2 Thessalonians

Introduction

The oppression that this church was under in its beginning continued well into the second writing, and they were encouraged to ‘keep going’ and let God judge those that trouble you (1:6). The continual teaching of Christ’s coming was surely a truth that they would cling to in their persecutions.

This book is written only a short time after the first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul encourages this church to continue in the teachings that were given unto them (2:15, 3:6), especially things concerning Christ’s return (1:10) and end times events (2:1-12). We can recognize a group of people in the church that did not listen to Paul’s first instruction, and the Thessalonians were told to separate from those who deviated in doctrine and character (3:6, 14).

The end of this letter addresses some of the Thessalonians who had taken end times events too seriously and quit working, to which Paul pointed to his own character while he was among them, they should get to work lest they come to poverty (3:10). This book strikes a great balance of helping believers look to Christ’s coming and understanding prophecy, while also aligning our Christian conduct with the here-and-now.

Chapter 1

This chapter encourages the Thessalonian believers by acknowledging their growth and stamina in persecution. They are reminded of Christ’s second coming, when all wrongs will be made right, and called to stay the course of their Christian life, to live for Jesus while they can.

V1-6 Growth and Persecution

Paul writes this letter with a nearly identical introduction from his previous one to this church (v1). He is still with his faithful labourers Timothy and Silvanus, and likely writing from Corinth, which was his next stop after writing the first letter from Athens (1 Thess 3:1). He greets them with grace and peace (v2) and is quick to give them praise for the reports that he hears back from them, saying that he was “bound to thank God always” (v3) for them and that he would “glory” in them to other churches (v4). In his first letter to this church we could hear the care and urgency in Paul’s voicing, knowing the infantile state that he left them in, but now we hear him rejoicing that they were continuing to grow in their faith, “that your faith groweth exceedingly”(v3), which was no doubt in part because of his first inspired letter and his prayers for them (1 Thess 2:13, 5:27). They also had taken his admonishment to “abound more and more” (1 Thess 4:1) he had previously charged them. We find them now with charity that continues to abound toward each other (v3). They were doing particularly well in their faith despite what it cost them to be Christians, called here “all your persecutions and tribulations” (v4).

Christian persecution has long been the norm for the church, as all of the apostles also suffered greatly for preaching the gospel. It is called here a “manifest token” (v5), which reveals to the world that God is at work in us and that He will judge them with “righteous judgment” (v5) for their offence against His people. First though, He judges Christians worthy of His name, “that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer” (v5). While nobody likes affliction, Christians know that it is an honor to be associated with Jesus and to “suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:41). In persecution, we grow closer to Him (Phil 3:10) and we earn greater rewards in glory (Heb 11:35).

God will also judge the lost for their attack on His people, “seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you” (v6). He is always paying attention, and He will judge and protect us. Even if we suffer, we know that He will not let our persecutors get away with their crime. Whether in this life or in the next, those that persecute and execute Christians will pay for their sins, but not by our hand! 

Christians have a pattern throughout history of forgiving their persecutors and entrusting them to the Lord. Jesus was a great example for us, with His famous words on the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), as was Stephen with his last words being, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 8:60). Paul himself was an answer to this prayer, as God had forgiven him of the very act of being one of Stephen’s persecutors (Acts 22:20, 1 Tim 1:13). Paul therefore did not write these words out of anger or hatred, for he knew the grace of God that was given to him and that it was possible for even the worst of perpetrators to be saved (1 Cor 15:9). Such is our hope today! All can be saved, and if not, God will get vengeance for us (v8)

V7-12 Judgment and Return

The saints in Thessalonica were encouraged to look ahead to the day in which Christ would return and provide “rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven” (v7), only this time Christ’s return is depicted differently that in his first writing (1 Thess 4:13-18). In the first, Christ came back to the clouds and gathered together His church, now He is seen returning “with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance” (v7-8). This is quite the site to behold and quite a way to encourage God’s people. Our “rest”(v7) is only but for a moment before the real action begins!

All of the lost will be judged. There is not a single person on the planet who will escape final judgement. Those that “obey not the gospel… shall be punished with everlasting destruction” (v9). This destruction is not annihilation, as many would like to be, meaning that they would cease to exist, it is instead, “form the presence of the Lord” (v9). The lost will meet their final end in a “lake which burneth with fire and brimstone”(Rev 21:8). Although God can see every place, including hell (Psa 139:8), hell is depicted as being absent from the presence of God, or “outer darkness” (Matt 25:30). The worst thing that anyone can experience is an absence “from the glory of his power” (v9). It is a shame that so many will meet their end in a place “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41). The gospel makes all the difference! Those that believe it will be saved, the rest will “be damned” (2 Thess 2:12).

