Though Jesus has given his peace to his followers, this does not mean that the earth itself will experience peace. We have to bear in mind that this is a world in rebellion against God. Yes, Jesus provides peace. But it is peace with those who embrace him. Just as Israel rejected Jesus, so the nations today reject Jesus. There is no place for Jesus in their plans and the only reason their politics make room for him is to get his the votes of his people. This is precisely why this world cannot create a lasting peace. When you reject the Prince of Peace then you forfeit its presence.
The believers in the Greek city of Thessalonica were concerned about the timing of the Day of the Lord. This was a technical phrase that the prophets used to refer to a day when God comes down to judge all the nations of the world and set up his own kingdom. Paul had taught the Thessalonians that Jesus would return a second time and when he did he would judge the nations. However in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, Paul basically pushes past the question of when the second coming will happen and moves onto more important matters. So here is the first main point.
In verse one Paul quickly dismisses the timing issue. In short we really don’t need to know what date Jesus is coming back. However, in verse two he turns to how it will come upon the world, “like a thief in the night.” Then in verse three he lays out more specifics of how it will come upon the world. This world will be caught by surprise even though prophets, the church and Jesus have warned that judgment is coming. In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus warned over and over again that his coming would be unexpected. In fact, it won’t just be unexpected by the world but it will also come at a time that even Christians wouldn’t think (Mt. 24:36,44). Thus he tells his followers to watch and always be ready so that the day doesn’t take them by surprise. It will be a surprise in the sense of the timing. But it shouldn’t be a surprise for believers in the sense that they won’t be ready. Are you ready?
The reason the timing is not important is because it is better for us not to know. If we knew a time then the generations before would be lazier and the witness of the gospel would be impacted. God’s wisdom desires that each generation live ready for the coming judgment.
Paul gives a word picture of a thief in the night. Jesus will come like a thief in the night. Now Jesus is not a bad thief. However in both situations if you are not ready then you stand to lose all that you have. This world hasn’t given a second thought about the coming of Jesus. It has plowed on amassing wealth, power, projects and knowledge. However, when Jesus comes back all of this will be lost and for nothing. Thus it will be like a thief. His coming will ruin all their hopes.
We are receiving further warnings today. First the gospel has practically gone to all the nations. Also, we see a growing apostasy from the truth within the church. Also, we see a continual increase of wickedness in all nations of the world.
Everyone claims that they have the answer for peace. The Muslims say that they will bring peace when the West is deposed and everyone agrees with them. The West says that it will bring peace through its philosophical reasonings. Whether religions or nations, there are many vying philosophies that claim to be an answer for mankind. Will such a peace ever be created? In verse 3 Paul points to the fact that the world will say, “Peace and Safety!” Notice it is not clear whether they are saying it has been obtained or that it is within their grasp. Perhaps like Neville Chamberlain in WWII they have achieved peace on paper. Regardless, this declaration of peace and safety will trigger destruction. Think of the sadness of this predicament. The world rejects God in order to create its own safety and peace. However, just when they think they have achieved it, boom! The rug is pulled out from under them, which leads us to the last point.
The collapse of the imagined peace will be the destruction of the nations and all their great plans. This destruction will be a mixture of man-caused things and God-caused things.
Here Paul inserts another word picture. A pregnant woman who begins to have labor pains has been lived and watched ever since the beginning. Paul says that the destruction will come like labor pains upon a woman. Thus the suddenness is more about the beginning rather than the duration. It begins suddenly but lasts longer than a second. Second of all, the pains increase with intensity as they decrease in the amount of time in between them. So the pains come quicker and quicker and become harder and harder. However, the world is not giving birth to something good. It is giving birth to its own destruction and judgment. Does it not seem, in this day and age, that major disasters and pains on the earth are coming quicker and quicker? Does it not see, today, that they are also becoming worse and worse? Isn’t it time to rebel against the rebellion before it is too late?
Isaiah 57:19-21 says, “’I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,’ says the Lord, ‘And I will heal him.’ But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. ‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked.’”
The message of Christ is peace, just as the angels proclaimed at his birth: “peace on earth goodwill towards men.” However, this peace has been rejected by the world and cast aside. Thus God offers peace to him who is near and him who is far off. Basically that means anybody. But to the wicked, those who reject this offer and persist in their own way, there can be no peace.
If you desire peace today then you are going to have to save yourself from this wicked generation. You are going to have to leave the rebellion behind, walk away from the revolution, and turn back in repentance towards God. The last words Paul gives are serious: “They shall not escape.” Think about the futility of that statement. No matter what this world tries it is all impotent to change the future we are headed towards. Peace will only come when Jesus is ruling on this earth. The fact that he isn’t here yet means that grace is still available for us and for the lost. Do we even care? Just know this. Jesus cared and if we love him we will care too.