This was originally written as a response to a friend in 2017. It is even more pertinent today as we wait for the rapture of the church.

 

Some interpret 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 as if it is referring to the rapture. They would not be wrong, because the rapture is integrated as closely as possible to God’s wrath, all while keeping the followers of Christ protected from the time of wrath.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 NASB (1) "Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. (2) For you, yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. (3) While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. (4) But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; (5) for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; (6) so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. (7) For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. (8) But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. (9) For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. (11) Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing."

Points and context to consider.

1. “Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.”

   The word times is the Greek word chronos and can be long or short. Epochs, or as other translations have put it, seasons, is the Greek word kairos. There is a similarity between this word and times, but the word kairos applies to a measure of time or a period when things are brought to a crisis.

   Paul would not have been so presumptuous as to say “you have no need of anything to be written to you” unless he had already spoken to them clearly, distinctly, and with no misunderstanding about what those words meant. Paul's words were adequate and well defined as he spelled out the hope that we have of Jesus coming back in the clouds to collect us, His bride, the church. An event that has little to do with the seven years of God's wrath; an event that is to be unleashed upon the earth only moments after the rapture.

2. “for you, yourselves know perfectly the day ...”

   The question for us today is, what day is Paul talking about? 

   This can either be the day of our gathering back to Jesus as the bride, or it is the day in which God pours out His wrath upon the earth.

   Day seems like such a simple word. “day” is the Greek word hēmera. 

   For the church, it means “the last day of this present age;” the age of grace, or, the end of the church age.

   We need to understand that Paul was specifically speaking of the day in which we depart from this earth. Paul, in his second letter to the church in Thessalonica, said this.

   2 Thessalonians 2:3 NASB (3) "Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,"

   As you can see above the translators followed the pattern established by the state church of England and changed the early and acceptable term, departure, with the knowledge of the King of England in 1769 by using the term apostasy.

   Apostasy means an abandonment. Up to the point that Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10, 2025, it could easily be said most people had come find church pointless, and therefore, abandoned the church.

   The problem: apostasia is not the base word from which “they” acquired the translation. The origins of apostasia is aphístēmi (G868), and means to depart.

   The Word Study Dictionary emphasizes the word Departure. “apostasía; gen. apostasías, fem. noun from aphístēmi (G868), to depart. Departure, apostasy.”

   So we can ascertain that the church must depart before the antichrist character can emerge upon the scene. Do not get me wrong, he is currently standing in the shadows and will soon emerge to confer his acceptance of this seven-year peace agreement, which seems to be something that America is trying to shove down Israel's throat as I write this (9/29/2025)

   In Revelation 6:16-17, hemera is one of the defining words pertaining to God's wrath.

   Revelation 6:16-17 NASB (16) and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; (17) for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

   This highlighted information is critical to our understanding. It is also clarified with an eye-opening explanation. “Eastern usage of this term differs from our western usage. Any part of a day is counted as a whole day, hence the expression “three days and three nights” does not mean literally three whole days, but at least one whole day plus any part of two other days.”
   Thayer's Greek Definitions

   As I read through the account of Jesus' death and resurrection, I expected to see three full days. No matter what the explanations from "learned" teachers, nothing made sense, that is, until I understood how the Jews understood the concept of three days. We can apply this same concept to the narrative pertaining to the Prophet Jonah. I reference Jonah because Jesus used Jonah as an example of what His own death and resurrection would look like. For me, this only demonstrates how variable God is with His timetable.

3. "The day of the Lord.”

   The day of the Lord only shows up 26 times when you do a search for the phrase using the KJV. “Of the Lord” is one Greek word kurios and means “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding.”

The Day of the Lord.

• Isaiah 2:12 AMP “For there shall be a day of the Lord of hosts against all who are proud and haughty and against all who are lifted up--and they shall be brought low--” [Zeph. 2:3; Mal. 4:1.]

  Malachi 4:1 AMP “FOR BEHOLD, the day comes that shall burn like an oven, and all the proud and arrogant, yes, and all that do wickedly and are lawless, shall be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.”

• Zephaniah 2:3 declares, “it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord.”

