ESOCS Devotional 4 November 2025 – The Day of the Lord
MEMORY VERSE: ““For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2
TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 5:1-11
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.
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Peter uses the expression the Day of the Lord to refer to the entire time from the Rapture to the end of the Millennium (2 Pet. 3:10). The Day of the Lord can focus on the end of the Tribulation when there will be cosmic signs of the Lord’s Second Coming (Acts 2:20). So, what does it mean in 1 Thessalonians 5:2? There are three options. It refers to: the Rapture, the Tribulation, or the Rapture and the Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 is derived from Matthew 24:40-44 – Please read.
The Day of the Lord will come suddenly and unexpectedly. What is the point? The point is that just as the translation of the church is the end of the day of grace, it also marks the beginning of the Day of the Lord. In other words, the one event seems to do two things: it serves as the closing of one day and the beginning of another. In 1 Thessalonians 5, it is revealed that the Day of the Lord comes suddenly and unexpectedly. It is described thus: “the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” A thief in the night comes unheralded. There are no signs that pertain to a thief. In other words, he does see the day of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 as referring to the Rapture. He also sees it as referring to the start of the Tribulation.
Why is this important? The reason is simple. In 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 10, Paul urges the believers in Thessalonica to be watchful, not morally asleep. If a believer begins to think that the Lord is not coming back to rapture him at any moment, he is likely to experience moral failure (Matt. 24:45-51). We ought to be ever vigilant that the Rapture could occur at any moment. That vigilance is a strong aid in living wholeheartedly for our Lord and Saviour and soon returning Judge. Jesus tells His followers to be alert because the moment of His return will catch those who aren’t paying attention by surprise (Matt. 25:1-13). He wants His people to remain vigilant so we are ready for the day that we meet Jesus face to face. Life is full of distractions. The message Jesus leaves us is that we have to be careful not to let the cares of this world keep us from being people who “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33).
Paul, urges Christians to persevere in their faith. His message, which cautioned believers to “not sleep, but keep watch” (1 Thess. 5:6) was relevant to those who he was personally writing to, and is still relevant to our lives today. It is so very easy to lose focus in our Christian Walk. We need reminders that God is real, at work, and desires us to passionately follow after Him.
CHALLENGES
- How ready are you for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?
PRAYER POINT
- Father, help my decision making to reflect the rapture per time. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Job 7:1-21; 1 Thessalonians. 5:12-End
ESOCS Devotional 4 November 2025
