CHAPTER ONE

Contents: Believer's comfort in persecution.

Characters: God, Christ, Paul, Silvanus, Timothy.

Conclusion: The patient suffering of believers for Christ's sake, is a manifest token that they are worthy to be accounted Christians, since they can suffer for Christianity. God will recompense their trouble with rest of heart now, and with abundant reward at Christ's coming, when also He will recompense trouble to those who have troubled His people.

Key Word: Comfort, v. 7.

Strong Verses: 7, 8, 9, 10.

Striking Facts: v. 10. As the coming of Christ will reveal His wrath and power upon His enemies, so His grace and power will be magnified in the complete salvation of His saints. This is an evidence that the Church will not pass through the Great Tribulation, the time of God's wrath.

CHAPTER TWO

Contents: Day of the Lord and the man of sin. Exhortation and instruction.

Characters: Christ, Holy Spirit, anti-christ, Satan, Paul.

Conclusion: The blessed hope of Christ's coming is a doctrine with which believers are to be deeply affected that they might not be moved about with the conflicting and Satanic heresies of the last days, when there will be general religious apostasy and denial of the program of God's Word. Let us not be deceived by the doctrine of any man or by the trend of events, to let loose of the hope of His imminent return.

Key Word: Day of Christ, v. 2.

Strong Verses: 3, 4, 8.

Striking Facts: vv. 7, 8. The word "letteth" is lit. "restraineth" or "hindereth." The Holy Spirit is the restraining influence now in the world. He will hinder the progress of Satan's gospel until the coming of Christ when He, whose present mission is the formation of the Body of Christ will be taken out of the way with the Body. This will leave Satan unrestrained and will precipitate the Great Tribulation period.

CHAPTER THREE

Contents: Paul's encouragements and exhortations to the Thessalonians.

Characters: Christ, Paul.

Conclusion: It is required of those who have professed Christianity, that they live according to the precepts of the Gospel, that they be not accounted disorderly persons devoid of the divine love and hope which they profess. If Christ is allowed to direct our love upon Himself, it will rectify all our affections toward men and keep us in the attitude of expectation of His momentary coming.

Key Word: Apostolic commands, v. 6.

Strong Verses: 3, 5, 6, 13.

Striking Facts: v. 5. Patient waiting for Christ is to be joined with the love of God. The hope of His return is the great incentive to a busy life and a life of loving deeds to others.