2 Thessalonians 1 Lesson #13

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
2 THESSALONIANS 1
LESSON #13
INTRODUCTION TO THE TRIBULATION PERIOD

v     MEMORY VERSE:  2THESSALONIANS 1:4

v     INTRODUCTION TO 2 THESSALONIANS:

Ø      IN 1 THESSALONIANS WE DEALT WITH THE RAPTUREOF THE CHURCH.

§         THERE WAS A FALSE REPORTTHAT CIRCULATED THROUGH THIS CHURCH IN THESSALONICA. PEOPLE THOUGHT IT CAME FROM PAUL.

·        THE FALSE REPORT SAID THAT THERAPTURE HAD OCCURRED AND THESE PEOPLE WERE NOW LIVING IN THE TIME CALLED, “THE DAY OFTHE LORD”.

¨      WE DISCUSSED THIS PHRASE AND HOW IT REFERS TOTHE TRIBULATION PERIOD.

Ø      IF THESE PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN THETRIBULATION PERIOD, THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT. PAUL GIVES THEM THEIRANSWER IN 2 THESSALONIANS.

§         PAUL ENCOURAGES THEM THATTHE RAPTURE HAS NOT YET OCCURRED. (2THE 2:1)

v     READ 2THE 1:1-12

Ø      GRACE AND PEACE (2)

§         REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE TWOWORDS PAUL OFTEN USED TO BEGIN A BOOK. THEY ARE THE COMMON GREETING OF HIS DAY.

·        “GRACE” WAS A COMMONGREETING FOR GENTILES.

·        “PEACE” WAS A COMMONGREETING FOR JEWS.

Ø      THE PERSECUTION OF BELIEVERS:

§         THE PEOPLE IN THETHESSALONIAN CHURCH WERE SUFFERING PERSECUTION. THIS WAS THEIR EVIDENCE THAT THEY TRULYWERE IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.

·        PAUL SAYS THAT THROUGH THEIRPERSECUTION, THESE PEOPLE HAVE DEMONSTRATED CHRISTIAN CHARACTER: (3-4)

¨      FAITH

Ø      THROUGH PERSECUTION IT IS NECESSARY TO KEEPYOUR FAITH STRONG. PAUL WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS IN THAT CHURCH.

§         IT IS SO EASY TO GETDISCOURAGED. DISCOURAGEMENT LEADS TO THE FOLLOWING NEGATIVE THOUGHT PATTERN:

·        YOU THINK FALSELY THAT GOD HASABANDONED YOU.

·        THEREFORE, YOU THINK THAT TRYINGTO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT.

·        IF BEING A CHRISTIAN IS NOT WORTHIT, YOU MIGHT AS WELL ABANDON THE FAITH.

§         INSTEAD OF THE NEGATIVETHOUGHTS, YOU MUST KEEP YOUR FAITH STRONG. STRONG FAITH PRODUCES LOVE.

¨      LOVE

Ø      THROUGH PERSECUTION, IT IS HUMAN NATURE TOWANT TO RETALIATE. RETALIATION PRODUCES A ROUND OF VIOLENCE THAT HARDENS THE HEART AGAINSTLOVE.

§         THE BELIEVER BECOMES TOOCONCERNED ABOUT HIS OWN PROTECTION TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OTHER BELIEVERS.

§         THE BELIEVER BECOMES TOOCONCERNED ABOUT RETALIATION TO BE A GOOD LOVING WITNESS TO NON-BELIEVERS.

¨      PATIENCE

Ø      THE WORD “PATIENCE” MEANS = TOSTAND UNDER.

Ø      THE PATIENCE PAUL REFERS TO IS THE PATIENCETHAT KEEPS THE BELIEVER LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.

§         THE PATIENCE OF HOPE HAS ANETERNAL PERSPECTIVE WHERE THE BELIEVER LOOKS PAST HIS PRESENT TIME INTO ETERNITY.

·        IF HE CAN LOOK BY FAITH INTOETERNITY, HE CAN SEE HIS FINAL REWARD THAT MAKES THIS LIFE OF SUFFERING WORTHWHILE.

¨      THIS ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE PRODUCES PATIENCE.

