XVIII: II Thessalonians 1Relief For the Church

XVIII: II Thessalonians 1Relief For the ChurchSurprisingly, I find this chapter represents

the most difficult passage I’ve ever dealt with in prophecy!

I have prayed and labored over this presentation of–and about your response to!–my reaction to Paul’s teaching

on relief for the Church.

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II Thessalonians 1Look at all the positives!

3. We ought always to give thanks

to God for you, brethren, as is only

fitting, because your faith is greatly

enlarged, and the love of each one

of you toward one another grows

ever greater;

4. therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

5. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.

See how Paul throws a spotlight on two elements:

God’s righteousness

Their persecution

This material begs the question:

Will a RIGHTEOUS God allow His people

to SUFFER PERSECUTION without ever

AVENGING them?

And when, if ever, does God repay these persecutors and bring relief to the Church?

Relief and Retribution Together:

6. For after all it is only

just for God to repay with affliction those who

afflict you,

7. and to give relief to

you who are afflicted and to us as well . . . .

Paul tackles that question!A just God does repay those who afflict His peoplePaul talks of God’s just character:

In punishing the persecutors ANDIn giving relief to the Thessalonians and to Paul, as well.

Relief and Retribution Together:

6. For after all it is only

just for God to repay with affliction those who

afflict you,

7. and to give relief to

you who are afflicted and to us as well . . . .

Paul tackles that question!A just God does repay those who afflict His peoplePaul talks of God’s just character:

In punishing the persecutors ANDIn giving relief to the Thessalonians and to Paul, as well.

But when, Paul?!? When can the Thessalonians expect relief from persecution?

Paul’s Astounding Answer:6. For after all it is only just for God to

repay with affliction those who afflict you,

7. and to give relief to you who are

afflicted and to us as well . . . .

. . . when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,

8. dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Here, Paul gets specific.Relief and vengeance for First Century AD Thessalonians have a due date!The day of reckoning for their 1st Century suffering comes at THE END OF THE AGE!!!What’s up with that?? What help is this to the Thessalonians?!?

It’s a Matter of Spiritual Perspective:

10. when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.

Paul doubles down and leaves no doubt as to just when this relief and retribution occur.

Paul spiritually connects his historical Thessalonian Christians to the entire Body of Christ, to all who have believed.

The full identification of any individual sufferer with the full Church Body is the key to fully understanding this passage.

It’s a Matter of Spiritual Perspective:

10. when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.

Paul doubles down and leaves no doubt as to just when this relief and retribution occur.

Paul spiritually connects his historical Thessalonian Christians to the entire Body of Christ, to all who have believed.

The full identification of any individual sufferer with the full Church Body is the key to fully understanding this passage.

Individuality in the physical body makes sense to

us humans.Membership of the individual in a social group makes sense, too.

Being included in the corporate experience of a spiritual entity like the Bride or the Body of Christ

presses too hard on even active imaginations.Let’s let some biblical examples help, if they can.

Here’s Evil’s Spiritual Reality:

Daniel’s Image of Gold showed the progression of SEPARATE gentile empires that swallowed Israel-from Babylon at the head down to the AntiChrist’s kingdom at the feet.

The Stone Cut Without Hands (Jesus) strikes at the END OF TIME-at the empire of the AntiChrist-an event at a point in our future.

Yet the WHOLE structure falls as if a single living entity, whose life span began with Nebuchadnezzar, had been slain at the time of the end.

Thus we have a full identification of INDIVIDUAL world empires with a WHOLE spiritual body of evil.

Here’s A Believer’s Spiritual Reality:

For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (Romans 12:4-5)

Christians are “Members of one another”, across aisles and sanctuaries, continents and centuries . . .

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the Church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. (Col 1:24)

Our individual experiences of affliction affect a spiritual Body of unimaginable proportions and mystical significance.

Homework for the Weak(A Group of Nested References)

Read 2 Timothy 3: 1 and

2 Timothy 4: 1-5 and

1 Timothy 4:1 and

2 Thessalonians 2: 1-7!

Surviving Individual AfflictionThe Thessalonians–and each Christian in every place and every age must

See themselves as organically part of a living and eternal spiritual entity: The Body and Bride of Christ

See themselves as spiritual warriors engaged in spiritual warfare-with all its grim physical realities!

