Discern the End of Time

Discern the End of Time
1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 5:11
February 15, 2026 

Paul has been exhorting the church of Thessalonica after he got a great report about them. They were holding on to their faith, living set apart for God, and Paul exhorted them to do so even more.

He said this in context with questions they had. But before he answered their questions, he first made sure they were grounded in faith, laboring in love, and holding on to their eternal hope, focusing them on eternity.

This is important for us as well. When looking at the end-time events, it can make people anxious. But this section was not written to stir fear, but to anchor us in our blessed hope, excitedly watching for Jesus’ return because we are secure in Christ.

Only after anchoring them in their faith did he answer their questions. They wanted to understand more about the return of Christ. And what about those who had already died? Had they missed the glorious future kingdom of God? So, Paul was explaining  future events to them.

We know that Jesus also discussed the signs of the times before His return. The bible paints this as times of crisis, and trouble, turbulent times; much like what we are seeing today.

Times of crisis require discernment. Those who are spiritually wise will have spiritual discernment. You must see through the fog of emotion and navigate through the storm without getting lost or going off course.

The enemy also knows that times of crisis and turbulence are opportunities to disrupt, disturb, and to distract from the truth.

For example, in Matthew 24 where Jesus gives the “signs of the times” of the latter days, He said, “See to it that no one misleads you.” What does that mean? It means, make sure you are not led astray. Make sure you do not get off course. Keep the main thing the main thing.

“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.” In other words, they use His name, they claim His authority. That can be very confusing, and those who don’t know the word and the truth can easily be led astray.

It would be much easier if things could be simple. Can right just not be right and wrong be wrong? Now right is wrong and wrong is right and we have all the different shades of confusion in-between.

Good guys should wear white hats; bad guys should wear black hats. But life is not that simple. Life requires discernment.

We know in the latter days the Antichrist will arrive on the scene as a hero, a powerful leader in whom many will trust. The word ‘anti’ can mean against, but also can mean ‘instead of.’ In other words, he comes as an agent of light.

The Antichrist to come ‘instead of’ Christ also uses ‘anti’ truth. Instead of straight out lies, he gives that which appears to be believable – ‘instead of’ truths.

We see this in our lives more than ever before. Truth is very illusive. Just think AI.

Paul writes this letter because He wanted them to know the truth and have spiritual discernment. To have discernment spiritually, you need the whole of the truth so you can cast off that which is false. In other words, lies like to ride on the backs of truths; they’re much more dangerous that way.

I. Be Spiritually Discerning

• Paul is writing to give them insight into the condition of things in the world so they can be watchful, be ready, and discern for themselves.
• In Matthew 24 the disciples came to Jesus privately, asking, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
• Jesus answered by giving the signs of the times, the condition of things in the world that indicate the end of the age is near.

Matthew 24:32, “Now learn the parable from the fig tree; when its branch has become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”

• In other words, God expects believers to look for and discern those signs. God tells us in advance so we might observe and interpret them and be ready. God expects signs to be observed.
• Why are the biblical prophecies concerning the end times more relevant in our time than the last two thousand years? We will see that it is integrally tied to the formation of Israel. Even these words of Jesus concerning the fig tree is a prophetic picture of the birth of the nation of Israel.
• We need to be discerning; we need to interpret world events in light of biblical prophecy, so our faith is strengthened.
• Signs can be scarry, and many are caught in fear, but Jesus warned us against succumbing to fear.

Matthew 24:6, “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see to it that you are not frightened, for these things must take place, but that is not yet the end.”

• In other words, don’t overreact. See to it that you are not frightened, for that is not yet the end.
• God is not telling us these things to frighten us or to cause us to worry or fret or be stressed.
• He gives the signs of the times for the purpose of discernment and so we will not fear, knowing that He has the future and us in His hands. Be sure not to overreact. Fear will do that. Make sure you don’t over sensationalize. Be steady and be sure you are not easily shaken.

A. The Lord will come like a thief in the night

• Verse 5:2 – “You know full well that the Lord will come like a thief in the night,” Paul wrote.
• In other words, the Lord will come when He is not expected; at least not when the world expects.
• Verse 3 – While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” Then destruction will come upon them suddenly.
• While the signs of the times are being revealed, most people will not take notice, nor will they care, they will be busy with all the affairs of the world.

Luke 17:26-30, “Just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.”

B. You are not of the darkness

• Verse 5:4 – In other words, that day should not overtake you like a thief; for you are sons of light and sons of day.
• How does a thief come in the night? Does he call and give notice in advance in case you would like not to be there? No, he comes unexpectedly.
• Why then does Paul say that that day should not overtake you like a thief? Are we given advanced notice of the day or the hour of His return? No.

Matthew 24:35-36, 42, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone… Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

• What Paul is saying and what Jesus is saying is that though we do not know the day or the hour, Jesus is telling you in advance the things that will indicate that the end of the age is near.

C. Be watchful of these things

• Israel, and Jerusalem in particular, will be the epicenter of the events of biblical prophecy. The enemy knows full well the importance of Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 6:6, I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.

