In 2 Thessalonians 1, Paul talks about what will happen when Jesus returns. Evil will be judged once and for all, and all those with faith in Jesus will be in His presence for eternity. Paul now must go back to what will come before Jesus returns. And he needs to write because there was confusion about that, even after his last letter. Someone, and Paul doesn’t know exactly who or how, is disturbing the church by taking his teaching in his first letter and misapplying it by saying that the entire church has missed the return of Jesus. Paul says, whether by a false prophecy, by a word or by a letter, someone is disturbing you and alarming you with false information. And so in chapter two, Paul writes back saying, "It is impossible for you to miss Jesus coming back for you because something has to take place first that you will not miss!" The good news is that you won’t miss it; the bad news is that things will get pretty bad and pretty desperate before they get better. So Paul aims to tell the Thessalonians about the 'Man of Lawlessness' and the rebellion he will launch against Christ and His church, while also encouraging them with the comforting power and love of God for His fearful sheep.
