1. Times and seasons, include his second
comings, he comes four times
.
At the
end of the fourth chapter, we saw rapture and the inheritance of the
kingdom of God. It says that we should not grieve for the passing of
our born-again people, as non-believers lament the death of their people,
because our dead are with Jesus Christ and Jesus will bring them,
with him
when he comes.
"1 Thessalonians 5:1
But of the times and the
seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you."
God has inspired scriptures to be written as
mysteries in such a way that the spiritual people will understand them by
revelation, and those who study them by
intelligence must not understand them. Here, the times and seasons
include the second comings of Jesus Christ. There is no phrase as "second coming" of
Jesus Christ, in the bible. But since it is a prominent subject, many
scholars still write
books on the topic. They write the second coming as one incident, in
spectacular attractive ways and make tons of money from their books. But
scripture says that he comes FOUR times. 1: He became God at his ascension;
and he is back already to turn his people away from their iniquities. 2:
It is the rapture, to catch up his people. 3: It is
Millennium, to rule the Jews. 4: To end this world, and to lead us to
eternity; that is to open heaven and hell. We name each one of them as 'Second
Coming', as it is one. It is too big a topic for me to explain it here. So, let me give two links for you
to study the details if you are interested. Link: "Second
Coming 1," and "Second Coming 2 to
4." It is good to know the facts or truth from the bible, rather
than to believe the stories of preachers, about the second coming and the
end times.
2. What is the day of the Lord in this
context, comparing another place?
"2
For
yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in
the night." Same phrase means different things according to
the
context, especially in the bible. So, we must study it carefully. Here the
phrase is "the day of the Lord cometh as a
thief in the night." The same phrase is in
2 Peter 3:10.
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief
in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up." In the context in
Peter, the incident is this: Jesus Christ will smash the entire solar system,
the earth, sun, moon, planets, stars, all of them together into one big
ball of fire, and this will be the lake of fire. It refers to the
fourth second coming of Jesus Christ to
end this world. Now, let us see
what the same phrase "the day of the Lord
so cometh as a thief in the night"
means in the context here in Thessalonians. "3
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden
destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they
shall not escape." It talks about the unexpected sudden destruction
upon them. If we have 2 Peter 3:10
in our mind, which is about the destruction of the entire world, we will be
tempted to apply the same, here also. But this verse says,
they shall not escape; that is, we may
escape. But in Peter, nobody escapes. Let us look a few more verses. "4
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that
day should overtake you as a thief. 5
Ye are all the children of
light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of
darkness. 6
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch
and be sober." This means that the children of light will overtake
the event of the day, if we watch and be sober; but the children of
darkness will be caught. But if it is the end of the world, nobody will
escape, and so, it is not the same event, even though both verses have the
same phrase or same sentence. If they are not the same day, then what
is this day? "7 For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that
be drunken are drunken in the night. 8
But let us, who are of the day,
be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet,
the hope of salvation." In short it says, those who are in
darkness, let them be; but you put on the whole armor of God, as in
Ephesians 6:11-17. We studied that a few
weeks ago. Let me give the link if you like to refresh your memory. Link:
"the whole armor." So, the
day is not a calendar day, but it is about, will we be sober on that day;
so, it is about our status. If we are the children of light, we will be
protected, but God's wrath will be on the children of darkness. "9
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but
to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10
Who died for us,
that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him."
So, beginning from this day, we will either live
together with Jesus Christ, or we will live with the wrath of God, but
nobody dies on this day.
Yet, this day is the most important day to every one of us, since
we will decide our eternal destiny on this day. "Hebrews 3:7
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye
will hear his voice, 8
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,
...:" Here it says 'To Day' if you hear the voice of God (in
the Spirit, that is, if you are born again), do not harden your heart. This will
not apply to those who are not born-again, since the first second coming is
only for spiritual people. Jesus Christ will not beg you as
preachers say, but he will eternally condemn you. It
is the first of the four second comings of Jesus Christ. It is a big
subject. But it is an important subject. So, let
me give the link again for you to study the reference for this Second Coming.
Please study this. Link: "First
Second Coming."
3. Let them admonish you; Esteem them very highly in love for their work.
Most Thessalonians are truthful people, yet the apostles wanted to make
sure that all of them are truthful. They wanted to convert the bad apples
also.
"11
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also
ye do." Here he says that if a believer passes away, do not lament
as others, but comfort each other, since our hope is that we will be in
the Lord. "12
And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour
among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13
And to
esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace
among yourselves." When I was young, say about sixty years ago, in
our part of the world, people were respected, as common courtesy. But now,
believers treat the true teachers of the word of God, as they are dirt.
There is no respect. So, the apostles caution believers to esteem the true
servants of God very highly. The following verses are simple instructions
and so, let me skip explaining. "14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are
unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all
men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever
follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 16
Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18
In every thing give
thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
Verse 18 tells us to give thanks in everything. If we are
really God's people,
then only we can thank God in a
loss or in a sad event. Once I got hit, was on the ground face down, broken hearted, was in
a bad
situation, no way out; after it was all over, I saw the hands of God was in it
throughout, and then I know it
was a good thing for me. I thanked God, but it was after the fact, when it
was all over; but the apostles tell us to thank God as it is happening.
