Sudden Appearing.1 Thessalonians 5:1-3.
Dear Saints of the Most High,
Paul is not finished talking about the coming of the Lord. From comfort and encouragement, he now turns to an equally important theme: preparedness.
Exception (v. 1). Paul says that the Thessalonians do not need to have anything written to them about “the times and the seasons,” most evidently meaning the end times. This could hardly be because they know everything there is to know about the subject. Of course not! But the Thessalonians have lived their lives properly, with the information that was available to them. Living by the little one knows is more important than knowing a lot that one ignores, anyway.
Expectation (v. 2). The “day of the Lord,” a term that refers not to a single day but a series of days, even years, in which God will fulfill his promises to his saints and rescue them, judge the wicked and usher in a new era, cannot be predicted, any more than the invasion of a thief into one’s house. It is to be expected but not predicted. One must be ready always.
Excitement (v. 3). The day of the Lord is also likened to labor pains. While the exact time they will come is unpredictable, the certainty of it is without a doubt. A woman can wish the day away all she wants but it will come and there will be drama when it does. Pregnancy can be hidden but the commotion that accompanies childbirth makes it impossible to make it a private affair. The coming of the Lord is inevitable. Beware the calm before the storm, “while people are saying, ‘peace and security.’”
Your Loving Pastor Chris.