Do not be afraid, 

you have found favor with God

 You will conceive

– Isaiah 7:14

the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel – which means ‘God is with us’

and give birth to a son,

and you are to call him Jesus. 

He will be great

and will be called the Son of the Most High. 

The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 

Isaiah 9:6-7

For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen!

 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever;

Genesis 49:10, where dying Jacob blesses his son Judah, saying the “scepter shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes,” pointing to a royal ruler from his line, fulfilled in Jesus

Numbers 24:17 is a significant biblical prophecy from the prophet Balaam, foretelling a future ruler from Israel: “A star shall come out of Jacob, a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall crush the foreheads of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth

his kingdom will never end.”

Signs and the “Day of the Lord”

• Global Preaching: The gospel will be preached to all nations before the end (Matthew 24:14).
• Knowledge and Travel: An increase in human knowledge and rapid global travel (Daniel 12:4).
• Moral Decay: A widespread loss of love and an increase in godlessness (Matthew 24:12; 2 Timothy 3:1–5).
• Cosmic Disturbances: The sun turning to darkness and the moon to blood (Joel 2:31; Revelation 6:12). 

The Tribulation and the Antichrist

The Abomination of Desolation: A future desecration of a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Daniel 9:27, 12:11; Matthew 24:15).

The Two Witnesses: Two prophets will preach in Jerusalem for 3.5 years, be killed, and then resurrected (Revelation 11:3–12).

The Mark of the Beast: 

A global economic system requiring a mark for buying or selling (Revelation 13:16–17). 

Key Verses 

Revelation 13:16-18 (KJV/NIV): “Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666”.

Revelation 14:9-11 (NIV): “A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they too will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured out full strength into the cup of his wrath…”.

Several verses in Revelation describe the Mark of the Beast:

Revelation 13:16–17 states that a mark will be required on the right hand or forehead to buy or sell.

Revelation 13:18 identifies the number of the beast as 666.

Revelation 14:9–11 warns of God’s wrath for those who receive the mark.

Revelation 16:2 describes painful sores afflicting those with the mark during the first bowl judgment.

Revelation 19:20 recounts the beast and false prophet, who deceived people into taking the mark, being thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:4 mentions souls who were beheaded for their faith and those who did not receive the mark reigning with Christ. 

The Return of Christ and Resurrection

• The Rapture: Believers being “caught up” to meet Christ in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17; 1 Corinthians 15:51–52).
• The Second Coming: Jesus returning visibly to Earth (Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11–16).
• Battle of Armageddon: A final military conflict at Jerusalem involving the nations of the earth (Zechariah 14:1–4; Revelation 16:16, 19:11–21). 

The Millennial Kingdom and Final Judgment

• The 1,000-Year Reign: Jesus reigning on earth, during which Satan is bound (Revelation 20:1–6).
• Universal Peace: Nature itself will change, so that the “wolf will dwell with the lamb” (Isaiah 11:6–9).
• The Great White Throne Judgment: The final judgment of all people (Revelation 20:11–15). 

New Heavens and New Earth

• Eternal State: God will create a new heaven and a new earth where there is no more death, sorrow, or pain (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1–4).
• New Jerusalem: A holy city descending from heaven as the dwelling place of God with humanity (Revelation 21:10–27). 

Why did the Thessalonians get so much Prophecy about End Days?

Thessalonians received significant end-times prophecy because they were confused and troubled by false prophecies, thinking Christ’s return was immediate, which made them neglect daily duties.
Paul’s letters (1 & 2 Thessalonians) clarified that certain events (the rebellion, man of lawlessness) had to happen first, encouraging them to stay busy, test prophecies, and not be shaken, providing guidance for a church facing persecution and eschatological uncertainty. 

Why the Focus on End Times?

• Confusion & False Teachings: The church was shaken by disruptive messages (spoken word, fake letters) claiming the “Day of the Lord” was already upon them.
• Gentile Context: False Old Testament prophecies about God’s wrath seemed to threaten the Gentile Thessalonians, causing distress.
• Urgency & Neglect: They became so preoccupied with Christ’s return that they stopped fulfilling daily responsibilities. 

Paul’s Response & Purpose of Prophecy 

• Clarification: Paul explained that the “apostasy” (falling away) and the “man of lawlessness” (Antichrist) must come before Christ’s return, so the day hadn’t arrived.
• Discernment: He taught them to test prophecies, not despise them, and to rely on God’s Word and faithful teachers.
• Encouragement & Steadfastness: The prophecies served as a way to encourage endurance, give hope for their permanent citizenship in heaven, and motivate them to live righteously while awaiting His return.
• Warning Against Deception: He warned them about powerful delusions sent by God for those who reject the truth, emphasizing the need to love truth. 

In essence, the Thessalonians needed end-times teaching to correct misinformation, find comfort amidst persecution, and maintain godly living, preventing panic and idleness.