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purpose of God during this interval, one man only had received a
message, and that man was Paul.
Not one word has been added by either James or Peter that is not a
legitimate expansion of Old Testament prophecy. The Second Coming of the
Lord is rooted deep in the Scriptures of the old covenant.
Turning to Paul's epistles, we find the hope of the Lord's Coming
occupying an important place in the two epistles to the Thessalonians. In
the first chapter of first Thessalonians we read:
'Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love,
and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ' (1:3).
This is enlarged in verses 9 and 10:
'Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to
wait for His Son from heaven ... even Jesus, which delivered us from
the wrath to come' (1:9,10).
That verses 9 and 10 are an expansion of verse 3 seems to be clear from
the structure:
1 Thessalonians 1:3 -10
A
1:3.
a
Work of faith.
b Labour of love.
c Patience of hope.
B
4,5. 'For' The gospel to d
Not only.
e But also.
f What manner.
C
6.
Followers of us.
D 6. The word received.
C 7. Examples to others.
B 8,9. 'For' The word from d Not only.
e But also.
f What manner.
A
9,10. a Turned to God.
b Serve God.
c Wait for His Son from heaven.