(2Th 1:7)  “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,(8) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:”  Here is a very different event than that which is spoken of in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4. There the Lord meets the resurrected saints in the air; here He returns to the earth. Since there is a seven year space between the two events, I draw your attention to the phrase, “rest with us”. Rest speaks of some sort of cessation of labor. Labor can be concern, or the activity of the mind. I say to you, “Rest in the Lord. He will take care of everything. Stand firm in Him.”  

 (2Th 1:6)  “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;”  The old nature in the saved desires to strike out to those who offend us. The world has taught us, “If you don’t stick up for yourself no one else will.” God, the righteous judge instructed us, (Rom_12:19)  “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”  We cannot very well avenge ourselves and practice, “Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matt 10:14).  Trust the Lord to right all wrongs.

(2Th 1:4) “So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith…….(5b)….. that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:”  Many times those professing salvation are found moaning and complaining about their lot in life. Why me? The Scriptures before us teach that He is worthy to suffer this life for. We are passing through. This is a world that hates the holiness of our God and our calling. This is a world of pain and suffering of the body. We are passing through. The Lord Jesus admonished us, (Luk 21:19) “ In your patience possess ye your souls.”  That requires the faith to trust, doesn’t it?  

(2Th 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:”  Patience and faith walk hand in hand. They are essential in overcoming evil. They say, “I trust you, Lord.” “I am yours Lord.” “Do with as you will, Lord.” We are here upon this earth for two reasons: to know Him and to glorify Him. So, endure as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

(2Th 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:”  “We ourselves glory in you”. Today there is a word we use wrongly; one the Bible always uses in the negative sense, we use in the positive sense. That very word reveals how we do not see things the way God sees them. Instead of the word, “glory’ we would use the word “proud”. “We are proud of you among the churches for your patience and faith…..” No. Pride is of the devil. To glory is to rejoice. Rejoice, glory, in the fact that God’s people do right. God help us to get rid of the word, “pride”, as we use it today.

 (2Th 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;”  Your “faith” is greatly growing. Many do not understand this word, “faith”. They think it means simply acknowledging facts as being true. That’s not Bible faith. Bible faith is action based upon acknowledging facts as being true. For example – tithing. One might acknowledge it as being what God desires but does not practice it. That is not Bible faith. God expects the faith to be put into practice, believing if I practice tithing God will meet my needs despite the fact that I have ten percent less of my income. The practice, the action, is Bible faith. There is evidence of this definition in this verse. Love is being poured out of them by the Spirit of God through their obedience- – their action of faith.

(2Th 1:2)  “Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Notice that the words of this book, as in all of Scripture, are not the words of man, but of God. Else one could not speak the words before us: these words of blessings are coming from the Lord. The Bible does not contain the Words of God here and there among the words of men. The Bible plainly says, (2Pe 1:21) “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”  and (1Th_2:13)  “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”  Believe and obey it all for it is all God’s Word!

 (2Th 1:1)  “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:”  Words have meaning. And God, Who gave us language, means what He says and says what He means. I  draw your attention to the word, “church”. This is a particular church. At this time there is no “universal church”, as so many speak of “the church”. The church is a gathered assemble; that is what the word means. You cannot have an unassembled assembly. God will some day call out of this world, gather together, into one assembly – church.  

 (1Th 5:24)  “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”   Do what? Context: preserve your body, soul, and spirit blameless unto Jesus’ coming to get us. Many put this back upon the believer with their doctrine – “I have to be faithful, preserving myself.” This is wrong. My salvation is not about my ability or consistency of works; it is all about the faithfulness of He Who promised. Will a true believer continue as faithfully as they can? Yes. It is the evidence of true salvation. Notice how the two go together, (Eph 2:8) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9)  Not of works, lest any man should boast. (10)  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”   

(1Th 5:23) “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”   Praise God the Lord Jesus is coming! He is coming first to take His Own redeemed, those who turned from their sins giving Him their heart. Those He will give gloried bodies like unto His Own! What a glorious day that will be. Here’s the thing. It could be today. If He were to come this very moment, would you be ready? I mean ready. Saved? No sin between you and Him? Looking forward to it?