After spending the last two days discussing unity, today’s reading from 2 Thessalonians may seem counterintuitive as there appear to be a lot of divisive factors. In Paul’s explanation of the second coming there is clear division between the saved believers and evil doers. What I find interesting is who is doing the dividing.
Paul makes it clear God will take care of Evil. There is a plan. While we may not have all the details of how said plan will work out, verses like 2:8 make it pretty obvious a plan exists. Today’s text seems to be saying it is God’s job to judge and take care of evil; it is our job to love and teach.
Throughout both letters to the Thessalonians, Paul commends their ability to love one another and remain faithful. In this letter, Paul specifically instructs them to “never tire of doing good” (3:13). The Greek word used here is kalopiountes meaning “to do well, act honorably, do what is right. From Kalos and poieo; to do well, ie Live virtuously” (Strong’s 2569). We know from Paul’s other writings he regards love as the greatest virtue (1 Corinthians 13:13). Basically, after discussing God’s plan to vanquish evil, Paul instructs the Thessalonians to show love. I think there is significance in the order he presents these topics. Our response to God’s judgment upon the earth is to love.
Yet, it’s also clear Paul does not equate love with acceptance. Again, Paul warns against idleness. Here is where I believe the call to teach comes. While we are not called to judge, we’re also not called to hold the truth to ourselves. In fact, Paul even instructs the Thessalonians to “warn” the ones who “refuse to obey what we say in this letter” (3:14 NLT). As Paul did with the Athens people, we need to find a way to express the Gospel Truth to those with destructive ways of living. This takes faith. This takes action. This takes love.
Reflection Questions
What are your thoughts on the statement: “Our response to God’s judgment upon the earth is to love”?
What does a loving warning look and sound like? Have you ever received one? Have you ever given one? Is there a person to whom God is asking you to give a loving warning? Pray about it.
When have you been guilty of holding the truth to yourself? How could you respond next time?
How will you show your faith, action and love this week?
Yesterday, we looked at being imitators of Christ and allowing our faith to reflect positively in the lives of others. Remember the verses about the fruits of the spirit from the devotional yesterday? Those are the start of reflecting our faith positively in the lives of those around us. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2:6-7, “nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.” Paul is explaining how they shared the gospel with the people of Thessalonica. He shared with great gentleness and care. In the following verse he talks about having a fond affection for the people. As an imitator of Christ, Paul shared the gospel in love, gentleness, and care. Both Paul and Christ cared for the people they ministered to. They didn’t command authority over them, they walked alongside those they taught.
Jesus said in Matthew 20:28, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” He is explaining to his disciples that his role was to serve the people and to give his entire life to them. Jesus many times flipped the worldview of being the best and greatest to showing that humility and service was above all most important. Paul recognized this about Christ and imitated this selfless and humble lifestyle.
Think of the person who has had the largest impact on your spiritual walk. Is this person controlling, authoritative, and pushy? OR does this person show how much they care for you as an individual and show you through grace and mercy the life and death of Jesus? I know for me it is the latter of the two. My parents were always my strongest examples of what a life following Christ should look like. They loved the people within their church even when it was hard. They went out of their way to help whenever there was a need. They never forgot to say I love you to everyone they cared about. Having a deep care and love towards people will help them trust you and it will allow them to see God’s faithful and never failing love.
Psalm 92:1-2 says, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and your faithfulness by night.” Growing up with siblings, it was a lot easier to find things to be mad at them about than to be thankful for them about. A sibling cleaned the bathroom but moved your brush so instead of focusing on the good they did, you yell at them about touching your stuff. Does that show your sibling you care about them and are thankful for what they do, or does that say something opposite?