• 1 Corinthians 5:5 conveys the message that the spirit [of believers] may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

If I were looking for examples of being hid, I would look to Daniel, who was NOT there when his three Hebrew brethren were thrown into the fiery furnace. I could take this to the next step, for the three were NOT harmed in any way. Another example comes from the saga of Noah. When the time for the flood came, God put Noah and his family into the ark and closed the door.

A portion of the passage we were reading tells us in verse nine that God did not appoint us to wrath.

Is this, or does this, define what is coming?

• Isaiah 13:4 explains that it shall come as destruction.

• Isaiah 34:8 expresses that this day is vengeance.

• And Joel 1:15 also says this time is destruction.

• Zephaniah 1:8 calls the day the Lord's sacrifice. [This is God doing the sacrificing.]

• Zephaniah 1:14 states that the mighty shall cry bitterly.

I am convinced that the rapture will be the thing that hides us from the wrath; and, what is coming is destruction.

4. “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;”

   Thieves sneak up on you, but this is also equated to a pregnant woman. If you have never fully experienced this process, you may never understand. Pregnancy does not sneak up on you. You are fully aware of what is going to happen, and you have nine months to prepare. Once the labor pains begin, you have minutes or days.

5. “You are children of light, and the children of day; we are not of the night nor of darkness;”

   I suppose this is telling us that we have NO excuses.

6. “Therefore, let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober.”

   Sleep means to be slothful. Alert tells us to give attention to or take heed.

7. “... be sober, putting on the breastplate or faith ...”

   Sober means to be calm. Calm when you know that horrible things are about to happen.

8. “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Thessalonians 5:9

   Appointed is the Greek word aphístēmi and means to set, put, and place.
   Wrath means temper or violent emotion.
   Salvation is deliverance, preservation, safety, or deliverance from molestation.

   Molestation has its basis in any unwanted harassment or mistreatment.

One of the questions you put forth is,

Why would Paul/God see a need to tell this body about the rapture and their understanding of how this will work, seeing as they would never experience the rapture?

For Paul to say, I have no need to write to you (about the rapture) is indicative of the fact that Paul had already spoken to this body of believers in a clear and concise manner.

The common understanding is that Paul only preached in Thessalonica for three weeks. As I read about Paul’s impact on this community, I am hard-pressed to understand how Paul could do this in only three weeks. Adding to this confusion of mine is the fact that Paul met at the local Synagogue on the Sabbath, a Saturday. We have little additional definition and, therefore, logically assume that Paul was only at the Synagogue on three Saturdays. Based upon how we do church in the modern world, that gives Paul about three hours of teaching time; that is if they wholeheartedly gave the pulpit to this stranger.

[Ask yourselves, did these people know that Saul, the pharisee, now a follower of Christ, was the skilled theologian among the Jewish council and therefore equipped to teach them from, say, Deuteronomy? Or, as a follower of Christ, was he welcome to bring a message perceived as heresy among the devout Jews? Neither of these would make sense unless they had a policy that allowed people to speak, as long as they were within traditional boundaries.]

What are we doing here?

We are applying Gentile, Sunday School mentality, which leads you to believe that your mind and the ability to speak only works on Sunday when the church is open.

The Biblical Illustrator commentary says this about Paul's interactions in Thessalonica.

“The (book of) Acts contain little or no account of the apostle’s labors among the Gentiles. We only read of three weeks’ preaching in the synagogue, followed by the conversion of many Jews, “devout Greeks,” and “chief women.” Upon this the unbelieving Jews, enlisting the “roughs” of Thessalonica, created a riot which led to the departure of Paul and Silas by night. It is evident, however, from the Epistle, that the apostle’s work here was both more extensive and of longer duration than the history would seem to intimate (insinuate.)”

Why should they “know” perfectly well?

They did not have Bibles from which to assure themselves or train their thinking once Paul was gone; they only had the words and actions of Paul and a handful of people who could remember what Paul said and the fervor with which he delivered the message.

Fortunately, we have other evidence, for Paul, in writing this second letter, states,

(9) For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. (10) You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; (11) just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, (12) so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 NASB

Based upon what Paul said about their first stay in Thessalonica, he, along with others, worked to support themselves. The idea of working night and day may have included additional time spent exhorting, encouraging, and imploring each one of you... so that you would walk in a manner worthy of God. Everything they did, they did in a manner that was correct according to Jewish standards and traditions; and that their lives demonstrated that they were blameless and without fault before these people.

