The Day of the LORD | Bible Study

Let's go over the verses again that talk about us (believers in the dispensation of grace) being not of darkness and let's also discuss the day of the LORD. 

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3

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

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

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.

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, we learn about the rapture. I will discuss this in another study. Then in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 Paul says, "But" which means basically that what he's about to talk about has nothing to do with us today in the dispensation of grace. He says that he doesn't need to write to us regarding the "times and seasons" of the tribulation period first of all because it is already written and detailed in the prophetic scriptures. References to the details about the tribulation period are written very extensively in the book of Daniel, throughout the Psalms and Proverbs, in Matthew chapters 24 and 25, in the book of the Revelation and in other prophetic scriptures. Paul only mentions the tribulation period to tell and remind us that believers in the dispensation of grace have been saved from that time!

The day of the Lord is clearly described in the prophetic scriptures. It takes place over more than just one 24 hour period. It is about the Lord Jesus Christ righteously judging the wicked unbelievers and their works. It is a day of wrath and righteous vengeance. 

At some point after the rapture, the anti-christ will make a 7 year covenant with Israel. He will promise them peace and safety. When the anti-christ promises Israel peace and safety and makes a 7 year covenant with them, Satan's plan of evil goes full swing. Satan's plan of evil is to be like the most high God. Satan wants to have the preeminence, and to be worshipped like God in heaven and earth. But, once the rapture takes place, Satan knows that he has lost the heavenly places forever and so he focuses entirely upon the earth. He moves his plan into high gear. During the tribulation period he has a counterfeit Christ called the anti-christ, and a counterfeit Holy Spirit called the false prophet. He also promises peace, safety and prosperity. He has lying signs and wonders including "healings" and "miracles" that do not come from God. He sets up a counterfeit New Jerusalem called Babylon. He wants to create a counterfeit kingdom on earth. It is very wicked and deceptive! 

The 7 year covenant will be important to unbelieving Jews because it will mean that they can now set up the new temple and start to offer animal sacrifices again. But this is evil, because their Messiah already came! 

We need to understand also that Israel is appointed to go through the tribulation period as the final installment of the fifth course of punishment for their spiritual adultery. This is described in Leviticus 26:27-39. They could have avoided this entirely had they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah during his earthly ministry. However, they rejected him and had him crucified. God even gave them another chance after that, a one year extension period of grace but they rejected that as well. God was ready to pour out his wrath on Israel and a predominantly unbelieving world, but instead he began a new dispensation and put Israel's program on hold. Our current mystery program was something that God had predestined, but which he had kept secret in himself (the Godhead) so it was never mentioned in the prophetic scriptures. He is now forming the church the Body of Christ to fill the heavenly places. This took Satan by utter surprise and so now we can understand that God has a twofold plan to reconcile both the heavens and the earth unto himself. 

1 Thessalonians 5:4-5

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

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

We are NOT appointed to wrath. Israel is. So are all unbelievers after the rapture takes place. Paul goes on to say in Verses 9-11,

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 

The salvation mentioned here is not regarding salvation unto justification, we already know that we are saved by grace through faith and given eternal life in Christ as explained to us in the book of Romans, but it is referring to salvation from God's wrath on the earth which is the coming 7 year tribulation on the earth.

1 Thessalonians 5:10

10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 

Believers have peace with God, so he's not going to make us go through his wrath on the earth.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

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

We can be comforted in knowing that we will not be going through that time. Rather, we can focus on doing the work of the ministry now and looking forward to the day of Christ (different from the day of the Lord) which will be a glorious day for believers.

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