Monday Night Bible Study

The first time you read the verses in this chapter, you may be overwhelmed with how boring they seem. There is a repeated pattern of the descendants of Adam, where the progeny of each is listed. But if the reader is not careful, interesting and telling nuances can be missed, particularly with quick skimming. Before we get into some of the hidden gems of meaning in chapter 5, let us outline the people listed, how long they lived and the name of the principal son fathered by each.

• Adam, at 130, fathered Seth
  • Adam had more children, died at 930
• Seth, at 105, fathered Enosh
  • Seth had more children, died at 912
• Enosh, at 90, fathered Cainan
  • Enosh had more children, died at 905
• Cainan, at 70, fathered Mahalalel
  • Cainan had more children, died at 910
• Mahalalel, at 65, fathered Jared
  • Mahalalel had more children, died ay 895
• Jared, at 162, fathered Enoch
  • Jared had more children, died at 962
• Enoch, at 65, fathered Methusaleh
  • Enoch had more children, was taken by God at 365
• Methusaleh, at 187, fathered Lamech
  • Methusaleh had more children, died at 969
• Lamech, at 182, fathered Noah
  • Lamech had more children, died at 777
• Noah, at 500, fathered Shem, Ham and Japeth

To start, let us think about what a tragedy it is that Adam died. We did of course know that he would die from Genesis 3:19, but the finality of his death actualizes the curse in the wake of the fall of man. It shows the seriousness of man’s transgressing God’s commands and that God’s decrees will come to bear.

Next, let us look at two deviations from the genealogical pattern established in this chapter:

1. The first deviation is Enoch, who was fathered by Jared. Although he has the same name, this is not the same Enoch fathered by Cain that we read of in Genesis 4:17. Enoch represents a deviation because his death is not recorded, but verse 24 tells us that “…Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” What this phrase means exactly is somewhat of a mystery, but we can extrapolate that it does not mean that Enoch ceased to exist, but rather that he was taken into God’s presence. There is only one other man in the Bible that was taken by God rather than dying. This was Elijah and his account is found in II Kings 2:1-11.
2. The second deviation from the pattern is Noah, whose death is not mentioned because chapter 6 introduces us to his story and the advent of the great flood. The chapter ends with Noah for this reason. Also interesting is the break from the pattern when Lamech describes Noah, saying in verse 29: “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.” Noah’s birth is celebrated because his story will bring righteous mankind through the flood, which will decimate evil and reverse the land curse that God put on the ground in Genesis 3:17. Noah represents comfort for this reason.

There are a few additional things to consider before we leave chapter 5. First, notice that only men are mentioned, indicating that human society is primarily built as a paternalistic structure where the name and influence of the man is stressed in these genealogical accounts. Masculine parenthood is listed all throughout the Bible, with a notable exception being when the genealogy of Christ is mentioned in Matthew 1:16 and Mary is listed to show that Christ was miraculously born of a virgin.

Also, we would be remiss if we were not in awe at the great long ages of these men. Starting from Adam, who died at 930, we notice the decline of human longevity particularly after the events of the great flood. After the flood, Abraham died at 175 and Joseph died at 110. We have no real biblical explanation for why man stopped living as long as he did in the beginning, but some surmise that environmental/ecological conditions before the flood were different, allowing for longer life. Others believe that God shortened the life of man because this great abundance of years was no longer needed after the initial phase of existence. God reveals to us precisely what we need from His Word, and we do not always get the full details.

Finally, there is the somewhat muted theme of righteousness and pleasing God to consider. This one is easy to miss, but we can see the beginnings of it back in chapter 4, when Abel pleased God with his sacrifice. This offering of worship was evidently born out of a desire to please God. We have not had commands from God that man sacrifice to Him yet in the Bible at this point, yet certain men (Abel and Enoch) surely pleased God with their efforts for Him. While Enoch is not mentioned as sacrificing to God, Genesis 5:24 says that Enoch walked with God. And do not forget Genesis 4:26, where men “began to call upon the name of the Lord.”

