2 Thessalonians Series: Understanding Christ's Return (2 Thess 1:6-10)

Understanding Christ’s Return

For it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to you who are being afflicted to give rest together with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength, when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed—and you did in fact believe our testimony.

2 Thessalonians 1:6–10 (NET)

What will happen when Christ returns? In 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5, Paul said this to the Thessalonians:

As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring. This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment, to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which in fact you are suffering.

He praised them for persevering through their persecutions and afflictions but also keeping their faith in them. These trials were preparing them for the kingdom of God, as they were being made more into Christ’s image through their suffering. God was using their suffering for the faith for good. However, in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, Paul, likewise, sought to encourage the Thessalonians’ faith by appealing to their sense of justice. What they were going through was unfair and unjust, but a day was coming when Christ would return to judge those who afflicted them and give them rest from their suffering.

When Paul referred to Christ’s coming in verse 7, he used the Greek word apokalupto from where we get the English word apocalypse. It’s translated revealing, revelation, or unveiling. This word was more commonly used of Christ being revealed to unbelievers. Typically, Paul used the Greek word parousia for Christ’s return when addressing believers, which means presence or coming (cf. 1 Thess 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thess 2:1, 8). Sometimes, Paul used the Greek word epiphaneia, which means appearing (cf. 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13). For believers, Christ will return and appear. The one they know and have been praying to and waiting for will return. However, with unbelievers who do not know Christ, he will be revealed. The one they did not know or rejected will all of a sudden be revealed to them as a powerful, stern judge who will bring the apocalypse. In Matthew 24:30, Christ described this: “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Christ’s revealing in judgment will cause all the nations to mourn. They will mourn over their sin and the judgment they are about to receive. In John 5:22, Christ described this future role, when he said, “Furthermore, the Father does not judge anyone, but has assigned all judgment to the Son.” This will happen at Christ’s revealing.

Paul reminded the Thessalonians of this, as they were suffering severe persecution for their faith. Christ is coming, and he is coming to judge. This is a concept that many struggle with. They view God as a God of love but not of justice. How can the two co-exist? Because God is loving, he sent his Son to the earth for sinful people. However, because God is just, he judged his Son on the cross for people’s sins. This is how God’s love and justice co-exist. With that said, those who do not accept God’s loving gift of salvation through faith in his Son will be judged at the revelation of the one they rejected or did not know.

Again, Paul was seeking to encourage the Thessalonian’s faith by appealing to their sense of justice. Though they were being persecuted, at Christ’s return, he will make all things right. He will judge the wicked and give rest to those who unjustly suffered. At the second coming, Christ will be unveiled and revealed as God and judge to the dismay of the people and nations who rejected him and to the praise of his saints.

In 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, we will consider the revelation of Christ at his second coming, so that we can have comfort in the midst of an ungodly world where the righteous often suffer and to protect us from temptations to doubt God and compromise our faith when suffering and Christ’s coming seems delayed.

Big Question: In 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, what will happen at the revelation of Christ at his return?

When Christ Returns, He Will Rectify All Injustice by Bringing Eternal Judgment to Unbelievers

For it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you... With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength,

2 Thessalonians 1:6, 8-9

As Paul appealed to the Thessalonian’s sense of justice, he described three groups that Christ would eternally judge at his revealing.

Observation Question: What three groups will Christ judge at his revealing?

1. At Christ’s revealing, he will judge those who afflicted believers.

Again, it must be remembered that the Thessalonians were being severely persecuted both by their neighbors and the civil government. Consequently, Paul wanted them to know that God saw their sufferings and would bring justice. God said the same to Abraham personally. In Genesis 12:3 (ESV), he said, “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse.” Of the Jews in Zechariah 2:8, the prophet warned, “for anyone who touches you touches the pupil of his eye.” To harm God’s people is like poking God’s eye and causing him pain. Previously, when the Jews suffered for centuries as slaves in Egypt, God eventually severely judged the Egyptians and delivered the Jews from slavery. Before he delivered them, he said this in Exodus 3:7: “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.” Likewise, for those who might harm believers, in Matthew 18:6-7, Jesus warned:

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come.

