question about Peace and safety

[myinnuendo999]

My question is about 1 Thessalonians 5:3 "While people are saying "peace and safety" destruction will come on them suddenly."

this seems ambiguous to me in that some read it to mean In the process of making peace like right now with the peace process and then others read it to mean when Israel is living in peace.

Can we know which setting this "peace and safety" takes place in?

If so how do we determine the proper interpretation?

[Faith]

[I]I think we need to go back to pick up verse 1 and 2.

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren you have no need that I (Paul) should write to you.

5:2 The 'day of the Lord' is a future period of time in which God will be at work in world affairs more directly and dramatically than He has been since the earthly ministry of the Lord.

It is a time referred to by many OT prophets.

It will include judgment and blessing.

That day begins immediately after the Rapture of the Church and ends with the Mill.

This period of time will come as a thief.

5:3 This day will begin when world conditions appear calm rather than calamitous.

This peace will come with the signing of the 7 year covenant predicted in Daniel 9.

Notice sudden destruction comes upon them.[/

Paul did not include himself or his readers with the 'them group' who would see the day of the Lord.

He did include himself in the describing of the Rapture...

So 'them' refers to those left behind at the Rapture, that is, non-Christians.

They will be ignorantly expecting peace and safety but instead destruction will come on them.

The breaking up of their peace and security through the outpouring of God's wrath on earth in the Great Tribulation.

Destruction will come suddenly.

5:4 So Paul's readers were not in the dark with regard to these things; they had been taught about them before as in Thess.

Paul meant these readers would not be surprised by this day,and they were not in the same group for they are not in the darkness,but in the light.

Christians should not be surprised by the dawning of this day of the Lord; they have been told it is coming.

It will not take believers by surprise because they will by then be with the Lord.

Hope this helps...

Thank you, Jesus, for the Rapture of the Church....

We're sooo undeserving,but because of Your grace, You will spare us the great Tribulation on earth....I]

[mattfivefour]

Yes, clearly it is not those who are Christ's to whom Paul is referring.

As to the "peace and safety" the verb "say" that introduces these predicates is in the subjunctive mood. thus it is speaking of a conditional situation, a possibility. And it is in the present tense, active voice. So the proper translation should not be a future ("when they shall say") but rather a conditional ("when it may be that they are saying" or "when they might say"). So a proper exegesis of this verse must include the idea that at some point to come, when men are saying they have peace and safety in their lives or their world, sudden destruction shall come upon them. Note the "shall come" in the second part of that verse is not a subjunctive but an indicative. Therefore there is NO doubt that it will come.

The thing I find most intriguing about this verse is that latter phrase: "as travail upon a woman with child." Just as a woman goes into labor suddenly so will the destruction come. BUT-- no woman goes into labor without warning. I mean, she knows she is pregnant and has a pretty good idea when the baby will be born. She may not know the hour or the day ... but she has a pretty good idea of the time. In this realization I get the thought that those who are overtaken by this sudden destruction will not be without warning in their hearts. Even now those in this world have their confidence in worldly security shaken. (Many are casting about for something to hang on to. Which is why this is an awesome time to be carrying the gospel with us among whomever we associate with.) But then, at this yet-to-come future time when they are saying they now have peace and safety, they will nonetheless still "know" inside that there is something wrong, that they do not have the security they are claiming. At least that is the thought that comes to me as I read this. For the life of me, though, I cannot think of a practical application of this ... other than they thus will have no excuse when the day falls. (But, then, they will have no excuse anyway. No man will have a single excuse at the Judgment.)

[Faith]

Could it be the 'hardness of their heart' for the unbelievers???

Yes, with creation, no man is without excuse...

Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:19,20

Hardness of the heart reminds me of Mark 8 when Jesus said to His disciples...

But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them (disciples), 'why do you reason because you have no bread?' Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?

Having eyes, do you not see?

And having ears, do you not hear?

And do you not remember?

The scriptures reminds me of the unsaved world today before the Great Tribulation...

They have eyes,but choose not to see...

They have ears, but choose not to hear.

And do you not remember?

Lord, thank you, for the grace You gave by saving our souls...

Thank you, for opening up our eyes and ears,and we do remember what You have done on the cross for our sins...

[mattfivefour]

[myinnuendo999]

Amen you guys have made some great points for me to ponder.. thank you so much for sharing your insights that help me