1 and 2 Thessalonians: End-Times Education

Paul wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians to the church of struggling new believers in Thessalonica to clarify some questions they had about the last days. Because both letters focus heavily on the end times, they're known as eschatological epistles. They dovetail neatly together, so it's important to take them as a package.

The focus of 1 Thessalonians is on Jesus Christ and the church. In this book, Paul called the Thessalonians to live in light of the rapture, the event where Jesus will return for His church.

The focus of the sequel, 2 Thessalonians, is on the Antichrist and the world. Paul wanted the Thessalonians to know that the rapture would happen before the day of the Lord, also known as the tribulation period, during which the Antichrist will rise to power and God will judge the earth.

The letters of 1 and 2 Thessalonians were among the first writings in all of the New Testament. In other words, the doctrine of the return of Jesus Christ wasn't an afterthought to the early church—it was a paramount teaching, as it should be for us today.

Think It Through

What is the rapture going to be like, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18? How is this a comforting truth?

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. What's God's will for you (see also 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6)?

Read 2 Thessalonians 3:13, Paul's final exhortation to the Thessalonians. How can you live out this verse in light of Jesus' return?

A Word of Encouragement

Ever since Paul wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians, the church has been waiting for and anticipating the imminent return of Jesus Christ. He could come back at any moment. Are you living like it?

Prayer

Father, my hope is in You. Help me live in the light of the fact that You can return anytime. I pray that my knowledge of the last days would carry me through the hard times and remind me in the good times that even better times are coming.

Land and Explore

Dig deeper into the lessons of Paul's letters to Thessalonica by downloading this fifteen-message series from Pastor Skip titled 1 Thessalonians: Dynamic Discipleship .