seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Thessalonians 5:1 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
This is from the easy English commentary.
The writers had answered the worries about those who had died. Now they turn to a new subject. This is the question of when Jesus will come again. It seems that some of the Christians had expected Jesus to come soon. But he had not come yet.
‘Times and dates’ is a phrase that they knew meant the end times. The two words together stand for the period of the end as well as the date when Jesus will come. While they were with them, the apostles had taught about the end times. They had told them that no one knows when Jesus will come. They had also told them about events that must happen before he comes.
This day is not a single day, as we understand it. Rather it is the day of the Lord, which covers many events. It will be a time when God will defeat all his enemies (Isaiah 2:12). In his anger, he will destroy them (Isaiah 13:9). This will bring trouble on the earth (Isaiah 13:11; Amos 5:18). It is a way of talking about the time when the Lord will deliver the nation of Israel (Jeremiah 30:7-9). It also is a way to speak about the time when God will set up his kingdom on the earth.
God’s judgement is for those who do not believe in Jesus. Christians will not have to suffer the anger of God. They will meet Jesus in the air and so they will be with him in that day.
The day of the Lord and of his return will come without warning. It will be like the thief who comes at night to rob a house. The thief does not tell the owners when he is coming. They do not expect him to come. This is what the Lord Jesus taught in Matthew 24:42-44. The point of this is that the Thessalonians should be ready for the Lord to come at any time.
The writers now ask the Christians at Thessalonica to know and to respect their leaders. This would be the proper attitude toward them, because they worked so hard for the church there. They should appreciate all that these workers do for the church.
It was the leaders’ task to direct and to care for the church. When any of the members did what was wrong, the leaders would have to correct them. This can be hard to do. So, those who do it well deserve respect. When any members were in need, the leaders would try to help them. The leaders had to guide the church in the right way. They made sure that the teaching in the church was true to the word of God.
One of the aims of the leaders’ work is to keep the members in unity with each other. Christians should always try to live in peace with each other.
This verse in the Greek means, ‘Do not put out the fire of the Spirit.’ It shows the work of the Holy Spirit as if it were a fire. They must not prevent the Holy Spirit from doing his work. They must not put out the fire.
When people believe in the Lord Jesus, he sends the Holy Spirit to live in them. He brings into their lives the seeds of good character. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul calls this the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit has to grow in the character of the Christian. The parts of the fruit are love, joy, peace, patience, being gentle, being good, faith, being humble, and control of oneself. They must continue to work with the Holy Spirit so that this fruit will grow in them.
One of the gifts of the Spirit is prophecy. He gives this gift so that a person can speak words from God. The person receives a message from God and shares it with the church. The benefit of prophecy is this: The church can hear what God wants them to hear. It may be that he is warning them about something. It could be that he wants to teach them something. It could be a message about what will happen in the future.
A person with the gift might refuse to speak the message that the Spirit gave. Or the leaders might not let that person give the prophecy. Or, when a prophecy comes to the church, they could refuse to hear and accept it. They could stop a work of the Spirit in these ways. They may have done this because there were false prophecies. But they should make sure that it is from God rather than refuse all prophecies. They must not deny the worth of the gift of prophecy. They should desire to have this gift (1 Corinthians 14:1).
The Christians at Thessalonica need to be sure that the prophecies or other gifts are from God. Some may claim to have a message from God but the church must test that claim. It is important to know if the Holy Spirit is the source of the message or gift. There are copies of the gifts, which come from the enemy or from human sources. There are false prophets who try to damage the church. There are those who mistake the source of a message or a gift. Christians are to test all of these things to prove that they are from God.
There are standards by which we can test prophecies and gifts. What they say must not deny what the Lord has already said. So, their message must not be against what the Bible says. Their purpose must be for the good of the church. All the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for the help not the damage of the church.
Where the tests prove that the message is genuine, then accept it. Hear what it says. If it is a message from God, believe what it says. Obey the message and do what the Lord requires.
Where a message or an action has failed the test, then they are to refuse it. They must not accept anything that is false. These false messages and gifts are evil because they could spoil the church. So, the Christians at Thessalonica are to avoid any kind of evil.
Wow... I just love it when the commentary is twice as long as the chapter itself. It's like unzipping a file..... and all kinds of ideas fall out.
Obviously... this is about two topics. It's about "when will Jesus come back?" and "what is prophecy?"
The Jews in Jerusalem were waiting for someone to rule the world. They figured they were the chosen people of God so they should run the world... but they were conquered.... over and over and over again... because even though they were God's chosen... they didn't act like it. So they thought the "Messiah", whoever he would turn out to be.... would be a man who would run Rome out of town and cause the rest of the world to bow to the Jews in Jerusalem.
Jesus didn't fit their bill. He was a good guy.... part God.... able to travel long distances and preach a full service complete with a pot luck dinner with plenty left in the tank.... but the leaders didn't respect him.... so the Jews figured He was an average Jesus.... not the Messiah.
Now Jesus said He was coming back. He didn't say when but He did say He was coming back. He said when He came back... He was going to set up a new kingdom here on earth.... so the Jews figured He would be coming back to wage the war upon those who were persecuting the church... and they were looking forward to it..... but after a while... it just begins to feel like.... it's never going to really happen. Paul was telling them to hang on.... don't give up.... He is coming back and He will reign the world.
The Gentiles didn't feel that "chosen" stuff that hindered the Jewish. They had to deal with the flip side of the coin.... they were the "also" people. According to the Jews.... they were "also" saved. The Gentiles were a wild bunch..... tax collectors, male and female prostitutes, murderers, soldiers, women... slaves.... they were the "also".... but Paul was telling them to keep working and keep believing because Jesus was going to come back... Jesus never told a lie.... and Jesus said He was coming back... so He was coming.... keep an eye out.
IMHO.... the End Times will be an interesting story..... but this chapter brings up Prophecy.... and that.... to me.... in these days is the biggest topic of this day.
The gift of prophecy..... There are so many people spouting prophecy that no one knows if any of it is true.... or if it's all memorex. According to this chapter... some of the prophecy is true. The way it works is God unlocks the spirit in us when we accept Him as our Savior. Then He uses that spirit to talk to us... hint to us.... give us a few answers... plant a few thoughts... nudge unto the right path. God knows which of us will listen... and which of us who will not. He knows the future because He controls time. He knows which of us will allow Him to nudge us along. He knows which of us will allow Him to speak through us.
OK... I am horrible at public speaking. I get up in front of people and my brain goes blank. I could rehearse a speech for hours and hours... I could have it down pat, word for word, intonation for intonation.... but as soon as I get in front of a crowd.... I'm as dumb as Moses. I am a writer... I can unzip computer files... I can use Google... I can understand the NIV translation. I can google commentary and check the meaning. God uses that talent.... to bring attention to the Book and the message. I have no gift for public speaking... but I can write... that's my talent.
So... how can I know if what I am saying is true..... well... it's true if it fits what Jesus said. Jesus said He would be back. If what I write points to Jesus coming back... then it's true.... but if I were to write that Jesus decided to chuck this earthly project in the trash and start another one in another galaxy... that would be fake because it isn't what Jesus told us He was going to do. If He was going to do that... He would come back to tell us so..... because He said He would be back.
Until then.... we're supposed to take care of each other. That [IMHO] is all the church is for. It's supposed to be a place where humans can find a hand up and some encouragement to keep on keeping on until Jesus gets back. Anything else is just fake fluff.
So.. now I'm at the last line.... and the title..... end times and prophecy.... simple enough right?
