Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. [1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 NASB]
Paul only spent a short time with the Thessalonians, but in the three weeks he was with them, he apparently went into some detail about the end-time prophecies. This tells me that it is an important topic, and should not be ignored. This disputes those preachers who consider the subject to be unimportant, or, because they don't understand the prophecies, they ignore them.
Biblical prophecy is often not completely understood until it has been fulfilled. There were a great many prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament. His birth, His life, His death and resurrection were all foretold. But even Jesus' disciples didn't understand them until after Jesus' resurrection.
When it comes to end-time prophecies, there are things that we can understand now, and there are other things that will not fully understand until He has come again. But we should understand as much as we can.
Paul reminds them, because he already told them, that the Lord's coming would be like a thief in the night. After Jesus' resurrection, His disciples came to Him;
So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; [Acts 1:6-7 NASB]
He had previously told His disciples;
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. [Matthew 24:36 NASB]
Since we can't know the day of Jesus' return, we must remain vigilant, and not give in to the ways of the world, because we consider Him to be slow in keeping His promise.
Every few years, some "prophet" will claim to have figured out a Bible code, or has unlocked prophecies, or has received a "revelation" that the Lord will return on a certain day. Invariably, he gathers a number of followers who foolishly sell all that they have, and give it to their "prophet", then go sit on a mountain top to wait for the Lord's return. Of course, they are always disappointed, because no one knows the day or hour.
That does not mean that we cannot discern the signs of the times, and understand prophecies.
People will be saying, "'Peace and safety!' then destruction will come." Daniel prophesies of the Antichrist;
“And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” [Daniel 9:27 NASB]
He will broker a peace treaty between Israel and all of her enemies. It will be a time of unprecedented peace in the middle east. Then, after 3 1/2 years, he will break the treaty, and proclaim himself to be God, demanding to be worshiped. Jesus said,
“Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains....“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will." [Matthew 24:15-16,21 NASB]
After the tribulation, God will pour out His wrath on the earth. Jesus said;
“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [Matthew 24:29 NASB]
We need to be prepared for the Lord's return. Don't be like the foolish servant who began drinking and carousing because his master delayed his return.
We may live to see the Lord's return. Or, we may die before He returns. Either way, we need to be ready. Don't think the Lord is being slow. He is not slow, He is patient, wanting every soul to have the opportunity to be saved.
Lord, I thank You that You are coming back for me. I pray that you will keep me in Your hands, and deliver me from the wrath to come.
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