So there was sacrifice and prayer with God before the flood and before God’s coming commandments of the tabernacle and the instructions on burnt offerings that are to come. We do not know whether the activities from Abel and Enoch were prompted by some unrecorded communication from God, or if Abel and Enoch merely loved God and committed acts of worship without provocation. Whatever the reason, it is obvious that God sees and appreciates pure offerings to Him. He hears prayers and blesses those that call upon His name.

I encourage you to pray to God tonight, realizing that He hears us today just as He heard the prayers and recognized the offerings of these earliest of men. It is the same Almighty we pray to today as they did so many years ago. Think of it!

Genesis 3 was a disappointment. The first sin, separation from God, curses upon the serpent, woman and man, and exile from the garden. After the glory of creation and the beauty of life in the garden, we as people are disappointed in our ability to ruin perfect things. But at the same time, we are also not perplexed by this turn of events because we are familiar with failure. We can never live perfect lives, but we can make the best of things. Although there is not a lot to be positive about in this chapter, there are valuable things to learn about how we should approach and serve God.

Genesis 4 introduces us to the sins and corruption of selfishness, jealousy and murder.

Verses 1-15: Cain & Abel

Adam and Eve procreate and God gives them their first child, Cain. Adam gives God the credit for Cain saying, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” Soon after, Abel is born. We have no reason not to assume that these two are not the first two natural-born people. True to the guidelines set forth by God in chapter 3, Eve bears the children and they are forced to work. Abel kept sheep while Cain farmed.

Genesis does not give us an account of how sacrificial worship began, but each brother brought an offering to God from their particular vocation: Cain brought fruit while Abel brought a sheep. God respects Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s. Abel’s offering was of a higher value, being a more meaningful and deeper sacrifice.  It was living and it also was of a higher quality in comparison with the rest of his flock, being “the firstborn of his flock and of their fat.”

Cain’s mistakes compound. His sacrifice was inferior, but his attitude makes the situation worse: “Cain was very angry and his countenance fell.” Even though it was so very early in the history of man, God expected a rightly prepared heart from man. Cain was given the opportunity by God to amend his attitude, but he did not receive instruction from God that would have put him on the road back to approval: “So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.””

Cain’s negative reaction reflective of a poor attitude led to him killing his brother in a field, presumably the same field in which he tilled the earth. Jealousy can be such a powerful motivator, and its influence can corrupt any relationship. Had Cain only heeded God’s words of advice, things might have turned out differently. The wisdom of humbly listening to and taking advice is valuable and the consequences of not doing so can be surprisingly deep. Proverbs 8:32-33: “Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it.”

God knew what had happened to Abel, but was testing Cain when He asked him where Abel went. Cain’s answer to God about Abel’s whereabouts, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” is memorable because it is an example of how not to think about our family members, neighbors and fellow Christians. As a result of his abhorrent action, Cain is cursed by God to be a fugitive and a vagabond. God sets a mark on him so that no one that finds him will kill him. This ensures Cain’s punishment and suffering as he wanders in exile.

Verses 16-26: Cain’s family and Seth

Cain most likely found a wife among Adam and Eve’s other children, although we cannot say for sure as the text does not reveal her origins to us. What we do know, however, is that Cain’s family was war-like and deviant from the plan of God.

Cain has a son with his wife, and his name was Enoch. Cain names the city he builds after his son – Enoch. Then a brief lineage of Cain is given: Cain bears Enoch, who bore Irad, who bore Mehujael, who bore Methushael, who bore Lamech. Lamech goes outside of the original pattern established by God and takes two wives instead of one: Adah and Zillah.

Adah bears Jabal and Jubal. Jabal was “the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.” Jubal was “the father of all those who play the harp and flute.” Zillah bears Tubal-Cain, an “instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron” and also Naamah, a daughter.

After this, we read Lamech’s speech to his wives. He was a violent man who lived and thought as an adversary, seekings to defeat and avenge rather than live peaceably with his fellow man and God. How much of Lamech’s course was determined by God’s curse on Cain and how much was due to Lamech’s own proclivities cannot be discerned, but Lamech nevertheless stands out as an example of what not to do.

At the end of the chapter, we return to Adam and Eve. Eve bears another son by Adam named Seth, who appears to be a replacement of sorts for the losses of Cain and Abel. Eve says in verse 25: “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” With Seth and his progeny Enosh, mankind seems to be taking a turn for the better as the chapter concludes with men beginning to call on the name of the Lord. This is interpreted as prayer, supplication, reliance on God, respect and allegiance.

