1 Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 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. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
The context of this passage has absolutely nothing to do with the peace and safety of the world. There is nothing written there relating to world peace and safety. The ones who say "peace and safety" are all of those who are in spiritual darkness. So, them saying "peace and safety" is in relation to them falsely thinking that they are at spiritual peace and are safe from God's wrath. Those who are not "the children of light", as we in the church are, are instead said to be "in darkness". Paul figuratively refers to them as being asleep or drunk. They are completely oblivious to the wrath that will come down upon them when the Lord Jesus returns unexpectedly as a thief in the night to bring "sudden destruction" upon them from which "they shall not escape".
One reason that pre-tribs don't see this passage as relating to the return of Christ is because they think there will not be world peace and safety before the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. So, they try to say this passage relates to a pre-trib rapture that occurs during a time of world peace and safety instead. And they say a time of great tribulation in the world occurs after Jesus comes as a thief in the night. But, the passage is not about world peace and safety before Jesus comes as a thief in the night. This passage relates directly to what Jesus said about how things will be before He returns unexpectedly. Jesus said this...
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Like Paul, Jesus taught that His return will come unexpectedly. No one knows the day or hour. He will come as a thief in the night, as Jesus Himself said He will (Matt 24:42-44, Luke 12:36-39, Rev 16:15). Those who are in spiritual darkness will continue living their lives as if they are spiritually at peace and safe from God's wrath just like people did in the days of Noah before they were all killed by the flood (all except Noah and his family, of course). But, they are not spiritually at peace and safe from God's wrath since Jesus will come as a thief in the night and bring "sudden destruction" upon them from which "they shall not escape" and they will all be killed when Jesus comes as a thief in the night just as all unbelievers were killed by the flood in Noah's day after previously thinking they were at peace and safe from God's wrath.
The context of this passage has absolutely nothing to do with the peace and safety of the world. There is nothing written there relating to world peace and safety. The ones who say "peace and safety" are all of those who are in spiritual darkness. So, them saying "peace and safety" is in relation to them falsely thinking that they are at spiritual peace and are safe from God's wrath. Those who are not "the children of light", as we in the church are, are instead said to be "in darkness". Paul figuratively refers to them as being asleep or drunk. They are completely oblivious to the wrath that will come down upon them when the Lord Jesus returns unexpectedly as a thief in the night to bring "sudden destruction" upon them from which "they shall not escape".
One reason that pre-tribs don't see this passage as relating to the return of Christ is because they think there will not be world peace and safety before the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. So, they try to say this passage relates to a pre-trib rapture that occurs during a time of world peace and safety instead. And they say a time of great tribulation in the world occurs after Jesus comes as a thief in the night. But, the passage is not about world peace and safety before Jesus comes as a thief in the night. This passage relates directly to what Jesus said about how things will be before He returns unexpectedly. Jesus said this...
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Like Paul, Jesus taught that His return will come unexpectedly. No one knows the day or hour. He will come as a thief in the night, as Jesus Himself said He will (Matt 24:42-44, Luke 12:36-39, Rev 16:15). Those who are in spiritual darkness will continue living their lives as if they are spiritually at peace and safe from God's wrath just like people did in the days of Noah before they were all killed by the flood (all except Noah and his family, of course). But, they are not spiritually at peace and safe from God's wrath since Jesus will come as a thief in the night and bring "sudden destruction" upon them from which "they shall not escape" and they will all be killed when Jesus comes as a thief in the night just as all unbelievers were killed by the flood in Noah's day after previously thinking they were at peace and safe from God's wrath.
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