Sunday: Preparing for the Final Crisis
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6. What admonition does the apostle Paul give us regarding the last days of human history?
The apostle Paul urged the believers at Thessaloniki to “watch” and “be sober” in the context of the second coming of Christ. And if Paul would say that to believers then, what would he say to us today?
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He also declared that they were “children of the light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5, NIV) and that they were not in “darkness so that this day” [the return of Christ] (1 Thessalonians 5:4, NIV) should overtake them “as a thief” (1 Thessalonians 5:4, NKJV). Jesus used the expression to “watch” in connection with earnest, heartfelt prayer (Matthew 24:42, Matthew 26:40-41). To watch is to be spiritually alert. To be sober minded is to be serious about the times that we are living in and focused on the things that really matter.
Ellen G. White adds: “We who know the truth should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise.” — Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 28.
And while it might be a surprise to the world, it should not be a surprise for us. Though we don’t know when it will happen, we can see enough to know that it is coming, and that now, today, is the day to be ready.
Review Daniel 2:1-49, and note the sequence of kingdoms that came and went, exactly as predicted. What should this teach us about how we can trust that what God says will indeed happen?
Christ has given us these last-day messages so that, knowing what is coming, we can prepare for it. The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, combined with the modern gift of prophecy, give us divine insight into what is coming upon this world. The prophetic Word of God outlines salvation history in advance, and Daniel 2:1-49 provides powerful, rational evidence that we can trust God.
| Paul says not “to sleep” as others do. What does that mean, and how can we know if we are, indeed, sleeping and, if we are, what will it take to wake us? |
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On May 19, 1780 The New England states and parts of Eastern Canada experienced what we now call the Dark Day, It struck fear into the hearts of many. Perhaps one of the most well-documented reactions was that of Abraham Davenport, who was a member of the Connecticut Governer's council at the time. His response is recorded in the poem by John Greenleaf Whittier that I have copied here:
There is no better preparation for the future than putting our whole heart into the task that we are given today.
The keywords for Sunday’s memory verse is “not sleep”, to “watch”, and to be “sober.”
To sleep, to be watchful, and to be sober are phenomena happening similar to the time of the antediluvian generation. As the clock is ticking away, the righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state. Those who are asleep will be planting, building, eating and drinking. They continue their careless, pleasure-loving life, and even mock the warnings of the impending judgement, all unconscious that the final decision has been pronounced in the heavenly sanctuary above. Yet, those who are sober are preparing everything they can do before they enter into the ark when God finally shuts them in, so as to shut the ungodly out. As they are shut in the ark, for seven days they are not to sleep yet, but to watch and still be sober about things that are about to be revealed.
So how do these three keywords apply in our current reality? When we are not asleep, we are expected to work. As God has given to every man his work, every true follower of Christ has a work to do. Let everyone who loves God consider that, while it is still day time, now is the time to work. We are to call out those sheep who are still lost or on the brink of perishing and help them to come back to the fold. The day time is also the time to watch, i.e. to immerse ourselves with the word of God. It is also the time to be constantly sober, which means to secure ourselves against sin, against the power of darkness. To sober up is to secure oil in our vessels with the lamps that we already have. That oil is the righteousness of Christ, a character that cannot be transferable, nor secured for another. Each of us must obtain for himself a character purified from every stain of sin.
We do not know the precise time when our Lord shall be revealed in the clouds of heaven, but He has told us that our only safety is in a constant readiness—a position of watching and waiting. Whether we have one year before us, or five, or ten, we are to be faithful to our trust today. We are to perform each day’s duties as faithfully as though that day were to be our last.
Just like what Maurice wrote in his poem above, lest God's wrath falls upon us, let’s occupy till He comes: to be watchful (by reading God's words) and to be sober (by building up Christ-like character).
What a privilege to know what's going to happen in the future! Besides not knowing everything - perhaps if we knew the details, how much more anxious would that make us? - God does not give us more than what we can carry. We receive it in the right measure; thus, we can 'digest' the information in our reality. What would you do if you knew your future?
I am going to venture on to say that the Apostle Paul did not have the Book of Revelation from the Apostle John when he said in 1 Thessalonians 1-6 that God's servants would not be taken by Jesus' Second Coming "as a thief in the night." under the sixth plague in Revelation 16:15 makes no difference between the believer or the unbeliever here but just simply that those who "Watch and keep their garments..." are blessed but apparently it comes to them also "As a thief in the night."