God wants us to love, honor, respect and obey Him. He makes it so very easy for us to do this. If we can only see past ourselves and past our petty desires (which seem so crucial in the moment, but are very small in the big picture), we can glimpse God’s plan for us and live for Him, the way that He has designed: in righteousness, assurance and faith.

All was harmonious until the serpent set out to deceive the woman. Up to this time, God and man lived together in peace in the beautiful and bountiful garden. What happens next is an old story with which we are all too familiar. Still, the tragedy of the story of the apple is heartbreaking. It is so plainly powerful that we can apply modern instances of temptation to the exact paradigm of sin we read here in Genesis 3:

• Authority is questioned
• Think beyond what has been ruled
• Rationalize
• Act believing that no harm will come
• Sin exposed
• Shift blame somewhere else

Verses 1-13: First sin

The sin begins with a simple question, one that could have led anywhere, a question that the woman does not suspect will have an evil intention. Her innocence seems complete as she quotes to the serpent:

“God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

After this, the serpent’s next statement reveals that his only intention is to deceive. His statement about it not being a sin to eat of that particular tree was a deception, but notice the nature of the deception: “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

This statement in itself is not a lie. But take care to look again at the statement. In chapter  2 and verse 17, God said, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” In this verse, we know now that God meant that to eat the tree would bring mortality upon the man and the woman; they would no longer have endless lives in the garden. Once they had the knowledge of good and evil, their lives would be finite and they would eventually die.

The lie that the serpent makes is based on the woman’s nuanced understanding of this commandment. It appears that the woman thought that she would die immediately if she ate of the fruit from that tree. The serpent, perhaps knowing this, preys on her perspective by telling her that she would not die (immediately), but that she would know the difference between good and evil and that in this respect, she would be like God. Technically, the first part is a lie depending on whether we are looking at the death to come as immediate or eventual. The serpent communicates that the woman would not die immediately and conveniently leaves the part out that she would die eventually. He leaves out the assumed understanding that if she does not eat the fruit of this tree that she will retain her eternal life with God in the garden. This is pure and nasty deception: preying on one’s naivete, mixing in truth and letting them believe the truth in a perverted way. Also, it is true that she would be “like God” in that she would understand the difference between good and evil, but the serpent stresses the idea that she would be like God first, and makes it seem like she would be like God in many more ways than this, not just knowing the difference between good and evil.

Although this story is familiar to us, when we look deeper we can see how expertly the lord of lies deceives the woman. She is corrupted due to this deception. The truly heartbreaking part of the story is that she already had everything she needed to remain obedient to God. Had she only followed God’s command, regardless of what she was told, she would not have committed the sin.

The same is true for the man: had he only stuck to the commandment from God, he would not have committed this sin either. They were both tempted, having been swayed away from obedience by temptation. The very same holds true for you and me in the modern world: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” James 1:14

In verses 12 and 13, the shame of this sin causes the man and the woman to hide, to conceal and to lay blame.

Verses 14-21: First Prophecy

When God decides to curse the serpent, He does so with the future in mind. God makes reference to the coming sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ many, many years in the future. It is astounding to think of, then to understand, the depth and breadth of God’s plan – that it was alive and working ever from the first pages of our Bible and the creation story. God says to the serpent:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:15

This is the first prophecy of Jesus Christ. Because Satan (the serpent) causes sin to come into the world, God requires Christ as a sacrifice to redeem all mankind. Christ received a serious injury (you shall bruise His heel) in that He left God’s side and came to live as a man and suffered and died on the cross. But Christ ultimately defeats Satan when He rises from the dead, proving His divinity once and for all and sealing the obedient with the promise of salvation. Since Satan’s goal is for man to sin and leave God, Jesus wins because his sacrifice brings souls back to God (He shall bruise his head). Also, notice the phrase “between your seed and her Seed,” which identifies the divine Seed (Jesus) as being the seed of woman; Christ was of course born of a virgin woman, which means that this could only mean Him. This is the meaning of Genesis 3:15.