Right about now you might be wondering why I pulled the two verses from Psalm 92. Let me explain. When we focus on the negatives in life, it makes it hard to find anything positive and that will reflect in how we speak and act around others. This doesn’t serve as a good example and it definitely won’t show that we greatly care for those around us. Instead, we should have an attitude of praise. Psalm 92 is a psalm full of praise and it reflects on the good God has done. If we thank God for His lovingkindness in the morning and praise Him for His faithfulness at night, our attitudes will slowly shift from one of negativity to one of positivity. When we look for God’s goodness throughout our day, we likely will look for the goodness in those around us as well. In order to selflessly serve like Christ and to impact people like Paul with his gentleness and care, we should have a heart overflowing with praise to help focus on all the good that is in our lives.
Recently, the movie Inside Out 2 came out. If you have had the chance to watch it or the first film, we see the huge role Joy plays in the lives of people. In the second film, Joy wonders if growing up means being less joyful. The world isn’t a joyful place and it will push us towards locking our Joy deep within ourselves. In the film, it made Riley hurt her friends and not connect well with the people around her. Joy is a needed emotion that will help us find the good in life.
-Makenna Landry
Discussion Questions:
1: What are ways you can show people you care deeply for them?
2: Why is caring deeply for people important?
3: Are you letting Joy be your main focus or are other negative emotions clouding your view of those around you?
We don’t know how many variations of belief people in the early church fell into. We read indications of some in the Bible, like the legalism of the Galatians or the spirit-enthused group in Corinth. It may be that Thessalonica had a division, for a time, over how to understand the day of the Lord which might be seen in 2 Thessalonians 3.
It is remarkable what people can convince themselves of, at least briefly. In the 1960s in America, a group said it was not necessary that they eat food to live. They considered that it was fine to eat food for the pleasure of it, if you chose to, but that eating had simply long been assumed to be important. They claimed all one really needed to do for continued life was breathe air. That group died out, but there have been many such extremes in history.
We don’t know if false claims about the day of the Lord having already come affected the behavior of some in Thessalonica, but it could explain why some stopped working. We read of something like that attitude from part of the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 4:8). Paul had made a point of telling the believers in Thessalonica that they should work with their hands and lead quiet lives (1 Thessalonians 4:11). We know that Paul himself wrote more than once about how, as an apostle ministering the gospel, he had the right to receive financial assistance but chose to work. In his work he set the people an example, but not all of them maintained it (2 Thessalonians 3:8‑9). In Thessalonica it seems that some believers who were capable of working took advantage of others’ assistance, they stopped working and behaved as busybodies (11). Whatever the reason for their behavior, it needed to change. It was bad for those who were being lax, and for the community’s reputation with outsiders. But if a claim about the kingdom was the reason for their actions it gives a nice twist to Paul’s response – if they thought the curse on the soil was past, and that work was no longer needed for food to be produced, they were wrong (Genesis 3:19). They were to return to work if they would continue to eat.
Paul wrote that “undisciplined” people who did not obey the instructions of the letter were to be admonished and not associated with, so that they would be put to shame, but they were not to be treated as enemies (2 Thessalonians 3:11, 14, 15). They still could be brought around, and that is good. The extremes and oddities of Christianity would keep cropping up in the world, but all that Paul was asking from them was simple lives, lead with an appreciation of what Jesus had done for them. They were to live as examples of Christ’s behavior and speak his words. They were to do good, and not grow weary of it (13).
Lord, thank you for the many and differing blessings we have in work. Work may have its origins in a curse on the soil, but you are often willing to take what began as a burden and use it to show your power and your grace. Thank you for allowing work to sometimes be a platform for our creativity, an opportunity to form friendships, a way to gain joy in our efforts. At times we may feel we are doing little more than proving we can hold out against boredom – but please help us to remember our goal of serving our Lord even as we engage in worldly employment. Thank you when you help us to locate work, thank you when you help us to do it well, and thank you for helping us to find courage and opportunity to leave it at the right time. Thank you, for so many of us who do not work in paid positions, that there are others able to provide us with financial support. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
-Daniel Smead
Reflection Questions
It has been suggested that the sharing of goods in Jerusalem when the church first started had special causes, in part with so many people having come from other areas. Do you think it helped set bad influences for some churches later on?
