1 Thessalonians 5:4-7

[Hidden In Him]

The "Sons Of The Day" Walk In True Prophetic Light

This study is currently in rewrite
     Having taught that the Day of God's wrath would come as a thief in the night for the wicked, Paul now begins encouraging the Thessalonians that they would be prepared for this Day because were not waking in darkness as the world was, but rather walking in light as "sons of light, and sons of the day":

     But you, brothers, are not in darkness that the Day should overtake you as a thief, for you are all sons of light, and sons of the Day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. So then, we should not sleep as the rest, but watch and remain sober, for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who drink get drunk at night. But we who are of the Day should remain sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:4-7a)

     As we shall see, by "sons of light and sons of the day," Paul was telling them that they were walking in prophetic light from God, and well knew what events would need to take place before the Antichrist would appear, and then Christ would return to overthrow him. Indeed, the entire church at this time was walking in tremendous prophetic light. As Peter would tell the church, everything God had told the prophets of old was now being revealed by leaders in the church, even things the angels didn't know:

      ...for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls, regarding which salvation the prophets, having prophesied of the grace predestined for you, undertook research and investigation, searching into the time and circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was disclosing when He testified beforehand of the sufferings [to take place] until the coming of Christ, and the glories [to follow] afterwards, to whom it was revealed that not to themselves but to you they were ministering these prophesies, which have now been conveyed unto you by those having preached the gospel to you through the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven, [prophecies] which angels desire to look into. (1 Peter 1:9-13)

     But it is important to remember the entire church was walking as sons of light and sons of God at this time, not just the apostles. Indeed the apostles and leaders of the church were relaying teachings and progressing revelations to the churches through letters so that the entire body could grow with the growth of God (Colossians 2:18-19). But such revelation and teaching was being augmented by revelations that were coming to each congregation directly through the operation of the gifts of the Spirit among them. As Paul told the Corinthians:

     What is it, then, brothers? Whenever you may come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone with a tongue speaks, [let it be] by two or the most three, and in succession, and let one interpret. And if there is no interpreter, let him be silent in the church, but let him speak to himself and God. And let prophets speak two or three, and let the others discern. And if anything should be revealed to another sitting by, let the first one be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and be exhorted. (1 Corinthians 14:26-31)

     The problem for the world, however, was that they were not drawing on such sources of light, so they were blind to what was coming. Unfortunately many Christians today are no longer drawing on such sources of light either. They are in many respects much like the world was whom Paul was talking about; they are busy in the dark, giving themselves to the worldly entertainments, or slumbering away instead of walking as "sons of the day."


Many Christians Today Are Spiritually Asleep

     What was Paul warning about in saying, "We should not sleep as the rest, but watch and remain sober, for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who drink get drunk at night. But we who are of the Day should remain sober"? In essence, his point here was that the worldly will be blissfully unaware of prophetic revelations and utterances because they will be too busy "sleeping and drinking" the night away, oblivious to what the Spirit of God is saying to the churches.
     But the same is true today concerning many believers. They presume themselves to be spiritually awake when in fact they are not. Like the foolish virgins, much of modern church leadership has largely departed from operating in the spiritual gifts, having (in practice) distanced themselves from God. As a result, most now reject prophetic visions out of hand and have no idea what the Spirit is now communicating, and what His primary focuses are. One of the first things He would warn them of is that they endorse a lukewarm Christianity which encourages walking in spiritual blindness, and keeps people ever in the dark.
     As was revealed in a vision to Harold Pittman in 1980, Satan has introduced a counterfeit form of "Christianity" designed to keep the church in a state of spiritual slumber, and render them oblivious. On the cover of Pittman's book Placebo, he depicted the church as asleep on a sick bed with Satan slipping her a false medication to convince her all was well. Although this prescription was a lie, many still believe in it today:

     Webster's Dictionary defines "placebo" as "a medication prescribed more for the mental relief of the patient than for the actual effect on his disorder"… [and] this is the exact treatment that most mouth-professing Christians are using today. The doctor administering this medication is Satan himself. He gives the patient a sugar-coated religion, a shallow experience, and whispers half-truths into his ears. He then tells the patient that it is real, and that it is all the patient needs. The patient, having been taken in by Satan, believes this and goes on his merry way, declaring to all that he is born again, his salvation is real, and this experience is all that he needs... Satan has taken control of our visible church today and, with the help of his demons, he now has the greatest part of all Christian denominations on the placebo treatment. (Placebo, Intro, P.ii-iii)