As the result of this sin, all three are punished in the garden, the man, the woman and the serpent. The serpent’s existence and way of life are severely diminished, the woman will bear children in pain as the husband rules her, and the man will be forced to work for his food as he ultimately returns to the dust from which he came.

After this, Adam names the woman “Eve” and they both make the first use of animals for their own purpose: tunics.

Verses 22-24: Exile

The “Us” that God makes reference to is more than likely the plurality of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. The tree of life is mentioned again, where if the man were to eat of it, he would live forever. As mentioned earlier in our study of Genesis, the tree of life is mentioned as part of heaven in the book of Revelation.

The man is driven out of this garden paradise for his sin, and will now work for His food instead of having it provided for Him. Then, the garden is sealed off by cherubim and a flaming sword, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Although there were many wonderful things in the garden, the real loss was that man was no longer in the presence of God.

Verses 1-7: Rest and review

After six days of creating, God designates the seventh day to rest. Verse 3: “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”

Starting in verse 4 and through to verse 7, we have a history, a recounting of the events until now. This short passage reiterates the idea that God formed all the world out of nothing and that nothing existed before He created it. Verses 5 and 6 are interesting here because they refer to how plants received hydration before there was rain. Could this be a foreshadowing of the great flood that will occur later in the book?

The creation of man is also revisited in verse 7, which we already read in verse 27 of chapter 1. Man’s body was formed from the dust of the ground that God created, and man’s life was breathed into his body by God.

Verses 8-14: Garden of Eden

In the midst of His creation, God planted a garden in the East and it was called Eden. God placed man there and He also planted trees in the garden:

• Appealing trees that supply good food
• Tree of life
• Tree of the knowledge of good and evil

A river is mentioned that flowed out of Eden to water the garden. It divided and turned into four riverheads:

1. Pishon: Flowed around Havilah, where there were precious minerals of gold, bdellium and onyx
2. Gihon: Flowed around the land of Cush
3. Tigris: Flowed east of Assyria
4. Euphrates: Flows through modern day Turkey, Syria and Iraq

These rivers would all probably have been familiar to the earliest readers of the book of Genesis, but their location more than likely would have changed by the time Genesis was written. The great flood will have affected their beds, so determining the precise location of Eden and the garden is not plausible based on where these rivers are today. A very interesting parallel to this idea of a life-giving river is found in Revelation 22:1-2, where a river flows through the New Jerusalem (heaven), and the tree of life is mentioned again as well: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

The fact that the tree and the river of life are in the garden and also mentioned again as part of heaven suggest a few ideas:

• The garden of Eden was a sort of heaven on earth
• Outside of sin, there is a tree and a river to sustain life
• God provides for those He loves

Verses 15-25: Man in the garden and the creation of woman

God puts man in the garden and man is to tend it. Man can eat of all trees except for the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If he eats the fruit from this tree, he will die. The name of this tree is significant because without the knowledge of what sin was, man did not yet have a concept of what good was compared to evil; man knew only good. It is like living your whole life eating vanilla ice cream, with no knowledge that chocolate ice cream exists. Without knowing of or committing sin, man is ignorant of the relationship between good and evil because he has not yet made the choice to deviate from God’s planned design for life on earth.

Then God notices that it is not good for man to be alone so he creates woman. Prior to her creation, God had brought every beast and bird before man, and man named them. But throughout all of this, none of the animals were found suited to man as a helper, as a proper companion; “So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”” Genesis 2:22-23

Man was evidently desirous of a suitable companion. She was part of him and he recognized her value. In verse 24, the text decrees the import of the relationship between man and woman. The union is strong as they become “one flesh.”

In reading this chapter, we are still in the blissful innocence of creation before sin corrupted all: “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” What need is there to be ashamed when you have nothing at all to be ashamed of? Shame is one of the consequences of sin, and hiding that which is exposed is one of shame’s own reflexes. At this time, life is still perfect in the garden.

This is the beginning of it all.

It is the beginning of everything, everyone, all reality, life and the relationships, ideas, things and places that we treasure. There may have been events that came before, but they are not meant for our comprehension now. This is how God begins the story of mankind. And it is the greatest story, fiction or non, in existence. It is the story of God’s love for a people that often ignored, disregarded and rebelled against Him. It is the story of God’s love for and compassion on a people that He created, that have some similarities to Him (1:26) and that He gave the free will to choose.

