2Thessalonians 1:1-6
Here Comes the Judge
INTRODUCTION;
Much of the introduction is the same as for 1Thessalonians.
See Notes on 1Thessalonians.
TIME:
The time—Only a little time (perhaps a few months) has passed since the writing
of 1 Thessalonians. This would place the events as happening in Acts 17-18.
SITUATION:
Paul hears that there is some confusion about the Lord’s comings, perhaps in part
as a result of his first letter. The misunderstanding is likely fueled due to the
intense local persecutions the Thessalonians were facing. Those persecutions had
lead to some saying that the Day of the Lord had already begun. Paul writes this
follow-up epistle to correct that misunderstanding.
LOCATION:
Like the note behind \\#1Thess 5:28\\, a note at the end of this book also claims
the book to be written from Athens \\#2Thess 3:18\\; however, as noted in
\\See notes on "1Thess 1:1\\," those notes were added after the book was written,
are not apart of the manuscripts, and seem to be in error. The epistle was likely
written from Corinth.
I. \\#1:1-12\\ Paul’s Encouragement in Persecution
A. \\#1:1-2\\ Introduction
B. \\#1:3-4\\ Encouragement by Prayer and Spiritual Bragging
C. \\#1:5-10\\ Encouragement by Describing The End of Their Persecution
D. \\#1:11, 12\\ Encouragement with An Offer of Spiritual Blessing
II. \\#2:1-17\\ Paul’s Explanation of the Day of the Lord
A. \\#2:1-2\\ The Comfort of Truth
B. \\#2:3-12\\ The Events Preceding the Day of the Lord
C. \\#2:13-17\\ The Comfort of the Believer on the Day of the Lord
III. \\#3:1-18\\ Paul’s Exhortation to the Church
A. \\#3:1-5\\ Wait Patiently for Christ
B. \\#3:6-15\\ Withdraw from the Disorderly
C. \\#3:16-18\\ Conclusion
Adapted from Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1996). Nelson’s complete book of Bible
maps & charts: Old and New Testaments. "Completely revised and updated comfort
print edition"; Includes indexes. (Rev. and updated ed.). Nashville, Tenn.:
Thomas Nelson.
I. \\#1:1-12\\ Paul’s Encouragement in Persecution
A. \\#1:1-2\\ Introduction-Notice some things similar to 1Thessalonians.
1. \\#1\\ "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus"
a. We might notice that this is the same trio of writers of
1Thessalonians \\#1Thess 1:1\\.
b. The fact that these three are together reinforces the thought
that they are still in Corinth and little time has passed.
2. \\#2\\ "grace… peace"-The same basic salutation that Paul used
in 1Thessalonians \\#1Thess 1:1\\.
B. \\#1:3-4\\ Encouragement by Prayer and Spiritual Bragging
1. Paul’s encouragement.
a. Christians ought to encourage one another!
(1) We are all in this fight together.
(2) There may be times when we feel like we are not, but we
are.
(3) Remember, every member of the body needs every other
member of the body.
(a) I don’t know of anyone who wants to finish this race
alone.
i. We all need someone to cover our back and to take
up our slack.
ii. Let’s don’t get so wrapped up in our own world
that we let everyone else give up!
(b) Paul knew that as good a church as Thessalonica was,
they were going through some "persecutions and
tribulations."
i. They needed some help.
ii. Paul could not stop the persecutions, but he
could give them an encouraging word.
(e) Throw your brother and sister a bone every once in a
while!
i. Give them a cup of cold water when they are
thirsty.
ii. Throw them a rope when they are stuck.
iii. Pitch them a life preserver when they have
fallen into the deep.
b. Paul seeks to encourage this church in two ways.
(1) Paul prays for them.
2Thess 1:3 We are BOUND to thank God always for you…
(a) In fact, Paul says he is obligated to pray for them
i The word "bound" means indebted, owed.
ii Every Christian is indebted to pray for the other
Christians.
iii. It is a debt owed both to our Lord and to those
who have prayed for us.
(b) To pray for someone will encourage them.
i. Not because they will necessarily know about it.
ii. But because God will help them.
(c) However, there is no harm in letting someone know
that you are praying for them.
i. Praying and letting the person know that you are
praying is a DOUBLE encouragement.
ii. When you tell someone you are praying for them,
you not only let them know that God will be
showing up; but you tell them you are watching
out for them.
