(The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was the ninth book of the Section of the New Testament known as the Pauline Epistles. Paul's visit to Thessalonica was documented in Acts 17:1-9. Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians around 54 AD from Corinth, making that letter, chronologically, the earliest of Paul's epistles. This second letter was written about a year after the first letter and was a response to issues that arose from Paul's previous letter. We have seen the epistles previous to these letters to the Thessalonians covered the full spectrum of teaching.)
(In the previous letter, we saw the church in Thessalonica consisted of Gentiles that Paul had spent a month teaching. Consequently, Paul focused on teaching and encouraging these new Gentile believers. The first letter gave us a glimpse into how Paul approached new believers ten years before the last of the previously covered epistles were written. Paul encouraged them to continue growing and being a good witness to unbelievers. Paul also shared deep Doctrine with these new believers in hopes they could use the information to encourage each other. This letter was written to clarify the deep Doctrine concerning the Day of the Lord. False teachers had circulated a letter they claimed Paul wrote that stated the Day of the Lord was at hand. These events set the context for Paul to teach more deeply about the events that would precede Jesus' spiritual return to earth to Rapture His Church.)
2 Thessalonians 1
1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ;
(Paul, with Silvanus and Timothy, wrote to the church in Thessalonica again.)
2 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We are bound to give thanks to God always to you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth;
(Paul thanked them because their faith grew and their love abounded. This was something that Paul exhorted them towards in his first letter, he wanted them to grow/abound in their love towards each other.)
4 so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure;
(They had been patient and faithful in their persecutions and tribulations, which Paul also referenced in his first letter.)
5 which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
(Doctrine: Being persecuted is a proof (manifest token) that a believer is Righteous and counted as worthy of the Kingdom of God! God only trusts the most excellent believers with persecution from unbelievers.)
6 if so be that it is righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you,
(Paul posed in the form of an if: God's response to affliction on those who afflict believers as Righteous through Justice. Paul gave specific details of God's response to affliction on those...)
7 and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire,
8 rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus:
9 who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
(Doctrine: Eternal destruction will come upon those who do not believe in God. Everyone will not eventually end up in heaven. God will equal out Justice, so we ought to forgive those who persecute us. To forgive meant "to state your will that you will not take out Justice on your own, even if you had the chance.")
10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day.
(Paul referenced the Day of the Lord, which was the deep Doctrine from his first letter to the Thessalonians.)
11 To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and every work of faith, with power;
12 that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Theme of Chapter 1: Paul referenced the Thessalonians continued growth during afflictions as proof God counted them worthy of the Kingdom of God. Paul stated God would afflict those who afflict believers while he made an allusion to the Day of the Lord.)
2 Thessalonians 2
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;
2 to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand;
(Paul dealt directly with the false teachers who claimed Paul said the Day of the Lord had already happened.)
3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
(Verse 3 covered two events that will precede Christ's spiritual coming to Rapture His Church:
1) There will be a falling away.
2) Then, the man of sin (Antichrist) will be revealed.)
4 he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.
(Doctrine: The Antichrist will oppose and exalt himself against God. He will sit in the temple and claim to be God. We covered this in 1 Thessalonians: Jesus' spiritual coming for His Church will end our current dispensation with the pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church, which was known as the "Day of the Lord."
The Tribulation is a seven year period that concludes the previous dispensation (the Law) that is re-established and was also known as the "Seventieth Week of Daniel" (Daniel 9:24-27). The first three and a half years of the Tribulation will be a time of peace and safety with the Jews worshipping God in His temple. Halfway through the Tribulation, the Antichrist will declare himself as God and set up an idol (known as "the abomination of desolation") in the temple and cause people to worship it or be killed. Jesus stated (Matthew 24) that Jews who see this event ought to immediately flee in hiding so they would make it through to the end of the Tribulation.
At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus Raptures those who became believers during the Tribulation and returns with all the believers at the battle of Armageddon. This physical return to the earth when Jesus will put His Foot on the Mount of Olives was also known as the "Day of the Lord." Verse 4 showed Paul was speaking of the Antichrist at the midpoint of the Tribulation.)
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
(This was the only question in this letter, and it was rhetorical. Paul spoke about these events when he was present with them. Notice, Paul did cover "end times" Doctrine with new believers.)
6 And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
(Paul referenced that someone was currently restraining the Antichrist so that the Antichrist would be revealed at the right time. Paul stated this to prove that the Day of the Lord had not occurred yet. Notice, the spiritual Day of the Lord will occur just before the Antichrist is revealed and the physical Day of the Lord will occur to defeat the Antichrist.)
7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.
(Paul stated that the One currently restraining the Antichrist will eventually be taken out of the way. Notice, the One restraining was referred to as a HE.)
8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;
(Doctrine: The Antichrist will be revealed after HE that restraineth is taken out of the way. The Lord Jesus will slay the Antichrist, at the end of the Tribulation, with the "breath of his mouth"…with His WORDS.
Remember, the Church is the Bride, a SHE. The One that restraineth, the only One on earth during our dispensation able to restrain the Antichrist, is the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is removed from this earth, then the Antichrist will be revealed. Our dispensation is characterized by the Holy Spirit being upon all flesh and within all believers. When the believers are Raptured prior to the beginning of the Tribulation, the Holy Spirit will leave this earth with the believers. Not only does that conclude our dispensation of personal grace via the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it re-establishes the previous dispensation (the Law) during which the Holy Spirit only dwelt within the prophets. Without the Holy Spirit upon all flesh and within believers during the Tribulation, the only way people can be approached will be logically, like they were during the Old Testament through the Law. The Book of Revelation was written for people who would be on earth during the Tribulation, and the explanation was logical and objective, right down to the number of days between key events. Also, the fact that believers will be missing from the earth and the revelation/influence from the Holy Spirit will also be missing will create an environment where unrighteousness will rule.)
