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In Second Thessalonians 2:2, the
apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers
and warned them about events that would occur
right before the coming of the Lord. He wanted
to prepare them so these major world events
wouldn't take them off guard and throw them into
a state of panic. Therefore, Paul told them,
"That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be
troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by
letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is
at hand" (2 Thessalonians 2:2).
Notice that Paul told the Thessalonian believers
not to be "soon shaken." The word "soon" is the
Greek word tachus, which means quickly,
suddenly, or hastily. The word
"shaken" is the Greek word saleuo, which
means to shake, to waver, to totter, or
to be moved. The tense used in the Greek
points to events so dramatic that they could
result in shock or alarm. In fact, the Greek
tense strongly suggests a devastating occurrence
or a sequence of devastating occurrences so
dramatic that they will throw the world into a
state of shock or distress.
By using the words "soon shaken," Paul was
urging his readers (and us!) to resist being
easily shaken up by events that will occur just
before the coming of Jesus. He was particularly
careful to mention that we must not be "soon
shaken in mind." The Greek word for the "mind"
is nous, which describes everything
in the realm of the intellect, including one's
will, emotions, and ability to think, reason,
and decide.
Whoever or whatever controls a person's mind
ultimately has the power to dictate the affairs
and outcome of that person's life. Thus, if a
person allows his mind to be doused with panic
or fear, he is putting fear in charge of his
life. Because Paul wanted his readers to remain
in peace regardless of the tumultuous events
that transpired around them, he urged them not
to allow fear from these shocking and
distressful events to penetrate their minds,
will, and emotions.
Then to make certain we comprehend the magnitude
of these last-day events, Paul went on to say,
"That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled."
The word "troubled" is the Greek word throeo,
which indicates an inward fright that
results from the shocking occurrence described
above. The shock resulting from these
nerve-racking events could be so severe that it
could cause a person to be devoured with worry,
anxiety, or fear.
Paul is confident these events will not be only
a one-time occurrence; thus, he uses a Greek
tense that points to an ongoing state of
worry and inward anxiety resulting from
these outward events that keep occurring again
and again. It is as if he prophesies that there
is no pause between these shocking,
debilitating, and nerve-racking happenings. One
scholar therefore translates the word "troubled"
as being jumpy or nervous.
These words are so jammed-packed with meaning
that it is almost impossible to directly
translate them. To help you see exactly what
Paul was communicating to his readers, I have
translated and paraphrased the original Greek
words, pulling the full meaning out of each word
and then transferring those meanings into the
interpretive translation below.
All the words Paul used
in Second Thessalonians 2:2 convey this idea:
"Some things will be happening right before
His coming that could shake you up quite a
bit. I'm referring to events that will be so
dramatic that they could really leave your
head spinning - occurrences of such a serious
nature that many people will end up feeling
alarmed, panicked, intimidated, and even
unnerved! Naturally speaking, these events
could nearly drive you over the brink
emotionally, putting your nerves on edge and
making you feel apprehensive and insecure
about life. I wish I could tell you these
incidents were going to be just a oneshot
deal, but when they finally get rolling,
they're going to keep coming and coming, one
after another. That's why you have to
determine not to be shaken or moved by
anything you see or hear. You need to get a
grip on your mind and refuse to allow
yourselves to be traumatized by these events.
If you let these things get to you, it won't
be too long until you're a nervous wreck! So
decide beforehand that you are not going to
give in and allow 'fright' to worm its way
into your mind and emotions until it runs your
whole life."
Paul strongly urges us not to allow ourselves to
be shaken or moved by anything we see or hear.
He tells us that we must get a grip on our minds
and refuse to allow ourselves to be traumatized
by the events that occur in the world around us
or to allow fear to control our whole lives.
Instead of letting these things "get to us" and
rob us of our joy, peace, and victory, we need
to be deeply rooted in the confidence of God's
promises!
If you take a look at the world around us today,
it is clear that Paul's prophecy about the last
days is unfolding before our very eyes. Because
of the many different situations that our
generation is facing, we must take a stand
against fear and determine to stay in faith! But
in order for us to stay in faith, it is
imperative that we keep our minds focused on the
Word of God.
Colossians 3:15 says, "And let the peace of God
rule in your hearts." Verse 16 goes on to say,
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly."
When the Word of God dwells richly in
our lives, it produces peace - so much
supernatural peace that it actually rules our
hearts!
The word "rule" that is used in this verse is
the Greek word brabeuo, which describes
an umpire who calls all the shots and makes
all the decisions. You see, when God's
Word is dwelling richly in your heart, suddenly
the peace of God makes all the big
decisions, calls all the shots, and umpires your
emotions. Rather than being led by the ups and
downs of the day or by what you read in the
newspaper, you will be ruled by the wonderful
peace of God!
But to receive this benefit of God's Word, you
must let it dwell in you richly. This
word richly is the Greek word plousios,
and it can be translated lavishly. This
presents the picture of you giving the Word of
God a wonderful reception as you roll out the
red carpet so you can richly and lavishly
welcome the Word into your heart. When you let
God's Word have this place of honor inside your
heart, mind, and emotions, it releases its power
to stabilize you and keep you in peace, even in
the most difficult times.
There is no doubt that we are living in the very
end of the last days. We are a chosen generation
- and we will observe events that no other
generation has ever seen.
If you are going to keep your heart fear-free so
you can live in continual peace, you must make a
firm commitment to let God's Word rule in your
heart! God's Word will protect your mind and
prohibit fear from worming its way into your
emotions and turning you into an emotional mess.
Is God's Word the foundation of your life
today?
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