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The Importance of the Study of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ
by Samson Hutagalung

The Example of the Church of Thessalonica

The church of Thessalonica was the only church in the New Testament time in which Paul acknowledged their great understanding of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The knowledge that the Thessalonians church had can not be compared even to the most faithful churches in our days. Looking at the background of these Thessalonians, that before Paul came to this city, there was none even one Christian in the city. However, Paul, having spent time to teach and preach the word of God, the church had grown rapidly in their understanding of the mystery of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

At the Missionary Journey of Paul

The beginning of the church of Thessalonica was at the second missionary journey of Paul together with Silas and Timothy. Before they entered the city of Thessalonica, Paul and his companions Timothy and Silas were badly treated at the first arrival in Europe, in the city of Philippi. They were unjustly beaten, put to prison because of the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. However by the providence of God they managed to escape from this city and continued their ways westward across and reached the country of Macedonia. Acts 17:1-4 recorded that their arrival was truly by the leading and direction of the Lord. It was in this time that Paul held one of the greatest Bible Conferences in all the history. As Luke recorded, “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbaths days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 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. 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.”

Paul and his little band missionary arrived in the new mission field where apparently there was not even Christian there before they came. There was no any means to tell others about the gospel of Christ such as TV, Radio, etc. There was no financial guarantee at all, in fact only three to four weeks available to do the necessary things and preach the gospel, nevertheless, it brought the greatest impact to the people of Thessalonica. Luke recorded that Paul was in Thessalonica only for three sabbath days to teach the people concerning the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 17:2). Nevertheless, the powerful testimony for Christ was established in that city. As a result of this work of evangelism, not only the church was established but also the understanding of the Thessalonians concerning the Word of God and faith had grown in their hearts. When we read the epistle to the Thessalonians we are amazing how Paul commented on their knowledge and faith concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ which they learnt within about three to four weeks from Paul himself. Their understanding was perfect. Paul with his companions left the city of Thessalonica because of the persecution and problem occurred in the city that forced him to depart from the city.

The Sending of the Letter to the Church of Thessalonica

The main key Luke has recorded in Acts is the teaching concerning the dead and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as predicted in the Old Testament. After the departure of Paul and his companions from the city of Thessalonica, then soon Paul wrote a little letter to them concerning the teaching of the word of God and the meaning of the dead and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote to them about the heart of the gospel, he was able to tell them about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ that amazed us that how much they knew about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

First Thessalonians is the first letter Paul wrote to the brand new church of Thessalonica. This was written soon after Paul pleaded from that city, and Paul still did not know what had happened to those new Christians in Thessalonica, whether they were so discouraged and scattered, or whether the church was broken up and destroyed. The heart of Paul was deeply burnt. As a result, Paul then wrote a letter to them as he said in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2, “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (Why) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”

When we read that verse we Christians who live in this generation are amazed about the knowledge that the Thessalonians had. Their knowledge of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ was so perfect, mature, complete and even the great apostle said that he does not need to tell them about all these. The times and the seasons are prophetic time and season just like Jesus told to his disciples in Acts 1:7 that the time and the season are in the father’s hand and you do not have to know when will be the time. This is to say that the new Christians in the church of Thessalonica know perfectly what will happen and what the order of the events when Christ returns. The church of Thessalonica was just a new-born church in which Paul served for few weeks but their understanding of the Word of God was really great. This is the question to all believers in this generation, how long have we known the Lord Jesus Christ and how long have we had the Bible in our own language to read, study and understand? We are ashamed to ourselves because of the knowledge that we have so little though we have the Bible in our own hand.

The Maturity of the Christians in the Church of Thessalonica

The church in Thessalonica perhaps was just two months old and yet they have known so much about the significant of the dead and resurrection the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament. They also knew about the things that will happen at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In fact in 1 and 2 Thessalonians that Paul wrote to this little church that every single chapter of this book is referring to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For example, let us see some of the passages in first Thessalonians concerning the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. At the end of 1 Thessalonians 1 in verse 10 Paul said, “To wait for his Son from heaven....even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come.” In 1 Thessalonians 2:19 Paul said, “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? In 1 Thessalonians 3:13 Paul said, “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” The Lord Jesus Christ will be coming therefore we must be prepared in our heart for that great event. This was further described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 when Paul said, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of th archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” This is the great promise of the rapture of the church that will take place.  In 1 Thessalonians 5 is full of prophesy of the events of the coming of the Lord and the climax is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 when Paul said, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” That every part and every aspect of our being might be so sanctified and cleansed from the habits of sins for the joyful union with the Lord in that day.

In 2 Thessalonians 1 we can see also some of the things and promises that will happen at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and His angels. Everything has been described in the book including the coming of Antichrist as mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2 that the Antichrist will claim to be God. Thus Paul told them in 2 Thessalonians 2:5, “Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” Paul has told them about the great apostasy and what the Antichrist will do in the temple because all these are the prophetic programs of God. Having seen all this truth mastered by the church of Thessalonians, we marvel for the zeal of learning that these believers have concerning the Word of God. It is absolutely that there is no even one church in our days that have such zeal in the Word of God. In fact we wonder when are the church and Bible classes started, how much the Bible prophetic of the word of God is given? Some may say that the study of the prophetic books are difficult to understand and complicated but one thing that we need to know is that all the prophetic truth in the Bible is intended by God for us to know and learn. Amen.