As an answer to the question at the end of the lesson, I suggest to examine the relationship the believer has with His Lord and Savior and our heavenly Father. How are we to examine this relationship, what are we to find out? Would it not be of great importance to humbly examine one’s relationship based on the evidence the believer’s faith-life demonstrates, asking oneself if this is a living, vital, personal, and intimate relationship one has with the Father and the Son?
Beyond that, the believer is not required to ad anything else. It will become the work of the Holy Spirit to convict and mature our faith as we love the Father with all our heart and being. Micah 6:8 expresses what it is that is – good -; placing great importance on living justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. As our Father shows us the Way of the Light of His Truth and Life, all we are asked to do is to follow His Way by faith.
Every believer would do well to thoroughly examine the relationship with their Father, to look squarely at the evidence which depicts his/her current state of faith regarding applying, living the Faith of Christ. There is no time to waste, one cannot delay the coming to terms with the findings because He is close, even at the door - Matt.24:33.
The decision to re-consecrete one's life needs to be made quickly in order to be able to more sincerely and wholeheartedly join the family of the faith-children of God – the body of His Son Jesus Christ – God's temple made of living stones of which Jesus Christ is the corner stone - to be among the ‘Called-out-ones’ – the Ekklesia, to hear the call to come out of Babylon, and so learn what it takes to be prepared for the final crisis.
And yet, God's people were made to sojourne in Egypt 400 years, then in the desert 40 years, then as a nation with judges, priests, prophets, Kings, and military leaders until a 70 year servitude came to them (By God) via Babylon. Then came their rebuilding of Jerusalem and back to their national existence until Rome came to power and then again another subjection came to them to be under the Roman higher earthly power until Jesus then appears and fulfills His Atoning and ultimate Sacrifice for all sin at Calvary. Then came the Apostolic Age with God's Holy Spirit to aid His Church to go on Conquering and to Conquer but without any more earthly Kingly or National Glory other than nations like England, the U.S., Canada, and others that allow "Freedom of Religion," to their people. And so here we are now and there is no more "Time Prophecies," to tell us the time nor the hour of Jesus' Soon Return. And here we are, 200 years minus 21 since 1844 when EGW, and William Miller thought Jesus was coming then. So what does it mean to "Come out of Babylon" now? There is nothing specific in the Book of Revelation that says exactly what it means to do that other than the voice that comes from heaven in Chapter 18:4. What did God's people have to do during their 400 years in Egypt to not be overcome by Egypts Idolotry? What did they have to do when they themselves continued as a nation to give in to Idolotry to not fall into their sins? What did God's people have to do to not give in to this during their 70 years Babylonian Captivity, or their Roman servitude, or the Apostolic and Holy Spirit Age? Then and now it has always been a personal connection with God by Faith in His Son Jesus and the power of His Holy Spirit in our lives.
Here again, Jesus told the parable of the 10 virgins and "They all slumbered and slept." My question here is why then does the Apostle Paul not refer to that truth of Jesus at all? Paul did not walk with Jesus as did Peter, and the other 11 so here again I am venturing on to say that Paul must have truly thought Jesus was coming back in his day and also before he died too and maybe even thought he would be among those that would be alive to be caught up with those that God would raise from the dead too and he himself would not taste death either.
Pete, I believe that Jesus' desciples and followers after the resurrection believed whole heartedly in the second coming of Christ happening "soon", as in their lifetime. Many had witnessed the resurrection and heard the angels proclaim that he would come back in the clouds in the same manner as he left. They witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with thousands being baptized in a day. John said "Even so, come Lord Jesus".
I like to think and apply the writings of scripture as they are speaking to me. I believe the apostle Paul was writing what the Holy Spirit told him to write when he said WE who are alive will be caught up to meet Him in the air so it can have the same meaning until time is no more.
Thank you Tom Warner. Even Moses saw and told God's people before they finally entered Canaan to become a Nation of Priests, Prophets, Kings, and Military leaders, in Deuteronomy 4:29, 30 that even in "The Latter Days," which now I believe started when Jesus arose as a Conquering King of Kings and Lord of Lords and His Holy Spirits Power that they would fail so bad that God would scatter them to the ends of the earth but even then if they (we) would seek God even now with all our hearts and minds and souls that we would find Him. What a God and what an awesome promise of hope, comfort, and Salvational Grace from such a Saviour we now serve until He comes in the clouds of glory for us.