Does history have a direction or is it continually moving in cycles? Does God really have a plan and, if so, is it possible to even remotely understand it? A study of Bible prophecy provides satisfactory answers to those questions if we are willing to take the time to hear God out. We may not be able to know the future thoroghly, but today’s passage points us to one of the Bible’s primary prophetic themes.
When I got to Horizon in San Diego in 1983 it seems to me like the perfect church. It’s still unclear, but it may have gone downhill from the moment I started attending. Honestly, we’re probably all aware by now that the perfect church doesn’t exist. Still the Bible does give us an idea of what we should shoot for – things we can do to make our own church better. As churches go, the one in Thessalonica was pretty good, so this chapter gives us a number of characteristics (I counted 14) that a model church ought to have.
If you have ever found Bible Prophecy challenging or confusing, you are not the first. The Thessalonians had the same problem – and they were taught personally by Paul. So Paul writes this letter to correct some of their misconceptions and encourage them to live like they really know Jesus.
Central Reflections 