1 Thessalonians 5

1 But of the times* and the seasons*, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

• G5550 χρόνος chronos (chro’-nos) n. a space or measure of time, an interval, delay.
• G2540 καιρός kairos (kai-ros’) n. a set or proper season (or time).

The depth of Scriptural knowledge among the believers in the first century was staggering to say the least. It was not the casual weekend experience it is today. It was their very life! Every decision they made was carefully weighed against the Scriptures/Torah. How far have we drifted from this example?

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

The world immediately says that we cannot possibly know when Jesus will return. Your average American conservative evangelical immediately offers up the canned answer of their current pulpit-pusher. Matthew 24:36-38 “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark”

This offering makes it appear that Messiah will be like a jack-in-the-box, the music plays and out of nowhere, half a crank on the handle and “POW” there he is! This blind side ambush of humanity is the artistic license of none other than Satan himself. It is the perfect partner to the rapture doctrine. It gives no incentive to heed the words, let alone study the words, of the Scriptures.

In the scriptures we can see when the moed was established. Genesis 1:14 “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:”

Seasons (H4150 – 1. (properly) an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season. 2. (specifically) a festival.)

(H4150 is from root H3259 1. to fix upon (by agreement or appointment). 2. (by implication) to meet (at a stated time).

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.

Again, we can see signs as a pregnant woman knows there is a set time for her delivery. Generally speaking gestation lasts 38-40 weeks… she doesnt know the exact delivery day but she knows its coming. We have that same thing with the “signs of the fig tree” .. or breadcrumbs… that Yeshua left for us.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

It is my firm belief that the full exposure to the Holy Spirit awakens a thirst for truth within us all. When the believers “came to themselves” they knew that Yeshua has fulfilled the depth and meaning of the spring feasts solidifying their belief He would return during the fall feasts.

Luke 15:11-24 “And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. (Both Isreal and Judah) And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; (paganism) and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.”

Look at verse 17! “And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! (This is repentance – turning from his ways and entering with submission) I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. (This is our salvation!) And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: (Wedding supper of the Lamb!) For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

• Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
• John 1:1-12 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

6 Therefore let us not sleep*, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

• G2518 katheudō to yield to sloth and sin, to be indifferent to one’s salvation

7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken* are drunken in the night.

• G3182 methyskō to intoxicate, make drunk. HOWEVER… this word has an Idiomatic meaning as well… “metaph. of one who has shed blood or murdered profusely” This is a spiritual death by imbibing in the land of darkness i.e. demonic or false gods.

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.

This is the same instructions he gives the Ephesians. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”

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.

In the 2nd letter to the Thessalonians he goes on to explain when and how this takes place. There is no third coming of Yeshua as the dispensationalist would have you believe.

11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

19 Quench not the Spirit.

20 Despise not prophesyings.

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

25 Brethren, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

These next words may feel very harsh… they have to be said…. the concept of escaping the wrath that will be unleashed upon the earth is designed to suck in the weak minded and “barely there” crowd. What is to come is violent and ugly. The very same that the Apostles endured under the Roman machine.

The relentless implementation of universal judgment during the plagues of Egypt will be equally dispensed in the final days. Are we trained for this? Not under the Rapture plan! Look at Paul’s words closely…

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Revelation 9:15 “And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.”

It doesn’t say a third of heathens, or a third of sinners does it?

Hey… 501(c)3 Christian …I am talking to you!

It doesn’t say a third of LGBTQ (or whatever Government spin on religion dictates) … its a third of ALL humans…. one third of the people in your brick and mortar community (church)…. GONE!

A third of your co-workers, one third of your family, one third of your bible study, knitting pals, euchre club…. GONE.

Of the two thirds left… the following plagues will eliminate the wicked only. The same as happened in Egypt.

The last plague will eradicate the decedents of evil thus freeing earth of the curse invoked in Genesis 3.

The following verses are in the mind of Paul as he writes to the Thessalonians….

• Psalm 119:119 “All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes.”
• Psalm 37:10 “A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.”
• Psalm 104:35 “But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord.”
• Psalm 37:29 “The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.”
• Proverbs 10:25 “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.”

It would be super easy to cap this off with: “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.” from Matthew 24. Let Yeshua’s own words sink in….

Matthew 24:3-34 “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”

Now look at verse 41… “Two women (brides) shall be grinding (working) at the mill (chore) ; the one shall be taken,(Wicked) and the other left. (Righteous).