The moment of Christ’s return will be glorious. This particular event is the second advent, which is different from the rapture. It is called here, “that day” (v10), which is a common phrase in the bible to describe “the day of the Lord” (Isa 13:6-9, Jer 46:10, Ezk 30:3, Joel 2:31). While it has partially come in historical events, it has not been totally fulfilled yet, being stored up to the time of the end. In this ‘day’, God will set everything straight, judge the world, reunite His saints, and eventually create a new heaven and earth (2 Pet 3:10). It is an extensive study, which shall be reserved for another time. The important thing to remember here is that it is yet future and it will be glorious for the saints (v10).

As Paul lived with “that day” in mind (v10) he could also see the Thessalonian believers the (1 Thess 2:19), as with other saints. He prayed for them, that they would be “worthy of this calling” (v11) and fulfill the work that God had called them to do now. Once we experience the future, we will not be able to come back and ‘do again’ a previous part of our lives. We must then live up to our calling now and glorify the name of God (v12) while we have time and breath in our lungs.

Chapter 2 Reminder of the Future

V1-2 A Word of Caution

This section of verses is a landmark for bible prophecy. In the first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul focused on Christ’s return “in the clouds”, when the church will be “caught up” (1 Thess 4:17) in the rapture. The account in the second letter has a very different focus, which are events that will happen after the rapture of the church. Though the rapture is mentioned here, called, “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him” (v1), it is only seen here for a passing moment, as it truly is “in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor 15:52).

Before we can get into the unfolding events, a reminder is given, “be not soon shaken in mind” (v2) and “let no man deceive you by any means” (v3). During this time there were detractors of this teaching, likely saying that the end had ‘already passed’. Though Paul had taught the church well on these events (1 Thess 5:1), they were now being “shaken” (v2) in their understanding from false teachers, some of them even impersonating Paul by writing down their ideas and forging his name, as he says, “not by letter as from us” (v2). It is sad that there is this level of dishonesty in the church! But people will go to any length to prove their own imaginations. Christians ought not to be rattled on this teaching, no matter what comes against it, even if a “spirit” (v2) reveals something new. Many ‘date setters’ for end times events claim visions and dreams by which they interpret these events, but we cannot fall prey to that. Christ will return, and we ought to separate from false teachers (3:14).

V3-12 Revealing The Mystery of Iniquity

The landmark teaching here is the “mystery of iniquity” (v7). Paul defined a mystery as something that was previously unknown but now revealed (Col 1:26). Though this teaching is seen in shadow in Daniel 8-9, it is more clearly revealed here in this chapter and gives us a great rubric whereby to interpret the events of Revelation.

The Great Falling Away (v3)

It is said that this time will be preceded by a generation of apostasy from the faith, “that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first” (v3). This sets the scene for the necessary events of the end times. Peter says the last days will include “scoffers” (2 Pet 3:3) and Paul writes to Timothy that they will be “perilous times” that will involve satanic teachers and callused characters (1 Tim 4:1). The worst days of our society are yet ahead of us, and instead of them improving before Christ’s return, they will morally disintegrate.

The Man of Sin Revealed (v3-4)

There is a character mentioned here that will come onto the world’s stage during the tribulation. He is called here “man of sin” and the “son of perdition” (v3), and later, “that Wicked” (v8). In other places he is called the “beast” (Rev 13:4), the “little horn” (Daniel 8:9) and the “antichrist” (1 John 2:18). He will lead the world into a covenant against Israel (Dan 9:27) and “make war with the saints” (Rev 13:7) of the Jewish remnant in the tribulation.

At the mid-point of the tribulation, “in the midst of the week” (Dan 9:27), he will break his covenant and set himself up in the rebuilt “temple of God” (v4) in Jerusalem to be worshipped “as God” (v4). Being fueled and power by Satan himself, all the world will either worship him or die (Rev 13:4). It is interesting that this man will exalt “himself above all that is called God” (v4). We can clearly see the thumbprint of Satan at work, who has long attempted to usurp the throne of God when he said, “I will exalt my throne” and “I will be like the most High” (Isa 14:12-17). He will finally get the worship that he always wanted but since he is wicked and corrupt it will be out of force and not love.

Satanism is still at work in our world today, and if you ask a Satanist, or a Luciferian (they are different), they will say that Satan is better than God! Boy that sounds like what we just saw out of Isaiah 14 and what the antichrist will say when he comes. The spirit of antichrist works in every generation, not just in the world to come (1 John 4:3), though he will be specifically revealed in his time.

The Restrainer Removed (v5-6)

Paul had taught this church well, and even though they were a new church, they were versed in prophecy. He needed only remind them (1 Thess 5:1), “when I was yet with you, I told you these things” (v5). They already knew what would come next (v6), but he tells them again anyway, “ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time” (v6). There was something restraining the events that are taught here, “what withholdeth” (v6). This restraining force is given a personal pronoun, “only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way” (v7). This phrase is a bit strange to our English today, but it simply means there is someone, “he” who is ‘holding back’ from this happening. The word “withholdeth” is the same Greek word translated here as “let” (v7). The point is that these events cannot happen until a restraining force is taken away.