In time, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to continue preaching this gospel of Jesus, that he had heard Paul preach, not only in Thessalonica but also in Berea.

What did they now know?

“The day,” in Jewish custom, was to understand three days as, one entire day, and any part of two others. This makes Jesus' own three days very understandable. Therefore, the day can also be seen as “the week of years” that we also see in Daniel, something that also operates on the same principle; it is a variable.

I am convinced that the church's rapture will be the thing that hides us from the wrath.

One last aspect of your question.

Why would God think He needed to share this information with the church (the body of believers) in Thessalonica?

1. They were struggling with fear.

   We don't really understand why until 1 Thessalonians 4.

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NASB)

They thought that Christ had already come; that they had been left behind, and now needed to be reinforced in their understanding and faith. I am convinced that we all, at some point, need to be supported because we have constant attacks on our relationship with Jesus.

How does Satan attack?

He attacks the foundations of our faith, understanding, relationships, righteousness, and moral standing.

1. God is NOT merely sharing this information with one small group of people (such as the church in Thessalonica;) this is being shared with the family that is to come, and, we are that family.

   2 Timothy 3:16 NLT instructs us that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

Paul’s direction is always to stay alert as we wait for the Lord's return. I can see many benefits to living like this, in a calm, dignified manner, as it shows people what God is like.

What I see others posting is high watch times and days. September 30, that's today; October 3, and October 6,7.

Eyes open, hearts on fire as we wait for Jesus return.

What is the purpose of the rapture - the catching away of the Church.

 A while back, I was asked several widespread questions. I separated the person's writing into assertions and questions, and this is my response.

You asked, “... does anyone else see some resemblance in the description of the rapture and the events at the crucifixion?”

While this first response may not sound so astute, I think it needs to be said,

At the catching away of the church, the “rapture,” the redeemed go up.

The rapture has a limited purpose in that Jesus, at this point, is simply coming, in the clouds, to collect those who are His. The other aspect of the “rapture” is the rescue of the living believers from any further harm. This comment feeds into the disputations against a pre-wrath rapture. 

You need to get something very clear if you are going to push your broken understanding of an “escape” from wrath, as believers in the African nations have been having their heads cut off for attending church. Those people might be firm in the idea that we must endure deadly tribulations. The problem is that when you use these dear people to bolster your arguments, you are setting aside the understanding that there will always be injustices carried out by the hands of other humans. 

The “great tribulation”, which many believe we are discussing, is an aspect of God's wrath.

If you struggle with the belief that we, as the church, are meant to endure God's wrath, consider these scriptures.

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation. For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 BSB

Wrath, in Greek, is the word orgē. It means anger exhibited in punishment.

Several internet teachers I listen to will say something along these lines. Since Jesus is the Bridegroom coming back for His bride, that is us, the Church, then why would He abuse His bride before the most anticipated time, their wedding night? There is no logical answer to a question like this, and passages such as 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 tell us that it will not happen in an abusive manner.

One "brother in Christ" angrily told me that God will not pour His wrath upon the earth. If so, what do you do with passages like this?

Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent or the just, for I will not acquit the guilty.

Exodus 23:7 BSB

The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
Nahum 1:3 BSB

Since the subject of the crucifixion was introduced, let's address an aspect of the work that Jesus performed on His journey from the cross to the throne.

Sin, originating in the garden, demanded a price be paid, and it was the death of God. Satan thought he had God in a checkmate, to use a chess term. You see, God set up this earth based on moral laws, His own, and by giving Adam dominion, God placed the man, as a representative of HIs throne, in control of the earth. So, in deceiving the humans, he deceived God, and God would have to pay with His life. If you are puzzled by this, I suggest you watch The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis again. That was not going to happen, so Jesus voluntarily set aside His position and authority to become a man (In the movie, Jesus is represented as a lion), and He would pay the price. This man, Jesus, was the seed of a woman, a descendant of Eve, and Satan thought that the killing of Jesus would put him solidly in control of all creation.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.
Genesis 3:15 MKJV

There are variations in the translations of Genesis 3:15. For example, enmity, an old English word that can also mean hostility, antagonism, ill will, and hatred. Interestingly, the Hebrew word êybâh was only used four times in the Torah, and two of those times, it was translated as hatred. So hatred works just as well.

