1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 - "Peace and Security" before Second Coming?

[Vouthon]

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3:

"…Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters,[a] you do not need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape!.."

Does this verse indicate that one of the signs prior to the Eschaton is when people say “There is peace and security”, before “sudden destruction” comes - that is, the rebellion of Antichrist, who is described in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 as “the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction”?

I ask that question because this is one of the verses relied upon by St. Bonaventure to justify his belief in a future “great peace” prior to the Second Coming in his Collations on the Hexaemeron (1273)

"…The seventh time or age, that of quiet, begins with the shout of the angel who “swore through Him who lives forever and ever that there would be no more time; but in the days of the seventh angel the mystery of God will be completed” (Rev. 10:&-7)…It is necessary that One Ruler, a defender of the Church, arise. After him will come the darkness of tribulations…No one knows how long that time of great peace will last since ''when they said ‘Peace and security,’ then suddenly destruction came upon them" (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3)…"

In her Liber Divinorum Operum (Book of Divine Works), St. Hildegard of Bingen also prophesies the coming of a Pax Christiana which will gradually decay into a “lazy peace” characterised by lethargic religiosity, itself brought about by the absence of conflict and the abundance of temporal needs. And then, as men become self-assured in the permanence of this “peace and security,” it will suddenly be brought crashing down by “precursors of Antichrist”. See Vision 10 (or 5 as it is my edition) Chapter 21 and her Letters on this issue:

**And just as clouds let down a mild rain suitable for the germination of seeds, the Holy Spirit will pour forth the dew of grace, along with wisdom, prophecy and holiness, upon people so that, just as if turned around, they will lead different and good lives…Indeed this holy zeal will not soon dry up, but will last a long time, because all this will happen on account of the erring time, when there will have been many martyrs to the faith…

The distinctive characteristic of the times that follow will be manly fortitude, so that even all the bishops will run to the first dawn of justice with fear and shame and wisdom, and the princes of the world will be in complete accord with one another, for, like a “man of war” (Is. 42:13), they will raise up the banner of concord against the erring times of terrible heresies. God will utterly destroy all these heresies, in His own good time and pleasure…

But because people attribute this quiet peacetime and fruitful abundance to themselves and not to God and meet once more with lethargy when it comes to religion, so many tribulations will again follow as have never before seethed within the world…** [It becomes] a time of decadence, of bold pleasures and vanities that always spring up when we humans doze away in a kind of lazy peace and are smothered by too many possessions. This is because we are no longer disturbed by conflicts or restrained by a lack of food. In view of our enjoyment of such luxuries, we do not wish to show God the honour we owe to the Deity for all these things.

Therefore, such dangers as we have never known will follow this time of rest and comfort…Indeed torment upon torment and injustice upon injustice will accumulate. At any moment murder and death will be planned for no reason at all…All this is an indication of the coming of the Antichrist.

 

[po18guy]

From the commentary associated with the 1941 Confraternity New Testament:

“5, 1-3: Time Unknown. The day of the Lord will come unexpectedly as a thief in the night. 1. Paul in 2 gives the reason why it is unnecessary for him to write to them about the time of Christ’s Second Coming. When among them he had already informed them that it will occur suddenly and unexpectedly at a date which is uncertain. The time is uncertain, because no man knows it. Cf. Matt. 24, 36; Mark 13, 32.”

And additional commentary from the Rev. George Leo Haydock commentary/collection:

"Ver. 1. Of the times and moments. That is, of the day of judgment, of the end of the world, of the destruction of Jerusalem. It is enough to know the time is uncertain, and that death cometh as a thief in the night. (Witham) — When the judgment shall take place the Angels themselves do not know. Perhaps St. Paul, when wrapt up to the third heaven, may have learnt something on this subject; for he was told many things which he could not announce to man; therefore, he says, I need not write to you: it is unnecessary for us to know it. (Calmet)

Ver. 4. Overtake you. It is a subject of astonishment, that some people are so childishly afraid of the last day, that they cannot think of it without consternation, lest it should happen in their time. Weak souls! Do they not recollect that death will certainly overtake them, and that will be to them individually the end of the world, and the last day. The whole world then does perish as far as regards them. (Haydock)

