But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 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. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. —1 Thessalonians 5:1–4
I am so thankful for the Word of God! It informs us of how things began, and it tells us where things are headed. It assures us that we need not fear an unexpected outcome.
Paul reminded the Thessalonians that they knew “perfectly” about the day of the Lord. The word perfectly can also be translated “exactly,” so we could understand this as “You know exactly about the day of the Lord and how it will come.” Later, in verse 11 of this same chapter, Paul would tell the church to “comfort one another with these words.”
We too should find great comfort in knowing both the beginning and the end. We are not unenlightened about either our origin or our future. Many Christians are uncomfortable talking about such things as the world’s predicted future, but the truth is, knowing the end of the story takes all the worry out of where things are headed. And that is true even if we know the end is a time of God’s wrath. Paul says that in a time when the world’s mantra is “peace and safety,” destruction will suddenly come. The phrase peace and safety can also be translated “prosperity and security,” which indeed is the great concern of our day. It speaks of a godless age, an age when humanity will be lovers of self and pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Tim. 3:2–4).
The Bible has identified the signs preceding the Lord’s return. So when we see a self-absorbed, me-centered society that calls for prosperity and security while denying the God who can give them both, then the day of the Lord is near. If we know this, the day will not overtake us as a thief in the night. As I said, many Christians find the topic uncomfortable, but we would do well to remember Paul’s admonition to the church so that this day will not come upon us by surprise.
The most important reason for the generation that will be alive at this time to know this information is motivation. It will stir up an urgency to tell others what we know—to warn them! The church, in many cases, has become ashamed of declaring that God is a just judge and His judgment will not rest forever. Though many have adopted the mind-set that people don’t like to hear about hellfire and brimstone, that doesn’t make hellfire and brimstone any less of a reality. We know perfectly what’s coming. The perfect thing to do is to tell others what we know because of whom we know! Jesus Christ is coming again, and at His return, He will not come as the Lamb of God, but as the Lion of Judah. Because of the Word of God, we know this perfectly. Share this truth with someone today. No matter what others may feel about it, feelings do not negate biblical truth!
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