Paul shared
with the Thessalonians concerning the imminent return of the Lord
Jesus. He knew the Thessalonian church members were aware of the
“times and seasons”, and he reminded them of the Lord's
return being so sudden, it would be like “a thief in the night”.
In chapter five and verse four of his letter, Paul shared how the
impending return of the Lord “should not overtake” them
“as a thief” where we read:
But you,
brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a
thief.
The
verse begins, “But you, brethren, are not in
darkness,...” Paul began with
the word “But”
which is a disassociation conjunction which means “moreover, but,
and, also” “you”
which refers to the Thessalonian church members “are not
in darkness” which literally
means “blindness or darkened eyesight” and metaphorically means
“ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and
the accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their
consequent misery in hell: obscurity and shadiness”. The
Thessalonians were not in a state of darkness nor blindness
concerning the return of the Lord.
The
verse goes on to say, “...that that day should overtake
you as a thief.” Paul continued, “that that day”
which literally means “the natural day or interval between sunrise
and sunset as distinguished from and contrasted with the night” and
metaphorically means “the time for abstaining from indulgence, vice
and crime because acts of this sort are perpetrated at night and in
darkness”. It also refers to “the last day of this present age,
the day Christ will return from heaven, raise the dead, hold final
judgment and perfect His kingdom”. Paul went on to add, “should
overtake” which means “lay hold of, obtain, attain,
appropriate, seize, take possession of, detect, catch and find”
“you as a thief” or “embezzler, pilferer or stealer”. The
day when Jesus returns was not to “catch” the Thessalonians off
guard and unaware, but in contrast they were to be in a state of
anticipation as He was coming, and his coming was soon.
When
we meditate upon these words of Paul, we may be inclined to ask
ourselves whether we are in the group of people of whom he speaks. If
we were examined for our belonging to those who believe in Jesus and
are in expectation of His imminent return, would we be found
blameworthy? We who have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord “are
not in darkness” and unaware of His impending return, but
people who have not received Jesus as the Messiah are best described
by Jesus Himself who said in the gospel of John in chapter three and
verses eighteen through twenty-one:
He that
believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is
condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil. For every one that does evil hates the
light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved. But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds
may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
May
we “walk in the light, as he is in the light” and always
be in expectation of His sudden return.
Next
time Paul tells the Thessalonians they are “children of
the light”, so read ahead, and
we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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