If any of the “undisciplined” chose not to work, but rather left the church over this situation, do you think that shows they were more than just “undisciplined”?
What effect do you think going through this effort at correcting the “undisciplined” had on the Thessalonian church after it had been completed?
2 Thessalonians 2 is one of those chapters of scripture that can make us wonder why it was written. Did the people receive a false “spirit or a message or a letter as if from [Paul], to the effect that the day of the Lord” had already come (2)? And if they received such a communication about the day of the Lord, what was its purpose? Was the idea just to plant doubts and create turmoil? Did it achieve anything more than getting the people to check in with Paul?
Maybe someone tailored a piece of misdirection based off Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, that the day of the Lord would come like “a thief in the night,” to suggest that the day was able to arrive and pass without people becoming aware of it. Such an idea would not fit well with the overall uses of the “day of the Lord” in the Bible, as Paul pointed out in 2 Thessalonians 1:10 speaking of “that day”, but we don’t know how the Thessalonians thought of the phrase before Paul wrote this letter. In 2:1 Paul linked “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” with “our gathering together to Him” before he addressed the idea of false communication about the day of the Lord. Perhaps the point of whatever deceiving message the people received was an attempt to separate the day of the Lord from one or both of those ideas in their thoughts.
Returning to the “thief” metaphor for a moment, any metaphor or parable generally has only one application to be made from it, and can easily be misunderstood by being overapplied. The “thief” metaphor came from Jesus’ words, and it emphasized diligence (Matthew 24:43, see through chapter 25). Jesus didn’t apply any risks of the metaphor to those who were faithful. We do not know when Jesus is coming, but as believers we will not be left floundering when the world changes because of his return – the believers will join with him in celebration.
Paul has a much plainer case to make than the implications of a metaphor, however, he points out that he already told the church that those who are alive when Jesus is just about to return will have seen signs before his coming. As part of this Paul describes a man engaged in a campaign of evil on behalf of Satan. Paul may seem to write of this remarkably calmly, though admittedly it can be difficult to read tone into written words. And, of course, we don’t know what the Thessalonians had imagined their situation was based on the “spirit” or “message” or “letter” Paul wrote of – he needed to clear things up. We do know that the circumstances Paul is describing will be extreme, and he mentions that he spoke about these things with them in person (v. 5), so he may have previously offered comforting words about the potential of living during this situation. In any case Paul leaves no doubt of who is more powerful, the man of lawlessness, or Jesus. Jesus will slay him by his mere breath (maybe a spoken word?) – it is not a contest. The call to the believers is to stand firm, and having received eternal comfort, and good hope by grace, to desire also to be strengthened in their hearts in every good work and word.
On the other hand, the situation will be extreme for those who have rejected the truth. They will receive a “deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (11‑12). This is not the situation of those we are trying to reach with an understanding of God’s love, history will have moved beyond that. It will be like what we read about in Exodus, when God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so He could show His signs and wonders in Egypt at the time of the ten plagues (4:21; 7:3). Pharaoh abandoned good behavior well before Moses arrived, but if shown enough miracles he might have been swayed from his course, even if only temporarily. God wanted a clear-cut setting in which to show His power. God intended to punish Egypt. It seems that things will go similarly with the man of lawlessness and his followers at the end of this age. It would be hard for anyone to remain loyal to such an evil leader and not try to weasel their way into compromises, even if just into other forms of evil, after God’s judgment is made clear. But by that point in history God wants a clear-cut setting to show His judgment. (I admit to finding some of this a bit distressing, but Paul had seen more of the evils of the world than I have, so I can understand if he was able to have a more clear-eyed view about it than I as he wrote about it.)
