1 THESSALONIANS

1 Thessalonians was written from Corinth +- AD 51, approximately 18 years after Paul’s conversion, and is believed to be his first letter.

I just finished reading Romans for my devotional reading about a week ago. After a few ‘potluck’ readings, trying to decide where to go next, on Monday, I decided to read through Paul’s writings in their chronological sequence. I went to the comments preceding each book in my 1985 NIV and found out the suggested dates for when they were written and where they were written from, then compiled a list and started at the beginning. According to the information gleaned, the order in which the books were written was: 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Romans, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, 2 Timothy.

My original goal was to see how Paul’s insights developed over the years of his writing. That is still part of my goal. However, today, I decided to backtrack and make note of the end times references in 1 Thessalonians – which has now become a goal for the other Pauline books as well, so stay tuned!

My only commentary for this book, is that I find it compelling that Jesus’ followers were expecting his immediate return. Paul even states, ‘we who are alive and yet remain’ demonstrating he believed Jesus would return in his lifetime. Yet, now, when we are in reality 1960 years closer to His coming, many people see it as something ‘far off.’ I believe Jesus is coming soon – that He could come in my lifetime…. Paul believed He would. I believe He could. The 1960 years that have intervened since Paul’s writing 1 Thessalonians is what makes me aware I cannot rely on a precisely predictable timeline, but prophecy is being fulfilled rapidly. The only reason I want Him to wait is for people to become believers and be saved from the wrath to come. But He is coming – and it may be very, very soon!

(Last year I purchased an ESV Study Bible, and am currently reading it for my devotions. Though the wording is sometimes slightly different from the 1985 NIV and the KJV, I have found it to be faithful to the concepts expressed, and am really enjoying reading from this version of the Bible. The ESV requires that the following statement be included where their version of the Bible is used, so the following is to meet that requirement: “Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2008 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”)


END TIMES REFERENCES in 1 Thessalonians (ESV)

1:10…Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come

2:12 …walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

2: 19-20 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.

3:12-13 …may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

4:13-18 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring them with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who are asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

5:1-6, 8-11 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. …. But since we belong to the day. Let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

5:23-24 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful and he will surely do it.