1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NKJV) But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
V1 “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.” The phrase “but/now concerning” is very important, for it signifies a new topic, not a continuance of chapter 4. Compare 1 Thessalonians 4:9, Matthew 22:30-31, Acts 21:25, etc. Context shows this also: 1Thessalonians 4:18-5:1, TCENT “18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Now concerning the times and seasons, brothers, you have no need for anything to be written to you.” The topic of the Rapture is finished. Now, Paul begins a new topic concerning the time after the Rapture. Times = an extended period of time and seasons = a definite space of time (Robertson). Chapter 5 deals more with us who are living; whereas, chapter 4 deals more with those who had died. Believers Bible Commentary has this helpful comment: “Bible teachers often apologize for chapter breaks, explaining that the subject should continue without interruption. But here the chapter break is appropriate. Paul begins a new subject. He leaves his discussion of the Rapture and turns to the Day of the Lord. The words translated but concerning (Greek, de peri) indicate a new line of thought, as so often in 1 Corinthians.
“For true believers the Rapture is a comforting hope, but what will it mean for those who are outside of Christ? It will mean the beginning of a period referred to here as the times and the seasons. This period is primarily Jewish in character. During this time God will resume His dealings with the nation of Israel, and the endtime events to which the OT prophets pointed will occur. When the apostles asked Jesus when He would set up His kingdom, He answered that it was not for them to know the times and the seasons (Act 1:7). It seems that the times and the seasons cover the period prior to the setting up of the kingdom as well as the kingdom period itself.”
V2 “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” They “know” this information, because Paul had taught them, but another teacher has come to deceive the believers. Jesus and the Apostles warned about false teachers. Day of the Lord is a term of special intervention primarily affecting Israel but also affects the entire world. It refers to judgment. See Isaiah 2:12, Isaiah 13:6-9, Jeremiah 46:10, Lamentations 2:22, Ezekiel 13:5, Ezekiel 30:3, Joel 1:15, Joel 2:1, Joel 2:11, Joel 3:14, Amos 5:18-20, Obadiah 1:15, Zephaniah 1:8-18, Zephaniah 2:2-3, Zechariah 14:1, Malachi 4:5, and Acts 2:20. Others write: (Ryrie Study Bible Notes) “…the day of the Lord. An extended period of time, beginning with the Tribulation and including the events of the second coming of Christ and the millennial kingdom on earth. See the Introduction to Joel. Here Paul focuses on the beginning of that day, which will begin (cometh) unexpectedly (as a thief in the night).” John Walvoord (Every Prophecy in the Bible–Apple Book): “Paul stated, “Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (vv. 1–2). As the day of the Lord comes without warning, so also will the rapture. The placing of this doctrine next to the revelation of the rapture is because of the similarity of both events not having signs prior to their beginning. Like a thief in the night, who comes without warning, the rapture will occur and the day of the Lord will begin.
Mentioned frequently in the Old Testament, the day of the Lord refers to any special period where God intervenes supernaturally, bringing judgment on the world. An outstanding illustration is the book of Joel, which has as its theme the day of the Lord. The term is properly used of the crisis that occurred in the time of Joel brought on by the infestation of locusts, which ruined their crops, bringing starvation and destruction.”
The “thief in the night” refers to surprise ,suddenness, and something not expected. Compare: Matthew 24:43 and Revelation 3:3. This is emphasized in verse 3.
V3 “For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” The first 3.5 years of the Tribulation will be relatively peaceful compared to the last 3.5 years. The followers of the antiChrist will believe that their “messiah” has eliminated war, etc.
V4 “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.” Notice the change in pronouns. In verse 3, Paul writes concerning they and them. Here Paul uses you, which refers to the Thessalonians and all believers. Darkness is ignorance. We can see the times of world unity resembling Babel. Genesis 11:5-6 NKJV – “(5) But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. (6) And the LORD said, “Indeed the people [are] one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” [Emphasis is added].
V5 “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.” Light refers to enlightenment (1 Peter 2:9), God’s ways and beliefs (1 John 1:5-6), righteousness (Ephesians 5:8-12), etc. Believers have light because of the ministry of Jesus Christ and our faith in Him. Darkness refers to ignorance (2 Corinthians 4:4), the devil’s ways and beliefs (Acts 26:18 and Romans 13:12-13), and unrighteousness (1 Corinthians 6:14-15 and 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10). Darkness is referred to as sin in John 3:19-20.
V6 “Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.” Sleep is willful ignorance, passivity, tolerance of nearly everything, etc. We are to be alert to the devil’s ways, deception, temptation, sinful situations, etc. Sober is using good judgment, clear-headed, and ready for action.
V7 “For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.” This is an illustration of darkness where people are not alert nor have good judgment and discernment.
V8 “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” Sober refers to discernment and good judgment. Discernment: Hebrews 5:13-14. Good judgment: Romans 12:1-2 NLT – “(1) And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. (2) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Breastplate = armor, here, spiritual armor here refers to faith (believing God–the Scriptures) and love (the love of choice–Matthew 22:38-39). It is also referred to as righteousness (Ephesians 6:14). The helmet protects our head (our mind, thinking, emotion, volition, discernment, etc.). Hope is not wishful thinking but instead a confidence in God’s promises.
V9 “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ…” This is one of God’s promises, we are not appointed to God’s wrath. God’s wrath refers to the Tribulation wrath of God–the 7 seals, trumpets, and bowels. It is God’s wrath, not man’s or satan’s wrath because in Revelation 6, it is the Lamb of God who receives the scroll and opens the seals. The trumpets and bowels are ordered by God. God’s wrath is against evil, evil people, and evil spirits. See Revelation 16:1. The next promise is for rescue and deliverance, for we will not experience God’s wrath whether hell or tribulations judgments. This salvation is from our Lord Jesus Christ who delivers us from the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
V10 “…who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” The importance of Jesus’s death which brought salvation to those who believe. So, Paul concludes, whether we are dead or alive, we will be delivered and live together (believers) with Him (God).
V11 “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” Again, comfort one another that we do NOT have to experience God’s wrath in the Tribulation. We are to use God’s promises to comfort ourselves and to remind others (edify). The believers are already doing this.