§         TRIBULATION IN THECHRISTIAN LIFE DOES NOT MEAN THE BELIEVER WILL GO THROUGH THE PERIOD OF THE TRIBULATION ONEARTH. (4)

·        THESE PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT BECAUSETHEY WERE SUFFERING, THEY WERE ALREADY IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.

¨      JESUS SAID CHRISTIANS WOULD HAVE TRIBULATION(SUFFERING, PROBLEMS). IT IS A PART OF LIFE. (JOH 16:33)

Ø      THIS KIND OF TRIBULATION IS VERY DIFFERENTFROM THE PERIOD OF TRIBULATION THAT WILL COME ON THE WORLD IN THE FUTURE. (MAT 24:21)

§         THE PEOPLE IN THESSALONICADID NOT UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE PERIOD OF TRIBULATION AND CONFUSED THE TWO TYPES OFTRIBULATION.

Ø      THE TRIBULATION PERIOD ON EARTH:

§         THE BIBLE TALKS MORE ABOUTTHIS SEVEN-YEAR PERIOD THAN ANY OTHER PERIOD OF TIME IN HISTORY.

·        HOW DO WE KNOW IT WILL LAST 7YEARS?

¨      READ DAN 9:24

Ø      70 “WEEKS” OF PROPHETIC YEARS ISDETERMINED ON GOD’S PEOPLE, THE JEWS. (A TOTAL OF 490 YEARS) 69 OF THOSE PROPHETICWEEKS HAVE BEEN FULFILLED IN PAST HISTORY WHEN GOD DEALT DIRECTLY WITH THE JEWS. ONEPROPHETIC WEEK OF 7 YEARS REMAINS UNFULFILLED.

§         THIS TELLS US THAT GOD WILLAGAIN DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THE JEWS FOR 7 YEARS. HE WILL PUT PRESSURE ON THEM TO BRING THEMTO FAITH IN CHRIST.

·        BIBLICAL NAMES FOR THETRIBULATION PERIOD:

¨      “THE LORD’S STRANGE WORK”  (ISA 28:21)

Ø      A SPECIFIC TIME PERMITTED BY GOD TO BRINGSPECIFIC RESULTS.

¨      “THE HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT” (REV14:7)

Ø      GOD WILL BRING THE JEWS AND THE GENTILENATIONS TO JUDGMENT.

¨      “THE END OF THIS WORLD” (MAT13:40,49)

Ø      THIS IS NOT THE END OF THIS EARTH, BUT IT ISTHE END OF THIS WORLD SYSTEM AS WE KNOW IT.

¨      “THE TIME OF THE END” (DAN 12:9)

Ø      THIS 7 YEAR PERIOD COMPLETES THE AGE JUSTBEFORE THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

¨      “THE DAY OF GOD’S VENGEANCE”(ISA 34:8) (LUK 21:22)

Ø      GOD WILL AVENGE THE DEATHS OF MANY PERSECUTEDCHRISTIANS AND JEWS DURING THIS 7 YEAR PERIOD.

¨      “THE DAY OF DESOLATION”, “THEDAY OF DESTRUCTION”, “THE DAY OF DISTRESS” (ZEP 1:15)

Ø      IT WILL BE A TIME OF DESTRUCTION, PROBLEMS,AND PAIN SUCH AS NEVER WAS IN THE HISTORY OF THIS EARTH.

¨      “DESTRUCTION AND GLOOM” (JOE 1:15)

¨      “DAY OF DARKNESS AND GLOOM” (ZEP1:15) (AMO 5:18, 20) (JOE 2:2)

Ø      SPIRITUAL DARKNESS WILL REIGN ON EARTH.

¨      “DAY OF TRUMPET AND ALARM” (ZEP1:16)

Ø      THE 7 YEAR PERIOD IS A TIME OF WARNING THATAN ETERNAL JUDGMENT WILL COME AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE OF GOD.

¨      “DAY OF WRATH” (ZEP 1:15,18)

¨      “THE DAY OF THE LORD’S ANGER”(ZEP 2:2-3)

¨      “THE GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH” (REV6:17)

Ø      GOD WILL POUR OUT HIS WRATH AGAINST SATAN,AGAINST EVIL MEN LIKE THE ANTI-CHRIST, THE FALSE PROPHET, AND AGAINST NON-BELIEVERS.