Most believe that the restrainer is undoubtedly the Holy Spirit as He resides in the church (1 Cor 6:19. Eph 1:13). This is the best explanation, as it would align perfectly with the rapture preceding this event and would make way for the “falling away” (v3) to happen first. Although the Spirit of God will be at work in the tribulation (Ezk 39:29), His role will not be the same as it is in the church. Here are a few other voices on the subject.

“The only One who can restrain Satan and his angels is the Holy Spirit. The instrument of that restraint, ever since Pentecost, has been the church, the mystical body of Christ into which believers are baptized by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13).”[1]

- John Phillips

“In spite of its weakness and seeming failure, never underestimate the importance of the church in the world. People who criticize the church do not realize that the presence of the people of God in this world gives unsaved people opportunity to be saved. The presence of the church is delaying the coming of judgment. Lot was not a dedicated man, but his presence in Sodom held back the wrath of God (Gen. 19:12–29).”[2]

- Warren Wiersbe

The Man of Sin Destroyed (v8)

The bible is quick to let us know that this man, called here “that Wicked” (v8), will be destroyed, “whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy him” (v8). Although there is significantly more detail about his reign of terror in Daniel 8-9 and the book of Revelation, we learn here that his condemnation is certain. God will destroy him!

The sequence is a bit out of order, as in the man of sin’s destruction we see Christ’s second advent (Rev 19:11-21). This is a battle scene in which Jesus is not returning to catch away His saints, He is coming word a sword to destroy, “with the spirit of his mouth” (v8) and His holy presence, “shall destroy with the brightness of his coming” (v8). These two things are how God will defeat the man of sin, and they are the same things that we need to defeat evil in our lives. The Holy Spirit of God is His presence within us that strengthens us and renews us, sealing us off from evil, and the word of God is God’s offensive weapon wherewith we can defeat the devil’s advances in our lives (Matt 4:1-11, Eph 6:17).

The Miracles of the Man of Sin (v9)

While alive, the man of sin will deceive the whole word (Rev 13:14)! He will be powered by Satan himself, “whose coming is after the working of Satan” (v9), which will enable him to do supernatural things, “with all power and signs and lying wonders” (v9). Revelation includes making fire come down from heaven and miracles as some of his great powers (Rev 13:12-13) by means of the ‘false prophet’ that will arise with him.

We should not be surprised that Satan has this kind of power, for he has been counterfeiting God ever since he has fallen. He can be seen emulating the works of Moses to Pharoah (Exo 7:11) and emulating the work of the apostles (2 Cor 11:13-15). Signs and wonders were performed by the apostles to validate the preaching of the word of God (2 Cor 12:12), but not all things supernatural are sourced from God Himself. Just as the man of sin will act “not by his own power” (Dan 8:24), so can men in our day as well. The Thessalonian church was previously told to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (v21). We would do well to also “try the spirits” (1 John 4:1) and cling desperately to the truth of God’s word which will keep us from error (2:15).

Daniel 8:24
And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

The Selling of the Lie (v10-11)

The lost world in the time of tribulation will believe the “sings and lying wonders” (v9) of the man of sin who will work “with all deceivableness of unrighteousness” (v10). That is a frightening amount of deceit! The most terrifying thing about deception is that one does not know they are being deceived!

Why would God allow people to be deceived in such a way? Shouldn’t He provide “a way to escape” (1 Cor 10:13)? Yes, and He did. It was called the church, and it has been taken out of the world, so now all that is left are those that “received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (v10). All people on the planet are now lost and have already made their decision to accept or reject God in the truth of the gospel. Even if they had not heard the gospel preached, they were given the witness of creation to draw them to Christ. The language here is like unto Romans 1, in which men “knew God” (Rom 1:21) and had “the truth of God” (Rom 1:25) in the witness of creation (Rom 1:20), yet they rejected Him to worship themselves.

If a person thinks that they will choose to believe on Christ for salvation after they ‘see’ the rapture happen, they are wrong, for God will make it impossible for them to be saved, as they have had their chance, “for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (v11). God allows man to make a choice. Accepting the gospel must be by faith and not by sight (Rom 10:17, Eph 2:8-9, 2 Cor 5:7). Do not reject the truth now in hopes of one day accepting it later, for you do not know how rejecting it will position yourself to believe a lie, and you do not know if you could recover from such an error! Listen to the author of Hebrews, “to day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb 4:7) and let today be “the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2).

The Destruction of the Damned (v12)

Perhaps it is hard for us to consider eternal damnation in the age of grace because we know that God sent His Son Jesus that “whosoever believeth in him should not perish” (John 3:16), but the possibility of perishing remains. Not all will be saved. Jesus said, “narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt 7:14), meaning most of the world’s population will experience damnation because they, “believed not the truth” (v12). The greatest sin that has ever plagued mankind and damned them is to ‘believe not’. When we get a glimpse at the “damned” (v12) in hell later, which is full of the “unbelieving” (Rev 21:8). Faith is so much a priority to God that our eternal destiny is predicated upon it (John 6:29 20:31).

[1]John Phillips, Exploring 1 & 2 Thessalonians: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), 2 Th 2:7.

[2] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 197.