Jerusalem flee to a place of safety in the desert to be taken care of for the next 1,260 days. In Micah 2:12, this safe-place is called 'Bozrah'. Bozrah literally means a 'sheepfold', but historically it was also the name of Edom's capital. So it points figuratively to a location in Edom (Arabia). Their liberation at the end of the 1,260 days is portrayed in Micah 2:13 with their divine Messiah-king breaking them out and then leading them. If Christians are raptured immediately after his second coming (Matthew 24:31), it seems that when Jesus is caught back up to God and his throne, we are caught up with him. Chronologically, it seems that this coincides with the sixth seal (Revelation 6:12-17). At that point, the sky is split apart such that the people left on earth try to hide themselves from "the face of the one who is seated on the throne (i.e. God the Father) and from the wrath of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus) because the great day of their wrath has come". Possibly, as people on earth gaze at the sky and see God and Jesus, the crowds of raptured Christians will also somehow be visible, as in Daniel 7:13-14 when the Son of Man ascends to the Ancient of Days, and all peoples, nations and language groups serve him. At the end of the 1,260 days, Jesus must descend to earth again to break the Jews out of their Bozrah sheepfold and lead them through Edom back to Jerusalem. It seems from Isaiah 63:1-6 that he fights his Edom campaign alone, but as he approaches Israel for the battle of Armageddon he is accompanied by his 'called, chosen and faithful' followers (Revelation 17:14), which likely includes raptured Christians (see my commentary on Revelation 17:14 for more details). During the millennium, while Jesus rules the earth from his throne in Jerusalem, are raptured Christians also on earth ruling with him (2 Timothy 2:11-12), or do we live in the heavenly New Jerusalem (Revelation 21)? During the forty days between Christ's resurrection and ascension, he appeared to the apostles on multiple occasions, but where was he the rest of the time - in heaven or on earth? Might we live in the heavenly Jerusalem but have access to earth, and thus be able to rule with him?
Are all Christians resurrected and raptured?
Whereas Revelation 20:4-6 seems to indicate that the first resurrection is limited to Christian martyrs, here in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul seems to assure us otherwise, that all who have died as Christians will be resurrected, after which all living Christians will be raptured. Also, what about those who are part of the Church but are not true believers? It is commonly assumed that false Christians will be left behind. But if that is the case, why is the judgment of Matthew 25:31-46 necessary, in which Jesus separates the sheep from the goats. Jesus' description of the rapture in Matthew 24:31, together with his Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-40) and Parable of the Net (Matthew 13:47-50), seem to imply an inclusive rapture of the Church, with the sheep and the goats being separated afterwards.
In Matthew 24:29-31 (quoted above), contrary to the popular dispensationalist theory of a pre-trib rapture, Jesus places the rapture after his second coming in glory, which happens immediately after the tribulation. So he presents us with a 'post-trip rapture'. If the second coming and rapture happen at the sixth seal, then Christians must endure and suffer the tribulation of the first six seals, including the persecutions that occur during the fifth seal. But they are raptured before the day of wrath, which begins after the sixth seal, and during which the trumpet and bowl judgments occur. The trumpet and bowl judgments function as a kind of aerial bombardment by Jesus of Antichrist's empire, in preparation for his military campaign through Edom and Arabia (Isaiah 63:1-6, Habakkuk 3:1-15), and for his final battle with Antichrist at Armageddon in Israel (Revelation 19:11-21).
What do Christians do after they are raptured?