Lord, thank you for your strength, and that I feel able to put my trust in you no matter what situation I arrive in, even if I were to be living during the reign of the man of lawlessness. You are far greater than he. Your son is far greater than he. I trust that your love and your mercy will be comfort to me whatever may come. To whoever of your servants do live in that time, please let them have great outpourings of your grace and confidence from your Spirit. Life is not painless, but life is worthwhile when lived for you. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
-Daniel Smead
Reflection Questions
Do you think the origins of 2 Thessalonians 2 might be from a prank? Or perhaps did it result from a serious attempt to damage a church’s faith where it seemed to be vulnerable? It has been said that it is normally easier to tear down than to build up. What is the best way you have experienced that a church has been built up? How can you visualize being part of building a church up?
How surprising is it to you that Paul needed to write two letters to the church in Thessalonica, perhaps in the same year, based on their confusion about issues of eschatology? What might have happened if these issues went uncorrected? How much have you studied and compared scriptures about the future to develop your grasp on these ideas if you wanted to discuss them? How deeply do you choose to investigate these matters for yourself, compared to where you stop, considering that if you wished to examine the issue further you would take a question to a “Paul”?
Do you find it hard to imagine a time when there will be no room for shifting between those who are fully committed to evil and those who serve God with their whole hearts? If you thought such a time was coming soon, are there things you would be doing today to prepare?
Yesterday we read some of Paul’s words about the future, along with his instructions about preparing for the future through good conduct. In 2 Thessalonians 1 Paul chose to say more about coming events to the same audience. (Your Bible may have notes suggesting that only four to six months passed between the two letters.) Paul remains proud of the people’s conduct, and again mentions their shared status with him as persecuted believers (1 Thessalonians 2:2, 14; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-7). But here Paul emphasizes the coming of a “just” repayment for the poor treatment they have received: “when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” (7-8).
Paul tells the Thessalonians that God intends to “repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted” at the appearance of Jesus (6-7). I think it is worth noting that God’s justice for those who mistreated the believers is not about providing ongoing torture, as some have imagined, but “the penalty of eternal destruction” (9). Paul used the same Greek word for “destruction” here and in 1 Thessalonians 5:3 (when he wrote of “sudden” destruction), but here he emphasized a link to the coming age. (To say “eternal” destruction, as the NASB chose to do, is not a great translation of the Greek. What Paul wrote conveys more “of the aion” or “of the age”.) But, to those who have believed, the Lord Jesus “comes to be glorified in His saints” and “to be marveled at among all who have believed” (10). That is a lovely image.
In a way Paul repeats his theme of preparation for the future at the end of the chapter. Paul says he always prays for the people in Thessalonica that God will count them worthy of their calling, and “fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power” (11). So, he wants them to be able to be as good and as faithful as they are desiring to be, knowing that it is God’s power which permits that desire to be fulfilled.
It feels like Paul is inviting the Thessalonians to think about their lives more in terms of the future. We don’t know what he has heard about them in the last few months, but he is concerned over them. They are afflicted, we don’t know how badly, perhaps they are very frustrated. But Paul wanted them to realize that what they were waiting for was more than worth all they were going through. Of faith, hope and love we know that love is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13), but it would never be enough on its own. As Paul also said, if Christ had not been resurrected we would be in an awful state (15:13-19). We would have no future to look forward to no matter how much God valued us, and no matter how much we valued God or each other. But we do have a future, a glorious future we can tell others about and seek for them to share with us, and a savior on whom to put our faith and our hope. Rejoice, brothers and sisters!
Lord, please help me to desire greater goodness, and more works of faith in my life. Please also clear out of the way whatever would prevent me from serving you as I ought to do, so that I can be the servant you desire me to be. Knowing that the day will come when Jesus is glorified in his saints, and that I hope to be among those saints, help me not to hold back from any good thing that I know I ought to do. Relying on you, I pray these things, Amen.
-Daniel Smead
Reflection Questions
How different do you think the New Testament would appear to us if we had not only the letters Paul sent, but also messages he received which prompted those letters, so we could better understand things like the situation in Thessalonica which prompted what he wrote? Do you think that not having the specific causes for the letters may help us to treat what Paul wrote as being more universal in its application? If so, is that sometimes a problem?