     That the church is spiritually asleep is also being confirmed by additional visions and dreams such as Mary Baxter's A Divine Revelation Of Hell. In this vision, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself gave the following admonitions to those who have ears to hear:

     The holy people of God have been led away by flatterers. Do not be deceived; God is not mocked. Understanding will come to you if you will open your ears and listen to Me. This is the Lord's message to the churches: Beware of false prophets who stand in My holy place and deceive with flatteries. O earth, My holy people have fallen asleep to the sound of false doctrine. Awake, Awake! I tell you that all unrighteousness is sin. Cleanse yourself from all sins of the flesh and the spirit. (A Divine Revelation Of Hell, P.138)


Others Are Drunk On Worldly Entertainment

     While many are neglecting to receive true revelation from God because they have fallen asleep to the sound of false doctrine, others are failing to do so simply because they are caught up in and distracted by worldly entertainments. The model for successful "church-building" became using various forms of amusement to "draw in the lost." But they are drunk on it now. Turning again to Paul's warning to the Thessalonians:

     We are not of the night nor of darkness. So then, we should not sleep as the rest, but watch and remain sober, for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who drink get drunk at night. But we who are of the Day should remain sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:5-7a)

     Drinking was one of the primary means of entertainment back in New Testament times. It served as a distraction from the anxieties of everyday life. In a similar fashion, a large percentage of church activity today is highlighted by retreats, conferences, special events, cookouts, dramas, concerts, etc. These things are not inherently sinful in and of themselves, but taken together the steady diet of this has turned modern Christianity into a constant indulgence in entertainment at the expense of actually growing in true revelation from God. They are just as much a distraction from true spiritual growth as any sin is, and in some ways more dangerous, because they have the sanction of the church when they are in fact little more than a "Christian" diversion. Jesus warned that "the desires for other things" could choke the word, and that is indeed what we see happening today:

     Others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word, but the anxieties of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19)

     While prosperity is a blessing, it also brings opportunity to indulge in worldly pleasures and entertainments, and because the church has become drunk on such things, the Spirit of God has paralleled us to the church of Laodicea. Materially we are prosperous and can afford whatever worldly entertainments we desire. But it has also made us spiritually "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:17). Not only do few seek revelation from God through the spiritual gifts anymore, but few seem to even teach the scriptures anymore either. To cite a few authors on the problem:

     [Preachers] have abandoned in droves the systematic, expository preaching of the Word. I rarely visit a church or attend a Bible conference anywhere in which the Scriptures are truly expounded. Story-sermons, pop-psychology lectures, 'Dear Abby' style counsel, drama, musical productions, and interpretive dance are replacing true preaching. (This Little Church Went To Market, Gilley, P.90) 

     In many churches, you do not need a Bible because there is little or no reference to it in the sermon… Preaching that expounds the scriptures and imparts detailed knowledge of the Bible has for the most part gone the way of the Royal typewriter. Style is more important than substance in our postmodern world, which is why many pastors today look more like stand-up comics than expositors of the word of Life. (Back To The Bible, Kroll, P.135)   
   
     Such "sermons" have no power to save men's souls. The situation is even more desperate among most youth ministries today. Instead of being awakened to the dangers of sin, distancing oneself from God, and the coming judgment, many are simply being inundated with various forms of entertainment:

      The traditional approach of many full-time youth ministers is entertainment, entertainment, entertainment. Many people involved in youth ministry believe that the rise of electronic media - television, movies, video games, computer games and online services - have made "stimulation addicts" of many teens… consequently, youth group meetings are often filled with high-energy games, interactive participation, trips, retreats, and all the entertainment imaginable, plus a few minutes of devotions. To our kids, the churchy part of church may be boring, but the frenzy of activity that youth pastors generate to keep them involved with church keeps them going, and going, and going. But the question is, "going where?" (The Last Christian Generation, McDowell, P.59) 


"Sons Of Light, And Sons Of The Day"

     The prefix "sons of" was especially used in Jewish texts to reflect their patriarchal society, where the first born son inherited all things from the father. In this case, the expression "sons of light" referring to the inheritors of prophetic light, i.e. revelation given from God concerning end-time events. The Holy Spirit was being given to lead believers into all truth and shine light upon not only Old Testament promises about Christ but also end-time events. Thus, by the expression "sons of light," Paul was reminding the believers at Thessalonica that as children of God they were now also heirs to all the prophetic light handed down by the Jewish prophets.
     The apostle Peter made a similar statement to the Jews in telling them they were "sons of the prophets," and as such should be recognizing Jesus as their Messiah:

