Paul encouraged the church at Thessalonica .... to imitate the churches at Judaea ....
as they were all ‘of the same body’ .... ‘in Christ’ (Eph 3:6):
1 Thess 2:14-16 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus:
Even though the Thessalonian saints were persecuted by the Gentiles ....
and the Judaean saints were persecuted by the Jews ---
they were all believers ‘in Christ’ .... suffering at the hands of unbelievers:
for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen,
even as they have of the Jews:
The Jews were responsible for crucifying their Messiah.
They also put to death all the preachers of Christ,
throughout time past who testified of Him.
They persecuted the apostles of the Lord.
They were hostile against anyone who would be saved:
15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus,
and their own prophets,
and have persecuted us;
and they please not God,
and are contrary to all men:
They tried to stop the gospel from going to the Gentiles, which made God angry at them. The UNBELIEVERS are the ones who will get God's wrath .... NOT His saints that are ‘in Christ Jesus’ (vs.14):
16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved,
to fill up their sins alway:
for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
Those Jews were blind to the truth .... just like a false prophet that Barnabas and Paul had a run-in with some time earlier:
Acts 13:6-12 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man;
who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
Paul had some harsh words for him:
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief,
thou child of the devil,
thou enemy of all righteousness,
wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
Then Paul cursed him with blindness:
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
Whew! Sergius Paulus was amazed, but rejoicing:
12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
Paul tried to get back to Thessalonica, but the devil blocked his way:
1 Thess 2:17-20 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again;
but Satan hindered us.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
20 For ye are our glory and joy.
Continue in the next chapter to stay in the context.
Paul had Timothy to go in his stead and help the saints there ....
so they would not be overswept by all the opposition against them:
1 Thess 3:1-4 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
2 And sent Timotheus, our brother,
and minister of God,
and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ,
to establish you,
and to comfort you concerning your faith:
3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions:
for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
4 For verily, when we were with you,
we told you before that we should suffer tribulation;
even as it came to pass, and ye know.
Paul said they would suffer tribulation ....
and suffer tribulation they did.
Peter told "all that are in Christ Jesus" (1 Pet 5:14) not to be surprised because they were suffering for Christ’s sake, but to be happy anyway:
1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Peter wanted them to realize they are not alone in suffering afflictions.
It happens to all the faithful ‘in Christ’:
1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Before Jesus left this earth, He told His disciples .... the same story .... to expect persecution:
John 15:18-21 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. (see Matt 10:24)
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you;
if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake,
because they know not him that sent me.
Jesus said they would be persecuted ....
and persecuted they were.
‘Mid-Acts-pre-tribulation-hyper-dispensationalists’ think they are a ‘special’ kind of saint that God will deliver from persecution and tribulation. They divide ‘Jesus’ words to His disciples’, as ‘earthly’ and for ‘Israel’s prophecy program’ .... thus, ‘mid-Acts-ers’ separate them from what-they-call the ‘risen, glorified Lord’s words to Paul’ which-they-think are the only words that apply to them. But they are mistaken.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you,
that in me ye might have peace. (also see Rom 5:1, Eph 2:14)
In the world ye shall have tribulation:
but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Jesus said they would have tribulation ....
and tribulation they had.
'Mid-Acts-ers' believe that God is going to swoop them up and away off the planet before the time of great tribulation comes .... but they are wrong, and they will be unprepared to stand in the evil day (also see Amos 6:3), as instructed by Paul:
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand.
Tribulation or wrath?
BELIEVERS get TRIBULATION.
UNBELIEVERS get WRATH.
But when the Lord Jesus Christ returns from heaven in flaming fire (2 Thess 1:7-10), a blaze of glory, HE will give tribulation back to the ones who caused tribulation upon His saints:
2 Thess 1:4-6 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:
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;
In the day of wrath and judgment, GOD will give both tribulation and wrath to those that are EVIL.
But those that are GOOD will have glory, honour, and peace:
Rom 2:5-11 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
Tribulation or wrath? In the END ....
UNBELIEVERS get WRATH --- AND --- TRIBULATION!
BELIEVERS get GLORY, HONOUR, and PEACE!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
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