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Christ’s Return: Stay Awake & Ready — 1 Thess 5 Daily Word
Paul reminds the Thessalonian church that the Day of the Lord will come suddenly, like a thief. Unlike the world that dwells in darkness, believers as children of light must stay awake and be spiritually prepared, armed with faith and love.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Exposition [Daily Word]
[Scripture]
[1] Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. [2] For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. [3] While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. [4] But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. [5] For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. [6] So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. (1 Thess 5:1-6, ESV)
[7] For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. [8] But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. [9] For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, [10] who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. [11] Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thess 5:7-11, ESV)
[Daily Word]
Chapter 5 answers the question of when the Second Coming will take place.
In particular, [2] For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (1 Thess 5:2, ESV) states that there is no need to write about times and dates, because they already know well that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. The reason for this is that the early church believed the Second Coming would occur at night — specifically, that the Lord would come on the eve of Easter. Just as the destroyer passed over the Israelites at midnight during the Passover, the Jews believed the Lord would likewise come at midnight. Therefore, they held all-night prayer vigils during Passover in anticipation of the Lord’s return.1(Jerome on Matt 25:6), Life Bible, 1 Thessalonians, p. 62
What is crucial, however, is that when people are saying “peace and safety,” sudden destruction will come upon them — and just like the labor pains of a woman giving birth, it will be inescapable. The expression “peace and safety” was in fact a political slogan of the time, known as the “Pax Romana” (Roman Peace). This is a warning that those who are lulled into complacency by the peace that Rome offers will not be able to escape judgment.
Yet while the Lord’s return will come upon unbelievers like a thief and upon a pregnant woman like the sudden onset of labor pains, it will not be so for believers. The reason it comes like a thief to unbelievers is that they dwell in darkness; but because believers dwell in the light, even though they cannot know the exact day, they can discern when the return of the Lord is drawing near. Therefore, we must not sleep, but stay awake and be sober-minded. It is important to note that the “sleep” referred to here is not the same as the death mentioned earlier (4:13–15), but rather signifies spiritual alertness.
The reason we must not sleep but remain awake is that sleeping and getting drunk are things done in the night (v. 7), and believers are soldiers who always stand guard in the day. Therefore, verse 8 calls us to be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation (Isa 59:17). God has not appointed us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
God does not desire to pour out His wrath upon us. God desires that we come to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet the evil one desires that believers fall away from God’s grace and receive His wrath. Therefore, we must be all the more thoroughly awake and watchful.
We must meditate on the death and cross of Jesus Christ, and praise our good Lord within His boundless grace. And while we eagerly await the return of the Lord, we must also live encouraging and comforting one another as believers, for we are all fragile and weak beings. Therefore, let us strive to build one another up and exhort each other. And let us not forget the last days — we must arm ourselves with the faith of Christ’s return and live with self-discipline. Let us remember that this is the way of life for those who have received salvation, and let us pray together.
The imminence of Christ’s return, spiritual awakening, the Day of the Lord, the believer’s hope, mutual encouragement
Originally published in Korean at bible2u.com
