The Thessalonian Epistles
Some Second Advent Events
2 Thessalonians 1:8-12
Lesson XIX
Written: June 24, 2005
2 Thessalonians 1:8-12
(8) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know
not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
(9) Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
(10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints,
and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was
believed) in that day.
(11) Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God
would count you worthy of [this] calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of
[his] goodness, and the work of faith with power:
(12) That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be
glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
In
these verses we read about the day of vengeance “when He shall come.” We notice first of all that vengeance will
fall on two kinds of people, “them who know not God” and them “who obey not the
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (KJV)
Joel 3:9, 11
(9) Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war,
wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
(11) Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and
gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come
down, O LORD.
Romans 2:14
(14) For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by
nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law
unto themselves:
Romans 9:30
(30) What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which
followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the
righteousness which is of faith.
1 Corinthians 10:20
(20) But I say, that the things which the Gentiles
sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye
should have fellowship with devils.
1 Corinthians 12:2
(2) Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto
these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
Ephesians 2:12
(12) That at that time ye were without Christ, being
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Ephesians 4:17-19
(17) This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that
ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
(18) Having the understanding darkened, being alienated
from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the
blindness of their heart:
(19) Who being past feeling have given themselves over
unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Elsewhere
in the Bible the word for those who know not God are identified as heathen. The
word heathen is interchangeable with the word gentiles, (Joel 3:9,11).
Gentiles
have not the law (Romans 2:14).
Gentiles
do not follow after righteousness (Romans 9:30).
Gentiles
sacrifice to devils, and not to God (1 Corinthians 10:20).
“Ye
know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were
led” (1 Corinthians 12:2).
A
Gentile is one without Christ and without hope (Ephesians 2:12).
Gentiles
“walk in the vanity of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because
of the blindness of their heart, who being without feeling have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Ephesians
4:17-19).
1 Thessalonians 4:5
(5) Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the
Gentiles which know not God:
1
Thessalonians 4:5 sums it all up:
“Gentiles know not God.”
2 Thessalonians 3:2
(2) And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and
wicked men: for all [men] have not faith.
We
know that many think they know God and some preach that all men have faith when
the Bible clearly states that it not so.
2 Thessalonians 3:2 “…All men have not
faith.”
When
Christ returns it will be in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know
not God. What an awakening that will be.
But
there is another group: Them “who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ.”
It
was a serious thing for men to hear the Message of Noah and not believe
it. It will be a more serious thing for
those who have heard the gospel and not believed.
Matthew 11:22-23
(22) But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for
Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
(23) And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven,
shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in
thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Jesus
said: It shall be more tolerable for
Sodom in the day of judgment than for Capernaum (Matthew 11:22-23).
Why? It will be because Capernaum had more light
than Sodom.
Apply
that to our text. It shall be more
tolerable for those who know not God, that is, the Heathen, than for those who
have heard and rejected the gospel—the apostates.
Apostates
will be those born and raised in Christian homes; those who have had Bibles;
those who have attended Churches, heard the gospel and turned away from
it. Apostates are being raised in our
part of this world. And vengeance will
be poured out upon them when Jesus comes.
Daily
we hear about “same-sex-laws” and “same-sex-marriages.” These items are making
news headlines. But are such promoters not
manifesting their rejection of Christ, His teaching and the Bible? Judgment will be sure when Jesus comes.
2 Thessalonians 1:9
(9) Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2
Thessalonians 1:9 includes more words that preachers and people want removed
from sermons and the pulpit. People only
want to hear smooth things, as did Israel.
Read
the words of the text: “punished with
everlasting destruction”. The words are
severe, but what follows is worse: “From
the Presence of the Lord” and “from the glory of His power.” Notice those words “from”. Do they not mean banished? Depart from Me! You do not belong to my
family! I never knew you! You have rejected me and now I am rejecting
you! You have turned your back on me and
now I turn my back on you!
The
question is serious: What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you
cannot be
Someday your heart will be asking, what will He do with me?
When
Jesus comes, the line will be clearly drawn.
And come He shall, there is no doubt.
On
that day, He will be glorified in His saints.
He will be admired in all them that believe. Angels and men will look at the saints, those
who belong to the family of God, and say:
“What a wonderful work the Savior did in these lives!” They will not glorify the saints but glorify
the Hand that made sinners into saints.
This will not be the result of any human hands being placed on human
heads declaring people to be saints. The
hands of the High priest of heaven will have done this.
Ephesians 2:10
(10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Philippians 2:13
(13) For it is God which worketh in you both to will and
to do of [his] good pleasure.
Philippians 1:6
(6) Being confident of this very thing, that he which
hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:
For
we (saints) are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 2:10).
He
is the One who has been working in us (Philippians 2:13) and he will finish the
task.
“He
who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
The
same hand that turns worms into beautiful butterflies will have turned sinners
into saints who will shine as the stars to the praise of His glory.
Verse
11 begins with the word “wherefore”. Talking
to the saints in the light of the Second Coming, “we pray always for you that
our God would count you worthy of this calling.” Now don’t read salvation into this! We never could be and never would be made
worthy of salvation by what we do or have done.
Consider
other Scriptures and perhaps learn the meaning.
Romans 2:24
(24) For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles
through you, as it is written.
Paul
wrote, “For the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you (Jews)
(Romans 2:24). And I fear that the name
of God has been, or perhaps I should write, is being blasphemed among Jews and
Gentiles by the actions of Christians today.
Read John MacArthur’s book entitled “Ashamed of the Gospel”. There are things in that book that will help
you understand.
Colossians 1:10
(10) That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all
pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of
God;
So
Paul prays: “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you”, that
is, in the saints, both then and now. He
is talking about the same thing when he prays for the Colossians “that ye might
walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing…” (Colossians 1:10).
I
remember hearing a story about a young Prince who would not behave in
school. The teacher brought the King’s
crown, put it on the boys head and said: “Remember who you are. One day you will wear this crown.”
Paul
is praying that all saints who name the name of Christ be aware of who they
are.
1 Corinthians 6:2-3
(2) Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?
and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest
matters?
(3) Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more
things that pertain to this life?
2 Timothy 2:19
(19) Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure,
having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that
nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
“Do
you not know that the saints shall judge the world? (1 Corinthians 6:2). “Wist ye not that ye shall judge angels? (1
Corinthians 6:3). And in another place
“Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy
2:19).
None
of these exhortations are intended to save or keep anyone saved. But they are prayers and desires for those
who are saved so that when the Lord comes, saints will not be ashamed before
Him at His coming.