How often do you find yourself dealing with frustrations or concerns about your daily life by looking to the hope you have in the return of Christ? What aspects of that return do you find the most compelling to your thoughts? Is there some particular passage of scripture that draws you, or an image, or a piece of a song? Have you ever shared your perspective with someone else?
Paul reminds us that in large measure what our lives becomes is about what we decide to aim for. Words like “perseverance” and “desire for goodness” and “the work of faith”, these are about the choices we make, particularly the choices we make against external and internal opposition. When did you last examine your life to decide what you will seek?
There is no doubt the last couple years have been in disarray. Mainly because of the Coronavirus. One of, if not the fastest, spreading viruses that has existed in the modern era. Since its unveiling, the world has shut down, economies have crashed, people have died and overall the world has changed. All because of one rapidly spreading disease.
I realized something today as I read the passage for today, 2 Thessalonians 3, if something so negative could change the world so much, why couldn’t something good change it even more. The first verse of 2 Thessalonians 3 reads, “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;”
Now you may see where I am going with this illustration. If a disease can be so impactful why would the Gospel not be even more impactful? Since Jesus was revealed to us by God as the Messiah, the world has changed but for the better, and people are finding more life than ever with his message. We have an opportunity to spread the Gospel, and I know that it is way more beneficial to the world than some dumb virus. With the power of God I hope that you will remember to spread the word just as fast if not even faster than any disease that exists. It is ultimately the Gospel that wins in the end.
-Jesse Allen
Application
Even the great evangelistic missionary Paul asked for prayers in spreading the gospel. Who will you ask to be praying for your efforts to spread the gospel? Who will you be praying for?
What value do you put on the gospel message?
What other instructions did Paul leave with the Thessalonians in this chapter?What were they to do with believers who did not follow these directions?
This chapter comes with some very big warnings. From the very beginning of the chapter to the very end, it is full of warnings not to be deceived. If this was such a big problem 2000 years ago, how much bigger is it now? We need to heed all of these warnings because just like the Thessalonians, we also have others trying to deceive us in every step of our lives.
To be able to keep from being deceived, we must first know the truth. In John 8:31-32, Jesus says, ‘“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”’ According to these verses, the very first thing we need to do to keep ourselves from being deceived is to hold to Jesus’ teaching. To do this, we need to first know what Jesus taught and to obey it. When we hold to the teachings of Jesus, we are really his disciples. Then, we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul writes that the Thessalonians were “saved… through belief in the truth.” The Thessalonians not only knew the truth, they also believed it. For this reason, they were saved. We also can be saved when we know the truth and choose to believe in it. But, if you choose not to believe in the truth, there are serious consequences.
In verse 13, Paul writes, “[S]o that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” It is a matter of life or death, whether or not you believe in the truth. If you believe in the truth, you can be saved and have eternal life in the kingdom. If you do not believe in the truth, however, you will be condemned and will perish.
Verse 15 says, “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” Paul has told us what our choices are. The choice to believe in the truth or to not believe in it. He urges us, then, to stand firm and hold fast to the teachings. When we hold fast to the teachings, we will know the truth and the truth will set us free. It’s not a trivial decision! It is life or death, so choose the truth!
-Kaitlyn Hamilton
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
How can you be sure you are not being deceived?
How are you following Jesus’ teachings, not the pastor or creeds or traditions, but following Jesus’ teachings?
In a small school, the teachers seem to know who most people are, whether it is because of their achievements or their families. At the beginning of each new school year, they try to figure out if they know you. However, for them to know who you are, somebody else has had to tell them about you, and whatever they’ve been told is the reputation that you start with, in that class. It’s great if they had positive things to say about you, but for those who didn’t have great things said about them, it can hurt.
Verse 4 of 2 Thessalonians 1 says, “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.” Paul is telling the Thessalonians that he tells all the other believers about their great faith. It is one thing for Paul to go tell the Thessalonians that they are doing really well as they stand firm in their faith, but it is a whole other thing when he goes to tell everyone else about it.