¨      “THE OVERFLOWING SCOURGE” (ISA28:15,18)

Ø      A TIME OF GREAT DECEIT BY SATAN AND THEANTI-CHRIST.

¨      “THE INDIGNATION” (ISA 26:20) (ISA34:2)

Ø      A TIME WHEN GOD WILL PERMIT SATAN TO HAVEFREE REIGN OVER ALL THE EARTH.

¨      “THE TIME OF TROUBLE SUCH AS NEVER WAS”(DAN 12:1)

Ø      A TIME OF GREAT PERSECUTION AND DEATH.

¨      “THE DAY OF CALAMITY” (DEU 32:35)(OBA 1:12-14)

¨      “THE OVERSPREADING OF ABOMINATION”(DAN 9:27)

Ø      A TIME WHEN THE ANTI-CHRIST, POSSESSED BYSATAN, WILL ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF AS GOD.

¨      “JACOB’S TROUBLE” (JER 30:7)

Ø      A SPECIFIC TIME THAT REFERS TO A TESTINGJUDGMENT ON THE JEWS TO BRING THEM TO JESUS CHRIST.

¨      “FIRE OF HIS JEALOUSY” (ZEP 1:18)

Ø      GOD HAS DESIRED TO BE THE ONLY GOD TO HISPEOPLE EVER SINCE THE 10 COMMANDMENTS.

¨      “THE 70TH WEEK” (DAN9:24-27)

Ø      THE LAST SEVEN YEARS YET TO BE FULFILLED INGOD’S TIMETABLE FOR THE JEWS.

¨      “THE DAY OF THE LORD” (ISA 13:6)(ZEP 1:7)

Ø      THE COMING OF A TIME OF JUDGMENT ON LIVINGNON-BELIEVERS AS WELL AS A TIME OF BLESSING FOR BELIEVERS. A TIME OF DECISION.

¨      “THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD”(MAL 4:5)

¨      “THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES” (LUK21:24)

Ø      THIS IS THE LAST 7 YEARS OF THE CONTROL OFJERUSALEM BY WORLD GENTILE POWERS. THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES BEGAN WITH THE BABYLONIANCAPTIVITY IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL AND CONTINUES UNTIL THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMINGOF CHRIST.

¨      “THE LAST DAYS” (2PET 3:3)

Ø      THESE ARE THE LAST DAYS OF OUR PRESENT WORLDSYSTEM BEFORE THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

¨      “TIME, TIMES AND HALF A TIME”  (DAN 12:7) (DAN 7:25) (DAN 4:16,23,25)

Ø      THIS REFERS TO THE LAST HALF OF THE 7 YEARTRIBULATION PERIOD CALLED “THE GREAT TRIBULATION” BY JESUS. (MAT 24:21)

¨      “FORTY TWO MONTHS” (REV 11:2) (REV13:5)

Ø      THIS AMOUNTS TO THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF THEGREAT TRIBULATION..

¨      “1260 DAYS” (DAN 12:6) (REV 11:3)

Ø      IT REPRESENTS THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARSOF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.

¨      “A HALF WEEK” (DAN 9:27)

Ø      THIS REFERS TO HALF OF THE TRIBULATIONPERIOD.

Ø      NOTICE THAT PAUL SAYS IN 2THE 1:6 THAT GODHAS A RIGHT TO JUDGE:

§         THE BELIEVER ENDURES GOD’SDISCIPLINE IN THE FORM OF TRIBULATION (PROBLEMS) IN HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE IS A LOVING FATHERWHO DISCIPLINES HIS CHRILDREN.

§         THE WORLD WILL ENDURE THEPERIOD OF THE TRIBULATION. WHY?

·        THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIBULATIONPERIOD:

¨      WHY WOULD A LOVING GOD PERMIT A TIME OFUNBRIDLED EVIL ON THIS EARTH?

Ø      GOD’S WRATH ON THIS PHYSICAL WORLD: (REV8:7)

§         FROM THE TIME OF ADAM ANDEVE, THE WHOLE WORLD HAS BEEN POLLUTED WITH SIN AND REBELLION AGAINST GOD, THE CREATOR.THE PHYSICAL WORLD NEEDS TO BE CLEANSED.

