The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Thessalonians — Section 122

LoBD 18 BUDDEN AND UllBXPEOTED DI' IT8 OOllllNG. "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord eo cometh as a thief in the night.'' By the ea.me method which is followed in eh. iv. 9, tbe apostle seeks to impre11e on the Theeea- lonians a certain point relating to the times and the seasons which make up the period of the Lord's dealing with men. This related more particularly to the day of the Lord, the day when the Lord is to descend to earth, which is to be thought of as the .:ompleting point of the times and the seasons. It is practically to each of ns the day of our death. When with them he had taken care that they should accurately under- stand the sudden and unexpected nature of the advent. There were decisive words of the Lord on which to proceed. "But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only;" "It is not for you Lo know the times or the sea.sons, which the Father hath put in his own power." There was even the same image employed by our Lord which is employed here. " But know this, that if the master of the house had ~nown in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through." As a thief, without notice given and under cover of the night, approaches the dwelling which itH occupant thinks secure, so stealthily approaches the day of the Lord. To all alike the uncertainty exists, and will exist. All fixings of the time, such as are sometimes attempted, are wholly unwarranted. God does not mean that either the Church or the world should know the time, any more than he means that any of us should know the time of our death. II. How TO THE OABNALLY SECURE THE DAT OF THE LoBD IS TO COME AS A TERRIBLE BUBPBISE. " When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape." The image is carried forward, and we are to think of those who confine their interest to the earthly sphere, and do not dream of their possession as ever to be disturbed. But, having sown carnal security, they are to reap destruction, and not only in their earthly but also in their higher interest. It is a strong word which is employed, and corresponds to "wrath," which is afterwards employed. This feeling of carnal security grows upon men. At first they chide themselves that they neglect Christ and their everlasting salvation. But, carried forward by the desire of earthly gratification and in confidence in their own strength, they find excuses for the course which they are following. A state of moral darkness is produced in them. They become blinded to the character of God, and the opposition which is ever widening between their life and the will of God. The result is, that qualms of conscience leave them, and they say, "I have a feeling of peace within, and there is no trouble from without." But just wheu they come to this height of carnal security, then sudden destruction comes upon them, from which there shall be no escape. Thus, it would seem, will it be at last. All men will not be ready for the descending Lord. "As were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man." So it would seem is it, anticipatively, now. Men go on in their sinful courses, until they are suddenly overtaken by death and destruction, III. How TO SONS OF LIGHT AND SONS OF THE DAY THE DAT OF THE LoBD SHOULD NOT BE A BUBPBIBE, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkucss, that that day should over- take you as a thief: for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." The Thessalonian brethren are excluded from the darkness which is implied in the state of carnal security; it was not, therefore, designed that that day should overtake them as a thief. The class to which they, as Christians, properly belonged, was that of sons of light and sons of the day. They are those to whom the Lord has been revealed, especially to whom it ha.a been revealed that he will come, and who thus have light in them. They are those upon whom the Sun of righteousness has risen, making day around them. Welcoming the light, even in its reproving power, they come to be made of light and enveloped with light, so that they are suns of light (which is the Divine nature) aad sons of the day (which ia the Divine ~ncompassment). When it is always light, the thiof has not opportunity of appiwch•  121 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TRB THESSALONIANS. [oH. T, 1 - -