Children of the Light
Rapture or Wrath?
Introduction
While in the city of Troas the Apostle Paul received The Macedonian Call in a vision which said:
"Come over into Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9).
Paul and Silas first established a church at Philippi which was the chief city in that part of Macedonia, where they were shamefully entreated, before going on to Thessalonica which is along the southern coast line of what is modern day Greece between the port cities of Philippi and Berea.
Thessalonica was a very strategic place for the spread of the gospel of the grace of God and chapter seventeen of the book of Acts records for us the circumstances of Paul's visit there.
Acts 17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
The Jews were spread out all over the known world during the dispersion and they would often assemble together for protection, fellowship and to ensure their children had opportunities to find prospective spouses one day. If they had ten Jewish men in a community they would start a synagogue wherever they went.
This would prove helpful for Paul to be able to track down pockets of Jews and preach the gospel to them. Amphipolis and Apollonia were smaller cities between Philippi and Thessalonica.
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Paul is called the Apostle of the Gentiles and the Church that was established by Paul in Thessalonica was predominantly Gentile. Paul however early on in his ministry was commissioned by God to go to the Jew first wherever he went, but why?
Was God a respector of persons? No of course not, but God had a plan for the nation of Israel and it involved a remnant according to the election of grace as spoken of by Paul in the book of Romans.
Romans 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Notice the underlined scripture that says at this present time it is not refering to today but to the time when Romans was written only. There is no remnant according to the election of grace still being reached today.
The remnant according to election existed during the first part of Paul's ministry but after they were set aside in partial blindness Paul received new revelations from God in his prison epistles that detailed God's new dealings with Israel on equal grounds with the Gentiles. To the Jew first was no longer to be the plan but to any and all became the new marching orders.
It is important to remember that when Paul went to the Jews of Thessalonica and reasoned with them out of the scriptures that it was the Old Testament that he was using to do it.
I say this because he did not get a good response from the Jews but he did get a great response from the Gentiles that were present. This will explain why both epistles to Thessalonica are uniquely Gentile in nature. You will understand more of what I mean by that as you read on.
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Paul was not preaching the gospel of the kingdom to the Jews in this synagogue because Paul never preached the gospel of the kingdom, Paul only preached the gospel of the grace of God.
The Jews around the world were awaiting the Messiah to bring Israel to her great position of prominence during the Millennium with their Messiah as King. Paul did however preach aspects of the Prophecy program that proved Jesus was indeed very Christ/Messiah.
4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
Only some of the Jews believed but many Gentiles turned to Christ because of their hearing the grace of God, that would become the norm as time went by.
The main reason Jews were not coming to Christ in large numbers like the Gentiles were is because of their tradition. I guarantee some reading this book will put it down after their traditions are challenged. Tradition ruined Israel and it hasn't helped the Church any either.
The remnant (of Jews) according to election was being assembled and the time of Israel's blinding was beginning.
5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
Notice that the non-believing Jews were moved with envy not with anger over their doctrinal differences but because they were losing members to these people.
They envied or wished they would have been able to retain the people by their own traditions but that was not possible because Paul had truth on his side and some of them noticed that and desired it more than the social bonds they may have held with their fellow Jewish friends.
6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
The reputation of the Apostle Paul and his traveling companions had preceded them to Thessalonica and these Jews feared the reports they had heard no doubt coming from Synagogues that had lost almost all their members due to a visit from the Apostle Paul.
7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
These very same accusers also looked and longed for a king to rule over them from Jerusalem who was not Caesar but they left that part out of their appeal to the magistrates.
These however refused to listen to the claims of these Jews that simply wanted to prove that Jesus really was their Messiah. Why would they not be at least hoping that Jesus could be the long-awaited Messiah and with that hope why could they not with an open mind consider their words?
My guess is that the traditions of men had blinded their eyes when they received words from Jews passing through their city in the recent past warning them of these traveling-evangelist that are trying to turn away Jews from the faith.
8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
Notice that the Jews troubled the rulers of the city concerning a possible threat to Rome and its leadership. This was a threat that Rome would not take lightly. Rome did not care what god you served as long as you recognized Rome and Caesar as your king over all other kings.
9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. 10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea:
The Epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Corinth were Paul, Silas and Timothy were for about a year and a half. Paul wanted to return to Thessalonica numerous times but instead he sent the two epistles to the Thessalonians.
The Philippian Church nearby sent Paul financial assistance on numerous occasions.
Philippians 4:14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. 15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.
The Epistles to the Thessalonians were the earliest Epistles written by Paul.
Chapter One
The Wrath to Come
1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sometimes what is not written is almost as interesting as what is written, As was Paul's manner his name appears as the first word of this epistle as it does in all of his epistles the thing that is missing is his usual reference to himself as being an apostle.
There was no need for Paul to remind the Thessalonians to straighten up because he is not writing this epistle to correct anything in Thessalonica. There was no need for him to throw his Apostolic authority around.
