Thessalonians - Part 14
2nd Thessalonians 1:1-5 Part 1
A follow-up letter only a few months after the first letter.
▪Apparently, Paul felt the need to comfort, correct, and exhort them regarding concerns and confusion between:
–Persecution - tribulation,
–false prophecies - Day of the Lord
–Idleness - doing good.
▪Chapter 1 begins, as in the 1st letter, with comfort and encouragement concerning their continued persecution; nevertheless,
Paul indicated their ‘faith, love, and hope’ was growing abundantly.
Applications
Growing in the Grace & Knowledge of Christ
2 Th.1:4 (NKJV) - 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God
for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,
Study about the ‘patience’ referred to in 2 Th.1:4 from these cross-referenced passages?
Describe how one would appropriate this patience?
1 Th. 1:3; 3:2–8.
2 Th. 3:5.
Ro. 2:7; 5:3–5; 8:25; 12:12, 14-21;
He. 6:15; 10:36; 12:1–3.
Ja. 1:3, 4; 5:7, 8.
2 Pe. 1:6.
Re. 14:12.
B. Blayney, Thomas Scott, and R.A. Torrey with John Canne, Browne, The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, vol. 2 (London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, n.d.), 149.
Epilogue to Today’s Lesson - A Personal Rhetorical Pause
(Hopefully a Noble Berean exercise -Acts 17:11 )
In 2 Th. 1:4, Paul commended the Thessalonians for ‘enduring persecutions and afflictions’ . . .
That has raised some questions I have been wrestling with for the last several months: for example,
What is the difference between the types of tribulations of the Thessalonians and those in ‘the great tribulation’?
(or - the flood, Sodom & Gomorrah, story of Job, WWII Holocaust, 911, Hamas Terrorists Attacks, Lahaina Fire, Tsunami’s, earthquakes, Lake of Fire, etc.)
And what does ‘deliver from the wrath of God’ mean?
Digging a little deeper into the ‘rapture’
(1 Th. 4:13-18; 5:1-11; Jn.14:1-3)
Questions to Explore
What are the distinctions between historical & present suffering and suffering in the ‘great tribulation’?
What/when/how/who is: Delivered from the wrath of God?
As Ron Scicluna has said in his Hebrews class, “Buy me a cup of coffee at Panera Bread, and I will be happy to discuss this with you!” J
For me, some clues to my short answer is in a few passages:
One from Luke’s rendition of the Olivet Discourse: Luke 21:25-28
And some passages concerning ‘waiting’ & ‘wrath of God’:
(1 Th. 1:10; 4:16-17; 5:9; Ro.5:9; Job 19:25-27; Is.25:8; Mt.1:21; 1Pt.2:21; Ro.8:23-25)
Some words to the wise:
“Nonetheless, it is critical to remember that there are three great non-negotiables in Bible prophecy
—three events that all Christians believe will happen:
1)the literal, physical, visible return of Jesus Christ to the earth;
2)the bodily resurrection of the dead; and
3)the final judgment of all people.
These three truths are crystal clear in Scripture and have been consistently affirmed by God’s people throughout history. Although we may disagree and debate other details of the end times scenario, these are the three immovable pillars in our eschatology.”
Hitchcock, Mark. The End: A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy and the End of Days .
Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
I have come to believe that the ultimate expression of God’s wrath is described in Rev. 20:11-21:8 and believe that those who believe in Christ Jesus have been ‘eternally saved’ and rescued from that expression of God’s wrath.
Believers in Christ have been given eternal life with God and the rest will experience eternal death (i.e. separation) from God in the Lake of Fire.
Certainly, God’s wrath is His expression against sin, period.
Sin is not allowed in the eternal state - Rev. 21.27
▪What does ‘. . . who delivers us from the wrath to come.’ (1 TH. 1:10) actually mean?
What does that deliverance look like?
▪How is the ‘great tribulation’ (Luke 21:25-28; Matt. 24:15-22) different from the afflictions or tribulations mankind has experienced so far?
i.e., Study the days of Noah & the Last days & any tribulations in between (Gen.6&7; Rev. 20:11 - 21:8)
Join me and begin to dig into these passages. Consider it a Noble Berean exercise
▪Tips, Helps , and Cautions: Try using Blue Letter Bible website: https://www.blueletterbible.org/
1.Look up the passage in question in the Bible version of choice and pray the Lord to give you understanding.
2.Click Tools and then click on Cross-refs tab to find other similar Bible passages –
3.Good news is that it is a great ‘whole counsel of scripture’ tool when used following sound hermeneutical principles.
4.Bad News – caution must be exercised for those similar passages’ contexts & author’s intent so as to avoid mis-interpretations.