Coachlight Bible
Study – II Thessalonians
True Discipleship
In first
Thessalonians, we learned that Paul, having a burden for the new converts in
Thessalonica, sent Timothy back to see the new church and report back to
Paul. Paul’s stay in Thessalonica was
cut very short because of persecution by the Jews observing the changed lives
of the Gentile Thessalonians.
After
hearing Timothy’s encouraging report, Paul wrote I Thessalonians to encourage
this group to continue in the three things Paul noticed in his brief stay at
Thessalonica: 1.) Their “work of faith”, 2.) “labor of love”, 3.) “patience of
hope”.
Paul
accomplished this by demonstrating what true evangelism is, and then by more
instruction on the Day of the Lord.
After
writing I Thessalonians, Paul learned that false teachers had crept into this
group and had caused discouragement to fester in the group. The false teachers had perverted the teaching
about the “Rapture”, and had caused many to think of the persecutions the
church was going through was actually the “Tribulation Period”. Because of this, many had lost their
“patience of hope”, quit their jobs, and just waited for Christ to deliver
them. Many of the Post-Tribulationists and Mid-Tribulationists
are doing the same thing to Christians today.
To combat
this false teaching, Paul wrote II Thessalonians. Paul’s plan was carried out by encouragement
to “stand fast” in the midst of tribulations knowing that the Rapture will not
happen until the Antichrist is revealed.
In I Thessalonians, Paul taught that the church will be caught up before
the Great Tribulation, and comfort can be drawn from this. He ends by commanding them to withdraw from
the false teachers.
I believe
that the Lord had Paul go through these tribulations, so that under the inspiration
of the Holy Ghost; Paul would write and give us instruction today on true
evangelism and true discipleship.
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II Thessalonians - Discipleship |
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Problems |
Discouraged
Christians |
Susceptible
To False Teaching |
Apt to
Follow False Teachers |
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Reference |
1:1--------------1:5----------- |
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Division |
Thanksgiving for Endurance |
To Be Counted Worthy of the Kingdom |
Prayer |
Events Before The Day of the Lord |
Stand Fast |
Wait Patiently |
Withdraw From False Teachers |
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Intension |
Encouragement |
Explain The Day Of The Lord |
Exhortation |
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Plan |
Walk Upright In Tribulations |
Instruction On The Day of the Lord |
Patiently Wait for the Lord |
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Location |
Written In |
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Time |
Around AD 51 |
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I.
Thanksgiving for The Thessalonian’s Endurance
II Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus,
and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians
in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
II Thessalonians 1:2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
II Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for
you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth
exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
II Thessalonians 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the
churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and
tribulations that ye endure:
A. Paul’s thankfulness for the Thessalonians
is proper
1. Because
their faith continually grows
2. They
exhibit brotherly love
B. The other churches glory in the
Thessalonians
1. For their patience in persecutions and enduring temptations
2. For their faith in persecutions and enduring temptations
II.
Suffering to be Counted Worthy of the Kingdom
II Thessalonians 1:5 Which is a
manifest token<1730> of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be
counted worthy of the
II Thessalonians 1:6 Seeing it is a
righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
II Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are
troubled rest<425> with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from
heaven with his mighty angels,
II Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire
taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ: {taking: or, yielding}
II Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be
punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from
the glory of his power;
II Thessalonians 1:10 When he shall
come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe
(because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
A. Tribulations are a “Demonstration” of God’s
Righteous Judgment
1730 endeigma endeigma en’-dighe-mah - from 1731; ; n n
manifest token 1; 1 - 1)
token, evidence, proof
B. Suffering helps them to be deemed “worthy
of the Kingdom” – How they handle tribulation - faith
C. The Release or relaxation comes when the
Lord is revealed
425 anesiv anesis an’-es-is - from 447; TDNT-1:367,60;
n f
rest 3, liberty 1, be
eased 1; 5
1) a loosening, relaxing
1a) to be held in less vigorous confinement
1b) relief, rest, from persecutions
D. The Lord will recompense the persecutors
E. It is all for the purpose of Glorifying Christ
III.
Prayer that Christ would be Glorified
II Thessalonians 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you,
that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil
all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
{count: or, vouchsafe}
II Thessalonians 1:12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and
the Lord Jesus Christ.
IV.
Events Just Before The Day of the Lord
A. The Day of the Lord is in Two Stages – Law of double reference
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The Day of the Lord – In
Two Stages Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD
cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and
he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. |
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First
Stage Second Stage |
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Judgment Seat of Christ Marriage of the Lamb |
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↑ Rapture of the Church |
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Destruction
of the woman |
↓ Second Advent with the Wife Marriage Supper Destruction of the city |
Fulfillment
of the Covenant to Abraham All of
Christ’s are heirs to Abraham’s Promise |
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Church Age |
7 year Tribulation - Judgment |
Millennium |
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II Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
II Thessalonians 2:2 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 is at hand.
II Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for
that day shall not come, except there come a falling away<646> first, and
that man of sin be revealed<601>, the son of perdition;
II Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth
and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or
that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
II Thessalonians 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet
with you, I told you these things?
II Thessalonians 2:6 And now ye know
what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his
time.
II Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery
of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth
will let, until he be taken out of the way.
II Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall
that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his
mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
II Thessalonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the
working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
II Thessalonians 2:10 And with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
II Thessalonians 2:11 And for this
cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
II Thessalonians 2:12 That they all might be damned who
believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
B. What the False Teachers Don’t Know –
Preceding the Day of the Lord
1. There
shall be an apostasy
646 apostasia apostasia ap-os-tas-ee’-ah - feminine of the
same as 647; ; n f
to forsake + 575
1, falling away 1; 2 - 1) a falling
away, defection, apostasy
2. The
Antichrist Unveiled
601 apokaluptw apokalupto ap-ok-al-oop’-to - from 575 and 2572; v
reveal 26; 26
1) to uncover, lay open what has
been veiled or covered up
1a) disclose, make
bare
2) to make known, make manifest,
disclose what before was unknown
3. Who
withholds the Antichrist from coming until God’s appointed time?
Remember when Daniel sought God
24 days to understand the timing of the 70 weeks?
Daniel 10:10 And,
behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my
hands. {set: Heb. moved}
Daniel 10:11 And
he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I
speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he
had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. Daniel 10:12 Then said he unto
me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before
thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
Daniel 10:13 But
the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo,
Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with
the kings of
This refers to the Times of the Gentiles in Nebuchadnezzar’s
dream
Daniel 10:20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and
now will I return to fight with the prince of
Daniel 10:21 But I
will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture
of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in
these things, but Michael your prince
C. The False Teachers are after Satan – Pervert
God’s Word
1. They may
exhibit Satan’s power – Perversion of dunamis power
2. They may
exhibit Satan’s signs and wonders – perversions of God’s Word
V.
Stand Fast And Be Established
II Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of
the Spirit and belief of the truth:
II Thessalonians 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel,
to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
II Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast<4739>,
and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our
epistle.
II Thessalonians 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and
God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting
consolation and good hope through grace,
II Thessalonians 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
A. God Picked the Thessalonians From the Beginning
1. Chosen
them to salvation
2. This
“Salvation” comes from two things mentioned
a.
Sanctification of the Spirit – A Holy Walk
b. Belief
of the Truth – Applying The Bible – Hebrews 11
3. They
were chosen by the Gospel – (Reasoning in the Scriptures) – Acts 17:2
4. The
reason that the Gospel preached – To Glorify Christ
5. God’s
righteous judgment picked them
a. As we
pick fruit
b. God
foresees the “end result”
B. Therefore – Stand Fast – (Persist)
4739 sthkw steko stay’-ko - from the perfect tense of 2476; TDNT-7:636,1082; v
stand fast 6, stand 2;
8
1) to stand firm
2) to persevere, to persist
3) to keep one’s standing
VI.
Exhortation To Wait Patiently For The Lord
II Thessalonians 3:1
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free
course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: {have…: Gr. run}
II Thessalonians 3:2 And that we may
be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. {unreasonable: Gr. absurd}
II Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish<4741> you, and keep you from evil.
II Thessalonians 3:4 And we have
confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things
which we command you.
II Thessalonians 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the
love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. {patient…:
or, patience of Christ}
A. The Lord is Faithful
1. To
Make you stable
4741 sthrizw sterizo stay-rid’-zo -
from a presumed derivative of 2476 ; v
stablish 6, establish 3, strengthen 2, fix 1, stedfastly set 1; 13
1) to make stable, place firmly,
set fast, fix
2) to strengthen, make firm
3) to render constant, confirm,
one’s mind
2. To Protect you from the evil one
5442 fulassw phulasso foo-las’-so - from 5443 (isolation); TDNT-9:236,1280; v
keep 23, observe 2, beware 2, keep (one’s) self
1, save 1, be ... ware 1; 30
1) to guard - 1a) to
watch, keep watch - 1b) to guard : lest he escape
1c) to guard a person
(or thing) that he may remain safe
1c1) lest he suffer
violence, be despoiled, etc. to protect
1c2) to protect one
from a person or thing
1c3) to keep from
being snatched away, preserve safe and unimpaired
1c4) to guard from
being lost or perishing
1c5) to guard one’s
self from a thing
1d) to guard i.e.
care for, take care not to violate
1d1) to observe - 2)
to observe for one’s self something to escape - 2a) to avoid, flee 2b) to guard
for one’s self (i.e. for one’s safety’s sake) so as not to violate, i.e. to
keep, observe (the precepts of the Mosaic law)
VII.
Withdraw From Every Brother That Walks Disorderly
II Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother
that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition
which he received of us.
II Thessalonians 3:7 For yourselves
know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among
you;
II Thessalonians 3:8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour
and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
II Thessalonians 3:9 Not because we have not power, but to
make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
VIII.
Go Back To Your Jobs and Everyday life
II Thessalonians 3:10 For even when
we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither
should he eat.
II Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that there are some which
walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
II Thessalonians 3:12 Now them that are such we command and
exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their
own bread.
II Thessalonians 3:13 But ye,
brethren, be not weary in well doing.
II Thessalonians 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by
this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be
ashamed.
II Thessalonians 3:15 Yet count him
not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
II Thessalonians
II Thessalonians 3:17 The salutation
of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
II Thessalonians