Bible Study

Bible Study

December 30, 2025

1 Thessalonians 1:1 – 2 (CSB)

“About the times and the seasons: Brothers and sisters, you do not need anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.’

“Judgement of Believers”

Paul goes from talking about the blessings of the rapture to the judgement of unbelievers that is forthcoming. “Times and seasons” are two terms that mean the measure of times and the character of times. Many people expected Jesus return during their lifetime and they were grieved because their fellow believers died before His return.

The Thessalonians most likely knew all God intended for them to have some understanding about the coming judgement so Paul taught them what they had not known about the rapture. Paul told them needed to live holy lives (as we are today) in light of the judgement of God rather be overly concerned about the timing of His return. They could not know the time of His coming but they knew it would be unexpectedly.

There are nineteen times the  phrase “day of the Lord” is used in the Old Testament four in the New Testament.

Old testament prophets used the term to describe near historical events (s. 13:6-22). It is also referred to as the “day of vengeance.” The New Testament refers to it as the day of “wrath”, day of “visitation”, and the great day of the almighty God (rev. 16:14).

The future “day of the Lord” unleashes God’s wrath in two parts: the end of the Tribulation period (rev. 19:11 -21_, and the end of His Millennial reign. These two events occur 1,000 years apart. Paul refers to the end of the millennial period with the final “Day of the Lord.”

The term “a thief in the night   ‘ is never used to refer to the rapture of the church only to His second coming at the end of the Tribulation period. As the thief comes unexpectedly so Jesus will return.

God Bless.

We are concluding a study of the book of Revelation at church would you be interested if we were to pursue a study of Revelation next?