I was talking to a friend of mine I went to school with back in the day; he went to the same Protestant Church I was raised in, and I remarked how our Church didn't cover much endtime Bible prophecy, that they were pretty much on a Preterist type teaching (i.e., preter, what is past; majority of Preterists believe Revelation is mostly history). He kind of agreed and I then asked him about the 'times and the seasons' that Apostle Paul mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 5. He didn't know about it.
1 Thess 5:1-2
5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
KJV
Because Paul linked with that "times and the seasons" the events of "the day of the Lord", that put a lot... of prophecy from the Old Testament prophets into his message. The "times and the seasons" are about endtime events as signs leading up to that "day of the Lord".
What about that "thief in the night" idea? Where did Paul get that from? He got it from our Lord Jesus Who taught us about the goodman of the house knowing in what watch the thief would come, and thus prevent his house from being broken into (end of Matthew 24). On the 6th vial, our Lord Jesus also told His Church that He comes "as a thief", and the next 7th vial begins the battle of Armageddon, the final battle of this world (Rev.16).
Then that thief timing idea goes back to what our Lord taught through His OT prophets about the "day of the Lord" events, with the end of this present world time happening at an instant, suddenly (Isaiah 29-30). This is why Apostle Paul said this next about a "sudden destruction" that is to come upon the wicked on earth on that day:
1 Thess 5:3
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.
KJV
By "they" Paul means the wicked and the deceived on the final day of this present world. In Matthew 24, our Lord mentioned about wars and rumors of wars, that those things must be so don't be alarmed, but the end is not yet. The opposite of a time of war is a time of peace, and that is the kind of time the very end of this world will be that He was pointing to. Paul here is pointing to that same idea of world peace for the end, with those who will be saying, "Peace and safety". In Isaiah, God gives analogies to the sudden destruction coming upon them like suddenly waking up from a dream. Ever daydream and suddenly wake and have to immediately check your surroundings?
To know just what kind of sudden destruction the day of the Lord that Paul was pointing to, Apostle Peter gave the latest explanation of it in the New Testament:
2 Peter 3:10-13
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
KJV
Peter says the heavens will pass away with a great noise on that day. And the works of man of this present world will melt (see end of Hebrews 12 also). This is the day Jesus returns "as a thief" like He said. God's consuming fire will burn the works of man off the surface of this earth and the things of this world will be no more. When this event happens to end this present world with Jesus' return, it will begin the road to the future new heavens and a new earth. Major earth changes will begin when Jesus returns (see Ezekiel 47).
That is the "sudden destruction" Paul was talking about in 1 Thess.5. By his covering about the deceived saying, "Peace and safety" and that "sudden destruction" coming upon them, he was giving us a sign leading up to our Lord Jesus' return to gather His Church. Thus the meaning of "the times and the seasons". Paul said the Church at Thessalonica already knew those times and seasons, meaning they were familiar with those things in the OT prophets about the end of this world.
So brethren, what have you maybe missed from the Old Testament prophets that your Church has not preached about because of what their seminary system may tell them to preach? Understanding where Apostle Paul was pulling from in the OT prophets about "the times and the seasons" is a major help in understanding our Lord's Revelation about the events leading up to our Lord Jesus' return.
1 Thess 5:1-2
5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
KJV
Because Paul linked with that "times and the seasons" the events of "the day of the Lord", that put a lot... of prophecy from the Old Testament prophets into his message. The "times and the seasons" are about endtime events as signs leading up to that "day of the Lord".
What about that "thief in the night" idea? Where did Paul get that from? He got it from our Lord Jesus Who taught us about the goodman of the house knowing in what watch the thief would come, and thus prevent his house from being broken into (end of Matthew 24). On the 6th vial, our Lord Jesus also told His Church that He comes "as a thief", and the next 7th vial begins the battle of Armageddon, the final battle of this world (Rev.16).
Then that thief timing idea goes back to what our Lord taught through His OT prophets about the "day of the Lord" events, with the end of this present world time happening at an instant, suddenly (Isaiah 29-30). This is why Apostle Paul said this next about a "sudden destruction" that is to come upon the wicked on earth on that day:
1 Thess 5:3
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.
KJV
By "they" Paul means the wicked and the deceived on the final day of this present world. In Matthew 24, our Lord mentioned about wars and rumors of wars, that those things must be so don't be alarmed, but the end is not yet. The opposite of a time of war is a time of peace, and that is the kind of time the very end of this world will be that He was pointing to. Paul here is pointing to that same idea of world peace for the end, with those who will be saying, "Peace and safety". In Isaiah, God gives analogies to the sudden destruction coming upon them like suddenly waking up from a dream. Ever daydream and suddenly wake and have to immediately check your surroundings?
To know just what kind of sudden destruction the day of the Lord that Paul was pointing to, Apostle Peter gave the latest explanation of it in the New Testament:
2 Peter 3:10-13
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
KJV
Peter says the heavens will pass away with a great noise on that day. And the works of man of this present world will melt (see end of Hebrews 12 also). This is the day Jesus returns "as a thief" like He said. God's consuming fire will burn the works of man off the surface of this earth and the things of this world will be no more. When this event happens to end this present world with Jesus' return, it will begin the road to the future new heavens and a new earth. Major earth changes will begin when Jesus returns (see Ezekiel 47).
That is the "sudden destruction" Paul was talking about in 1 Thess.5. By his covering about the deceived saying, "Peace and safety" and that "sudden destruction" coming upon them, he was giving us a sign leading up to our Lord Jesus' return to gather His Church. Thus the meaning of "the times and the seasons". Paul said the Church at Thessalonica already knew those times and seasons, meaning they were familiar with those things in the OT prophets about the end of this world.
So brethren, what have you maybe missed from the Old Testament prophets that your Church has not preached about because of what their seminary system may tell them to preach? Understanding where Apostle Paul was pulling from in the OT prophets about "the times and the seasons" is a major help in understanding our Lord's Revelation about the events leading up to our Lord Jesus' return.