THE DAY OF THE LORD

1 THESSALONIANS 5:2

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Introduction:

 

The beginning of the ministry of Jesus in Luke:  4:1ff baptism, temptation, to Galilee, to Nazareth, the scroll of Isaiah.  4:17-20a: closed the book at Isaiah 61:2a, omitted, the day of vengeance of our God.  The reason:  He came to inaugurate the acceptable year of the Lord - but the day of vengeance will be inaugurated when He comes again.

 

Compare:  The backward, forward look of the Lord's Supper.

 

Prophecies pertaining to His first coming were all fulfilled.

 

Born of a woman.

Born of Judah.

Born of David.

Born of a virgin.

Born of deity.

Born in Bethlehem.

The king, lowly, coming.

The crucifixion.

The resurrection.

The priesthood in glory.

 

But this is not all.  Story not finished.  Prophecies of the second advent will be fulfilled in their day.

 

Daniel 7:13,14

Zechariah 12:10; 13:1; 14:4,9

Acts 1:11

Revelation 1:7

 

This passage, after 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, answers the questions, What relationship has the coming of Christ to the Day of the Lord?

 

(The Day of the Lord last Sunday's sermon.  A day of the swift, terrible judgment of Almighty God:  the purging before the blessing.  The terrible, prophetic description of the Day of the Lord contained in the Bible are overwhelming.  Isaiah 13:6-16, Revelation 6:12-17.

 

Is this great and terrible Tribulation, the Day of the Lord known as to time?

 

      1.  By the unbeliever, no.

 

Such walk in darkness.

 

            1.  For them the Day of the Lord will come suddenly, unexpectedly 1 Thessalonians 5:2.  A thief comes unheralded.  Victim not see signs.  The transformation of the church suddenly, in the end of the day of grace; it also marks the beginning of the Day of the Lord.  The one event serves as the closing of one day and the beginning of another.

 

The unbeliever shall be caught off guard, unprepared.

 

Compare:  Matthew 24:42-44  Wicked steward.

Matthew 25:1-13  Foolish virgin.

2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 16:15.

 

            2.  In a time of their seeming security.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:3, Jeremiah 6:14; Ezekiel 13:10ff.

 

The sense of security in treaties, governments, organizations, defense preparations.  A change as radical as that which occurred in the ship Titanic:  one moment, unsinkable, next moment, sinking.  Days of Noah.  Days of Lot.

 

When the world is expecting peace and safety, just the opposite of the time of trouble predicted.  The world situation at the beginning of the Day of the Lord will provide a false basis for peace.

 

Revelation 6:2  The white horse...but ok, the other three.  So here - beginning in peace, but the armies in battle array toward Armageddon.

 

            3.  Will come catastrophically, finally.

 

I Thessalonians 5:3  No escape.

Revelation 6:15  Crying for the rock, mountains.

 

      2.  By the believers, yes. 5:4,5

 

In a general sense.  The exact time is unknown, but the prophecies, revelations, signs are given to warn believers in advance so that they may be prepared, ready.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:4,5,9.  Illustrates the day dawning; startling thieves, in their activities.  But not thus for believers, they have understanding, wisdom, given them of God. Daniel 12:10.  Not in darkness.  They take seriously the Bible, teaching, promises. 

 

The return of the Jew to Palestine.

The insensibility of the professing, organized church.

The apostasy, Laodicean condition of the church.

 

Luke 21:28  Redemption draweth night; to live in expectancy.

 

2 Peter 3:3,4  I see no sign.  He is one of them.

 

The Exhortation, 5:6-11.

 

The application.

 

All true prophetic revelation a reason, an application.  Not sake for curiosity.  Not just for prophec'ys sake.  Purpose in God's revelation of future things.  God wants us to know - to be more faithful, encouraged, devoted, better....

 

So the exhortation, Therefore, let us...

 

            1.  5:6-8a  not asleep but sober

 

Insensible in the night, drunken, groping, staggering in the night. 

 

Not intoxicated by liquor or any of the glamour, pleasures, appearances of the world.

 

            2.  5:8b  In 1:3 these same three.  So 1 Corinthians 17.

 

            3.  5:9,10  We need not fear.

 

Our appointment not for the day of wrath, Tribulation.

Our appointment for we who have trusted Him, to day of grace.

 

Whether wake living at the time.

Whether asleep our bodies in the earth.

 

            4.  5:11

 

Mainspring of our Christian life:  if today our last day on earth, lived for Christ.