This is your story and mine. This is how it all started. Everything.

“In the beginning…” is a familiar phrase to Bible students and the public alike. While children are sent to modern learning institutions to learn about the big bang theory and the theory of evolution, we hold fast our faith that in the beginning, God did create our reality. We gain confidence in the fact that the deeper we look into the theories of the big bang and evolution, the shakier their premises are revealed to be. When we look around us and see the wonder of nature, the perfectly formed plant and animal life, the intricacy of our bodies, our brains and our relationships, we know that these are not the unlikely outcome of random events. No, these are the result of an intelligent and wise Creator, a benevolent God that loves and dispenses justice. In return for our gift of life, he asks comparatively so little, to obey His commandments. Let us keep our relationship with Him in the center as we dive into the first book of the greatest book on Earth.

The creation story is divided up into seven days, six of which we read in Genesis chapter one. Some Bible readers interpret the text to mean that these “days” actually represent the passage of thousands or millions of years, during which a combination of God’s creative process and the theories of evolution/big bang worked together to create our reality. We could cite passages such as II Peter 3:8: “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

What you choose to believe is up to you, of course, but I beg to add that when Moses was inspired by God to write the first five books of the Bible in the wilderness of Sinai, in the fifteenth century before Christ came to Earth, the word “day” was used to separate and identify the phases of creation. More often than not, the wisest course in ambiguous matters is to withhold judgment where things are not exactly clear. I am of the thinking that the wisest and most prudent course that honors our Creator is to simply declare our belief in God’s Word. Could God have done all of these things in a 24-hour period merely by speaking? There is no doubt. Does it behoove us to believe the Word of God exactly as it reads, without adding our own creative thoughts? Absolutely.

The order of things created by day is as follows:

• Day 1: Heavens (sky/space) and Earth
  • earth without form
  • darkness in the deep expanse
  • waters
  • light (day and night)
• Day 2: Firmament
  • A division between the waters
  • Heaven
• Day 3: Earth and Seas
  • vegetation phyla
• Day 4: Sun and Moon
  • distant stars
• Day 5: Life
  • fish in the sea
  • birds in the air
• Day 6: More Life
  • land mammals
  • insects and the cold-blooded
  • beasts
  • man
    • dominion over life on the Earth
    • created in the image of God

God created these to subsist on their own, to multiply by seed, and through reproduction. God created life so that it would not have to be continuously created by Him as it was in these opening verses. God has provided food for all. It is His world.

We cannot go further back than this. It is profound to consider not only our individual origins as people, but our origin as a species, a created group. Tonight, I encourage you to ponder on what Genesis is: it is not only the beginning of life as we know it, but more importantly, it is the beginning of mankind’s relationship with God. Almighty God, in His ultimate power, merely spoke and created us. The vast expanse of the sky and space that we work so hard to explore and define, was spoken into existence by a loving God. There is not yet outright evidence of this love in Genesis chapter one, but we know that it is coming, and we have that assurance in the text that God recognized the goodness of that which He had made.

The divinely inspired Word of God gives us our Genesis. This is our origin story.

Tonight we close out our study of II Thessalonians. As we reflect on the letters that Paul, Silas and Timothy (primarily Paul) wrote to this faithful church, let us remain inspired by their strength. This church had no major issues and they had great strength and belief in Jesus Christ. Despite this, they still required guidance from Paul, so they could improve their service to God. It is a good reminder for us to never stop trying to improve our service and grow in our faith and understanding of His will for us.

The letter concludes with a request, a warning and a prayer. Paul asks that the Thessalonians remember Paul, Silas and Timothy in their prayers, that their efforts to preach the word of Christ be successful. They were aware that wicked men could hinder their work. Paul’s faith is clear as he remonstrates that God is faithful to answer this prayer for them also.

The warning is an admonition to stay busy working for the Lord and for their own livelihood. You will remember in previous chapters of the letters to the Thessalonians, some of them were not working, supposing that Jesus would return at any moment. Paul reminds them of the example that Paul, Silas and Timothy left through their hard work, teaching and preaching to earn their food. The idea is to not be a burden and to work hard for yourself. Being busy with work also removes opportunities to be exposed to temptation and sin.