Many of these passages speak of God being slow to anger; however, this does not imply that the inhabitants of the earth and those who reject His love will not experience His wrath.

God, in speaking about Sodom and Gomorrah, demonstrates His wrath but without first showing mercy toward Lot and his two daughters.

“Then the generations to come, both your own descendants and the foreigners who come from distant lands, will see the devastation of the land and the diseases the LORD inflicts on it. They will exclaim, ‘The whole land is devastated by sulfur and salt. It is a wasteland with nothing planted and nothing growing, not even a blade of grass. It is like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD destroyed in his intense anger.’
Deuteronomy 29:22-23 NLT

Follow the narrative found in Deuteronomy 9, and you will find that God, in His anger, killed over 3000.

“Remember and never forget how angry you made the LORD your God out in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until now, you have been constantly rebelling against him. Even at Mount Sinai, you made the LORD so angry he was ready to destroy you.
Deuteronomy 9:7-8 NLT

Let's say you still don't see why God would pour out His wrath upon people; then pay attention to the words of 2 Kings 22:13.

“Go to the Temple and speak to the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the words written in this scroll that has been found. For the LORD’s great anger is burning against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this scroll. We have not been doing everything it says we must do.”
2 Kings 22:13 NLT

If you are asking what we did to deserve God's wrath, Daniel has the answer.

But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke on your authority to our kings and princes and ancestors and to all the people of the land.
Daniel 9:5-6 NLT

Do you think God's heart has changed since He spoke these words?

“Son of man,” he said, “I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day.
Ezekiel 2:3 NLT

Even in the New Testament, we can see God's wrath coming and to whom.

But regarding Israel, God said, “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.”
Romans 10:21 NLT

In speaking with Daniel, God referred to what is to come as the time of wrath.

Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time.

Daniel 8:19 NLT

So, the time of wrath is coming.

For I will shake the heavens. The earth will move from its place when the LORD of Heaven’s Armies displays his wrath in the day of his fierce anger.” 

Isaiah 13:13 NLT

 This period in which God pours out His wrath has several names,

The time of wrath.

The time of the end.

The appointed time.

The end of time.

The time when the mystery of God is finished.

Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The hour of His judgment.

The day of the Lord's wrath.

A day of trouble and distress.

A day of destruction and desolation.

A time of distress.

What is the purpose?

Near is the great day of the LORD, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the LORD! In it the warrior cries out bitterly. A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of trumpet and battle cry Against the fortified cities And the high corner towers. I will bring distress on men so that they will walk like the blind because they have sinned against the LORD; And their blood will be poured out like dust And their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the LORD'S wrath; And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Zephaniah 1:14-18 NASB

"But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. "They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 7:11-12 NASB

Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you—on the peoples that do not call upon your name. For they have devoured your people, Israel; they have devoured and consumed them, making the land a desolate wilderness.
Jeremiah 10:25 NLT

As we have seen, this theme runs throughout the Torah.
That means that the Pharisees and scribes knew all too well that God's wrath was coming and why.

When John, the baptizer, said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" They knew precisely what he was talking about.

So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Luke 3:7 NASB

Paul, in writing to:

The church in Rome.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Romans 1:18-20 NASB

To the church Colossae

Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
Colossians 3:5-6 BSB

To the church in Thessalonica

For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to await His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 BSB

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation. For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 BSB

By the time we reach chapter four of Revelation, we are already caught up with Christ and with the Father.

The final church of the seven is Philadelphia. It was to them that Jesus said,

'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

Revelation 3:10 NASB

Revelation 4:1 opens with this.

After these things I looked, and behold, a door opened in heaven; and the first voice that I heard was as if a trumpet were speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you the things that must take place after these things."
Revelation 4:1 AFV

What things is He talking about?

The end of the church age and our being gathered to the Father in Heaven.

In Revelation 6, Jesus began opening the seals of the first scroll, which is why we see those on earth crying for the rocks to fall upon them.

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the powerful men, and every bondman, and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.
Revelation 6:15-16 AFV

If we can find Jesus seated upon His throne, how did he get here? 

This question is answered when you study what happened from the cross to the throne, and we will do that in the next post.