Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
(From: 2 THESSALONIANS #1 - 1:1-12)
2 THESSALONIANS SUMMARY:
A PRACTICAL REVELATION: PREPARATION FOR THE LORD'S DAY
A. 1:1-2 A GREETING OF GRACE AND PEACE
PAUlos, kai Si-lou-aNOS, kai TiMOthe-os,
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy,
teek-kleSIa Thes-sa-lo-niKEon en TheO paTRI heMON kai KuRIo IeSOU ChrisTO;
to the church of Thessalonians in God our Father and theLord Jesus Christ;
CHAris huMIN kai eiREneaPO TheOU paTROS kai KuRIou IeSOU ChrisTOU.
2Grace to you and peace from God theFather and theLord Jesus Christ.
B. 1:3-12 THE PURPOSE AND RESULTS OF TRIBULATION
a. 1:3-10 TRIBULATION: GLORY FOR SAINTS - WRATH FOR THE WICKED
Eu-cha-riSTEIN [2168] oPHEIlo-men [3784] toTheO PANto-te peRI huMON, a-delPHOI,
We ought to thank :God alway for you, brethren,
kaTHOS AxiON [514]es-tin, HOti hu-pe-rouXAnei [5232]he PIstis huMON,
even as it is meet, because your :faith grows exceedingly,
kai ple-oNAzei [4121] he aGApeheNOS heKAstou PANton huMON eis alLElous;
and the love of each of you all toward one another abounds;
HOste auTOUS heMAS en huMIN en-kauCHASthai [2744]en tais ek-kleSIais tou TheOU
4so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of :God
huPER tes hu-po-moNES [5281]huMON kai PIste-os en PAsin tois di-ogMOIS [1375]huMON
for your :patience and faith in all your :persecutions
kai tais THLIpse-sin [2347] hais aNEches-the [430]: ENdeig-ma [1370] tes diKAIas KRIse-os [2920] tou TheOU;
and the afflictions which you endure: 5a manifestation of the righteous judgment of :God;
eis to ka-ta-xi-oTHEnai [2661]huMAS tes ba-siLEIas [932]tou TheOU, huPER hes kai PAske-te [3958]:
that you be counted worthy of the kingdom of :God, for which you also suffer:
EIper DIkai-on paRA TheOan-ta-poDOUnai [467] tois THLIbou-sin [2346]huMAS THLIpsin [2347],
6if so that it is righteous with God to recompense affliction to those afflicting you,
kai huMIN tois thli-boMEnois [2346] Ane-sin [425] meth' huMON,
7 and to you that are afflicted rest with us,
en tea-po-kaLUpsei [602]tou KuRIou IeSOU ap' ou-raNOU met' anGElon [32]duNAme-os [1411]auTOU
at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with angels of his power
en puRI [4442] phloGOS [5395], diDONtos ekDIke-sin [1557]tois me eiDOsi TheON,
8in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God,
kai tois mehu-paKOUou-sin [5219]to eu-ag-geLIotou KuRIou heMON IeSOU:
and to them that obey not the gospel of our :Lord Jesus:
HOIti-nes DIken [1349]TIsou-sin [5099], Ole-thron [3639]aiOni-on [166]
9who shall suffer punishment, eternal destruction
aPO proSOpou tou KuRIou kai aPO tes DOxes isCHUos [2479]auTOU,
from the Lord's face and from the glory of his :might,
HOtan ELtheen-do-xasTHEnai [1740]en tois haGIois [40]auTOU,
10when he shall come to be glorified in his :saints,
kai thau-masTHEnai [2296]en PAsin tois piSTEUsa-sin
and to be marveled at in all that believed
(HOti e-piSTEUtheto marTUri-on [3142]heMON eph' huMAS) en teheMEra eKEIne.
(because our :testimony unto you was believed) in that :day.
b. 1:11-12 PRAYER ENABLES TRIBULATION TO HAVE ITS PERFECT WORK
Eis ho kai pro-seuCHOme-tha [4336] PANto-te peRI huMON,
To which end also we pray alway for you,
HIna huMAS a-xiOse[515]tes KLEse-os [2821]ho TheOS heMON,
that our :God count you worthy of the calling,
kai pleROse[4137]PAsan eu-doKIan [2107]a-ga-thoSUnes [19] kai ERgon [2041]PIste-os, en duNAmei;
and fulfill every good pleasure of goodness and work of faith, with power;
HOpos en-do-xasTHE [1740]to Ono-ma [3686]tou KuRIou heMON IeSOU en huMIN,
12that the name of our :Lord Jesus be glorified in you,
kai huMEIS en auTO, kaTA ten CHArin tou TheOU heMON kai KuRIou IeSOU ChrisTOU.
and you in him, according to the grace of our :God and theLord Jesus Christ.
NOTE: Tribulation; Persecution; Suffering; Trials; Affliction: these and others are all synonyms of blessing from God to perfect us the saints. None of these are blessings at the time, but afterwardsthey bring forth in us the fruit of righteousness, and enable us to pass God's test for His Kingdom! We are notappointed to God's wrath; for that is reserved for those who don't know God, and have rejected or ignored His way of salvation in Jesus; of Whom He said - “This is My beloved Son in Whom I am wellpleased! Hearand ObeyHim!” The context here is between sheep and goats.
Jesus patiently waits for the Father's timing to make His enemies His footstool. Then - suddenly - His revelation from heaven will take place.
What the Holy Spirit through Paul commenced in setting forth an understanding and timing of Christ's Second coming in 1 Thessalonians, nowin 2 Thessalonians He intensifies these truths.
And let us remember - with the Lord 1000 years is as a day - and a day as 1000 years. So from the time of Jesus on earth as our atoning and redeeming Savior - until He returns as King of kings and Lord of lords - is but two days - two blinks of the eye.
How foolish for man to live apart from God in our very brief time down here - when all eternity stretches before us. There is an old chorus with the phrase, “With eternity's values in view!” - thisis the way we all should live - for soon is coming upon earth the wrap-up of all past prophecies. Think of all the prophecies exactly fulfilled at Christ's First Coming. It will be equally amazing to see all the prophecies about to be fulfilled for His return!
The majority of the human race rejects God, His Son and His Bible. The Bible is God's Wordto us through man. No otherreligious book comes close to its authenticity! Ivan Panin with his discoveries in Bible Numerics attests to this authenticity. Here God spells out Hisoutlook on sexual perversion and sin. It matters not what man does in setting His truth apart today. Remember Sodom and Gomorrah. And take hold of 1:7-9 above - “in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey notthe gospel of our :Lord Jesus; 9who shall suffer punishment, eternal destructionfrom the Lord's face and from the glory of his :might, 10when he shall come to be glorified in his :saints, and to be marveled at in all that believed in that :day.”
Is this not a parallel to Sodom and Gomorrah? Be notdeceived - God is notmocked. What is recorded in His Word, inspired by God's Holy Spirit through apostles and prophets, will allcome to pass with the same exactitude as the fulfilled prophecies at Christ's first coming. - J.A.W.