We Christians are not to avenge ourselves. But we shall be avenged! The Lord Jesus warned people not to harm the "little ones" who believe in Him. It were better that those who persecuted the believers were drowned in the sea. The Divine woe has been pronounced against the ungodly people who were harming the saints in Thessalonica.

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (II Thessalonians 1:7)

Here is the verse that provides the hope for those who are facing Antichrist and the great tribulation. The hope is not that we will be carried up to Heaven in a "rapture" several years before the Lord returns. It is the hope of the Lord appearing with His warrior angels to "recompense tribulation" to those who are troubling us.

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (II Thessalonians 1:8)

This is the coming of the Lord, the parousia. The verse fits all the Old Testament passages referring to the return of Christ. It is the appearing of the Lord Jesus in power and glory to establish His Kingdom by violence upon the earth.

First Thessalonians 4:15 speaks of the coming (parousia ) of the Lord.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming [parousia ] of the Lord shall not prevent [go before] them which are asleep. (I Thessalonians 4:15)

Second Thessalonians 2:1, obviously referring back to Second Thessalonians 1:7, also uses the term "coming" (parousia ).

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (II Thessalonians 2:1)

Could any reasonable student claim that II Thessalonians 2:1 is not referring to the verses immediately preceding?

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians in his first letter about the coming of the Lord, and in his second letter about the coming of the Lord, using the same Greek noun for coming, speaking in the second letter of the coming of the Lord as the promised relief of the persecuted saints. It is logical to assume First Thessalonians, Chapter Four and Second Thessalonians, Chapter One are referring to the same event. First Thessalonians tells how the dead saints will benefit by the Lord's return. Second Thessalonians tells how the living saints will benefit by the Lord's return.

Parousia is the only Greek term used for "coming" in both First and Second Thessalonians. It is quite reasonable that Paul would be referring to one coming when writing two letters about the coming of the Lord to the same group of believers.

We state all of this to say that the verses in the first and second chapters of Second Thessalonians are a continuation of I Thessalonians 4:13-17. "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." It is not our being caught up into the air that delivers us from Antichrist but the power of Christ that will destroy the enemy at the Lord's appearing.

To be continued.