The first epistle was written to explain the coming of the Lord for His saints, that both the living ones on the earth, and those who were fallen asleep—all His own from the beginning of man’s history, till that time, would be caught up together to be with the Lord, “They that are Christ’s at His coming.” (1 Cor. 15:2323But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:23)).
The second epistle is to let them understand about what is to happen before the day of the Lord comes. Some had been troubled, having been misled, to think that the day of the Lord was present.
Verses 1, 2 are about the same as in the first epistle, and it is precious to think that whatever changes might be in them, their position and relationship continued the same, and also grace and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, flowed out to them in full and plentiful supply as ever. And we may well comfort our hearts that it is the same toward us in our day.
Verses 3-6 show a difference from the first epistle, for the patience of hope is not mentioned here. The Apostle writes,
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; 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.”
The apostle explains to them that suffering thus for Christ was a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, who counted them worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which they were suffering; and then it would also be righteous in God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble them.
Instead of it being the sufferings of the remnant in the day of the Lord, as these false teachers had led them for a little to think, it was genuine sufferings for Christ, as we also find in Philippians 1:28, 2928And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; (Philippians 1:28‑29), “In nothing terrified by your adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”
Their blessing was not earthly, but heavenly; not like the Jews, but now as belonging to God the Father whom, the Jews did not know; and to the Lord Jesus Christ whom they had crucified.
Verses 7-10. “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” When that takes place, the saints raised and changed will rest with Christ, and with the apostles, as he writes, “rest with us.”
The day of the Lord will indeed be a day (or period) of trouble to all who stand in opposition to Christ. (Compare Isa. 2:12; 13:6, 912For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: (Isaiah 2:12)
6Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. (Isaiah 13:6)
9Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. (Isaiah 13:9); Joel 2:1, 21Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. (Joel 2:1‑2); Amos 5:1818Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. (Amos 5:18)).
The day of the Lord will be distress to the wicked, but now these were privileged to suffer for Christ’s sake. When we see how these Thessalonians had been led astray to think that the day of the Lord had already come, the meaning of this chapter is clear.
He encourages them to see this, and that God thought them worthy of the Kingdom, and it marked them out as His, while their persecutors were marked out as children of perdition.
Then the blessed assurance is also theirs, that when the Lord is manifested in glory, they would be at rest and happiness with Him.
Those that are judged, it is because they did not know God, and they did not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The judgment would fall on godless men, and on men who rejected the testimony of the grace of God, to sinful men, “who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all that have believed in Him,” and the Thessalonians might then say, “That surely includes us.”
This would deliver them from the false thoughts that these teachers had advanced. They had believed the testimony when he told them at first, and the truth does not change. They could then rest in it again.
Verses 11, 12. “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our Lord would count you worthy of this calling; and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness,” and that the Lord would be glorified in them by the power of faith, which would now shine all the brighter through their persecutions by the grace of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thus these dear saints would have their hearts set at rest, and be prepared to learn next what was bound to take place before the Lord could begin to claim His Kingdom.