At Christ's coming, both resurrected and living Christians are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Paul adds in verse 17, "And so we will always be with the Lord". But where do these Christians go next? The answer to that depends on where Jesus is after his coming. It appears to me that when Jesus comes upon the clouds, he first descends upon the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4, Acts 1:11-12) which he splits in two, creating a great valley through which the people of Jerusalem can escape when the city falls to Antichrist's invasion. In Revelation 12:5-6, this second coming arrival is portrayed metaphorically as a kind of birth. Jesus is then caught up again to God and his throne, while the people of Jerusalem flee to a place of safety in the desert to be taken care of for the next 1,260 days. In Micah 2:12, this safe-place is called 'Bozrah'. Bozrah literally means a 'sheepfold', but historically it was also the name of Edom's capital. So it points figuratively to a location in Edom (Arabia). Their liberation at the end of the 1,260 days is portrayed in Micah 2:13 with their divine Messiah-king breaking them out and then leading them. If Christians are raptured immediately after his second coming (Matthew 24:31), it seems that when Jesus is caught back up to God and his throne, we are caught up with him. Chronologically, it seems that this coincides with the sixth seal (Revelation 6:12-17). At that point, the sky is split apart such that the people left on earth try to hide themselves from "the face of the one who is seated on the throne (i.e. God the Father) and from the wrath of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus) because the great day of their wrath has come". Possibly, as people on earth gaze at the sky and see God and Jesus, the crowds of raptured Christians will also somehow be visible, as in Daniel 7:13-14 when the Son of Man ascends to the Ancient of Days, and all peoples, nations and language groups serve him. At the end of the 1,260 days, Jesus must descend to earth again to break the Jews out of their Bozrah sheepfold and lead them through Edom back to Jerusalem. It seems from Isaiah 63:1-6 that he fights his Edom campaign alone, but as he approaches Israel for the battle of Armageddon he is accompanied by his 'called, chosen and faithful' followers (Revelation 17:14), which likely includes raptured Christians (see my commentary on Revelation 17:14 for more details). During the millennium, while Jesus rules the earth from his throne in Jerusalem, are raptured Christians also on earth ruling with him (2 Timothy 2:11-12), or do we live in the heavenly New Jerusalem (Revelation 21)? During the forty days between Christ's resurrection and ascension, he appeared to the apostles on multiple occasions, but where was he the rest of the time - in heaven or on earth? Might we live in the heavenly Jerusalem but have access to earth, and thus be able to rule with him?
Are all Christians resurrected and raptured?
Whereas Revelation 20:4-6 seems to indicate that the first resurrection is limited to Christian martyrs, here in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul seems to assure us otherwise, that all who have died as Christians will be resurrected, after which all living Christians will be raptured. Also, what about those who are part of the Church but are not true believers? It is commonly assumed that false Christians will be left behind. But if that is the case, why is the judgment of Matthew 25:31-46 necessary, in which Jesus separates the sheep from the goats. Jesus' description of the rapture in Matthew 24:31, together with his Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-40) and Parable of the Net (Matthew 13:47-50), seem to imply an inclusive rapture of the Church, with the sheep and the goats being separated afterwards.
The Day of the Lord like a Thief in the Night (5:1-11)
Paul says in verse 3 that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, a reference to what Jesus said in Matthew 24:42-44.
Firstly, what does Paul mean by 'the day of the Lord'? I understand it to be the same as 'the day of vengeance of our God' in Isaiah 61:2b, the 'time of wrath' in Daniel 11:36, and the 'day of their wrath' in Revelation 6:17. It is not a literal 24-hour day, but describes the relatively short end-time period when God releases the trumpet and bowl judgments as described in Revelation. In Isaiah 62:1, it follows 'the year of the Lord's favour' which Jesus announced at the beginning of his ministry in his first coming (Luke 4:19). The 'year' represents a much longer time period which we are still in today. It makes sense that the 'day of the Lord' will begin with Christ's second coming appearance at the sixth seal, such that during the judgments which follow, people on earth try to hide themselves in caves and among the rocks of the mountains, saying to them, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?” (Revelation 6:16-17). This day of wrath seems to also correspond to the 1,260 literal days during which the people of Israel are taken care of in safe-place in the desert (Revelation 12:6).
Consequently, here in verse 3, Paul describes the situation just before the day of the Lord, when people are proclaiming peace and safety, but destruction comes on them like labor pains on a pregnant woman. The labor metaphor relates to the fall of Jerusalem (Micah 4:9-10). Whereas Paul relates the thief in the night metaphor to the beginning of the day of the Lord, Jesus related it to the day of his coming. If his coming marks the beginning of the day of the Lord, then these are one and the same.
