CHRIST’S COMING IN GLORY AND FLAMING FIRE 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 The Thessalonian believers were suffering intense persecution, yet their faith, love for God and for one another kept growing. They had great expectation for the return of Christ and were patiently waiting for His coming (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Their patience or perseverance in the midst of persecution is very significant. Their lives revealed growing faith, greater love, glorious hope, honest devotion and heavenly mindedness. They lived far above the ordinary. There was something about them that they could only manifest by divine power within. Their persecuting neighbours wondered why suffering could not crush their spirit. Their holiness and quality of life baffled even morally good people around them. It was obvious to others that the kind of life, pure and transparent, which they lived consistently, was beyond all human explanation. It was beyond man’s capacity to imitate. Friends and foes, all alike, were convinced that the Lord Jesus Christ of whom they spoke, was essentially the inner strength of the life they lived. They wore Christ’s character like a garment and they wore it well every time and everywhere. Why then were they persecuted if they were so loving, peaceful, patient, righteous, gentle, meek, holy and temperate? “The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also” (John 15:20). Though they stood firm and held on tenaciously, it was still necessary to encourage them. “Rest with us.” Find your rest and relief in Him. He has promised to give rest to everyone who comes to Him - rest for the soul now and forever. 1. RETURN AND REVELATION OF CHRIST FROM HEAVEN 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Matthew 16:27; 25:31; 26:64; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Titus 2:13,14; Revelation 1:7,8; 22:12-14. “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire.” There was no doubt in the heart of the Apostle, any New Testament Apostle or any disciple that Christ will come again. Christ is coming. All they needed to be reminded of was that His coming will be in two phases - the Rapture and the Revelation of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians1:7-10). The Rapture and the Revelation are separate events. The Rapture The Revelation 1. Christ comes to the air 1. He comes to the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17) (Zechariah 14:4) 2. He comes for His saints 2. He comes with His (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17) saints (Jude 14) 3. The rapture is a mystery, 3. The revelation is not unknown in Old Testament a mystery; it is the times (1 Corinthians 15:51) subject of many Old Testament prophecies (Isaiah 11; Zechariah 14) 4. The rapture involves the 4. The revelation involves Church primarily Israel and the Gentile (John 14:1-4) nations (Matthew 24; 25) 5. No dating system is given 5. An elaborate dating system for any events preceding the is given for events preceding rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51,52) the revelation (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 11:2; 12:14; 13:5). “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire...” Christ will return from heaven or “be revealed from heaven” in great glory and power. At the final revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, at the end of the Great Tribulation the wicked will receive complete retribution and final judgment while Christ’s faithful disciples will be fully, openly and eternally vindicated. 2. RECOMPENSE AND RETRIBUTION OF CHRIST-REJECTERS AND HYPOCRITES 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9; Psalm 11:2-6; Amos 5:6;1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Hebrews 12:29; 2 Peter 3:7,10-14; Romans 2:4-9; 1 Peter 4:17,18; Jude 14-16; Revelation 14:10,11. “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is a very strong statement concerning the certainty and seriousness of the eternal future punishment of all sinners and hypocrites. God will render vengeance and fiery indignation on those who know not God and those who obey not the gospel. Those who know not God are those who reject the knowledge of the true God, those who refuse to acknowledge His holy nature, His demand and commandments, those who reject His will and sovereignty over their lives. These shall “depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” “These shall go away into everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:41,46). Also, those who have heard, read, preached and taught the gospel but “obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” will be severely punished. Those who have heard or preached the gospel but did not believe the gospel will suffer the eternal torments of hypocrites. They knew the gospel of Christ but did not obey the Christ of the gospel. The gospel of grace was revealed to them but they did not receive grace to be obedient to the word of His grace. The gospel of peace was faithfully proclaimed, yet they did not make Christ their peace by faith, they did not live in peace with their fellowmen, neither did they seek to be peacemakers and so were not “children of God ”. They abandoned God, Christ and the gospel while they were on earth and they “shall be punished with everlasting destruction (ruin, torment, banishment) from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” 3. REST AND RELIEF FOR CHRIST’S HEAVENLY-MINDED HEIRS 2 Thessalonians 1:7,10; Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:1-3, 9-11; Revelation 14:13; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Daniel 12:3; Matthew 13:43; Revelation 7:9-17; 22:12-14. “And to you who are troubled rest ”. Can the believers who are persecuted rest? Where can they find peace, rest and relief? In Christ, in His promises, in His fellowship, in His eternal presence in heaven. Just as God will lay punishment on sinners and workers of iniquity, He will grant rest, perfect rest, uninterrupted rest, eternal rest to the righteous when Christ comes. While the unrighteous suffer eternal retribution, the righteous will enjoy eternal relief from all pain, sorrow and affliction. When Christ comes from heaven in power and great glory He will be glorified in His saints. The saints, all who have been saved through His atoning sacrifice, those who have been kept by the power of His blood and His Word, who have been strengthened and sustained by His intercession and priestly ministry, will honour, praise, exalt and glorify Him. Their salvation, sanctification and glorification will be tributes to His matchless grace and power. As all the heirs of grace, godliness and glory meet Him, exalt Him and worship Him and as the angels behold multitudes of blood-bought overcomers, they will marvel to hear the triumphant stories and testimonies of surpassing victory over sin, the world and the evil one. All true believers in all generations will share in the glory and triumph of that day, the day of the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Sep 2013 17:02:51 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015