(2) Paul brags on them to others.
2Thess 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God…
(a) The word "glory" is translated BOAST or to MAKE
BOAST 10 times in the New Testament.
(b) Paul was not boasting in an arrogant way. What Paul
was doing was some SPIRITUAL BRAGGING.
i. That is when you brag on God.
ii. Here, Paul had been bragging on what God could
do with a people who let Him to other churches.
done but he was
(c) Now, Paul shares with the Thessalonians how he has
been able to use their surrendered and obedient
spirit to encourage others in the Lord.
(d) Do you not think that encouraged this church?
i. The Apostle Paul was using what God had done
through them to grow other churches!
ii. No doubt, this church was honored.
(e) \\#3-4\\ Paul tells the Thessalonians what it is
about their spirit that he has bragged about.
i. \\#3\\Their growing faith.
ii. Their charity (giving love) to others.
iii. \\#4\\ Their patience in persecution, meaning
they keep on going.
(f) Notice that Paul is not bragging on their beauty,
their buildings, their music, or anything else
external.
i. He is bragging on their spirit.
ii. When we build up a person’s value of their
external qualities, we make them more conscious
of their external.
iii. That can either lead to disappointment (that you
are not the most beautiful, the strongest, the
best) or to vanity and arrogance (because you
are the most beautiful, the strongest, or the
best).
iv. When we praise a person’s character and spirit,
we make a person more conscious of their
internal qualities.
v. We often have our priorities backward and pass
that along to our children at a very early age.
aa. We should praise sportsmanship over victory
bb. …character over beauty
cc. …effort over ability
dd. …finishing over a ranking.
(g) Paul’s desire was encourage this church, but he was
also growing it while doing so.
C. \\#1:5-10\\ Encouragement by Describing The End of Their Persecution
1. If you want to encourage someone who is going through a hard time,
tell them when it is going to end and that it is going to end
well.
a. Paul does just that.
b. He talks to the Thessalonians about the Day of the Lord, which
happens to be the very doctrine about which some of them are
confused.
2. This epistle quickly moves from a friendly opening to a most
serious topic, intense persecution.
a. Judging from \\#4\\, Thessalonica was undergoing intense
persecution.
b. It would appear that someone was becoming increasingly more
impatient with Christianity.
(1) \\#Acts 17:5\\ When Paul first went to Thessalonica, it
was the local Jews who stirred up hostilities against
him.
(2) \\#1Thess 1:6\\ Paul mentions the church enduring
affliction. While that is certainly an indicator of
problems, it doesn’t sound to be of the magnitude which
speaks of in 2Thessalonians.
(3) \\#2Thess 1:4\\ Here Paul calls what they are going
through to be "persecutions and tribulations."
(4) One would think that there would be a limit on how much
trouble Jews living in a Gentile, Roman city could cause
the Christians.
(5) Most likely, either the Jews or some other group has
called Rome down upon this local assembly.
3. \\#5-6\\ This persecution will "manifest" or bring out two things.
a. A righteous judgment from God is coming.
(1) Paul is not speaking of a judgment on the Christians but
a judgment for the Christians.
(2) God will not allow His people to be unjustly treated.
(a) In \\#6\\, God calls it a "righteous thing with God
to recompense tribulation to them."
(b) Hence, this is a righteous matter to a righteous God.
(3) He has promised to revenge all wrong against them.
b. Suffering believers will be recognized by God for what they
endure.
(1) The phrase is "counted worthy."
(2) God is the One who does the counting and reckoning.
(3) Those who suffer will be recognized.
4. God will deal with the world for what it does.
a. Paul begins to describe the time in which God will recompense
the world. It will be on the Day of the Lord.
(1) This letter is being written because the church at
Thessalonica had become confused about WHEN the
Day of the Lord will come.
(2) Here, Paul is describing WHAT the Day of the Lord is.
b. In summary, it is the day when the Lord returns with His
saints to judge the world and to establish His kingdom.
Jer 46:10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that
he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be
satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a
sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
5. \\#7-10\\ Let’s notice the events of the Day of the Lord.
a. \\#7\\ "the Lord shall be REVEALED from heaven"
(1) In the last epistle, Paul taught about both the rapture
and the Day of the Lord.