It’s a terrible thing to hurt one of God’s children. Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Paul warned about harming the church when he said: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If someone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, which is what you are.” The “you” in these verses is plural—referring to the church, not just individual believers.

Leaving Justice to God

God is a just judge, and he will judge those who harm his children sooner or later. In fact, in Romans 12:19-21, it is because of God’s faithful vengeance that believers are called to serve their enemies instead of returning evil for evil. It says:

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We don’t have to worry about getting revenge on those who criticize, lie about, or hurt us. Why? Because God sees everything and will judge in his own time. Sometimes judgment may happen immediately. With Miriam who unjustly criticized Moses, God judged her with leprosy (Num 12). With Elisha when the young boys mocked him, God sent bears to attack them (2 Kgs 2). However, many times God’s judgment will not happen until after their death or at Christ’s coming.

Again, because of God’s faithfulness to fight against those who harm his children, we should bless those who hurt us and seek to overcome evil with good, instead of seeking personal vengeance. This doesn’t mean we never go to the law to seek justice, protection, or compensation. When Paul was unjustly imprisoned and his enemies were planning to kill him, as a Roman citizen, he appealed to Ceasar (Acts 25:11). Certainly, there are times to do that. However, we should never take justice into our own hands. God delegated authorities to do that, the boss at the company, the teachers and principals at the school, the police, and the court system. Romans 13:4 says this about government: “because it is God’s servant for your well-being. But be afraid if you do wrong because government does not bear the sword for nothing. It is God’s servant to administer punishment on the person who does wrong.” And when our local or government leaders are crooked and unjust, we can trust that God will ultimately bring justice.

With that said, often, God will call us to forgo justice and instead seek the temporal and eternal good of those who harm us. In Matthew 5:38-41 and 43-44, Christ said:

You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, let him your coat also. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two… “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,

Also, in Matthew 5:5, Christ said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” The meek are not weak. They are just self-controlled, and instead of returning evil for evil, they return good and are gentle instead of harsh. Again, the reason believers should never take justice into their own hands, apart from God’s delegated authority, is because God will ultimately defend them. Those who mistreat us will reap Divine consequences now, later, or at Christ’s revelation.

No doubt, the Thessalonians needed to hear this so they would not return evil for evil, get mad at God and call him unjust, or compromise to remove their suffering. Instead, they needed to entrust themselves to the just God, just like their Savior previously did. In 1 Peter 2:20-23, Peter gave Christ as a picture of how we should endure injustice. He said,

For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God. For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. He committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. When he was maligned, he did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened no retaliation, but committed himself to God who judges justly.

At Christ’s revealing, he will judge those who have mistreated believers by unjust criticism, lying, bullying, imprisonment, and other forms of persecution. God keeps a tally and will bring justice now, later, or at Christ’s coming.

Who is the second group Christ will judge at his coming?

2. At Christ’s revealing, he will judge those who do not know God.

In 2 Thessalonians 1:8, Paul said, “With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God.” Who are these people? Paul is probably not referring to people who have heard the gospel and rejected it, but those who have rejected the revelation of God’s existence which he has given to everybody. How has God revealed his existence to all people? God has revealed himself in two ways: through the conscience and creation. In Romans 1:19 (NASB), Paul said this: “because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.” In describing how people had rejected the knowledge of God, Paul said that God made himself evident to all people inside of them. As mentioned this refers to the conscience which is an internal mechanism in all people that affirms their right decisions and condemns their wrong ones. God has put a natural law in people’s hearts, which is why we essentially have the same laws in all societies—do not lie, do not steal, do not kill. The basis of all these laws in our conscience is the existence of God who has made his existence and laws known within our hearts. Again, in Romans 1:19 (NASB), Paul said “that which is known about God is evident within them.” In fact, in Romans 2:14-16, Paul said God will eventually judge all mankind based on their submission to the revelation in their hearts and conscience. He said:

For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them, on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

How will God judge Gentiles who do not have the Bible (the law)? He will judge them by the laws written on their hearts, which includes an innate belief in the God who will reward righteousness and judge sin.