Ver. 5. You are the children of light. That is, there is little danger of thieves in the day time, when it is light. Also watch and have arms to defend you, the coat of mail of faith; the helmet of hope: you are under the protection of Christ, who died for you, and for your salvation. See St. Chrysostom, p. 293, &c. (Witham)"

 

[mikekle]

**a time of decadence, of bold pleasures and vanities that always spring up when we humans doze away in a kind of lazy peace and are smothered by too many possessions. This is because we are no longer disturbed by conflicts or restrained by a lack of food. In view of our enjoyment of such luxuries, we do not wish to show God the honour we owe to the Deity for all these things.
**

Well, we are definitely living in decadent times with bold pleasures and vanities, but its no time of peace and security either, so that is confusing.

 

[po18guy]

**a time of decadence, of bold pleasures and vanities that always spring up when we humans doze away in a kind of lazy peace and are smothered by too many possessions. This is because we are no longer disturbed by conflicts or restrained by a lack of food. In view of our enjoyment of such luxuries, we do not wish to show God the honour we owe to the Deity for all these things.
**

Well, we are definitely living in decadent times with bold pleasures and vanities, but its no time of peace and security either, so that is confusing.

Indeed. Without our instant communication, we would be lulled into a sense of peace and security. Lest we slack off if date and time were given, the Lord was clearly unclear! He admonished us to simply “watch.” That encourages active faith.

 

[ellam25]

Indeed. Without our instant communication, we would be lulled into a sense of peace and security. Lest we slack off if date and time were given, the Lord was clearly unclear! He admonished us to simply “watch.” That encourages active faith.

That’s why I don’t listen to people who claim there are more earthquakes, wars etc whatever because it’s always been like that. Our pastor said the point of jesus naming these things is because yes these are ALL signs and the end has always been coming. So always be prepared. That’s why I try not to play into the doomsday hype a lot of catholics do because all it does is cause me stress which the Lord told us specifically NOT to do…“do not worry”.

 

[mikekle]

Indeed. Without our instant communication, we would be lulled into a sense of peace and security. Lest we slack off if date and time were given, the Lord was clearly unclear! He admonished us to simply “watch.” That encourages active faith.

Yes, but why give all kinds of specific signs and things to watch for, but then say it will happen at a time no one expects? Does this imply we (and the church itself), will not recognize the signs and warnings for what they truly are or…?

 

[mikekle]

That’s why I don’t listen to people who claim there are more earthquakes, wars etc whatever because it’s always been like that. Our pastor said the point of jesus naming these things is because yes these are ALL signs and the end has always been coming. So always be prepared. That’s why I try not to play into the doomsday hype a lot of catholics do because all it does is cause me stress which the Lord told us specifically NOT to do…“do not worry”.

Theres a verse referring to people like this exactly…“Scoffers will come in those days, saying things are as they always have been since the days of my father, where is the sign of his coming”.

Apparently, being able to accurately discern the times is important as well.

 

[ellam25]

Theres a verse referring to people like this exactly…“Scoffers will come in those days, saying things are as they always have been, where is the sign of his coming”.

Apparently, being able to accurately discern the times is important as well.

I am not a scoffer. Neither is my priest. He is saying that the signs have always been there so there is always a chance of it happening. Yes jesus wants us to be watchful but he doesn’t want us to be obsessed either.
I also don’t follow blindly when people say “this is the end this year! Here’s why!” When literally every year they say the same things. Why should I believe everybody who claims they see a sign? Or worry? If that were the case, I wold have died from anxiety by now.

 

[mikekle]

I am not a scoffer. Neither is my priest. He is saying that the signs have always been there so there is always a chance of it happening. Yes jesus wants us to be watchful but he doesn’t want us to be obsessed either.
I also don’t follow blindly when people say “this is the end this year! Here’s why!” When literally every year they say the same things. Why should I believe everybody who claims they see a sign? Or worry? If that were the case, I wold have died from anxiety by now.

Well, there is a reason why they are doing this, its like the boy that cried wolf, so when the day does come, no one will believe it (or think its something else).

Your priest is right, certain signs have always been happening thru history, but our modern times, so many if not all the things Jesus warned of, are happening at the same time, and to a degree never before seen.

If we are not in the end times, I hate to imagine what the real end times will be like!!