See physical historical oppressors as representatives of a real spiritual entity: The kingdom of Satan

Anticipate the permanent relief Paul promises ALL persecuted believers- at the end of the age.

Let God bring just retribution on the kingdom of Satan when it’s time- at the end of the age.

Prepare–if called–to face your share of Christ’s affliction- as joy!

The Beginning The Afflictions–

Christ at Gethsemane

42. . . . saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

43. Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.

44. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. Luke 22:42-44

At the Start of Filling Up What Is Lacking in Christ’s Afflictions–

Martyrdom of Stephen

58. When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59. They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60. Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:58-60

Filling Up What Is Lacking in Christ’s Afflictions Continues–

Paul and Silas at Philippi

22. The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. 23. When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; 24. and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them . . . Acts 16:22-25

Filling Up What Is Lacking in Christ’s Afflictions Reaches Us–

Carl Lundberg

“Now the soldiers have come and are going to attack us today. The Catholics are going to defend themselves but it seems of no use, we do not want to die with weapons in our hands.”

“If God permits, they may take our lives. . . . God bless you all. We will meet with Jesus.” Diary, 19th century

American missionary to China during Boxer Rebellion.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_boiJ7l3Cxt0/SiBdW4XYtEI/AAAAAAAAHnM/kcWoeCW16Tw/s400/Martyr_Carl_Lundberg.jpg

Even On The Edge Of The End: Filling Up What Is Lacking in Christ’s Afflictions–

Revelation 6:9-11–The Martyrs Under The Throne:

9. When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained;

10. and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

11. And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

What’s Old Is New Again . . .

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“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”William Faulkner

Any persecution-of believers in 1st Century Thessalonica, of the saints in 9th Century Persia of Christians in 20th Century China or of saints in the Great Tribulation is ALL THE SAME in so many ways!

Same purpose–thwart God’s promises Same Antagonist–Satan Same promise for relief and retribution Same faith sustaining similar believers Same triumph of the Church over evil

What’s Old Is New Again . . .

http://pixdaus.com/index.php?pageno=14&sort=comments

“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”William Faulkner

Any persecution-of believers in 1st Century Thessalonica, of the saints in 9th Century Persia of Christians in 20th Century China or of saints in the Great Tribulation is ALL THE SAME in so many ways!

Same purpose–thwart God’s promises Same Antagonist–Satan Same promise for relief and retribution Same faith sustaining similar believers Same triumph of the Church over evil

Do NOT quickly separate any experience of

present affliction for the sake of Jesus Christ

from the future affliction saints in the Great

Tribulation.

Too many similarities

The Great Tribulation:

leads to a HUGE increase in intensity

represents the climax of the ages

is Satan’s next to last chance to beat God

gives ALL believers a timeless battle plan and their

certain hope of victory.

As I see it, the Holy Spirit, through Paul and Daniel, asks something incredible of believers who suffer persecution as individuals at specific points in history:

The Holy Spirit, through Paul and Daniel, asks something incredible of believers who suffer persecution as individuals at specific points in history:

“Christian, remember your part in a living spiritual entity called the Body

of Christ which another spiritual being called Satan would destroy

individual by individual, if he could! Your historical battle is really part of

a larger eternal battle, conducted in spiritual realms with eternal

consequences. Jesus will yet break into history once more to bring a

sure and certain punishment, a final sweet relief to the Body.

Christian, endure and know your triumph rests in God’s sure and certain

promises of relief to the Body when He returns for His Bride.”

As I see it, the Holy Spirit, through Paul and Daniel, asks something incredible of believers who suffer persecution as individuals at specific points in history:

11. To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you

worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work

of faith with power, 12. so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be

glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and

the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

Thus, Paul closes this passage with a call for Thessalonians-and all who suffer as believers in Christ: anticipate relief when Christ returns for his Bride. Meanwhile:

Endure and abide. We serve as soldiers in the battle of the ages.

All Through Christian History– Filling Up What Is Lacking In Christ’s Afflictions–

Paul says, “Ask rather, ‘When will God bring relief

to the Church?’”

From the 1st century down to this very day,

individuals persecuted for their faith ask “The

Thessalonian Question”:

When will God repay thesepersecutors and bring relief to me?

NEXT:XIX: THE MAN OF SIN:

II Thessalonians 2

The Man of Lawlessness Revealed

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