Verses 13-15 instill an interesting directive from the apostle. If one does not walk in accordance with these ideas, admonish him to do the right thing with familiarity, yet do not regularly associate with him: ““But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” And of course, we should never tire of doing the right thing, as the scripture says.

The book concludes with Paul praying that they have peace through Jesus. He proves that the letter is authentic by writing the concluding salutation himself. The rest of the letter was most likely dictated, and fake letters of this type had been intercepted before.

The Thessalonians remain a great example of a strong young church.

As Paul continues his second letter to the Thessalonians, a theme also found in I Thessalonians is revisited here in chapter two. The theme is that of Jesus’ return. You will probably remember how Paul had to exhort the new Christians to not lose faith as they waited for Jesus’ return, but that they should rather work as they lived so that they could still provide for themselves, and so that they would not foolishly waste their time.

The subject is raised again in this instance probably because it needed to be; the Thessalonians were still wholly uneducated or unsure about the return of Jesus. Many believed that He would be returning very soon. And it is true, He may return at any time, but in the first letter, Paul found himself educating them on the practicality of continuing to live and work as they waited. Here in chapter two, we have the other extreme; it seems that many of the Thessalonians believed that He already had returned. Paul tells them that the lawless one must first come before Christ returns.

As the brief chapter progresses, Paul describes the conditions under which Jesus would return. First there will be a mass turning away from God. Then, a man will come that will perform great things using the power of Satan, proclaiming himself as God. This man will sit in the temple of God and will demand that all worship him. This man is also referred to as the antichrist and is described in other places in the Bible (I John 2:18, Revelation 13).

It is a frightening idea, but the coming of the antichrist is not something that believers need to worry over: “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”

As believers and those obedient of God’s word, we are saved. But those that have not believed, “God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” The idea of an antichrist exhibiting power on earth, sitting in the temple, and claiming deity is frightening, yet even more frightening is the promise of our Creator turning His back on those that have already made their choice: they will be wholly condemned.

In addition to an education on the conditions of Christs’ return, Paul was telling the Thessalonians these things as a way to communicate to them that the time was not yet, and that if Christ had already come back, they would surely know.

The letter ends with comforting admonitions to remain strong in the faith. It is true that life is fleeting, but it can also seem eternal when we are waiting for something that just isn’t coming. Paul’s message of encouragement is to stand strong in the faith, not faltering under the pressure of time, temptation or circumstance. It is an excellent message at any time of life, or at any time in history.

 

This letter comes pretty quickly on the heels of the first letter to the Thessalonians, and is attributed to Paul, Silas and Timothy as writers, although one gets the sense while reading that Paul was the primary author.

The Thessalonians are praised for their strength in the faith. They are recognized as their faith in God grows, their love towards one another grows and they are an example because they willingly suffer for the sake of their belief in God. They were experiencing persecution for their faith and they were bearing the tribulation properly, not seeking revenge but giving place to God for vengeance. In verse 5, their suffering was “manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God.”

This righteous judgement is defined: “…God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,” II Thessalonians 1:6-7

The topic of judgment then shifts from those who are “troubling” the Thessalonians to all unbelievers: “These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.” II Thessalonians 1:9-10

What is the primary purpose of this judgement? To reward the faithful and punish the unbelievers. The “troubled” here are the persecuted believers: “and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.” II Thessalonians 1:7-10

Ingredients essential to our salvation are present here: Christ glorified in us in accordance with the grace of God and Jesus Christ.

Although there are no explicit sins mentioned or specific citations of violence, the coming instance of judgement is frightful and clear to the unbeliever. And, although the description of judgement is hopeful and encouraging to believers, it is also alarming when we read of God punishing with everlasting destruction. When read with an honest heart, the description of binding and eternal judgment instills godly fear in the staunchest of believers.

This chapter is the encouraging conclusion to Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians.

