Dr. Couch, you have an interesting interpretation on 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11. Would you share that?
Paul reminds believers that they will not go
under the day of darkness, the day of the Lord, the "thief in the night"
tribulation, the sudden birth pangs of that tribulation. From Jeremiah
30 we know that this birth pangs, the day of the Lord, is the entire
tribulation, not just a part of it. The church saints will be raptured
and removed from the wrath (v. 9) that is coming.
He writes in verses 4-5 that we are not in
darkness, "that the day should overtake you like a thief." Believers
will not be caught in the tribulation because of 4:17. There the apostle
writes that we will be taken in clouds, into the meeting in the air.
"The meeting" is "apantesis" and implies "a nonhostile meeting, a
civic, public welcome to rulers upon their arrival in a city." (See my
technical Greek commentary on 1 & 2 Thessalonians: The Hope of Christ’s Return, AMG Publishers.)
We are sons of lights, sons of the day. "We are
not of night nor of darkness." After writing this, Paul then makes an
application as to what we should be doing right now. He says "So then …"
(v. 6a). In Greek it is ara oun and on this I write in my
commentary: "This is a conclusion, ‘introducing emphatically the
necessary conclusion from the preceding statement.’"
"We are not to sleep as others do, but let us be
alert and sober" (v. 6b). What does Paul mean by asleep? He is not
talking about (1) physical sleep, or about (2) Christians who may be
sinning. The apostle is saying (3) that because of the situation of the
world, and the fact the times are critical, believers are to be awake as
to what is happening in their culture, in their environment. Believers
are not to piddle their time away as if completely out of it regarding
the seriousness of their world (v. 7). They are to be defensive, having
put on the "helmet of hope of salvation (deliverance)." This is
prophetic. Most of the time when "hope" (elpis) is used it is
eschatological. We are to be anticipating that Christ is coming to
resurrect those who "have fallen asleep in Jesus" (4:14-15) and to take
away suddenly those who are presently alive. "For God has not destined
us for wrath (the seven year tribulation) but for obtaining salvation
(deliverance) through (by means of) our Lord Jesus Christ" (5:9). We are
already saved spiritually but this salvation (soterias) has to do with being rescued from the coming wrath. Notice that Paul writes "God has not destined (tithemi,
Himself placed us) into the wrath that is coming …" So we are to live
our lives a certain way. "Whether we are awake (as to what is happening)
or asleep (brain dead), we may live together with Him" (v. 10).
"Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you
have been doing" (v. 11).
I am 100% correct on this interpretation. The Expositor’s Bible agrees
and says: "While it is impossible for the day of the Lord to catch
Christians unprepared, it is possible for them to adopt the same life
style as those who will be caught unawares. Paul urges his readers not
to let this happen."
Don’t be a Christian who is asleep and unaware as to what your Christian life is all about!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
