2Th 3:1-5; Illumining a Path for Your Heart.

Class Outline:

Thursday October 12, 2023

 

2TH 3:1-5

Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; 2 and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.  4 We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

 

Pray for us: three things. 1) The word may run and be glorified just as it was in you. 2) The word may be glorified (accepted as from God). 3) They would be delivered from unfitting and evil men.

 

(vs. 2) Not all have faith = out of place and evil behavior.

 

All mankind is under the moral authority of God.

 

It is unmistakable throughout the Scripture that mankind is under the authority of a moral, ethical way, the source of which is God, PSA 50:1-6.

 

PSA 50:4, 6

He summons the heavens above,

And the earth, to judge His people:

 

And the heavens declare His righteousness,

For God Himself is judge. Selah.  

 

The Lord alone is your deliverer.

Pray for the deliverance of others and yourself (2TH 3:1-2; MAT 6:13).

 

Paul’s words echo the final petition in the Lord’s Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

 

We pray for the deliverance of others and ourselves. We also pray for our leading.

 

The Lord alone is your deliverer and your leader. 

Pray that others and you will follow His guidance to life.

 

PSA 46:1-2

God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change

And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;

 

This is vs. 5. Paul wishes that the Lord would direct their hearts. The verb “direct” is an optative (mood of wish) and it means to make straight or to direct on a straight path.

 

This verb is rare in the NT. It is only used three times. Significantly, this rare word is used by Zacharias when he prophesies concerning his son, John the Baptist.

 

LUK 1:76-79

"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS [MAL 3:1];

77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation

By the forgiveness of their sins,

78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,

With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

79 TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH,

To guide our feet into the way of peace."

 

His quote in v. 79.

ISA 9:2

The people who walk in darkness

Will see a great light;

Those who live in a dark land,

The light will shine on them.

 

This is the only light in our dark land that can guide our hearts into the way of peace.

 

ISA 42:6-7

As a light to the nations,

To open blind eyes,

 

Isa 8 ended with condemnation upon the people who would seek guidance from mediums and spiritists rather than their God. Chapter 9 continues with their darkness, but with the holiest and happiest of all prophecies - a light will shine in the darkness; the Son of God will appear.

 

JOH 1:4-5

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

 

ISA 9:1

But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

 

Matthew sees the fulfillment of this prophecy.

 

MAT 4:12-16

Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

 

15 "THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,

BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES — 

16 "THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,

AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH,

UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED."

 

Putting them together:

“A light shall shine on them (who sit in darkness).”

“To guide our feet in the way of peace.”

“Upon them (Galilee) a light dawned.”

 

May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ (2TH 3:5).

 

Christ, by means of the word and the Holy Spirit, illumines our hearts so that we can see where we need to go. He is faithful to direct your heart. And Paul mentions two places.

 

2TH 3:4-5

We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

 

Our hearts led on the straight path to:

Love: agape of God.

Steadfastness: hupomone (perseverance, endurance) of Christ.

 

Our hearts are led to hupomone (patience, perseverance, endurance) by trials and tribulations. We are not going to develop this essential trait without many and various trials.

 

ROM 5:3

tribulation brings about perseverance

 

JAM 1:2-3

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.