Our first review of 2010 is 1 & 2 Thessalonians, written by Henry A. Ironside, pastor of Moody Memorial Church for 18 years. Dr. Ironside was noted for his simple, clear teaching of complex scriptural truth. In fact, his favorite two quotations were, “Put the cookies on the bottom shelf where the little kiddies can get ‘em” and “Christ didn’t tell Peter to feed his giraffes. He told him, ‘Feed my sheep.’”
In 1 Thessalonians, Paul was faced with the situation of having to leave his new converts in the church because of forced exile and persecution. His letter was one of hope that believers would inherit the kingdom of heaven via the coming rapture to unite them with their loved ones. The “great and terrible day of the Lord” mentioned by the Old Testament prophets had not yet come. In fact, they would be safely with the Lord when it did! Ironsides states, “It was a new revelation (‘This we say unto you by the word of the Lord’) that we who are alive when the Lord returns will not precede those who are ‘asleep’ (4:15). I cannot find one word in the three Synoptic Gospels about this aspect of the Lord’s coming for His saints. In the Synoptics, the kingdom on earth was always in view. The Gospel of John, however, provides a link to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15. John tells us that before the Lord went away, He said to the apostles in the Upper Room, ‘I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also’ (John 14:2-3).”
I especially like the explanation of the 12 exhortations in chapter 5, verses 14-20: “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
In 2 Thessalonians, Dr. Ironside explores a three-fold division of doctrine: assurance for persecuted Christians, apostasy and the Antichrist, and admonitions to persevere. In total, this wonderful book is 87 pages long so you don’t have to be a giraffe to get through it. And since this month’s author penned 50 other commentaries, expect to find more cookies in the near future—on the shelf in Elim’s library!
Posted on January 1st, 2010 by Scott
Filed under: From the Church Library