1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 - Explained

"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."

The previous chapter — 1 Thessalonians 4 — is probably the most famous chapter that talks about the rapture, which pretty much nobody disputes. It is about the rapture. What it does not do, though, is give any indication of the timing of the rapture. The most common teaching in churches today is the pre-tribulational rapture — that Jesus can come back at any moment, that it is an imminent return and nothing has to take place first. But the Bible mentions many things that actually have to take place first, and the Bible does not teach that Jesus can come back at any moment.

A very common verse that those who teach the pre-tribulation rapture use is verse 2, where the Bible says he is going to come as a thief in the night. What pre-trib teachers will say is — see, Jesus can come back out of nowhere, just as you do not expect a thief to rob your house. It can happen at any moment, nothing has to take place first, and it is going to catch everyone completely by surprise.

But the problem with that interpretation is that verse 1 — the verse right before — actually disproves it. It says: "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." The Bible is not saying that Christians and believers are going to be unaware. It is going to come as a thief in the night to those that are unsaved. For us as believers, we are actually going to be waiting for that moment.

The Bible gives specific indication of the timing, even though we do not know the day or the hour. The Bible speaks about Daniel's 70th week unfolding, and after the abomination of desolation there is actually a time period of 75 days until the rapture takes place. The Bible is saying that as believers, when you see the abomination of desolation, there is no doubt you are in the end times and you have a very short time left. So for us as believers it is not going to be coming as a thief in the night — we are actually aware of it.

But for those that are unsaved, the Bible says: "when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them." Just like being in a house where you think everything is safe and peaceful, you do not expect to be robbed, and then a thief ends up robbing you in the night. The Bible is not saying that believers are completely unaware. Of course the unbelieving world is completely unaware.

And for those that say Jesus can come back at any moment like a thief in the night — why does the Bible say in Revelation chapter 1 that when he comes, every eye shall see him? Those teaching a pre-tribulation rapture say it is going to be a secret return, that nobody is going to know what is happening and it is going to come out of nowhere. But every eye shall see him. Those of us that are believers are actually going to be waiting for that moment, understanding it is going to take place soon. Whereas the unbelieving world will think peace and safety — and then as a thief in the night, Jesus ends up returning and they realise they are on the wrong side.

1 Thessalonians 5:1–2 is not teaching a pre-tribulation rapture.

Pastor Matthew Stucky