1 Thessalonians 5:2

“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as. thief in the night”

“For yourselves know”: They already knew the answer to their own question, and they knew it, because Paul had previously taught them about the subject, while with them. “Perfectly”: “Exactly”. Paul knows that he had taught them well. They could not plea ignorance or lack of clarity on this issue. Hendriksen notes, “Sometimes men wonder about facts which, deep down in their hearts, they really know accurately!” (p. 122). “The day of the Lord”:

Premillennialists try to separate the "day of the Lord" from the events previously mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. They claim that the "day of the Lord" comes some seven years after 1 Thessalonians 1:16-17. Yet the reader can see that Paul has not started. new topic in this chapter, for the first verse begins with, “Now as to the times and the epochs” (NASV), the times for what? Obviously, what has been previously mentioned in the last chapter, the Second Coming. In other passages the "day of the Lord" is viewed as the time when Christians are rewarded and not merely. time when destruction comes upon the wicked (1 Peter 1:6; 1 Peter 1:10; 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Corinthians 1:8). This same expression is used in referring to the final destruction of the physical universe (2 Peter 3:10; 2 Peter 3:12), yet some Premillennial views have that day being 1000 years from the "day of the Lord" mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 5:2. Fields is right when he notes, “If one did not have. certain theory about what will happen when Christ returns, he would never from this Scripture itself (1 Thessalonians 4:13-1 Thessalonians 5:11) get the idea that two different events were being described” (p. 130).

Thus in the Scriptures we find that the "day of the Lord" will include:

· The resurrection of all in the grave (John 5:28).

· The transformation of all living Christians (1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 15:52).

· The complete removal of the physical heavens and earth (2 Peter 3:10).

· The judgment of all who have lived (Matthew 25:31 ff).

·. day that will be viewed as the "last" day (John 6:39).

·

“So cometh”: “Will come” (NASV) (2 Peter 3:10). Whatever time lapses between now and that day, should never be viewed as lack of determination or inability on the part of God, rather it should be viewed as God's merciful patience in giving sinners the chance to repent (2 Peter 3:9).

“As. thief in the night”: (2 Peter 3:10). Fields makes an excellent point when he notes, “It is difficult to imagine how the day of the Lord could come as. thief if only seven years before that day all the saints had been taken out of the earth and. period of great tribulation had followed” (p. 131). This point should not be overlooked, for if the Premillennialists are right, then seven years separates the events of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, from 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. Now everyone on the earth would know when all Christians are removed. Therefore anyone wishing to read the material left behind by the popular Premillennial writers, would know exactly when the Lord would return. Thus Premillennialism is found guilty of setting. precise date about when the “day of the Lord will come”. And they cannot argue, “But we haven't set. date for the rapture, because by their own admission they claim that 1 Thessalonians 5:1 does not apply to the rapture, but an event exactly seven years down the road!

The coming of Jesus is likened to that of. thief. Stott notes, “The trouble with burglars is that they do not tell us when they are coming. It is not their habit to send. warning postcard. The same unexpectedness will characterize the day of the Lord' (p. 109). Hendriksen notes, “He does not send. warning letter to this effect, ‘Tomorrow, at such and such. time, I'll pay you. visit. Be sure to hide all your valuables'” (p. 122). Carefully note that Jesus is not likened to. thief in this passage, rather His coming will be unexpected as that of. thief. The phrase "in the night", does not mean that Jesus will necessarily come "when it is night" (I think many make this assumption). "In the night" is an expression that completes the imagery of the thief. If Jesus came at noon on. sunny day, that would surprise people just as much as during any evening or early morning hour.