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1 Thessalonians 5:1
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1 But [de] of [peri] the times [chronos] and [kai] the seasons, [kairos] brethren, [adelphos] ye have [echo] no [ou] need [chreia] that I write [grapho] unto you. [humin] KJV-Interlinear
1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. NASB
Our words for time and seasons, here refer to general spaces of time, ‘chronos,’, and short ‘kairos,’ periods of time. These are references to trends, historical trends that will occur off and on throughout a period of time. That period of time is our current dispensation.
The typical references to dispensations are found in Eph. 2:7, 3:2, and the mystery doctrine of the Church Age.
However. both of these references can refer to dispensations, but, Pauls context here is not the vast eras of time, of which he states here that folks are well versed in, but to our inability to know the date of Christ’s return.
The context is the Rapture, and when it might occur. And though there are many predictions and trends described in Daniel 9, Daniel 12, Matthew 24 and so forth, most of these describe the state of the world during the Tribulation.
Now, since the Tribulation will last only seven years, then the end of the Church Age will likewise possess many of these same attributes. For example, increased travel, increased knowledge, wars and rumors of wars, increased earthquakes, increased populations, and so forth. These increases represent dramatic increases, not simply an increase over the year prior, but dramatic trend increases.
For example, the population of the world back in Jesus’ day was estimated at about 300 million people. A thousand years later in 1000 A.D. it was estimated at only 400 million people. But by 1802 A.D. it increased to one billion. A 100 million increase in the first millennium changed to a 600 million increase in eight hundred years.
Then, after only 125 years later, the population reached 2 billion in 1927, or a 1 billion increase in just a little over a single century. Then in only 47 years, the population doubled to 4 billion. A greater increase in less than half the time. Then in less than 25 years to 1999, the population topped 6 billion people.
This is the type of increase pattern that is predicted. By the time of the Tribulation, the population increases will be off the charts, or so it is implied. That means that in our own Church Age dispensation, this pattern will also be active.
Travel increase is an obvious one. Horse and wagons have been replaced by automobiles and airplanes.
Knowledge too, should be obvious, from buggy whips to wireless notebook computers, mapping of DNA, GPS, and such.
However these things are trends, not actual individual events that occur on some specific date.
We can know that the Rapture is nearing, but we will never know when it will occur.
Jesus stated that He will return like a thief in the night. When does a thief come? At a time when you do not expect it, at a time when you are off your guard, at a time when you are taken totally by surprised. And when could that time be? When people lack doctrine, then they will simply not recognize the signs of the times. And thus, the Rapture will take everyone by surprise.
But the people of Thessalonica know this. They knew their doctrine as it was made available to them back in their day, and they would not be taken by surprise.
You know your doctrine and therefore, you can see the trends of history unfolding before us. You would not be taken by surprise. You can recognize not only the increased activity of things, but the transformation of political and social views, and the many other things that are changing dramatically.
But there are many who do not know these things.
They will get the shock of their life, either when they die and suddenly the truth is opened up to them, or when the Rapture actually does occur.