Ø      GOD’S WRATH ON SINFUL MAN: (ISA 26:21)(2THE 2:11-12) (REV 16:2)

§         FROM THE TIME OF ADAM ANDEVE, MAN HAS PERSISTED IN HIS SINFUL REBELLION AGAINST GOD. GOD WILL ALLOW MAN TO LIVE INA WORLD WITHOUT GOD, A WORLD OF MAN’S OWN CHOOSING, AND A WORLD OF MAN’SDESTRUCTIVE WILL.

Ø      GOD’S WRATH UPON THE NATIONS: (MAT 24:7)(REV 19:15)

§         FROM THE TIME OF NOAH, MANHAS REJECTED GOD’S GOVERNMENTAL LEADERSHIP IN FAVOR OF MAN’S OWN LEADERSHIP ANDGOVERNMENT. GOD WILL SHOW MAN WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE TO LIVE UNDER A WORLD LEADER OF MAN’SCHOICE (THE ANTI-CHRIST)..

Ø      GOD’S JUDGMENT ON THE JEWS: (LUK 21:24)(DAN 12:1) (HOS 3:4-5) (EZE 20:33-34) (JER 30:7,11)

§         GOD WILL USE THIS PERIOD TOJUDGE THE JEWS FOR THEIR REJECTION OF JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR MESSIAH. THIS JUDGMENT WILLBRING THEM TO FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AT THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING.

Ø      GOD’S JUDGMENT ON THE ANTI-CHRIST ANDTHE FALSE PROPHET: (REV 19:20)

§         GOD WILL END THIS PERIOD OFTRIBULATION WITH HIS JUDGMENT ON THE TOOLS SATAN USES TO DECEIVE THE WORLD. THOSE TOOLSARE THE ANTI-CHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET.

Ø      TO REDEEM A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE: (REV 7:9-17)(ZEC 12:10-11) (ZEC 13:1)

§         THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IS AGREAT TIME OF DECISION FOR PEOPLE TO DECIDE FOR GOD OR FOR SATAN.

Ø      TO SEPARATE THE GOOD FROM THE BAD: (MAT13:3-8, 24-30)

§         JESUS PROMISED A SEPARATIONOF GOOD AND BAD AT THE END OF THIS AGE. MOST PEOPLE DON’T SEEK GOD UNTIL THEIR LIFEGETS REALLY BAD.

Ø      “THE LORD JESUS SHALL BE REVEALED FROMHEAVEN” (7)

§         WE KNOW THAT THE TIMEPERIOD PAUL IS DISCUSSING IS THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, BECAUSE IT IS AT THE END OF THETRIBULATION PERIOD WHEN JESUS CHRIST IS REVEALED TO EVERYONE ON THE EARTH FOR WHO HE IS.IT IS AT THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING WHEN ALL OF THE WORLD WILL SEE HIM COME TOEARTH. (7-10)

·        AT THE EVENT OF THE SECONDCOMING OF CHRIST, ALL NON-BELIEVERS WILL BE KILLED. (8-9)

¨      READ REV 19:20-21

Ø      THIS IS THE REWARD OF THE NON-BELIEVERS FROMTHE TRIBULATION PERIOD. WHY?

§         BECAUSE WHEN CHRIST COMES,HE ESTABLISHES HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH. ONLY BELIEVERS INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

·        READ  1COR 6:9

·        READ MAT 25:34

v     HOMEWORK

v     2THE 2:1-8

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERSTO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

 

v     APPLICATION OF 2THE 1

Ø      AS BELIEVERS GOING THROUGH PERSECUTIONS ANDPROBLEMS, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT REMAINING FIRM IN FAITH WITH THE LORD WILL BE WORTH IT INTHE END. AS WE HAVE SEEN IN THIS PAST LESSON, THE ALTERNATIVE FOR NON-BELIEVERS IS NOTPRETTY.

§         MAKE A LIST OF FAMILY ANDFRIENDS WHO DO NOT KNOW THE LORD PERSONALLY.

§         PRAY FOR EACH ONE THISWEEK.

§         LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TOWITNESS TO THEM ABOUT JESUS CHRIST THIS WEEK.

v     PREPARATION FOR 2THE 2:1-8

Ø      READ 2THE 2:1-8

§         EXPLAIN PAUL’S WARNINGIN VERSE 2.

v     MEMORY VERSE: 2THESSALONIANS 2:2