A little while ago, I produced a verse by verse series in Philippians. I really enjoyed that exercise and have been wondering if I should take on another book. Well it turns out that 1 Thessalonians is the victim of my machinations, and hopefully, the thoughts produced by this fantastic book will edify and encourage the reader.

As with Philippians I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.

1 Thessalonians 2:16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved–so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!

In our last post we ended with Paul declaring that the enemies of the gospel “displease God and oppose all mankind”. In this verse, he fleshes out the specific actions of those who displease God and oppose all mankind.

In Paul’s day, the specific ones displeasing God and opposing all mankind were Jewish religious zealots. They would not accept Jesus as the Messiah, and out of a supposed loyalty to God, sought to block the progress of the church. This first century condition of Jewish persecution of the church was not consistent through the ages, for I understand after the destruction of the temple, the primary force against the church became the Roman Empire.

I mention this only to emphasize that the religious Jew is no different, no greater, and no more guilty of persecuting the church than any other group or society that persecutes the church. Sometimes this portion of 1 Thessalonians is used to justify antisemitism, and this is wrong.

Even if a Jewish society restricts Christian proselytizing, (and it currently does), it is no justification for treating them, or any society or people group as enemies. Though they may set themselves up as enemies of the gospel, “displeasing God and opposing all mankind”, we as believers are to love our enemies and pray for them.

Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Nevertheless, in Paul’s day, it was the Jewish religious zealots who hindered Paul and his message, and he minces no words in his denunciation.

First, he likens the Jewish religious zealot to Amorites! Yes, for I believe Paul reaches back to Genesis 15, where God was speaking to Abraham of receiving the promised land. The holdup for Abraham’s descendants to enter the land was the sinfulness of the Amorites.

Genesis 15:16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

Consider for a moment that God was allowing time for the Amorites to repent! He has always been about the whole world hasn’t He?

This phrase Paul uses, referring back to Abraham’s time, make the Jewish religious zealots to be equal with the Amorites a people group opposed to the people of God. Now, those very people who claimed the bloodline of Abraham have become the first century Amorite!

Paul was not the only one who referred to the Jewish religious leaders as Amorites. In Matthew 23:31-32, Jesus makes reference of “filling up” and “measuring” that the Jewish religious scholars of the Old Testament must surely have recognized.

Matthew 23:31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
Matthew 23:32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.

The sin specifically that Paul calls out on these that are filling up the measure of sin?

Hindering

Hindering the spread of the gospel. Being a resistance to speaking to the Gentiles. Now of course, they resisted the spread of the gospel to the national Jew and now restricting the rest of mankind from the grace of God! The cup of wrath is surely filling up! The gospel is for all, and any restrictions from sharing with anyone should be understood as displeasing God and opposing all mankind.

Consider those in Palestine even at this present time. I have heard (just recently) of some Christians considering them the enemy, and should be treated so. Any restrictions (passive or active) in supporting those reaching out to them, in my mind would liken them to those persecuting the missionaries to the gentiles 2 millennial ago.

I have a friend ministering in the Middle East even as I write this, and she is speaks of the tremendous hunger for the Word in the region. I am so thankful that she has not found justification for any political, national, or religious barriers to be erected in her mind against those in the region.

Of course much more is going on with the nation of Israel in the first century than could be attributed to any nation today, for Israel was ripe for judgement, soon to be completely removed forever from the land, with any shred of covenant removed. Having had their hand in the very death of our Savior, it seems their judgement was sealed. The cup of wrath was near to spill over.

You see, Paul informs us that judgement for Israel is near, and judgement for Israel would be complete. The amplified translation brings out the nuance of Paul’s message regarding the future of Israel.

1 Thessalonians 2:16 AMP – forbidding us from speaking to the Gentiles (non-Jews) so that they may be saved. So, as always, they fill up [to the brim] the measure of their sins [allotted to them by God]. But [God’s] wrath has come upon them at last [completely and forever].

The wrath of God is complete and forever. Paul informs us that the nation of Israel would cease to exist, never to be restored. The Old covenant would vanish away, making way for the New Covenant.

Hebrews 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

No excuse or confusion. The church is the only expression of the body of Christ on earth and in God’s plan. The shadow would vanish.

For us today, let us pray for those missionaries that are in the Middle East, who are ministering to those desperate for the gospel. For my friends security, I refrain from mentioning her name, but if you think of her in your prayers it would be appreciated!

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