I Thessalonians 5:1-11
“But of the times and the seasons . . .” (v. 1). The times and seasons are those of the last days. The events of the last days were made known to Old Testament believers by God through His prophets.
The happenings of the last days were known to the Thessalonians because they possessed knowledge of the scriptures. They knew the words which God spoke through Moses. They knew that failure to hearken to the words of the promised Prophet (Deut. 18:18-19) would be rewarded by God’s righteous wrath. Upon hearing Paul expound upon the scriptures, a significant number of Jews at Thessalonica received the revelation that Jesus was the Messiah, the Prophet like Moses. They knew that Jesus was “my righteous servant” (Isa. 53:10) who died for the sins of many and arose from the dead. They knew that Jesus was the son of David who would rule over all nations from Jerusalem upon His return. They knew God’s word would be fulfilled. Jesus’ return would bring a day of judgment.
Believers of today can read Matthew 24 and attain a quick understanding of the times and seasons of which Paul wrote. We, like the believing Thessalonians, know all scripture is of God and all shall be fulfilled.
“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (v. 2). The day of the Lord is a day of judgment. God’s judgments are sudden and unexpected. Unbelieving men were caught by surprise and perished in the flood in the days of Noah. At Babel, God confounded the language of men without warning (Gen. 11:1-9). God’s judgment against Egypt was quick and sudden (Ex. 12:30). God’s judgments are as a thief in the night because they fall upon them who are asleep (unsuspecting). The believers at Thessalonica knew the scriptures. They knew that Paul spoke words of truth. Jesus said His return would be sudden and unexpected (Matthew 24:37-39).
“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (v. 3). The “they” are them who are in darkness (see v. 4, 7). In the last days, false assurances of peace and safety shall be rewarded with sudden destruction. Jesus warned all that have the ears to hear that there shall be a number within the structure of the church who will be unprepared for His return (see Matt. 7:21-23 and Rev. 3:15-16).
In verse 4, Paul assured the believers at Thessalonica that they need not fear sudden destruction because they were “all the children of light, and the children of the day” (v. 5). In writing to the church at Ephesus, Paul said: “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8). To be a child of light, one must be born of Him who is the light of the world (Jn. 8:12). Children of light have been born of the Spirit and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Evidence of the second birth is found in a walk which testifies of the Light. The walk of children of the day was much evident among believers at Thessalonica.
One is either a child of the day or a child of the night. Children of the night are not and will not be ready for Christ’s return. Jesus used the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13) to illustrate that some (half?) of those who professed to be waiting for His return would be in darkness and unprepared. The foolish virgins were not children of the day. Children of the day do not sleep.
In verse 7, Paul makes it known that it is nighttime all the time for those who are in darkness. The sun may be high in the sky and their physical eyes wide open but the spiritual eyes of the children of darkness are closed. They cannot see because they are impaired (drunken). When physically drunken, one experiences a distorted view of reality. The spiritually drunken are in darkness and blind drunk to the wrath to come or possess a false sense of security because they are impaired.
Children of the day (all who have been born of the Spirit) are to be sober (v. 8). Sobriety is characterized by appropriate behavior. It is appropriate that believers put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of the hope of salvation. Breastplates and helmets are worn for protection. We (believers) are protected from God’s righteous wrath when we use the gifts of faith, love, and salvation which He has given to us. It is appropriate that we use His gifts.
Believers are to use God’s gifts in the manner in which He intends because of what He has done. God has appointed us to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 9). Believers are not appointed to be recipients of God’s wrath. Deuteronomy 18:19 states: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” Believers hearken to the words of Jesus, the promised Prophet, who said: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak . . . as the Father said unto me, so I speak” (Jn. 12:48-50).
Let us love one another and tell others of the Father’s love as Jesus has said. Let us, the children of light, not hide the gift of light which we have been given. Let us do such that we shall be ready.