Secondly, what does 'like a thief in the night' mean? Jesus said that if the house owner knew what time the thief was coming, he would stay alert and not let his house be broken into. The 'thief in the night' metaphor has four implications:
1) His coming will be a surprise to most
2) Those who are taken by surprise will suffer loss
3) There are things we can do to prevent ourselves suffering loss
4) We must stay alert (to the signs of the times) and be ready 'because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him' (Matthew 24:44)
Is this teaching directed at believers, unbelievers, or everyone? In verses 1 to 2, Paul makes clear that the time and season of the day of the Lord was unknown to believers in his day. But in verse 4, he says that we are not in the darkness for the day to overtake us like a thief. In verse 9, he says that God has not destined us to suffer wrath, but to gain salvation. So although there is still an element of surprise even for believers, the implications of loss are directed primarily at unbelievers, but also at believers who are not ready because they are failing to live righteous lives in true relationship with Christ. In Revelation 3:3, in his message to the Church in Sardis, Jesus rebuked some believers for being spiritually dead, and he warned them that if they did not wake up and repent, he would come to them like a thief.
Jesus taught us to know that the season of his coming is near when we see the restoration of end-time Israel, as symbolised by the fig tree sprouting leaves (Matthew 24:32). And he described various other signs that must all take place within the lifespan of a single generation (Matthew 24:34). Since none of these had taken place in Paul's day, he did not know or attempt to identify the time or season. However, his description in verse 3 of people saying "There is peace and security" does remind us of one end-time sign to watch for. Before the day of the Lord, Antichrist will confirm a seven-year treaty with many nations (Daniel 9:27). Unaware that he will break the treaty after three and a half years, people will be lulled into a false sense of security. This reminds us of the promise by Neville Chamberlain of 'Peace for our time' in 1938, after his meeting with Hitler. People will be unaware of the destruction that is about to come upon them. This destruction will begin with Antichrist's invasion of Israel (Daniel 11:36-45, Ezekiel 38, Zechariah 14), starting a new World War, and end with the completion of God's judgments upon the wicked.
Regarding the season of Christ's coming, believers today are in a different situation to what Paul was in. The fig tree sprouted leaves in 1948 when Israel was restored as a nation, and many of the olivet signs have already been fulfilled. So although we still do not know the time, we should at least know that we are in the season of his coming.
Paul concludes in verse 23 with a prayer for Christians to be sanctified and to stand blameless at Jesus’ coming.
Paul says in verse 3 that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, a reference to what Jesus said in Matthew 24:42-44.
Firstly, what does Paul mean by 'the day of the Lord'? I understand it to be the same as 'the day of vengeance of our God' in Isaiah 61:2b, the 'time of wrath' in Daniel 11:36, and the 'day of their wrath' in Revelation 6:17. It is not a literal 24-hour day, but describes the relatively short end-time period when God releases the trumpet and bowl judgments as described in Revelation. In Isaiah 62:1, it follows 'the year of the Lord's favour' which Jesus announced at the beginning of his ministry in his first coming (Luke 4:19). The 'year' represents a much longer time period which we are still in today. It makes sense that the 'day of the Lord' will begin with Christ's second coming appearance at the sixth seal, such that during the judgments which follow, people on earth try to hide themselves in caves and among the rocks of the mountains, saying to them, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?” (Revelation 6:16-17). This day of wrath seems to also correspond to the 1,260 literal days during which the people of Israel are taken care of in safe-place in the desert (Revelation 12:6).
Consequently, here in verse 3, Paul describes the situation just before the day of the Lord, when people are proclaiming peace and safety, but destruction comes on them like labor pains on a pregnant woman. The labor metaphor relates to the fall of Jerusalem (Micah 4:9-10). Whereas Paul relates the thief in the night metaphor to the beginning of the day of the Lord, Jesus related it to the day of his coming. If his coming marks the beginning of the day of the Lord, then these are one and the same.