Verses 1-11: Thief in the Night

Paul encourages the Thessalonians to be prepared for the day of the Lord, or judgment day. This is the day when Jesus returns and individuals will be judged for their sins. He must have already told them that this day comes unexpectedly, as he says, “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” I Thessalonians 5:2

The idea is that mankind will not in any way know or anticipate the Lord’s return. This fact introduces is to many different truths and evidences for living a faithful life 100% of the time:

• Living faithfully should not occur during separate phases of life, but we should dedicate ourselves to honor God and His commandments each moment

• Fear and respect of God’s all-knowingness motivates us to an even life of obedience

• God’s perspective on our diminutive lives stresses the fact that we are only in control of our eternal destiny in connection with our obedience to His commandments

• The very moment when man considers himself safe and protected is the moment when he is most vulnerable

We are to wear (remember) faith, love and righteousness as a way to protect our souls. Looking out for one another, as was admonished in a previous chapter, is also a great help for us as we travel life’s long road.

This encouragement is very similar in language and tone to what we find from Peter in II Peter 3:10-11: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.”

Verses 12-28: Holy Exhortations

Building on the previous ideas, the letter now goes into specifics on just what the young Christians should do in order to remain faithful. Paul lists out the following:

• Recognize and value their teachers/preachers

• Be at peace among themselves

• Warn the unruly

• Comfort the fainthearted

• Uphold the weak

• Have patience with all people

• Do not seek revenge; seek goodness

• Rejoice always

• Pray always

• Heed the Holy Spirit

• Listen to prophecies

• Test the truth

• Cling to goodness

• Abstain from evil

Paul concludes the letter with tender love that we can still detect in the words. His love for these Christians is inspiring and provides us with an excellent example:

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This book and chapter are thus concluded with what has been a delicate and steady concern from Paul, Silas and Timothy. The letter was to be read in front of all the brethren at Thessalonica.

After his previous message of concern for their faith and praying for their spiritual well-being, Paul now expresses to the Thessalonians the importance of staying focused on Jesus. In between the lines of this chapter, the letter-writer Paul reveals that many believed that Jesus would come back in their lifetimes. It must have been both exciting and disappointing to watch the days and years go by with no sign of Christ’s return.

1-8: Sexual Purity

While living in the midst of a society in Thessalonica that used perverted sex practices as part of unholy worship, the Thessalonians were exposed to this thinking and could be tempted to engage in sexual activity that was forbidden by God. Temple prostitutes were common. Instead of engaging in corrupted practices, Paul exhorts the new Christians to abstain from sexual immorality and to be holy. This does not mean that they were to abstain from all sex, just that which was connected to lustful and immoral practices. Sex as practiced in marriage between a man and a woman is not corrupted: “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Hebrews 13:4

Like the Thessalonians, we honor God with the purity of our bodies and if we reject the idea of holiness, we are in fact rejecting God. Paul helps us understand this as he points out that these are not the commandments of men.

9-12: Love and Work

Building on the idea of being virtuous for God, the Thessalonians are now encouraged to love one another. Evidently they were already doing a great job of this, and the reminder is evidence to us of how important it is for us to love fellow Christians.

The admonition that they work with their hands is a clue that they were waiting for Christ’s return. Some were waiting quite literally, so much so that they were no longer working. A culture in Macedonia at that tended to look down on physical labor did not help. This guidance from Paul to work with their hands was valuable because it showed the Thessalonians that they were responsible to work to provide for themselves and that they could be a good example by standing out to those around them. The same holds true for us today.

13-18: Christ’s Return

The Thessalonians were waiting for Christ to come back and they were worried about the souls of those who believed with them but had already died. Paul, as an apostle, has knowledge enough from God to placate these worries. He tells them that the Christians that have died will still be saved. In fact, when Christ returns, the dead in Christ will rise first, then alive Christians will meet Christ together in the air. The Thessalonians did not need to worry about the brethren that had died; this foreknowledge from Paul is intended to comfort.

The three main ideas of this chapter taken together teach us about doing the right things and being patient as we live. It is true that we do not know when Jesus will come back. He may return before you finish reading this or long after we all are gone. Nevertheless, a steadfast heart and strong faith built in Jesus are needed at all times if we want to pursue salvation.

This is a theme that Paul is familiar with teaching, as he did also to the Christians in Philippi: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13

What does this mean for us? To live out or lives as if He will be coming back any minute, but to expect to do good works of righteousness and spread the gospel until He does.