I T is A blessed study to consider the p ro p h e tic passages in II Thessalonians. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it was probably written from Corinth not long after the first epistle. This is a necessary sequel to his first letter which was written to comfort. Here we see the need to correct. The basis was con fusion on the return of Christ. Their minds were in a whirl as we see in 2:2. Distorted views on Bible proph ecy can leave one in a state of con fusion. We need to be very careful in such a study, seeking God’s divine illumination. Theological winds and waves are roaring. This portion was written to steady men in the storm. We want to examine those passages dealing with unfulfilled prophecy. We dare not read into passages thoughts and ideas which are not there. On the other hand, we dare not neglect the difficult or deliberately avoid those sections about which the Bible is silent. We cannot be dog matic. Where God speaks explicitly in His Word, however, we must speak up forcefully. For this first section let us con sider the retribution of the Saviour suggested in II Thess. 1:3-10. The spiritual progress of the believers in Thessalonica was cause for praise to God on the part of Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus. They may have been confused about some doctrines. Yet they were consistent in their deport ment. Is your faith growing; is your love increasing? Some professing Christians claim they have trusted God for eternal salvation. Still they seem unwilling to trust Him for tem poral things right now. The Thessa lonians’ endurance in faith enabled them to bear up in daily trials and tribulations. Verses 4, 5, 6, and 7 re
veal that there were persecutions, tribulations, suffering and trouble. Each is a term expressing affliction. The enemies of the Gospel were doing their worst. This was an evi dence of their future glory. (Phil. 2:19; Rom. 8:17; II Tim. 2:12). We don’t have to go about with a persecution complex. Our place in the kingdom will be determined by our behaviour when we are called upon to suffer for Christ in this life. If and when affliction comes, we need to exercise both courage and com passion. See the example of the Lord in I Pet. 2:23 and 4:13. The empha sis in II Thess: 1:5 is not that men will enter the kingdom of God only if they suffer for Christ, but rather that the saints who suffer victori ously will have a more abundant en trance. Some Christians are satisfied to settle for any reward. Suffering in itself is not being commended, but rather the attitude of faith and love in suffering. In verses 6-10 we have described the punishment that is going to be meted out to those who persecute the people of God when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back again. The history of the church is marked by the suf ferings of its members at the hands of Christ’s enemies (John 16:33, Acts 17:1-9). Verse six reveals to us that it is a righteous thing for God to recom pense evil for evil; to afflict those who afflict His children. God can never act wrongly. His law is given in Gal. 6:7. To punish evil doers is His prerogative alone (Rom. 12:9; Deut. 32:35). When Paul writes of the day of wrath in Romans of the righteous judgment of God, he also adds, “unto them that are conten tious, and do not obey the truth, but 3
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