Is your faith so evident that people talk about it with others? The Thessalonians had faith like that and we should too. The Thessalonians’ faith was strong enough that the other believers were talking about it among themselves, but what’s even more important is that those who aren’t believers notice our faith. We need to work to be that light in other people’s lives that they might talk about and wonder about it.
Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” We need to make sure that when we do try to make our faith evident, it isn’t so that we are praised for it. We need to make sure that God is the one who is getting all the glory for our faith while we try to be a light to others. When we do this, we will have a reputation that goes before us, just like many students do in a small school, that will bring glory to God.
-Kaitlyn Hamilton
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Who do you know who is known for a growing faith and love and perseverance in the midst of trials and persecution? Thank God for them. And, like Paul, you can also tell them that you thank God for them.
What do you think your fellow employees or classmates or teachers at church or school would say about you? What do you think your neighbors would say about you? What do you think the cashier would say about you? Are they right? How did you get this reputation?
What is Paul’s main point in the rest of 2 Thessalonians (verses 5-12)?
Today in Isaiah 37 we see a glimpse of Hezekiah’s prayer life and the boldness he has when asking God for deliverance. This boldness is not in an outward appearance…when Hezekiah hears the King of Assyria’s threats he rips his clothes and wears sackcloth, both common practices for those who are mourning or in a vulnerable state. While he seems unsure, Hezekiah is still willing to ask God for deliverance from this threat, even though we do not hear much regarding his faithfulness or attitude towards God until this time. In my opinion, this makes his request even more bold because he seems to lack relationship with God! And yet, we see a prayer for his city to be saved for the purpose that they know God is LORD (v.20), and God delivers! God sends an angel to strike down the Assyrians and scares away the king (v. 36). While the appearance of Hezekiah almost seems cowardly to human eyes, God saw Hezekiah’s humility and his acknowledgement of the one true God and rewards him for that!
In chapter 38 we see Hezekiah again boldly ask for healing from God. This bold request for healing shows Hezekiah has confidence in God’s power and knows God can do amazing things. It’s easy to think, “If I had experienced an answered prayer like Hezekiah I would always pray boldly!”, however, we experience answered prayers daily, but I know I am constantly reminding myself to pray boldly with the concerns I have! Maybe it’s just me, but when I get caught up in the brokenness of the world it doesn’t always come as my first instinct to offer up a prayer. Sometimes I may first try to find a solution on my own, other times I may just ignore the problem, or maybe I just sit in the problem! Although it may seem unlikely, Hezekiah can be a great example of how to pray boldly and have complete trust in God’s power to answer those bold requests.
When we look at our passage in 2 Thessalonians, we see Paul’s encouragement to bold and consistent prayer. In this chapter, Paul is specifically requesting prayer from the church to guard against the evil one and for the gospel to be spread and honored (v. 1 – 3). Paul also asks and reminds the church to pray for them to have strength to carry on in good things such as spreading the gospel and working hard to provide for immediate needs. These requests may not seem as bold as asking God to destroy an army, but I do find them much more relevant to our lives today, and still just as difficult to remember to pray for! Spreading the gospel is an easy thing to say, but doing so truly does require great effort, dedication, and strength. Asking for help in this is certainly a bold task, mainly because if you ask God to help you spread the gospel, He is going to put you in places to practice that! Paul writes “Do not grow weary in doing good” (v. 13), which tells me to expect that doing good will be wearisome. In this letter we can see the benefit in not only praying bold requests for ourselves, but also praying boldly to encourage our brothers and sisters.
You may not know, but the Church of God has over 600 fellowships of believers outside of the United States. We have a LOT of brothers and sisters in Christ that can constantly use our prayers for strength, encouragement, and deliverance. If you are interested in knowing more about our fellow believers, I encourage you to go to https://lhicog.com/ to learn more about what bold prayers you can bring to God on their behalf!
