NOTES

34
The Day of the Lord
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
1
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to
write to you,
2
for you know very well that the day of the
Lord will come like a thief in the night.
A. the day of the Lord . . .
1. Gk. is hemera. It has several meanings such as
an actual day, daytime, an occasion, a specific
time in history. Not limited to a 24-hour period.
2. This term is used 24 times in Scripture.
3. In the OT it is clearly identified as "the day of the
LORD (Jehovah) and is a period of time when
the LORD openly intervenes in the affairs of
men, when man's day has closed.
4. It will be inaugurated with the rapture of the
Church. The day of the LORD in prophetic times
will cover the time of the coming tribulation
(Rev. 6-19) and the reign of Jesus Christ on
David's throne (Rev. 20).
5. It will be brought to an end by the judgment of
the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15) and the
ushering in of the new heavens and earth, which
Peter calls "the day of God" (2 Ptr. 3:10-13).
6. In the NT it is looked upon with joy and forboding
at the same time.
7. This is what Scripture says about this wonderful
day for the church and the faithful and a terrible
day for the unbelievers and rebellious:
NOTES
35
B. Old Testament References
Wail . . . it will come like destruction from the Almighty (Isa. 13:6).
. . . a cruel day, with wrath and fierce angerto make the land desolate
and destroy the sinners within it (Isa. 13:9).
. . . a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations (Eze. 30:3).
Let all who live in the land tremble . . . (Joel 2:1).
. . . it is dreadful. Who can endure it? (Joel 2:11).
The sun will turn to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming
of the great and dreadful day (Joel 2:31).
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! (Joel 3:14).
That day will be darkness, not light (Amos 5:18).
. . . darkness, not lightpitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?
(Amos 5:20).
As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon
your own head (Oba. 1:15).
The cry . . . will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there (Zeph. 1:14).
. . . when your plunder will be divided among you (Zech. 14:1).
See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful
day of the LORD comes (Mal. 4:5).
C. New Testament References
. . . hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be
destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord (1 Cor. 5:5).
. . . as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully
that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord
Jesus (2 Cor. 1:14).
. . . (it) will come like a thief in the night (1 Thessa. 5:2).
. . . not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report
or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord
has already come (2 Thessa. 2:2).
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear
with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and
everything in it will be laid bare (2 Ptr. 3:10).
NOTES
36
C. like a thief in the night . . .
1. To indicate the suddeness and unsuspecting
arrival.
3
While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruc-
tion will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a
pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
A. While people are saying . . .
1.This is not the believers saying this but those on
whom sudden destruction will come.
See 2 Ptr. 3:3-4.
B. they will not escape . . .
1. Talking about either punishment or destruction.
There will be no place to hide, even though they
will cry out for a place of refuge.
See Rev. 6:6-7.
4
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day
should surprise you like a thief.
5
You are all sons of the
light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night
or to the darkness.
A. Paul clearly distinguishes between believers and
others throughout this passage to show that God
never conceived of the Church, the body of Christ,
as remaining on earth during the time of wrath in the
Day of the Lord. See Eph 5:8; Rev. 3:10.
6
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let
us be alert and self-controlled.
A. let us be alert . . . Lit., "may we be staying awake"
See Mk. 13:35-37.
2 Ptr. 3:3-4:
First of all, you must understand that in the last
days scoffers will come, scoffing and following
their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is
this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fa-
thers died, everything goes on as it has since the
beginning of creation."
Rev. 6:6-7:
They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall
on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on
the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For
the great day of their wrath has come, and who
can stand?"
Eph. 5:8:
For you were once darkness, but now you are
light in the Lord. Live as children of light.
Rev. 3:10:
Since you have kept my command to endure
patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of
trial that is going to come upon the whole world
to test those who live on the earth.
Mk. 13:35-37:
"Therefore keep watch because you do not know
when the owner of the house will come back--
whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when
the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes
suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What
I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"
NOTES
37
7
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get
drunk, get drunk at night.
8
But since we belong to the
day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love
as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
A. let us be self-controlled . . .
1. This is the second time this word is used in this
discourse.
2. The Greek word for self-control means first of all
to be sober, not to be under the influence of drink.
3. It points to a condition of moral alertness.
4. It is used 11x in NT. It is a critical virtue.
5. How do we remain alert, and staying awake while
exercising self-control?
9
For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
10
He died for
us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live
together with him.
11
Therefore encourage one another
and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
A. The church has not been appointed to suffer the
wrath of God which is reserved for the wicked,
unrepentant and unbelievers on the earth.
B. On the day of the Lord we are promised salvation.
Remember the context of this passage goes all the
way back to chapter 4, especially 4:13-17, we see
how God plans to save those who are watching and
waiting for Him.
Therefore encourage one another . . .
God wants us to be comforted by this promise as also
in 1 Thessa. 4:18.