By Jon Quinn
"For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 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. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 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. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him." (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11).
"For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a
thief in the night." (1 Thessalonians 5:2).
"I'd like to talk with you a few minutes to make sure your policy is up to
date." This statement ranks right up there with the least favorite sentences in the
English language. But while some insurance may never be used due to the fact that the
covered event never happens, I can assure you that the second coming of Jesus is
absolutely assured; and those not covered will lose everything in a way no earthly tragedy
can claim.
It makes sense to protect ourselves against things that may happen if the likelihood that
we'll suffer loss is very high. Does it not make even more sense to protect ourselves from
an event that will definitely happen and the loss is complete and irreversible? More than
that, being prepared will not only protect us from loss, but will reward us in ways so
wonderful that human language fails to be an adequate medium of expression. At any rate,
Jesus is coming again. Let us all be ready! (Matthew 25:1-13; John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians
4:13-18).
"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." (1
Thessalonians 5:3).
This pretty well describes how well many are prepared today for Jesus' return. The very
idea that they will stand in judgment for their sins strike many as doubtful at best; or a
thing to be mocked at worse. The worldly encourage one another in further ungodliness,
exclaiming their irreverence for God and His will, scorning His moral laws, and holding in
derision those who diligently seek Him. Brash and foolish, rebellious men and women give
little thought or care for their souls and their eternal destiny. Already, presently many
suffer temporal consequences of their behavior. How tragic; and all the more because the
eternal consequences of darkness is so much more severe (Hebrews 10: 29-31; 2
Thessalonians 1:8,9).
Where will the boasting and mocking be when the final series of angelic trumpet blasts are
heard; and the clouds part; and our Lord Jesus appears in the sky? When the righteous
souls of the ages shout their joyous welcome and rise to meet Him and His holy ones,
bodies changing in a twinkling of an eye into beautiful spiritual bodies of something
other than flesh and blood? When the physical heavens and earth shake and burn and
dissolve? When every knee bends and every mouth confesses the Lord Jesus in His glorious
presence? When the One who was dead but is alive forevermore abides by the choices those
lost in sins have made during their lifetimes here and says, "Depart from Me."
as all hope vanishes? No more boasting and mocking. Without Christ, "Peace and
safety" is an illusion.
"But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a
thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night nor of the
darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober." (1
Thessalonians 5:4-6).
There are several things the Holy Spirit suggests through the apostle Paul that we need to
do to be prepared to welcome our King:
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord
Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together
with Him." (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11).
God has not appointed wrath for those who live by faith, but rather for salvation. Whether
we are "awake or asleep" which here means physically alive or dead makes no
difference as far as this salvation is concerned. In fact, even the Lord died, but that
did not keep Him from being raised up and glorified. Neither will death keep us from
sharing His glory if we live by faith.
These words of encouragement are given because we need encouragement. Sometimes the way
seems difficult, and we must never allow ourselves to be persuaded to give up. The
consequence of turning away from our faith, hope and love is to forsake our destiny. The
Holy Spirit had made it quite clear earlier in this epistle that if one turns away from
the faith he will be lost. Paul was so happy to hear from Timothy the news of their
steadfastness. He had been sent to Thessalonica to "find out about your faith, for
fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor should be in vain." (1
Thessalonians 3:5). Elsewhere, we are told that vigilance is called for else the tempter,
Satan, devour us. That would have indeed made Paul preaching there in vain.
But that is not the destiny God has planned for us. Let us not sleep, but be on the alert,
sober, faithful, loving and always live out our hope of salvation. God has destined great
things for us.
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