One thought I had (and maybe you did too) during today’s reading was ‘What about when prayers aren’t answered?’ I prayed about this thought, and here is what I felt based on our reading for today: We must faithfully know that God’s purpose is greater than our own. I do not believe there are UNanswered prayers, but rather prayers that have an answer yet to come or an answer we do not want to hear. There are other stories in the Bible where bold prayers are not answered the way that people want or when they want… I think of David and Bathsheba’s son dying after David prayed and fasted, Hannah diligently praying for her future son to be born, or Jesus himself who prayed to not have to go through the horrible crucifixion process! We may not be able to comprehend the purpose God has, but we are always invited to pray with boldness and faith. We are also invited to pray for “peace in every way” (v. 16) for ourselves and our fellow believers when the prayers don’t result in what we want or when we want them. I look forward to a day when we will never have to bring another bold request to God because we will be living in a perfect Kingdom where all believers can constantly rejoice in God’s holy presence and perfection! Until that day, let’s continue to boldly pray and praise our amazing YHWH.
-Sarah (Blanchard) Johnson
Today’s Bible reading plan passages can be read or listened to at BibleGateway.com here – Isaiah 37-38 and 2 Thessalonians 3
Hello again! Thanks for joining me for another day!
Isaiah 35 depicts a joyful return of the redeemed of the LORD. There is singing, gladness, no sorrow, and healing (v. 5-10). What an incredible celebration to be part of! I certainly am looking forward to our day of celebration with God. Unlike this celebration, ours will be one that lasts forever and ever, and never has the possibility for someone else to come and bring us back to a broken place. No one to come and scare the righteous and try to deceive them!
In Isaiah 36 the king of Assyria tries to overtake Judah and Jerusalem. Interestingly, the king here is not only using physical tactics to try and capture the cities, but he is also using some mind-game strategies to create doubt in the people and offer a false hope in his own strength. The king tries to convince the people that by surrendering to him they will have security and a new, prosperous land (v. 16-17). He uses the language the people are familiar with and attacks the character of their current leader who follows YHWH. He creates doubt in God’s promises that are not immediately present and begins to offer the easy way out of the situation with empty promises of independent success, security, and familiarity. We see these same types of empty promises coming from politicians, employers, and even our own friends or families at times today. While they may not be empty in what is being offered, they will never satisfy whatever our wants or needs are as they are not promises from God. I believe that Satan consistently tries to use different tactics to pull us away from God and His promises, and people surrounding us can be lead astray on empty promises of what will make them happy, secure, or comfortable.
Throughout the Bible we see a common theme is a warning not to fall for the deception of the current age, to not fall for empty and unsatisfying promises offered by man. This is because no matter what time period, the only promises that will ever fill someone up are those that come directly from God!
Our passage in 2 Thessalonians discusses deception from the ‘lawless one’ who is coming with false miracles, signs, and wonders set out to deceive all those who do not accept the truth (v. 9 – 10). Paul is writing to a church that seems to already be doing a good job of continuing to follow God’s promises despite attempts at deception. He is writing to encourage them to STAND FIRM in what they already know (v. 15). We can know that the promise that Paul writes about (the coming of Jesus) is not one that is empty because he does not write it with the purpose of his own gain, or the purpose of leading us astray from what Jesus himself preached! In general, this is a pretty good standard to judge promises made by others… does it match with what Jesus said? When we use this standard to gauge the reliability of promises we are guaranteed to experience less disappointment and confusion!
I pray over you today and this week that “Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, encourages your hearts and strengthens you in every good work and word” (v. 16 – 17). Life is hard, full of empty promises, deception, and brokenness. Praise God we have grace and an everlasting promise that is still coming!
-Sarah (Blanchard) Johnson
Today’s Bible reading plan passages can be read or listened to at BibleGateway.com here – Isaiah 35-36 and 2 Thessalonians 2
Seek Grow Love 