     "For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people… ' Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. And you are sons of the prophets... When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways." (Acts 3:22-26)
 
     Likewise, the expression "sons of the Day" carried a similar meaning. The "Day" was the coming Day of the Lord when the Lord Jesus Christ would establish His kingdom on earth, and reign from Jerusalem together with the apostles, would also sit with Him on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:28-30). Thus, "sons of light" meant being heirs to all the prophetic light handed down by the Old Testament prophets, and "sons of the Day" meant being heirs to that now being handed down by the Lord Jesus Himself and His apostles in the New Testament era. Taken together, the two expressions meant "heirs to all the prophetic light given by the Old Testament prophets, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and the New Testament apostles."
     This was their inheritance as "the sons of light," and it is still ours today. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, every believer should have accurate understanding of both Old and New Testament prophecy, and not be taken by surprise by the Day of God's wrath anymore than the Thessalonians were supposed to be. But sadly, most believers today are not taking advantage of this inheritance. Though they have access to the same Holy Spirit who leads into all truth, they are unable to accurately interpret Biblical prophesy because they aren't seeking the Holy Spirit in prayer for His help. They are doing the same thing by neglecting to operate in the gifts of the Spirit.
     Tragically, this failure to receive light from the Spirit of God may one day be the undoing of many believers, and leaders especially. Darkness will increase on the earth, and those who fail to continue seeking God for revelation through the Holy Spirit will eventually find their light going out. Then they will succumb to sin and faithlessness, and recoil in horror when they hear the Lord tell them in judgement, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." Leaders carry a great responsibility in this regard, and unfortunately many are shirking their responsibilities instead of providing true light to the faithful.


The Holy Spirit: Oil In The Church's Lamps

     Jesus told His disciples the following parable to relate to them what would be expected of them as leaders in the coming church. As "bridesmaids" who would help the bride of Christ "see" during the night when the call went out that the Bridegroom was finally coming, they would be responsible for providing true spiritual light to the church. But Christ's teaching also included a warning, one that stands to this day for all who are in Christian leadership:

     At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five were foolish and five were wise. The foolish took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: "Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!" Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out." "Not so," they replied, "lest there not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves." But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast. And the door was shut. Later the others also came, saying, "Lord, Lord, open the door for us!" But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13)

     Like in Jewish wedding ceremonies, the Lord Jesus Himself, as the Heavenly Bridegroom, would come like a thief in the night to snatch away His bride, the church. Prophetically this spoke of Christ returning at the darkest time in human history, when the great tribulation will be taking place. Because prophecy will clearly be on its way to fulfillment during this time, it will be obvious to the church that His return is imminent, regarding which the parable states, "the cry will go out, 'Here's the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!.'"
     But here is where the trouble begins. The lamps represent God's word, which is "a lamp unto our feet" (Psalm 119:105). The oil represents the Holy Spirit, which is sent to illuminate God's word and reveal mysteries hidden from the dawn of creation (1 Corinthians 13:2, 2:7, Colossians 1:26, John 16:13). The meaning of the parable then was the wise virgins will be those who continue to abide in the Holy Spirit and receive revelation directly from Him to give to the church.

                                             

      But there will be five foolish virgins and five wise virgins, which means some will not take oil in their lamps. While our Lord was teaching this to His disciples, He knew it applied ultimately to leaders in the end-times. When the cry goes out that the Bridegroom is coming, all ten virgins will "trim their lamps." In the natural, trimming the wick in a lamp draws the oil up from the storage reservoir so that it burns cleanly and brightly and creates the highest flame possible, thus providing the most light. But without continuing to abide in the Holy Spirit, those leaders who try to draw revelation light from God's word without Him will eventually turn to the others and say, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out."
      Transferring the Holy Spirit to another person is an impossibility. They must receive the Holy Spirit directly from God, and it comes by going to Him in prayer. Hence the reply of, "Not so, lest there not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves." In other words, "Go to God in incessant prayer for yourselves, and beseech Him to restore the outpouring to you, for by this means your light will burn bright again." The problem, however, is that once a leader has grown distant from God it takes time and effort to renew that intimacy with Him. And while they are in the process of supposedly attempting to do this, the Bridegroom will come.
     Thus, Jesus was prophetically warning not to let the Holy Spirit, poured out like tongues of fire at Pentecost, become extinguished among those who lead the church in the end-times. If they do so, their failure to provide spiritual light to the bride of Christ at a most critical time will cause the Lord to close the door on them, and then reply, "Truly, I tell you, I do not know you," a reference to His lack of spiritual intimacy with them.     


