Year 2, Day 290: 2 Thessalonians 1-2

Background

Today we begin the second letter to the Thessalonians.  It is likely that this letter was written in fairly close proximity to the first letter.  In fact, what is likely is that Timothy delivered the first letter and then came back to Paul with a few follow-up questions from the Thessalonians.  Thus there was need to write a second letter.

Human Curiosity

It should not surprise anyone that Paul’s letter continues with more talk about the time when Jesus comes back.  Human beings are naturally curious about the things we don’t know.  We want to understand.  In fact, I think it also has to do with the fact that we hate being surprised.  I reminded us yesterday that Jesus taught that the Day of the Lord would come upon us like a thief in the night.  Paul also taught this.  So naturally the human reaction is, “Teach me more so that I can see it coming.”  While that is human nature, I don’t think any of us will really “see it coming.”  We cannot know the day.  We will not know the day.

I think one of the best pieces of advice was given yesterday by a sixth-grade girl.  “Be ready.”  We may not know the day or the time, but we can indeed still be ready.  We can make the most of the time that we have now.  We can speak out about Jesus.  We can grow closer to God each and every day.  We can join in the worship with God and genuinely know Christ (as opposed to just knowing about Christ).  In that manner we may not know the day, but we can indeed be ready for it whenever God should deem it time.*

So anyway, we begin 2 Thessalonians with Paul speaking more about the coming of the Lord.  From Paul’s words, we can know that there were questions – perhaps even a little fear – on the part of the Thessalonians.  Paul has to reassure them.  The coming of the Lord will bring judgment.  But it will also bring a verdict of righteousness for those who are serving the Kingdom of God.  In that day the name of God will be glorified in us unlike any other day.  How absolutely wonderful it will be to know just how much God’s name is praised simply because He found a way to save me and draw me close to Him.  How wonderful it will be to hear God’s name be glorified simply because He found a way to save you and draw you in closer to Him!

Repayment

However, this passage is not just about God’s glory.  It is also a passage about repayment.  Paul reassures the Thessalonians that after judgment God will afflict those who afflicted His people in this present age.  God will afflict those who do not humble themselves to know God.  God will afflict those who do not obey the Gospel of Jesus.  Anyone else notice how closely knowing/believing is once again tied to obedience?

This is a bit of a scary passage as well.  I look around and see many people who do not appear to be following God and knowing Him.  Granted, I fully admit that it is not my place to judge and I cannot in any way truly know what is in the heart of another person.  But I still fear for the people in the world around me.  I fear because in their self-mongerish path to satisfy the desires of their own heart I hope that they are not also pursuing the wrath of God on the day of judgment.  While it is incredible to think about the joy that will come from Jesus’ revelation, I cannot also help but feel a sense of sorrow and dread for those who are not in Christ.

Just To Be Clear

As we move into 2 Thessalonians 2, we have a couple of things to understand.  First – this chapter is often thought of as one of the most difficult chapters in the New Testament to understand.  So if you read through this chapter and feel like you are missing something, it’s okay.  It is likely that this chapter was written with a ton of prior conversation between Paul and the Thessalonians – conversation to which we just don’t have access.  So we’ll just have to make the best of it.

Second, it is important to understand that Paul wants to be clear that the Day of the Lord has not already come.  Some people had begun to infiltrate the church and make the claims that Jesus Christ had already returned.  Paul wants to say that this is absolutely wrong.  Jesus did die.  He did rise up from the dead.  He did ascend into heaven.  But He has not yet returned from heaven and begun the period of judgment as He promised.

It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better

So now let’s look at the rest of this chapter and see what we can make of Paul’s words.  One of the facts that Paul sets forth is that the world will fall generally into greater and greater lawlessness.  By lawlessness, I don’t mean physical anarchy.  What I mean is that people will fall into a greater desire to not care about the ways of God.  In fact, the world will fall further and further into lawlessness to the point where a time will come when people (or a person) will be able to set themselves up as a god and others will believe it.  The world will fall so far away from God that human beings will be willing to accept a human substitute in the place of God.  That’s a pretty telling portrait of humanity right there.

Unexpected Grace

We also need to understand from Paul’s words that the coming of the lawless one – elsewhere called the Son of Perdition – is being restrained by God.  God is holding back the coming of the lawless one to give humanity the full chance to avoid complete rebellion.  But there will come a day when humanity is no longer interested in turning to God.  Then the time for holding back this lawless one will be done.  The lawless one will come and there will be conflict with Jesus Christ.  Jesus will kill this lawless one – just as the world killed Jesus the first time He came.  When the lawless one is destroyed, God will judge all those who believed the lies of the world and refused to believe in the truth of God.

Again, I will remind you that while this is good news for those who are in Christ, it is ultimately troubling news as well.  I find myself burdened over those in the world who will be judged thusly.  I mourn and grieve for those who chase the dreams of the world instead of the truth that is found in God.

Stand Firm

I will end with Paul’s words.  Stand firm.  Stand firm to what has been taught.  Stand firm to that which is in Christ.  Stand firm, friends.  One day we will be in Christ in the fullest sense of the world.  That day is worth grasping, seizing, and holding onto for all its worth!

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*Allow me to explore this topic of “being ready while not knowing the exact time” more deeply.  I think about a baseball analogy.  When a hitter steps into the batter’s box he neither knows the moment of the pitch nor the type of pitch that’s coming.  Yet, he still gets himself ready.  He still prepares himself to receive the pitch even if he doesn’t know the exact moment or the exact type.

Or, think about a football defense.  They don’t know when the ball is going to be snapped.  They don’t know the plays that the offense is going to run once the ball is snapped.  But they still spend time getting ready.

I think this is how we as Christians should think of our time.  We don’t know when the Day of the Lord may be.  We don’t know exactly how it will take place.  But we can indeed try to get ready.