THE Day of the Lord… (4 things)

• 1^st – Times and seasons… vs. 1
  • 1^st – Times – chronos / Seasons – kairos…
  • Both words carry the idea of KNOWING what will happen…
    • When we want to KNOW when to wake up / eat / work / sleep – we check the TIME…
    • When we want to KNOW if we should be in school / married / retired – check the SEASON…
    • TIMES and SEASONS are how we will KNOW what to EXPECT will happen next!
  • 2^nd – This phrase is ONLY used twice in NT – here and Acts 1:7
    • Both times the emphasis is on KNOWING when Jesus will return to establish His Kingdom!
    • Paul having taught about the HOPE of those who died – and the RAPTURE…
    • Now is going to go on and talk about the what happens after the RAPTURE of the church!

• 2^nd – THE Day of the Lord… vs. 1-3
  • Apparently – Paul had ALREADY taught them about THE Day of the Lord…
    • We have NO NEED to write to you – you yourselves PERFECTLY (accurately) KNOW (see)!
    • The phrase THE Day of the Lord – is used 32 times in the Bible…
    • Used 27 times in the Old Testament / 5 times in the New Testament…
    • The companion term that precedes THE Day of the Lord is the LAST DAYS…
    • Peter uses both terms on Pentecost in Acts 2:17-21 in reference to the birth of the church!
    • The LAST DAYS began with Pentecost – and will end with the RAPTURE of the church…
    • THE Day of the Lord – not a LITERAL day – begins with the RAPTURE of the church!
  • 1^st – THE Day of the Lord – begins like a THEIF in the NIGHT… vs. 2
    • The RAPTURE – from the Latin translation of the Greek word – Harpazo…
    • No one knows the exact day / hour – only the Father – Mark 13:32
    • Paul tells us here that it will happen as a THEIF in the night!
    • If someone told us tomorrow at 3am – a thief would break into our house…
    • We would be ready for him – and nothing would be stolen!
    • But no one knows when a thief will come – that is why they are able to steal!
    • While we may not know when a thief will come – we can be prepared…
    • In the same way we may not know when Jesus will come – but we can be ready…
    • Spending time with Jesus through His Word – and through prayer…
    • Preparing ourselves for the day when we will see Him face to face!
  • 2^nd – THE Day of the Lord – will bring the illusion (they will say) PEACE and SAFETY… vs. 3
    • PEACE – used 92x in NT – there will be PEACE in the Middle East…
      • Once the rapture happens – concluding the time of the gentiles / church – Romans 11:25 
      • And God begins to work again through the nation of Israel – 70^th week – Daniel 9:27
      • In the aftermath of the RAPTURE (1 billion people disappear) …
      • And the Magog invasion (God destroys armies of Russia and the Arabs) – Ezekiel 38
      • The world will be in chaos – one man will step up offering PEACE and SAFETY!
      • But it will be an ILLUSION – because there is neither PEACE nor SAFETY…
      • It begins what is known as the time of Jacob’s trouble – Jeremiah 30:7
      • The 7 years of Tribulation laid out in Revelation 6-18…
      • When the Antichrist – the son of perdition will be revealed – II Thessalonians 2:3
      • There is a good chance that this man is alive today – waiting for the right time…
      • Because he cannot be revealed until the church is removed – the RAPTURE…
      • If he revealed himself now – we would all know who he is – II Thessalonians 2:7
    • Daniel 9:27 – the antichrist will confirm a PEACE treaty with Israel for 7 years…
      • This man has more than 30 titles in the Bible – the Man of Sin / the Son of Perdition…
      • The big mouth – Daniel 7:8 / we most often refer to him as the Antichrist – I John 2:18
      • He will be a leader who will rise out of Europe – the little horn – Daniel 7:8…
      • He will make PEACE by offering to rebuild the 3^rd Temple for Israel…
      • North of the Dome of the Rock (monument) – in a place called the Dome of the Spirit…
      • He will rebuild the Temple – as proof he is the messiah – and Jews will embrace him!
      • John 5:43 – “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.”
    • SAFETY – asphaleia – used 3x in NT – STABILITY
      • He will bring STABILITY to governments / financial markets / and religion!
      • He will rule the worlds political system – he will be the government…
      • He will rule the worlds financial system – 666 – mark of the beast – Revelation 13:16-18
      • He will present himself as the Messiah – god come to earth – Revelation 13:3-5
      • But after 3 ½ years of the tribulation – he will enter the temple – into the Holiest of All…
      • There he will claim he is god – the Abomination of Desolation – Matthew 24:15
