Study Notes Ed Underwood

2 Thessalonians Prophetical Expectations Now regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him...

(2 Thessalonians 2:1)

The thirteen Pauline Epistles develop the foundational truths of Christianity introduced in the Gospels. Paul wrote nine letters to churches and four to individuals. He writes from the perspective of the Apostle to the Gentiles, church-planter, pastor, and friend. His letters contain instructions, exhortations, and corrections that were real-time—messages to real people, gathered in real churches, with real problems as they endeavored to follow Christ and make a difference in their world. One consistent theme undergirds all of Paul’s teaching—the reality of every believer’s position in Christ.

Since Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians, false teachers have confused the believers in a way that shook their faith. He had told them that the Lord could return at any moment (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18) and that the Day of the Lord would come suddenly, as a thief in the night—unexpectedly (1 Thessalonians 5:2). Now, due to the heavy persecution the church was experiencing, some were teaching the error that the Tribulation was upon them, and they had somehow missed the gathering together with the Lord in the air (the Rapture).

Paul wrote his second letter to his beloved friends to correct these erroneous ideas with comforting prophetical truths. More specifically, to distinguish between the Lord’s imminent return for His church and the Day of the Lord that would be preceded by the short-lived reign of the man of lawlessness, the anti- Christ. “Both Thessalonian epistles are very pastoral. The epistle[s] deals with the hope of the Lord’s return as this relates to Christian experience.” (Tom Constable, 1 Thessalonians, p. 5)

The Apostle also addresses one of the most common excesses of those who understand the soon coming of the Lord. Some of the Thessalonians were using their prophetic hope as an excuse to live irresponsibly:

In the progression of revelation, 2 Thessalonians reveals new information about the Day of the Lord.

I. Paul exhorts the Thessalonian believers to persevere by clarifying events prior to the Day of the Lord and instructs the leaders to deal with lazy Christians.

1. Paul thanks them for their growing faith and love, assures them of their ultimate deliverance from their persecutors who will be judged by Jesus. (1)

2. Paul explains to them that their severe suffering does not mean that Day of the Lord has already come. He had taught them in his last letter that believers are not destined for wrath and now tells them that the Day of the Lord will not come unannounced. A worldwide spiritual rebellion must take place before this Day, and that rebellion will be climaxed by revealing the satanically empowered man of lawlessness. (2, See also: Daniel 9:27; 12:11; Matthew 24:15; 1 John 2:18; Revelation 11:7; 13:1-10). This spirit of lawless rebellion is already at work in the world.

3. Paul asks the church to pray for him as they wait patiently for the Lord and tells them to confront those who are living irresponsibly using the excuse of the soon return of the Lord. (3)

OUR INTERPRETATION OF 2 THESSALONIANS 2: Why we believe the Rapture is imminent, but the Day of the Lord cannot begin immediately. The central message of 2 Thessalonians is the truth about the Day of the Lord. An important distinction in 1 Thessalonians is that the Lord’s return for believers will take place suddenly (4:13-18), but that the Day of the Lord would come as a thief in the night. Believers should therefore remain alert, looking forward to both events because we will be delivered from the wrath of the Day of the Lord. (5:1-11)

2 Thessalonians: Remain faithful until Jesus returns!

1. In 2 Thessalonians 2 he teaches them to distinguish between these two events—the moment of our being gathered together with him (v 1) and the period of the Day of the Lord (v 2).

2. In verses 3-12 he demonstrates the difference between the first event (the Rapture) and the second period (the Day of the Lord).

   1. Even now the “hidden power of lawlessness” is at work (7a). I take this to be the trajectory of humanity—rebellion against God the Creator.

   2. In the future God will remove what is now restraining this lawlessness (7b). This probably refers to the Holy Spirit and suggests that this could be church-age believers who are indwelt by the Spirit (Romans 8:9).

   3. Inthefuturetherewillbeacrisis:“thelawlessonewillberevealed”(2:8a).Ibelievethatthebest view of how this will happen is that God will withdraw the church from the world at the Rapture. After that this human leader of lawlessness will lead the world in unrestrained rebellion against God. I believe this is the Antichrist and this rebellion is described in the events of the Tribulation period.

   4. After this crisis, Jesus Christ will return to earth to set up His kingdom (2:8b). He will destroy this Antichrist and curtail this rebellion (Psalm 2).

II. 2 THESSALONIANS AND YOU: To live responsibly for Christ in a world in rebellion against Him it’s vital that we can discern the times according to prophecy. Dr. Keith Krell does an awesome job of distinguishing between what we believe are the next three future events taught in prophecy:

1. The Rapture:

   Who: The Lord Jesus snatches His church away. What: An instantaneous event where believers receive new bodies. When: The rapture could occur at any moment. Where: Jesus meets His church in the air. Why: To protect His bride from the wrath to come.

2. The Tribulation:

   Who: God pours out His discipline and wrath on Israel and the Gentile nations. What: A seven-year period of unprecedented worldwide affliction. When: Following the rapture of the church. Where: Planet earth.

   Why: To persuade Israel that Jesus is the Messiah.

3. The Millennial Kingdom:

   Who: The Lord Jesus sets up His earthly kingdom. What: A 1,000-year period to demonstrate how world history could have been. When: Following the seven-year tribulation period. Where: Jerusalem. Why: To fulfill Old Testament promises made to Israel.