Paul addresses the church in Thessalonica and says that it was in God as well as being in Christ. There is no safer place to be than in Christ.
The usual greetings of grace and peace are mentioned as being from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is the dispensation that we live in today which is sparing us for the time being from the wrath of God which he promised to pour out to avenge the rejection of his Son.
Psalm 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
We are at peace today with God because he has decided to show us grace. The time is coming when God's Mystery Program will be over and the Prophetic Program for Israel kicks back in and God's wrath will be poured out at that time not his grace and peace.
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
It wasn't every time that Paul and Timothy were reminded of the saints that they thanked God for them in their prayers but rather they thanked God every time they prayed for having known them and the faithfulness to them in their mutual suffering that they endured.
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians mentioned the same three gifts that the believers in Thessalonica exhibited towards them and those they ministered to. All three of these should be manifest in each one of us that name the name of Christ.
Faith, hope and love but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
The Thessalonians were elected as are all believers in this age, to have a work of faith, a labour of love along with a patience of hope in Christ Jesus. These three things that we are all elected by God from before the foundation of the world are to be visible to God. Since Christ is the Elect of God and we are in Christ, we become elect in Him.
What I mean by that is that we are to be sincere in our ministry in God's eyes and not in the eyes of man. We are to please God and not man and God will bless that type of ministry.
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
Paul first mentions our gospel instead of the gospel, or my gospel, as he so often does because he is clarifying which gospel he is talking about.
He is talking about the gospel that he preached and the very same one that the Thessalonians believed and were saved by, the gospel of the grace of God as opposed to the gospel of the kingdom that had been preached by John the Baptist, Jesus and the twelve during Christ's earthly ministry.
The gospel that Paul preached to them was not just good words (news) only, it was powerful words that had the power to save people through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit of God.
They could all attest to the character of those that had accompanied the Apostle Paul as they preached to the people of Thessalonica as men without reproach.
6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
Just as we are to follow Paul as he followed Christ, we are also to follow others who are following the Christ according to the revelation of the mystery that Christ gave to us through the Apostle Paul.
The Thessalonians suffered for their new-found faith and it endured them to the Apostle Paul who suffered along with them which probably explains why he did not have to explain his apostolic authority in the opening words of his two epistles to them as he does in all of his other epistles.
It is easy to follow someone who has suffered for the faith he is preaching. It was also easier for those around Thessalonica to serve Christ because of the example of how the Thessalonians continued to serve through all their sufferings.
8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
Paul's job of spreading the word in that region was easier because of their testimony of suffering and service there in Thessalonica. So many today give up at the first sign of trouble and others never see Christ working things out in their lives.
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
This is a beautiful picture of salvation, we are to turn to God as He draws us away from our Idols, we do not have the power to turn from Idols to God, for that is a work of man.
Today however many are turning from God to idols to unknowingly serve the god of this world which is Satan. How many have you turned to God from their multitude of idols so that they may serve the living and true God? Remember this chapter is not about the Thessalonians but rather about the believer (you) and their (your) faithfulness to give the truth to a lost world.
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
These early believers were instructed by Paul to wait for the Lord's return and he elaborates more clearly on that in the following chapters as a secret return in the clouds.
If you are reading this book and do not believe that Christ will return before the Tribulation period to rapture his church away then prepare to be shocked by my next statement.
You have been fooled by Satan, and you do not know who you are in Christ. The Jews were told that Christ would return in the same manner in which he went, physically and visibly. That will happen at the end of the Tribulation Period.
Be sure to catch this if you think the church goes through the tribulation, the rapture which was revealed to us by Paul many years after what happened at Christ's ascension was called a mystery. It could not have been called a mystery if Christ had already taught it to his disciples previously.
Christ's revealing is, and was, no secret to the Jews, but the rapture was a mystery before Paul told the body of Christ about it. If it were not a mystery Paul should have never said, behold I show you a mystery. When the angels mention Christ's return in Acts chapter one there is no mention whatsoever of a secret catching away of saints only a visible return of Christ from heaven.
Today as believers in the body of Christ we are to wait for God's risen Son to return from heaven to meet us in the air and as verse ten says we are to be delivered from the wrath to come.
If you believe you are going through the Tribulation Period you do not believe that you are delivered from the wrath to come, you might as well cut this verse out of your bible as well as the forty or so other verses which clearly teach the rapture of the body of Christ, the Church.
The wrath to come is not Hell, for Hell has already come and Billions are there now. We have been delivered from Hell but as a believer in Christ's death and resurrection we are delivered from that time of great wrath that shall come upon this earth during the seventieth week of Daniel known also as the time of Jacob's Trouble and the Tribulation Period.
Chapter Two
The Gospel of God
Twelve times in chapter one the Thessalonians were mentioned mostly by the pronouns ye, you, your, and yourselves now in chapter two the focus shifts away from the Thessalonians believers and now focuses on Paul and his traveling companions.