  • 3^rd – THE Day of the Lord – will bring SUDDEN destruction…vs. 3
    • SUDDEN – 2x in NT – here and in Luke 21:34 – meaning UNEXPECTED…
      • Not UNEXPECTED in we do not know it is coming – UNEXPECTED as to WHEN it will come!
      • Paul uses the additional illustration – like a woman who goes into labor…
      • The labor itself is NOT a surprise – WHEN she will go into labor can be quite the SHOCK!
      • And once it begins – there is NO stopping it – the baby is coming…
      • In the same way – once the destruction begins – there is NO ESCAPE (to run away)!
    • God will pour out His wrath and judgment on a God rejecting world!
      • Laid out in the Book of Revelation – 21 judgments in what we call the Tribulation!
      • They are broken up into 3 sets of 7 judgments – Seal / Trumpet / and Bowl judgments…
      • The terror will be so great – unless God limited it – no one would survive!
      • Isaiah 13:6 – “The Day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.”
    • Many will be like the people in the days of Noah!
      • Luke 17:26 – Men were eating / drinking / marrying – right up to the flood…
      • Men were going on with their lives – assuming tomorrow would be like today!
      • They were completely unprepared for the day when the judgement of God arrived!
      • So many people today are just going about their daily lives – oblivious…
      • They assume they have all the time in the world – tomorrow will be just like today…
      • They do realize that Jesus is coming soon – judgment is right around the corner!
  • 4^th – THE Day of the Lord – is the return of Jesus Christ…
    • At the end of the 7 years of Tribulation…
      • The Antichrist will gather his army to the Valley of Megiddo – Revelation 19:11-21
      • Then Jesus will come out of Heaven on a white horse – King of Kings / Lord of Lords…
      • He will return with us – ten thousands of His saints – Jude 1:14
      • With one word he will defeat the Antichrist and his army – II Thessalonians 2:8!
      • And the Antichrist will be the first to be thrown into the Lake of Fire – Revelation 19:20!
    • Then Jesus will return to the Mount of Olives – Zachariah 14:4…
      • The mountain will split in two – water will come out – giving life to the Dead Sea…
      • 30 days after the Return of Jesus – 1290 days after the Abomination – Daniel 12:11…
      • Jesus will judge the nations – those who survived the Tribulation – Matthew 25:31-46
      • Then Jesus will establish His Millennial Kingdom – Revelation 20:1-4!
      • Then we – the church – will rule and reign with Him for 1000 years – I Corinthians 6:2-3
    • At the end of the 1000 year reign – the 2^nd Magog invasion …
      • Satan – who was chained in the bottomless pit – Revelation 20:3 – is released…
      • He will deceive the nations into one final rebellion against God – Revelation 20:7-8
      • But God will devour them by fire – and satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire!
    • Then all will stand before the throne of God to be judged for the works of their lives…
      • Revelation 20:11-12 – “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it…  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God…”
      • There will be two sets of books opened – the books and the Book of Life…
      • If your name is not found written in the Book of Life – the Books are opened…
      • Then you are then judged according to your works – written in The Books…
      • Everything you do – every word you say – every thought you think…
      • Not to see if you will go to heaven or hell – but to show you why you go to hell!
  • 5^th – THE Day of the Lord – is the end… vs. 11
    • The conclusion of THE Day of the Lord – is the destruction of the earth…
      • The heaven and earth will pass away with a great noise…
      • The elements will MELT with FERVENT HEAT – II Peter 3:10
      • Jesus will let go – Colossians 1:16 – and the universe will erupt in a nuclear inferno!
      • Then God will create a – prefect – sinless – NEW heaven / NEW earth – Revelation 21-22
      • Where those who believe in Jesus will live with Him forever!
    • Everything in this life is destined to burn – we cannot take any of it with us…
      • People strive their whole lives to find success – but what is success worth apart from God…
      • We might end up rich – but all we really get is a lot of NICE FIREWOOD!
      • Therefore – do not miss the purpose of life by devoting time to something that is doomed…
      • How much better to invest our time and efforts into a Kingdom that will never fade!
      • Invest is something that we can take with us to heaven – people we share Jesus with!