(2) I believe that one of the key differences between these
two events (and there are many) is that Jesus will not
be seen when He comes at the rapture, but He will be
seen, "revealed," when He comes to judge the world.
(3) The thought that Jesus won’t be seen in the rapture comes
primarily from a phrase used to describe one of the
Lord’s returns…
…the Lord will come as a thief in the night…" \\#1Thess 5:2, 2Peter 3:10\\
(4) However, that phrase appears to refer to the Lord’s
coming to set up His kingdom not His return for the
church. (A thief comes without warning his victims
that he is coming.)
(5) Regardless, one sure fact is that Jesus will be seen when
He comes to establish His kingdom.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also
which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even
so, Amen.
b. \\#7\\ "with His mighty angels"
(1) Notice that the Lord refers to His "mighty" angels not His
holy angels.
(2) The selection of that word hints that these angels might
be present to use force.
(3) Jesus told us that the angels would have a powerful
ministry in the last days.
Matthew 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather
out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Matthew 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth,
and sever the wicked from among the just,
Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and
they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven
to the other.
Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels
with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
(4) John describes a "heavenly army" coming back with Jesus.
Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
(a) That verse is almost surely a reference to the
glorified saved.
(b) Imagine the skies filled, first and foremost, with
Jesus Christ, then behind Him, the glorified saints,
all riding horses of white, and fanning out from all
sides legions of glorious angels, being sent out to
gather the saved from all parts of the earth and to
bring them to Him.
c. \\#8\\ "In flaming fire"
(1) Fire is mentioned a great deal in association with the
the Day of the Lord.
Zechariah 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of
fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour
all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall
be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
Revelation 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many
crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
(2) This last reference is speaking of the Day of the Lord
(Part 2), once Satan has served his 1000 years and is
then released to stir the armies of the world up against
Israel one last time.
Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of
his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the
earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as
the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the
saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven,
and devoured them.
(3) The question becomes, "Is this fire literal or symbolic?"
(a) On this day of miracles, it is hard to tell.
(b) Fire is often used as a picture of judgment
(c) If it is not a literal fire scorching those to be
judged, it will as bad a fire—or worse.
d. \\#8-10\\ Notice the purposes of that day.
(1) "taking vengeance"
(a) This will be a day of restitution to those
victimized by a cruel world.
i. The point of writing this description was to
encourage this church which had been abused by
a wicked world system.
ii. The Day of the Lord will be the day that God
pays that kind of people back.
iii. However, we should note that most Christians are
not as concerned with restitution as they are
the salvation of the lost.
(b) This will be a day of restitution to God for
dishonoring Himself and His Son.
i. Today’s wicked like to call Christians "proud
and arrogant" because we have great confidence
in what God has promised.
ii. Well, God is proud.
aa. Not in a vain way, but in a righteous one.
bb. He is proud of His Son, of His Holy Spirit,
and of His own glory.
cc. He tells the human race to honor and
worship the Godhead for they are worthy.
dd. Anyone who does not, is the proud and
arrogant one, setting himself up as a god.
iii. To "obey not" is a crime against God that He
will repay on that day.
(c) \\#9\\ The punishment is given in advance.
i. "everlasting destruction" - That is damnation.
ii. They will be separated "from the presence of the
Lord" - That is separated from the source of
all mercy and love.
iii. They will be separated "from the glory of his
power."
aa. That power has been available, according to
\\#8\\, through "the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ."
bb. It has been the mighty mercy of God in
Christ that has kept this sentence off of
them since the fall.
cc. No more. These humans will abide under
condemnation with no more help from God.
(2) \\#10\\ This will be a day of glorification.
(a) "when he shall come to be glorified in his saints"
All of these years, believers have followed God by
faith, without the luxury of seeing Him. On this
day, God glorifies Himself in their sight.
(b) "and to be admired"
i. "admired" means to wonder.
ii. God wants to impress us.
iii. Why? Because you believed.
aa. What a great thought for a song!
bb. Because you believed what you could not
see…
(i) God saved you.
(ii) God answered your prayers.
(iii) God kept you.
(iv) God will come get you.
(v) God will show you how great He is.
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