Secondly, what does 'like a thief in the night' mean? Jesus said that if the house owner knew what time the thief was coming, he would stay alert and not let his house be broken into. The 'thief in the night' metaphor has four implications:
1) His coming will be a surprise to most
2) Those who are taken by surprise will suffer loss
3) There are things we can do to prevent ourselves suffering loss
4) We must stay alert (to the signs of the times) and be ready 'because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him' (Matthew 24:44)
Is this teaching directed at believers, unbelievers, or everyone? In verses 1 to 2, Paul makes clear that the time and season of the day of the Lord was unknown to believers in his day. But in verse 4, he says that we are not in the darkness for the day to overtake us like a thief. In verse 9, he says that God has not destined us to suffer wrath, but to gain salvation. So although there is still an element of surprise even for believers, the implications of loss are directed primarily at unbelievers, but also at believers who are not ready because they are failing to live righteous lives in true relationship with Christ. In Revelation 3:3, in his message to the Church in Sardis, Jesus rebuked some believers for being spiritually dead, and he warned them that if they did not wake up and repent, he would come to them like a thief.
Jesus taught us to know that the season of his coming is near when we see the restoration of end-time Israel, as symbolised by the fig tree sprouting leaves (Matthew 24:32). And he described various other signs that must all take place within the lifespan of a single generation (Matthew 24:34). Since none of these had taken place in Paul's day, he did not know or attempt to identify the time or season. However, his description in verse 3 of people saying "There is peace and security" does remind us of one end-time sign to watch for. Before the day of the Lord, Antichrist will confirm a seven-year treaty with many nations (Daniel 9:27). Unaware that he will break the treaty after three and a half years, people will be lulled into a false sense of security. This reminds us of the promise by Neville Chamberlain of 'Peace for our time' in 1938, after his meeting with Hitler. People will be unaware of the destruction that is about to come upon them. This destruction will begin with Antichrist's invasion of Israel (Daniel 11:36-45, Ezekiel 38, Zechariah 14), starting a new World War, and end with the completion of God's judgments upon the wicked.
Regarding the season of Christ's coming, believers today are in a different situation to what Paul was in. The fig tree sprouted leaves in 1948 when Israel was restored as a nation, and many of the olivet signs have already been fulfilled. So although we still do not know the time, we should at least know that we are in the season of his coming.
Paul concludes in verse 23 with a prayer for Christians to be sanctified and to stand blameless at Jesus’ coming.
Tags
Places:
Symbols: Sleep, Thief in the night, Labor pains
Tags: Day of the Lord, Resurrection of the righteous, Rapture, Last trumpet, Day of vengeance, War and Rapture, End-time signs, Thief in the night, False peace, Antichrist peace treaty, Millennium, Being ready, Jesus comes on the clouds, Second coming appearance
Symbols: Sleep, Thief in the night, Labor pains
Tags: Day of the Lord, Resurrection of the righteous, Rapture, Last trumpet, Day of vengeance, War and Rapture, End-time signs, Thief in the night, False peace, Antichrist peace treaty, Millennium, Being ready, Jesus comes on the clouds, Second coming appearance
A Life Pleasing to God
4 Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more.
2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality,
4 that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor,
5 not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God.
6 In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly.
7 For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.
8 Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9 Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
10 And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,
11 to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.
12 In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.
The Lord Returns for Believers
13 Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians.
15 For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
4 Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more.
2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality,
4 that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor,
5 not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God.
6 In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly.
7 For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.
8 Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9 Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
10 And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,
11 to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.
12 In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.
The Lord Returns for Believers
13 Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians.
15 For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
(NET)
The Day of the Lord
5 Now on the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you.
2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night.
3 Now when they are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape.
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would.
5 For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness.
6 So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
8 But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation.
9 For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
10 He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.
Final Instructions
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who labor among you and preside over you in the Lord and admonish you,
13 and to esteem them most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.
15 See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
16 Always rejoice,
17 constantly pray,
18 in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not extinguish the Spirit.
20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt.
21 But examine all things; hold fast to what is good.
22 Stay away from every form of evil.
Conclusion
23 Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this.
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us too.
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss.
27 I call on you solemnly in the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
5 Now on the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you.
2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night.
3 Now when they are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape.
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would.
5 For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness.
6 So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
8 But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation.
9 For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
10 He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.
Final Instructions
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who labor among you and preside over you in the Lord and admonish you,
13 and to esteem them most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.
15 See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
16 Always rejoice,
17 constantly pray,
18 in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not extinguish the Spirit.
20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt.
21 But examine all things; hold fast to what is good.
22 Stay away from every form of evil.
Conclusion
23 Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this.
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us too.
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss.
27 I call on you solemnly in the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
(NET)