• 3^rd – Light and darkness… vs.  4-5 (2 points)
  • 1^st – We are NOT in darkness… vs. 4
    • BRETHREN (those who know Jesus) – we are NOT in darkness (indicative)…
    • John 8:12 – “I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life…”
    • As a result – THIS day (Day of the LORD) MIGHT not OVERTAKE us as a THIEF!
    • OVERTAKE (subjunctive) – to find / capture – we SHOULD NOT be found unprepared…
    • Because we have Jesus – we are in the LIGHT – we KNOW the TIMES and SEASONS!
      
    • We tend to look at the TIMES and SEAONS – and think we still have TIME…
    • But we are in the last days – THE Day of the Lord could be today – right now!
    • Are we ready – if Jesus came back like a THIEF – would we be READY…
    • Jesus is coming VERY soon – we need to be constantly prepared – so we are not OVERTAKEN!
  • 2^nd – We are sons of light… vs. 5
    • We are (indicative) the children of the day and light…
    • We are NOT (indicative) the children of the dark and night!
    • Paul emphasizing there are ONLY two families that we can belong to…
    • We are either the Children of God – or the children of this world (satan) – John 8:44
    • Once we are born again – children of LIGHT – we have been delivered from DARKNESS!
    • We no longer belong to this world – we have changed our citizenship!
    • Ephesians 5:8 – “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. WALK as children of light…”

• 4^th – Wake up…. vs. 6-10 (4 points)
  • 1^st – THEREFORE – since we are sons of LIGHT… vs. 6
    • DO NOT sleep – (ou me SUBJUNCTIVE) – the most powerful negation in Greek!
      • SLEEP – used 4x in our passage – not the same word as from chapter 4 (death)…
      • It speaks of an apathy or indifference to the TIMES and SEASONS!
      • We NEED to make sure that we do NOT SLEEP – NOT caught off guard – as OTHERS do…
      • Instead we are to are to WATCH and be SOBER…
      • WATCH (subjunctive) – 23x in NT from a root word that means to WAKE UP!
      • SOBER (subjunctive) – nepho – 6x in NT – to be calm and aware / observant!
    • Why – because we have an ENEMY who would love for us to be caught off guard…
      • I Peter 5:8 – “Be sober, be vigilant [same words]; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
      • Satan would love to keep us distracted – not thinking about the return of Jesus!
      • If he can get us CAUGHT up in this life – he might be able to get us CAUGHT off guard!
  • 2^nd – THEREFORE – do NOT get drunk… vs. 7
    • Those who sleep at NIGHT / also drink – get drunk at NIGHT…
      • In other words – those who are NOT watching and NOT sober are of the NIGHT!
      • They are in DARKNESS (night) – and do NOT know the Lord is coming soon!
      • Romans 13:11 – “Knowing the time, that now it is high time to WAKE UP out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed…”
    • Because they are in DARKNESS – they get DRUNK…
      • DRUNK – only 3x in NT – to be intoxicated with alcohol…
      • In other words – they choose to live for this life – rather than look for Jesus Christ…
      • They make the mistake of thinking that Jesus is NOT coming soon – so they can get drunk!
      • Luke 12:45 – “That servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins… [to] drink and be drunk [same word].”
      • The Bible does not say you cannot drink- it does say it is a sin to be drunk…
      • When full of alcohol we will NOT be living a life that is LOOKING for Jesus…
      • Instead of being filled with alcohol – much better to be filled with the Holy Spirit!
      • Then we will act like children of LIGHT – and WATCH and be SOBER for the Lord!
      • Ephesians 5:18 – “Do not be drunk [same word] with wine… but be filled with the Spirit.”
  • 3^rd – THEREFORE – prepare for WAR… vs. 8
    • Let (subjunctive) us who are of the DAY be SOBER (subjunctive)…
      • We can be SOBER by putting on the ARMOR of God – so we are ready for the battle…
      • This is one of four places in the NT where we read about the armor of God…

