Thessalonians - Part 12
I Thessalonians 5 - We’ve Only Just Begun
Per Zane:
I Thess. 4:13-17
“is not just the coming of the Lord, but more specifically the destiny of believers who have died before His return. These Christians did not miss the Rapture. Rather, Christ’s resurrection guarantees their resurrection as well, when He comes.”
Zane, continued
I Thess. 5:1-11
“The emphases falls instead on the assured reality that Christians will escape the coming wrath.”
Understanding key words and terminology:
“Times and seasons”
Phrase used by Jesus to teach disciples about the end times.
Acts 1:7. Jesus used the phrase to teach the disciples about the end times.
“the day of the Lord”
Used often in the Old Testament to refer to temporal events such as the invasion of a foreign army, the capture of a city, etc.
Based on OT revelation, the day of the Lord is a time of judgment, culminating in the second coming of Christ and followed by a time of special divine blessing to be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom
As used in the New Testament
Acts 2:20 “. . . the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.”
II Peter 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”
“thief in the night”
Suggests unexpectedness. Believers will be caught unaware, but unbelievers will be more like a true thief, resulting in tribulations.
This would not be referring to the rapture because a “thief” is something we fear. Christians do not fear the rapture. The rapture is imminent and something we should be looking forward to.
Matthew 24:43-44
Luke 12:39-40
Actions
J. Vernon’s 22 Commandments
1.Comfort yourselves together
2.Edify one another
3.“Know” or understand those who teach the word. Respect them.
4.Esteem them highly in love
5.Be at peace among yourselves
6.Warn them that are unruly.
7.Comfort the fainthearted
8.Support the weak—weak in faith; young believers
9.Be patient toward all men
10.See that none render evil to evil. Don’t fight.
11.Do good . . . Even to those who do evil to us.
12.Rejoice evermore
13.Pray without ceasing
14.In everything give thanks
15.Quench not the Spirit
16.Despise not prophesying---do not be indifferent to the Word of God
17.Prove all things (don’t be gullible);
18.hold fast to that which is good
19.Abstain from all appearance of evil
20.Pray for those who give out the Gospel
21.Greet brothers with an holy kiss warm handshake
22.Read this epistle to others!