But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. [1 Thessalonians 5:4-11 NASB]
This is continuing the thought from the previous verses. The day of the Lord will come upon the world suddenly and without warning because they are living in darkness. We, however, do not live in darkness, so that day will not come upon us unexpectedly.
It is true that we will not know the day that Jesus will return for His church. But, if we understand the prophecies, we will be able to see the time growing closer. A lot of people like to inject current events into the end-time prophecies, and claim to have the inner track on their meaning. But Jesus said;
“See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs." [Matthew 24:4-8 NASB]
All of the events in the world today are not the end times. Just as it has been for the last 2000 years, this is the time before the end times.
In that day, there will be unmistakable signs. The Abomination of Desolation in the Holy Place must happen first. There will be signs in the heavens. 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. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. [Matthew 24:29-31 NASB]
The description that Jesus gave closely matches the description in Revelation;
I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” [Revelation 6:12-17 NASB]
After these events in Revelation, the wrath of God will be poured out on the inhabitants of the earth, and the earth's population will be decimated.
We, however, are not destined for wrath, but for salvation. This applies, of course, to our eternal salvation. But, within the context of end time prophecy, it also means that we, the believers in Christ, will not be on the earth to endure that wrath. Whether we die in Him, or are taken up to meet Him, will be with our Lord.
Paul said that we should comfort one another with these words.
Don't neglect the teaching of end-time prophecy. Don't simply believe everything someone tells you about the end times; when it comes to prophecy, people can get pretty weird.
Be open to learning from others, but also study it out for yourself to see if the teaching is truly scriptural. Don't be afraid to change your mind when you learn more about prophecy. I was taught a certain tradition as a young Christian, and thought that way for many years, until I became convinced that the Bible was teaching something different.
If you don't understand something, don't worry about it. Pray for wisdom and understanding. Continue to study, and add to your knowledge a little at a time.
Father, I thank you for Your promise that if I ask for wisdom, You will give it. Thank You for Your Spirit will teach me all things. I pray that You will open the eyes of my understanding to fully comprehend Your word.
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