Who Is Awakening To Receive Light Today?

     So who then are walking as "sons of light and sons of the day" now? Joel prophesied that the Holy Spirit would again be poured out during the end-times, and because of this, true revelation and light would again begin to be restored to the body of Christ; revelation which the cankerworm, the palmerworms and the locusts had destroyed:

     The word of the Lord which came to Joel, the son of Bathuel. "Hear these words, you elders... The leavings of the caterpillar has the locust eaten, and the leavings of the locust has the palmerworm eaten, and the leavings of the palmerworm has the cankerworm eaten... the harvest has perished from off the field."
     "Therefore," says the Lord your God, "turn to Me now with all your heart, and with fasting and weeping and lamentation. Rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God… and because of the years which the locust, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, and the cankerworm have eaten, I shall recompense unto you My great army, which I sent among you. And you shall eat abundantly and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God for the things He has wonderfully wrought among you… I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. And I will pour out My Spirit upon My servants and My handmaidens in those days. And I will show wonders in the heaven and on earth, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and glorious Day of the Lord comes." (Joel 1:1, 4, 10, 2:12-13, 25-31 LXX)

     As this passage states, a significant portion of this prophetic light that returns to the church will come in the form of dreams and visions. Dreams and visions were important contributors in the doctrinal and prophetic light that was being given to the church back in New Testament times (Acts 10:9-48), and they will be so again in the end-times. Joel also made it clear that this light would come specifically through His end-time army.

     Sound the trumpet in Zion, make a proclamation in My holy mountain, and let all the inhabitants of the land be confounded: for the Day of the Lord is near. For a day of darkness and gloominess is near, a Day of cloud and mist. A numerous and strong [army] shall be spread upon the mountains as the morning. There has not been from the beginning one like it, and after it there shall not be again even to the years of many generations. Before them is a consuming fire, and behind them is a flame kindled. The land before them is as a paradise of delight, and behind them a desolate plain. And there shall none of them escape. Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen so shall they pursue. As the sound of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, and as the sound of a flame of fire devouring stubble, and as a numerous and strong people setting themselves in array for battle. Before them shall the people be crushed. Every face shall be as the blackness of a caldron. As warriors shall they run, and as men of war shall they mount on the walls, and each shall move in his right path, and they shall not turn aside from their tracks. And not one shall stand aloof from his brother. They shall go on weighed down with their arms, and will fall upon their weapons yet in no wise be destroyed. They shall seize upon the city and run upon the walls, and go up upon the houses, and enter in through the windows as thieves. Before them the earth shall be confounded, and the sky shall be shaken. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their light. And the Lord shall utter His voice before his host, for his camp is very great, for the execution of his words is mighty, for the day of the Lord is great, very glorious, and who shall be able to resist it? (Joel 2:1-11 LXX)

     What is being described here is the end-time army of God, who will restore accurate and powerful teachings to the churches by speaking that which truly descends from the Lord from above. There have already been major dreams and visions published for the body of Christ, such as Rick Joyner's Final Quest and The Call, Anna Rountree's The Heavens Opened and The Priestly Bride, and Kathryn Baxter's A Divine Revelation Of Hell.
     But Peter referred to all the Israelites as "sons of the prophets," (Acts 3:25), and Paul here made reference to the entire church at Thessaloniki being "sons of the day and sons of light," so the implication is that all believers should be waking in prophetic light right now.
     So let me ask you. Are you walking in prophetic light yet? Joel prophesied that dreams and visions would be a dominant means by which prophecy would come forth during the end-times, as they have always been associated with the gifts of the prophet:

     And he said to them, "Hear my words: If there should be of you a prophet to the Lord, I will be made known to him in a vision, and in sleep will I speak to him." (Numbers 12:6)

     "The prophet who has a dream, let him tell his dream. And he in whom is My word spoken to him, let him tell My word truly; what is the chaff to the corn? So are my words," says the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:28)

     Where are these leaders, who will arise as members of the army of God and lead the way for Christianity to take back all that was lost to the enemy? Where are these men and women of all ages, who will receive dreams and visions, and prophesy through the Spirit of God, to again restore genuine revelation and true spiritual food to God's people during the end-times? Time will tell how many chose to become true sons of the light and sons of the day in the years ahead, but for now the call stands. He is preparing an army, and those who have properly prepared themselves for war when the rest were spiritual sleeping or getting drunk on worldly entertainments will be those who are graced with far greater authority in Christ when the time comes.