• On May 14, 1948, Israel again was established as a nation; then the Six Day War of 1967 brought Jerusalem once again into the hands of the Jews.
• This is significant, because we must remember that since the first century after Christ, there never was an Israeli state, and as such no chance for the temple to be rebuilt.
• The Antichrist will arise in the last days and will mislead many. The reason why they are saying, “Peace and safety!” in verse 3 is because the Antichrist will do what no man has been able to do in our modern times – bring peace to the Middle East.
• We will look in greater detail at the Antichrist in 2 Thessalonians, but he will arise out of a 10-nation alliance nations from the nations of the former Roman empire and will deceive many.
• Interestingly, there are many in Islam today who believe that an anointed ruler will come, whom they call the 12^th Imam, who will rule the world from Jerusalem for seven years.
• He will bring peace to the Middle East by forging a covenant of peace between Israel and the nations.
• Scripture suggests that part of that covenant of peace could include permission to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. In fact, in Israel today, there is a growing “Temple Movement” with thousands of Jews making preparations for the day when that is possible.

II. God’s Wrath Will Also Come

• 3 ½ years after the Antichrist forges a covenant of peace with Israel, he betrays that covenant, taking over the Temple for himself to be honored and worshipped there.
• As you can imagine, Israel will explode in outrage and literally all hell breaks loose as the Antichrist turns on Israel and all the nations with him prepare for war against Israel.
• Today we are seeing an increasing alignment of Russia and China as they pull further away from the United States and of course from Israel. In fact, there is a worldwide trend of pulling away from Israel.
• A massive army will come against Israel from the north and the famous battle of Armageddon will take place in the Valley of Megiddo, just northwest of Jerusalem.
• God Himself will intervene on behalf of Israel when Jesus returns at the end of the 7 years to rule and reign from Jerusalem. He will come with a great army, of which we, the church will be part. How are we with Him when He comes back? More on this in a moment.
• All this takes place during a seven-year period of great tribulation when God’s wrath is poured out on the earth.

A. You are not destined for wrath

• Verse 5:9 – for God has not destined us for wrath… While the world is saying, “Peace and safety!” the day of the Lord will come; destruction will come upon them suddenly and they shall not escape.
• But this is God’s wrath poured out on the world, on the “sons of disobedience” as Paul writes in another place. Worldwide natural cataclysmic events will be happening even as the nations come against Israel.

Revelation 6:16-17, And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Matthew 24:22, “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.”

• But in this scripture is a key truth. Paul writes that we are not destined for wrath. Why not? The church, also called the bride of Christ, is kept from the wrath of God because the wrath which we deserved fell upon Christ Himself on the cross.

Romans 5:9, Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

• How will God keep us from the wrath of God that is poured out during the Great Tribulation?

B. The church will be raptured

• Verse 4:17 – We who are alive and remain shall be ‘caught up’ together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…
• This verse speaks of the rapture. Many say that the word rapture is not found in the Bible.
• Just for clarification, the words ‘caught up’ is the word ‘Harpazo’, which means to snatch away by force, like grabbing someone to safety from in front of a speeding car. This word is translated as ‘rapturo’ in the Latin translation and we’ve continued to use the word raptured in the English form.
• It’s important to distinguish this event, the rapture of the church, which is marked by believers that are alive on the earth being taken up to meet the Lord in the clouds, from the return of Christ at the end of the Great Tribulation where He comes into Jerusalem to rule and reign upon the earth at which time we come back with Him.
• There are several biblical events that are spiritual pictures or types of this very thing.
• Jesus Himself said that the coming of the Son of Man will be as the days of Noah. But before the flood, God saved Noah and his family in the ark.
• God had determined that His wrath would fall upon the unrighteous of Sodom and Gomorrah, but first God saved Lot and his family, even sending angels to remove them.
• In the book of Revelation, we clearly see the saints is with God in heaven while the wrath of God is being poured out in the time of tribulation.

C. Do not be afraid

• What should our response to these things be? It’s in verse 6 – so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
• Don’t live like the sons of darkness, we are of the day, so let us be spiritually sober; be spiritually alert.
• Be a student of the word and discern the signs of the times through the lens of God’s word. But as Jesus said, “See to it that you are not frightened.”
• When I was young, this teaching brought me a lot of fear. What if I am not ready? What if I am left behind?
• This drove me to look at my own works, but from the wrong context. I was trying to do the right works driven by fear so I would not be left behind.
• This is why we have to be grounded in the gospel that Paul taught.

Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

• Verse 8 – Put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
• Stand in the confidence of your righteousness in Christ given to us because of His love for us. Guard your mind with the hope of salvation.
• We are saved by grace. We are saved by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, not by our own works. We are saved because He loved us first and invites us to trust Him as our Lord and Savior.
• Then we walk in the light, doing the good works Christ prepared for us.
• Walk in the light, watching, waiting, discerning the times. Maranatha, Jesus is coming back.