• II Corinthians 6:7 – “The armor of righteousness on our right hand and on our left…”
• Ephesians 6:13 – “Therefore take up the whole armor of God…” (most complete list)
• Here we are told to put on the BREASTPLATE of FAITH and LOVE…
• And the HELMET of HOPE and SALVATION!
• But the best of all 4 verses is Romans 13:14 – put on the Armor of light – Jesus Christ!
• The idea of all these verses being we are going into BATTLE…
  • Like any good soldier we need to prepare ourselves for the battle…
  • NOT to get caught up in the CARES of this life so we get CAUGHT off guard!
  • II Timothy 2:4 – “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
• 4^th – We are NOT appointed to WRATH… vs. 9-10
  • APPOINTED – used 96x in NT – the place or to put down…
    • It is not the desire or plan of God to place us in the WRATH that is to come…
    • When God will pour out His wrath and judgment on a God rejecting world!
    • Laid out in the Book of Revelation – 21 judgments in what we call the Tribulation!
    • They are broken up into 3 sets of 7 judgments – Seal / Trumpet / and Bowl judgments…
    • The terror will be so great – unless God limited it – no one would survive – Mark 13:20
    • I Thessalonians 1:10 – “Jesus who rescues us from the wrath to come.”
  • Instead His desire is we OBTAIN salvation through Jesus Christ who died for us…
    • OBTAIN – only used 5x in NT – a word that means to preserve / or possess…
    • That whether we WAKE or SLEEP we should (both subjunctive) live together with Him!
    • God PURCHASED us through Jesus – there is no way He WANTS to pour His wrath on us!
    • Whether we WAKE of SLEEP seems to suggest EITHER way we avoid the WRATH…
    • But it more likely represents the CHOICE – to either be AWKAKE or ASLEEP…
    • That we MIGHT (subjunctive) live together with Him – RAPTURE – if we are AWAKE!
    • We NEED to make sure we are ready for His return – WATCHING / SOBER!

We NEED to EDIFY – ESTABLISH each other – lest we forget Jesus is on His way!

5^th – The commands…. vs. 11 (2 points)

1^st – Therefore COMFORT one another…1

COMFORT (imperative) – parakaleō – to encourage or come along side…

As we see the world around us going crazy – and we KNOW judgement is coming!

Up is down / right is wrong – and the truth becomes spoken of as evil – Isaiah 5:20

It is VERY encouraging to be reminded that we will NOT go through the WRATH to come!

2^nd – EDIFY one another…

EDIFY (imperative) – 39x in NT – to build a house – ESTABLISH…

Matthew 25:1-13 – Jesus gave the parable of the 10 virgins…

There were 10 women were waiting for THE Wedding – but the Groom was delayed…

They expected the Lord to return soon – but He was taking longer than expected!

Jesus is not slow in coming – He just desires many more come to salvation – II Peter 3:9

If Jesus had come back 40/20/10/5 years ago – how many of us would have gone!

The virgins fell asleep / some of their lights went out – excitement of Jesus coming wore off!

Those who were not AWAKE / SOBER – had to leave to buy more oil for their lamps…

When they returned they asked – Lord / Lord – open the door for us…

He said – I do not know you- He knew who should come in because He found them waiting!

It is easy to be excited when we hear Jesus is coming soon for His church…

It is also easy to lose that excitement in the worries of life – care of this world…