9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(Doctrine: People chose not to love the truth, which caused them to not attain Salvation. Everything necessary for Salvation has been provided by God, however, it is the responsibility of the individual to choose to receive it. Paul stated the Antichrist's coming will involve all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceit of unrighteousness. Notice, these signs will not happen until the Church along with the Holy Spirit has been removed.)
11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:
12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
(God will send this "working of error" during the Tribulation as an affliction through Justice (judgment) on those who chose not to believe the truth.)
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 whereunto he called you through our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Doctrine: Salvation comes by sanctification of the Spirit and choosing to believe the truth. Notice, all three members of the Trinity were mentioned separately. God provided everything for Salvation, but it is the responsibility of the individual to choose to believe in the truth: Salvation by grace through faith.)
15 So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours.
(When Paul stated: "hold the traditions which ye were taught," he was referring to the Gospel that he preached to them. This was the Apostles' Doctrine: God's Doctrine!)
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,
17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
(Theme of Chapter 2: Paul went deeper into the Doctrine of the Day of the Lord. The Holy Spirit currently restrains the revealing of the Antichrist. Once the Church and the Holy Spirit are removed from the earth during the pre-Tribulation Rapture (spiritual Day of the Lord) that concludes our dispensation, the Antichrist will be revealed which re-establishes the previous dispensation (the Law) that will be concluded seven years later during the battle of Armageddon, which will be Jesus' physical return to earth (physical Day of the Lord) with all the believers. Paul explained this Doctrine in order to prove neither "Day of the Lord" had occurred at the time of this letter as was being falsely reported about Paul by deceivers.)
2 Thessalonians 3
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as also it is with you;
(Paul asked for prayer that God's Word would run (not be hindered). This must mean that something can hinder God's Word: man-made tradition (Mark 7:13).)
2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for all have not faith.
(Again, the purpose of this letter was to address the afflictions Paul and the believers at Thessalonica were receiving from unreasonable and evil men.)
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and guard you from the evil one.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.
(Verse 5 was the First Command: Love God with your whole being. We love God by allowing the Holy Spirit to direct us to love God the Father. Then God works through us towards others which is the Second Command.)
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us.
(Doctrine: Withdraw yourself from those "brothers" that walk disorderly. Paul was talking about people in the church who claimed to be believers but walked disorderly. These people say the right thing but they are not following through in their actions. Remember, Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 5 to remove these people from the church so that believers could interact with them.)
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 neither did we eat bread for nought at any man's hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:
9 not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves and ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us.
(Paul used the same contrastive thinking approach we saw in his first letter to prove his point: the believers in Thessalonica knew how and why to imitate Paul.)
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.
(This referred to sloth: rest without working. Paul had written about the importance of work in his first letter: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, which immediately preceded Paul's deep Doctrine presentation.)
11 For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies.
(A busybody referred to someone who "bustles about uselessly"…also "to busy one's self about trifling, needless, useless matters; used apparently of a person officiously inquisitive about other's affairs.")
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing.
(Paul encouraged them to not tire from doing good (Right and Just) to others.)
14 And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.
15 And yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
(Paul concluded his teaching by stating those who claimed to be a believer yet did not obey this specific epistle should be admonished and then removed from community if they did not repent. Paul wrote this epistle himself...)
16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
(Theme of Chapter 3: Do not have fellowship with people saying they are believers but not having the actions that prove they are believers.)
(The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was the ninth book of the Section of the New Testament known as the Pauline Epistles. Paul's visit to Thessalonica was documented in Acts 17:1-9. Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians around 54 AD from Corinth, making that letter, chronologically, the earliest of Paul's epistles. This second letter was written about a year after the first letter and was a response to issues that arose from Paul's previous letter. We have seen the epistles previous to these letters to the Thessalonians covered the full spectrum of teaching.)
(In the previous letter, we saw the church in Thessalonica consisted of Gentiles that Paul had spent a month teaching. Consequently, Paul focused on teaching and encouraging these new Gentile believers. The first letter gave us a glimpse into how Paul approached new believers ten years before the last of the previously covered epistles were written. Paul encouraged them to continue growing and being a good witness to unbelievers. Paul also shared deep Doctrine with these new believers in hopes they could use the information to encourage each other. This letter was written to clarify the deep Doctrine concerning the Day of the Lord. False teachers had circulated a letter they claimed Paul wrote that stated the Day of the Lord was at hand. These events set the context for Paul to teach more deeply about the events that would precede Jesus' spiritual return to earth to Rapture His Church: The Holy Spirit currently restrains the revealing of the Antichrist. Once the Church and the Holy Spirit are removed from the earth during the pre-Tribulation Rapture (spiritual Day of the Lord) that concludes our dispensation, the Antichrist will be revealed which re-establishes the previous dispensation (the Law) that will be concluded seven years later during the battle of Armageddon, which will be Jesus' physical return to earth (physical Day of the Lord) with all the believers. Paul explained this Doctrine in order to prove neither "Day of the Lord" had occurred at the time of this letter as was being falsely reported about Paul by deceivers.)
Day 343
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