1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NKJV)

1
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I
should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord
so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then
sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.
And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this
Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day.
We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do,
but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who
get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on
the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God
did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10
who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with
Him. 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are
doing.

For true believers the Rapture is a comforting hope, but what will it mean for those
who are outside of Christ? It will mean the beginning of a period referred to here as the
times and the seasons. This period is primarily Jewish in character. During this time God
will resume His dealings with the nation of Israel, and the endtime events to which the
OT prophets pointed will occur. When the apostles asked Jesus when He would set up
His kingdom, He answered that it was not for them to know the times and the seasons
(Acts 1:7). It seems that the times and the seasons cover the period prior to the setting
up of the kingdom as well as the kingdom period itself.
Paul felt no need to write to the Thessalonians about the times and the seasons. For
one thing, the saints would not be affected by them; they would be taken to heaven before
these epochs began.
Also, the times and the seasons and the Day of the Lord are subjects that are found
in the OT. The Rapture is a mystery (1 Cor. 15:51), never revealed until the time of the
apostles.
Believer's Bible Commentary

5:1. Times (Gr. chronos) denotes “periods of time” as opposed to seasons (Gr.
kairos), which are specific points of time.
5:2. The day of the Lord is an all-encompassing term to describe the period that
begins with the Great Tribulation, and includes the second coming of Christ and the
millenial kingdom. This Old Testament expression is here identified with the parousia
already introduced. It will begin unexpectedly (cf. Matt. 24:37). KJV Study Bible

Paul had no need to write to them because they already knew – not because they
weren’t supposed to know. In the beginning of verse 2 – he says “for you yourselves
know…” Paul had just taught them about the rapture in chapter 4 – now he wants to
contrast their blessed hope and comforting thoughts to those who will suffer through the
“day of the Lord”. The fact that Paul draws a contrast between these two groups
indicates that Paul believed in a pretribulational rapture.

5:3. Peace and safety were slogans of the Roman Empire.

 5:4–9. But ye: In contrast to the wicked, for whom Christ’s coming will be an hour of
destruction, these believers are children of light who will not face God’s wrath, but will
be saved at the time of theparousia. Not appointed us to wrath: The wrath is the agony
and tribulation occurring at the beginning of the day of the Lord. The believer is spared
this, however (cf. 1:10; Rev. 6:16).
King James Version study Bible

The “Day of the Lord” is a particularly Jewish eschatological phrase indicating the time
right before and including the establishing of God’s kingdom on earth. It is a time when
God’s wrath is poured out on unbelievers and those who have cursed Israel.

The wrath that is spoken of in verse 9 is the wrath during that time period of the Day of
the Lord – not some generic wrath like as of hell. In this whole section, Paul is talking
about the second coming of Christ and how those events are different for believers and
unbelievers. If there were no difference – as the posttribulationalists teach – then 1 Thess
5:1-11 wouldn’t have needed to be written.

5:9 This verse also serves as a word of encouragement for believers. We are not
appointed unto “wrath” (used eschatalogically throughout 1 Thessalonians; cf. 1:10). This
text would seem to support the view that believers will be excluded from the tribulation
(i.e., the “day of the Lord” or “the wrath to come”). This position is known as
pretribulationalism and sees the church being “raptured” or taken out of the world prior to
the time of God’s wrath (see chart, “The Rapture and Return of Jesus Christ Compared”).
Thus the rapture of the church and the return of Christ to the earth are separated as to
their chronology and content. Though they are related aspects of the eschaton, they must
be viewed as distinct and separate events.
Believer’s Study Bible

Shall God punish the just with the unjust? Abraham asked a similar question of God in
Genesis.
Gen 18:25 ESV
(25) Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked,
so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of
all the earth do what is just?"

The answer of course is that God is just and wouldn’t do such an unfair thing. Neither
will Christians go through the Tribulation. Amen!