Communion
The
main passage of scriptures we are going to use as a base for this
non-exhaustive study of the Coming of the Lord comes from Paul’s second epistle
to the Church in Thessalonica. Many scholars agree that Paul wrote this from
Corinth about 6 months after he had written and sent his earlier letter, 1
Thessalonians, to them. Both epistles make a reference to the Coming of the
Lord. We will begin our study with 2 Thessalonians first.
2 Thessalonians 2
1 ¶ Now, brethren, concerning
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask
you,
2 not to be soon shaken in
mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as
though the day of Christ had come.
It
is evident that deceived or false teachers or influential people in the Church
at Thessalonica had mistaken or misrepresented what the Apostle Paul had
earlier written and brought fear and confusion to the congregation of Believers
there. What did the Apostle Paul write that was used to alarm the Believers in
Thessalonica?
In
Paul’s earlier letter, (written in about AD52 from Corinth), he wrote the truth, but the truth, as sometimes happens, had been misunderstood, misconstrued or
misused in a negative, non-redemptive way, to make people afraid.
1 Thessalonians 4
13 ¶ But I do not want you to
be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow
as others who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in
Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by
the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming
of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the
trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one
another with these words.
Chapter 2
1 ¶ But concerning the times
and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
2 For you yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
3 For when they say, “Peace
and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a
pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not
in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
Paul
did not mean to convey that the coming of the Lord was at hand or near to this
time. Rather, he explains, the time is not ready, and God is withholding this
event until everything is ready. Of course, that was near 2000 years ago.
Next
Wednesday
we will study this apocalyptic passage concerning the Coming of the Lord and go
verse by verse to provide us with a clear understanding of the revelation the
Apostle Paul intends to share.
Let’s
continue with a verse by verse commentary of:
2 Thessalonians 2
1 ¶ Now, brethren, concerning
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask
you,
2 not to be soon shaken in
mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as
though the day of Christ had come.
3 ¶ Let no one deceive you by
any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes
first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts
himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as
God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that
when I was still with you I told you these things?
6 And now you know what is
restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness
is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is
taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one
will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and
destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless
one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying
wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous
deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the
truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God
will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be
condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 ¶ But we are bound to give
thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from
the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and
belief in the truth,
14 to which He called you by
our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand
fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our
epistle.
16 ¶ Now may our Lord Jesus
Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us
everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,
17 comfort your hearts and
establish you in every good word and work.
