A Survey of Second Thessalonians
The wonderful sequel to I Thessalonians is II Thessalonians which was written by the Apostle Paul from Corinth in A.D. 51. Paul wrote this very informative epistle to comfort and correct a severe problem that had upset the spiritual health of the church. The problem that prompted Paul to write this epistle was the erroneous teaching of the false teachers with their claim that the “Day of the Lord” had already arrived. With such a hideous claim, the false teachers had greatly upset the minds and hearts of the saints, because in the minds and hearts of the saints, they concluded that they had missed the “Day of Christ” (The Rapture) and because of the persecution in which they were experiencing, they were thinking that the “Day of the Lord” had overtaken them.
In a previous article we discussed the “Day of the Lord” this way: “it is a period of time that begins with the tribulation period and goes throughout the Millennium. It is a period that includes both blessings and cursings. Such a claim by these false teachers greatly disturbed the hearts and minds of the Thessalonian saints. While Paul was with this growing church, he taught with diligence the “imminent return of Christ.” He taught that the Lord could come and dispatch His church at any moment. The next event on God’s eschatological calendar is the “Rapture of the Church.” By the term eschatology, we mean the end-time events.
In following God’s time table for events correctly, the Rapture will come first, followed by the Day of the Lord. But the false teachers had the saints disturbed in thinking that because of their experience in persecution that they were in the midst of the “Day of the Lord.” To combat the false teachers’ claim, Paul will comfort and also instruct the saints that certain things must take place before that period – spiritual rebellion or apostasy must take place and the revelation of the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) must make his arrival when the restrainer (The Holy Spirit) is removed (II Thessalonians 2:6-9). Paul’s only prescription to the hideous teaching of the false teachers is a high dosage of God’s word. Yes, the word of God will soothe any troubled heart.
The abounding theme for this grand book is the coming of the Lord. The Lord’s coming back is a most comforting promise to any saint. When the Lord comes the second time, He will pick up His church – a group of called believers since Acts Chapter 2. At the Rapture, only the saints of this church age will meet Him in the mid-air (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, I Corinthians 15:51-58).
After the church goes to heaven with the bridegroom (The Lord Jesus), then the tribulation period will begin. You see, the Day of the Lord begins the Tribulation Period. Every saint of this church age who has placed their faith in Christ’s finished work on Calvary is exempted from the wrath (Tribulation Period) to come (I Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9). The church will be raptured before that awful seven years of tribulation. Certainly, this epistle is an awesome one instructing us that we have been exempted from that awful event – the tribulation period. We may be undergoing troubles now, but our troubles are no comparison to the awful event of the tribulation period. To read about this awful period, the curious mind should read Revelations Chapters 6-18. This grand book can be outlines this way:
- Paul’s Commendation and Encouragement in View of Their Persecution – II Thessalonians 1:1-12
- Paul’s Explanation Concerning the Day of the Lord – II Thessalonians 2:1-17
- Paul’s Admonition to the Church – II Thessalonians 3:1-10
Lastly, the key verse of this marvelous epistle is found in I Thessalonians 2:2-3, which says – “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the Day of Christ (Day of the Lord) is at hand.” “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”
May God Bless!