If we see the hands of God as it happens, we
can thank him. I have learned it in a hard way, but we can do it in an easy way,
if the holy Spirit is our body. "19
Quench not the Spirit. 20
Despise not prophesyings. 21
Prove all
things; hold fast that which is good. 22
Abstain from all appearance
of evil. 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." In our last
study, we saw how God
sanctifies and will preserve us blameless. Let me give that link. It is:
"Make
us pure". "24 Faithful is he that calleth you,
who also will do it.:" It says that who calls you is faithful,
and God will do it.
So, God is faithful. Are you faithful? Did God
call you? If he did, what did God call you for? If God called you to
follow him, don't try to become a leader. If you do, you will mess it up big time, because
you are not faithful to stay in your calling. If he did not call you,
don't pretend as you are called, but learn to be humble to receive his
grace.
"25
Brethren, pray for us. 26
Greet all the
brethren with an holy kiss. 27
I charge you by the Lord that this
epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. 28
The grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." It is the end of the first letter
to Thessalonians. Now we are going to the next letter. It is also written
by the same apostles, and it appears as one continued letter. Let us go to
2 Thessalonians.
4. Take vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel.
"2 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and
Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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;"
It is the same prominent men, Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus, wrote this letter, with similar introduction as in
1 Thessalonians. "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:"
In the previous letter also they applauded Thessalonians for enduring
persecution and tribulation for the Lord and stayed in their faith. Then for
the next few verses we may learn about the rewards in heaven and the
punishments in hell.
"5
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be
counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer; 6
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them
that trouble you: 7
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the
Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,"
If we suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ, God will consider us worthy to
inherit his kingdom, and those who persecuted us will be punished;
and God will do it since he is righteous judge. His judgment may begin here
now, and
it will continue throughout eternity. His eternal judgment begins when Jesus Christ comes
down with his angels to judge the world. "8
In
flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9
Who shall be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory
of his power;" Here it says that two groups of people will be
punished in the flaming fire. 1: Those who
know not God. The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven
and was anointed as God in the omnipotent Spirit, and he is God. But most
Christians worship the man Jesus as God, who was dead on the cross. God
and Spirit cannot die. Satan comes showing himself as God behind the man
Jesus. The bible says that he is another Jesus, who is the deceiver Satan,
but not God. Please note this: Bible says that the man Jesus does not
exist anymore, and we should not remember him as a man, but he is God in
the Spirit from his resurrection and ascension, It is in
2 Corinthians 5:16. The man Jesus is now history, and he is in the memory of
people. But the real Jesus Christ is Almighty God, and he is
real and
tangible only in
the Spirit but no longer in the flesh. This God will take vengeance on those who do not
want to
know the true God, the lord Jesus Christ, who is in the Omnipotent Spirit.
2: They do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. Most
Christians think that the life story of Jesus is the gospel, and if we
believe his life story, we will inherit the kingdom of God. It is not
true. The true gospel is that if we obey the commands of Jesus Christ, we
will inherit the kingdom of God. God will take vengeance on them who do
not obey him. If you like to study what is the gospel in detail, please
refer to the links: "Gospel-1", "Gospel-2".
"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." That is, they that believe
the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Almighty God in the omnipotent Spirit, and all those
who obey him will be glorified in heaven, and Jesus Christ will glorify in
them.
5. Prayer warrior ministries, by Sinners and for Sinners, are
abomination to God.
"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:"
Here the apostles pray for the followers of Jesus Christ, to be in the
good pleasure of the Lord, and be worthy of their calling. Jesus Christ was also
praying for his disciples. Let us see how Jesus Christ prays. "John
17:9 I pray for them:
I pray not for the world, but for them which
thou hast given me; for they are thine." Jesus Christ says that he
will pray for his people, but not for the world. "Proverbs
28:9 He that turneth away his ear from
hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." That is,
the prayers of those, who do not obey the commandments of the Lord Jesus
Christ, are abomination to God. Now, every ministry advertise that they
pray for you, for God to meet all kinds of needs and wants, including
miracle healings. Here, sinners pray for other sinners for their prosperity, healing, etc.
John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the apostles preached to sinners to
repent
and to turn from their evil ways. They did not pray to God to bless them. They
healed them in the power of God
to manifest
or to show the power of God. But these sinners, who call themselves as
prayer warriors, pray to God to bless other sinners, and they collect money from
them in various ways. They call it as ministry, but it is business. It is fishing
for their wallet, in the name of prayer. Such prayer meetings are abomination to
God. Not only you will lose money, but God will hate you also. Instead, if you
repent before God, God may have mercy on you. If you
are truly a godly person, pray for the saints.
"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." I extend the same blessings to you.
God gives grace to the humble. So, be humble.
If any
point needs explanation, OR, if you find an error according to
scripture,
Please write to me in the
'Mail Box' below. I will reply promptly.
Thanks.
