THE SECOND COMING AN AWAKENING HOPE
I Thessalonians Lesson 6
By E. L. Bynum
I Thessalonians Lesson 6
By E. L. Bynum
Lesson: I Thessalonians 5:1-28
Memory Verse: I Thessalonians 5:8
I. THE DAY OF THE LORD. vs. 1-11
In I Thess. 4:13-18, we have studied concerning the rapture of the saints. In this lesson we are studying about the "day of the Lord," when the Lord will come back in judgment upon a wicked world. When studying prophecy it is needful to keep these two phases of His coming distinct and separate in our minds. At the rapture He comes in the air, at the time of His wrath, He comes back to the earth.
1. "Times" refers to chronology or clock time. v. 1
2. "Seasons" refers to the quality and grouping of certain kinds of events. v. 1
3. "The day of the Lord" will bring unexpected judgment upon the Christ rejecting unbelieving world. v. 2. This day is not a 24-hour day.
4. It will be a time when the unbelieving shall be crying "peace and safety." v. 3. The unsaved will be caught by surprise. They did not heed Noah, Lot, or Jesus.
5. The "day of the Lord" will bring birth pangs, as a woman giving birth. v. 3; Isaiah 13:6-13; Matthew 24:8, All these are the beginning of sorrows.
6. The "day of the Lord," will bring sudden destruction. v. 3. Amos 5:18, Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. Joel 2:1, Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand. (See Joel 2 and 3); Isaiah 2:6-22; Zephaniah 1:14-18; Zechariah 14:1-9.
a. This day is referred to as "the time of Jacob's trouble." Jeremiah 30:5-9
b. It is also called the Tribulation. Revelation 6-19
c. This day does not relate to the church, but it does relate to Israel and the unbelieving world.
d. Paul enlarges upon the day of the Lord in II Thessalonians.
B. The Believer and The Day of the Lord. vs. 4-11
Before the "day of the Lord" with its judgments, the believers will be raptured out. I Thessalonians 4:13-18
1. The believers are not of the darkness and therefore that day will not overtake them as a thief. v. 4. Notice the contrast between "they," "them" (unsaved) in vs. 3, 7, and "ye," "we," and "us" in vs. 4-6, 8-11 (saved).
2. Believers are children of light and are not of the darkness. v. 5
3. Believers are not to sleep, but watch and be sober. v. 6
4. Unbelievers are not awake, but living in darkness and sin. v. 7; Romans 13:12-13
5. Believers are of the day and not the night. v. 8
a. We are to be "sober". This means to "be free from the influence of intoxicants," (Vine), and to be serious and sober minded. I John 2:28, And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
b. We are to put on the breastplate of faith and love, for we are soldiers.
c. We are to put on for a helmet, the hope of salvation. (Note the triad of faith, hope, and love.) (The armor is all defensive; this is against being surprised.) Ephesians 6:10-18
d. "Hope of salvation" does not mean, we hope to be saved, but rather the hope that salvation gives us.
6. The believer is not appointed to wrath. v. 9. Wrath here refers to God's wrath in the tribulation period, which shall be poured out upon unbelievers. We are not going into the tribulation. See wrath in Revelation 6:16-17; 14:10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19; and 19:15.
7. Christ died for us, therefore we are to live for Him at all times. v. 10. He died for us that we might live through Him, I John 4:9; for Him, II Corinthians 5:15; and with Him, I Thessalonians 5:10.
8. The application to the Church. v. 11
a. They are to be comforted together.
b. They are to continue to edify one another.
II. EXHORTATIONS TO GODLY LIVING. vs. 12-22
A. Honoring Those In Places Of Responsibility. vs. 12-13
1. They are to know their spiritual leaders. v. 12
a. They had laboured among them.
b. They were over them in the Lord. Ephesians 4:7-16; I Peter 5:1-5
c. They admonished (instructed and warned) them.
2. They were to highly esteem their spiritual leaders. v. 13. They were to obey them. Hebrews 13:17, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
3. They were to be at peace among themselves. v. 13
B. Exhortation For Harmony. vs. 14-15
1. The unruly are to be warned. v. 14
2. The feebleminded (discouraged) to be comforted. v. 14
3. The spiritually weak to receive spiritual help. v. 14
4. Be patient toward all men. v. 14
5. Believer not to render evil for evil. v. 15
6. Follow that which is good. v. 15
C. Various Exhortations. vs. 16-22
1. Rejoice evermore. v. 16; Philippians 4:4
2. Pray without ceasing. v. 17; I Corinthians 11:1-6; Acts 1:13-14; 4:23
3. Give thanks in everything. v. 18; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
4. Quench not the Spirit. v. 19; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 4:30
5. Despise not prophesying. v. 20. Prophesying here "signifies the speaking forth of the mind and counsel of God." (Vine)
6. Faithfulness enjoined. v. 21
7. Abstain from all appearance of evil. v. 22. This teaches both personal and ecclesiastical separation.
III. SANCTIFICATION FOR THE WHOLE MAN. vs. 23-28
A. The Whole Man Set Apart For God. vs. 23-24
1. The spirit, soul, and body to be preserved. v. 23. Man is a tri-part being.
2. The certainty of complete sanctification. v. 24
B. The Closing Charge. vs. 25-28
1. The request for prayer. v. 25
2. The holy kiss. v. 26. This was a kiss on the cheek of people of the same sex. Later on churches abused this and allowed the kissing of people of the opposite sex, and this of course led to evil. Now we shake hands.
3. The letter to be read to all the brethren. v. 27
4. The closing salutation. v. 28
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. What is the "day of the Lord?"
2. How will the "day of the Lord" come?
3. What will the unsaved be saying just before the "day of the Lord?"
4. Give proof that the "day of the Lord" will mean destruction and judgment upon the unsaved.
5. What will happen to the saved before the "day of the Lord?"
6. What are believers to be doing, rather than sleeping?
7. What does it mean to be sober?
8. What is the triad that we are to put on?
9. What does it mean that God has not appointed us to wrath?
10. Because He died for us, we are to for Him.
11. What was the holy kiss, and who participated in this?
12. What does it mean to abstain from all appearance of evil?
13. Which verse in this chapter proves that man is a three part being?
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