1:7-10 What future event in time is Paul referring to here?
1:7-10 What future event in time is Paul referring to here?
Paul is referring to the second coming of Christ here, which is also known as the day of the Lord (CP Isa 63:1-6; Joel 3:1-2, 13-16; Zech 14:1-9; Mt 24:27-31, 40-42; 25:31-33; Mk 13:24-27; Lu 21:25-28; Jude 14-15; Rev 1:7).
The second coming takes place after the Great Tribulation when Christ comes back to earth for the battle of Armageddon, where He defeats Antichrist and his armies (CP Isa 34:2-3; Eze 38:18-21; 39:8-20; Rev 14:14-20; 19:11-16, 19-21).
It is interesting to note here that the battle of Armageddon will only last one day, yet the weapons of Antichrist's armies who Christ destroys will provide fuel for Israel for seven years afterwards.
Also that it will take all Israel seven months to bury the dead killed in the battle, even after the fowls of the air have feasted on them (CP Isa 30:25-26; Eze 39:4-5; Zech 14:7; Rev 19:17-21).
We also learn here that the blood of those killed at Armageddon will flow for two hundred miles (approx. 330 km) at a depth of 1.2m "... up to the horses' bridles" (CP Rev 14:20).
The day of the Lord signifies the end of the church age, and the Thessalonians thought that because of the severe tribulation they were going through at that time that the day of the Lord had come, and therefore they had missed the rapture, which Paul had told them would precede the Great Tribulation (CP 1Th 4:13-18; 5:1-11; 2Th 2:1-7; Rev 3:7-13).
These scriptures all refer to the coming of Christ to rapture the church to heaven before the Great Tribulation. In 2Th 2:1-7;
Paul reminds the Thessalonians of two things which he had previously told them must precede the day of the Lord: a falling away, and the revealing of Antichrist. The day of the Lord could not come until after these two things had occurred (CP 2:1-3).
It is obvious from what Paul says here that the rapture of the church will precede both the Great Tribulation and the day of the Lord. (For a more detailed study on the falling away see comments on 2Th 2:1-3.
See also comments on Jn 5:28-29, 14:1-3; 1Cor 15:51-58, Php 3:20-21, 1Th 4:13-18, 5:1-11, 2Th 2:6-8 and Rev 3:7-13 for a more detailed study on the rapture).