The Thessalonians had been deceived. Someone or something convinced them that Jesus had already come, leaving them behind. Being left behind probably wasn’t hard for them to accept as the truth, considering the tribulation and testing they were going through. Their trying circumstances made it easier for them to believe the lie. We don’t know for sure who or by what means they were deceived, but we can be sure that whether through a letter or a person, Satan was behind the deception.

Most of us have been “done wrong” at one time or another and, more than likely, have at least toyed with the idea of revenge. No doubt, the idea of making someone suffer for our suffering is sometimes tempting, but God clearly states in Deuteronomy 32:35 that vengeance is His and His alone. No matter how tempting it is, we should not try to take things into our own hands. We must wait. God’s vengeance may not always be when we’d like, but it is always just, and it is always final. Eventually, God will ensure that there will be no rest for the wicked.