The second way God has revealed himself to all people is through creation. Romans 1:20 says: “For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.” To use a hypothetical example of this: If a tribal person who previously had no contact with modern society found a watch in the mountains left by a hiker, by briefly studying the watch, he could tell the watch had a creator. How? Because of the intentional design of the watch—the screws, the big and short hands, and the electronics. Accidents like that don’t happen. An intelligent design is proof of a creator. Likewise, a human cell is more complicated than an airplane, which boasts that it had a creator. Science, the study of creation, tells us there is a creator. And because of that, Paul says people are “without excuse” for believing in God (Rom 1:20). For some who Christ will judge at his revelation, they will not have had the opportunity to hear the gospel, but they will have seen, heard, and experienced the revelation God gave them through their conscience and God’s creation. God will not judge them for revelation they did not have but disobeying revelation they had. They will be judged for breaking the laws written on their conscience and a rejection of the God who requires them to be righteous. Romans 1:21-23 says,

For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

Instead of recognizing God and living for him based on the revelation inside and outside of them, people turned away from God to worship created things, including idols, other people, or themselves. When people live for their happiness as the chief end of life, they have made themselves into an idol. People were created in the image of God to glorify him, not themselves. Consequently, those who may have never heard the gospel but rejected God through the witness of their hearts and creation, Christ will judge. At his revealing, he will judge people not for revelation they did not have, but the revelation they had and rejected.

Who is the next group Christ will judge at his revealing?

3. When Christ is revealed, he will judge those who did not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The fact that Paul said “obey the gospel” and not just “believe” the gospel means that one’s belief in the gospel is meant to cause him to obey Christ. The gospel includes three parts: A, B, and C.

A. We must ACCEPT that we are sinners under God’s just judgment.

B. We must BELIEVE that Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead, so we can be forgiven of our sins and have eternal life.

C. We must COMMIT to following Christ as our Lord and Savior, which includes repenting and turning away from our sin and self-led life to a Christ-led life—one that follows him and obeys his Word.

When we believe and obey the gospel, God promises to save us. However, those who do not obey and believe, Christ will judge at his coming. Unfortunately, this refers not only to those who have heard the gospel and rejected it, but also to those who have believed the gospel but never truly obeyed it. They don’t live lives of repentance and obedience to Christ. Consequently, Christ said this in Matthew 7:21-23:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many powerful deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’

Two proofs of true salvation according to Christ is obeying his Word (which implies consistently studying it) and turning away from sin. Obedience and repentance will mark the lives of those who not only believe the gospel but obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Again, according to Christ, there will be many who have believed but not obeyed. They will call him, “Lord!” but not obey him as Lord. Our churches are littered with them. Some will eventually fall away from Christ because of worldly temptations and persecutions that may come. But even worse are those who will find out that they are not truly saved until death or Christ’s coming. We must make sure that we have a faith that leads us to obey God’s Word because that is the only type of faith that is salvific. James 1:22 says it this way: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” To simply listen to Scripture and give lip service to it but not consistently obey it is to be deceived about one’s faith. As Christ described in the last days, many will call him, “Lord, Lord” but aren’t truly saved (Matt 7:21-23). Because of this reality, Paul said this in 2 Corinthians 13:5: “Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless, indeed, you fail the test!” We must test our faith to make sure that it is genuine:

Do we believe that Christ died on the cross and literally rose from the dead for our salvation? Have we and are we continually repenting of our sins so we can faithfully follow Christ? Are we living a life of obedience as we consistently read, study, and listen to God’s Word? These are proofs that we are saved.

For those who fail this test and therefore do not obey the gospel, Christ will come to bring eternal destruction (v. 9).

Eternal Judgment

Interpretation Question: In verse 9, what does “eternal destruction” refer to?

Because Paul said in verse 9, “They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength,” some take a view called annihilationism. This is the belief that unbelievers will not suffer eternally in hell. Either at physical death, the coming judgment, or after a period in hell, they will simply cease to exist. This has been a common view of Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses; however, even some prominent evangelical theologians have embraced the view. One of the more popular modern theologians to take this view was John Stott. Annihilationists take Scriptures that describe people undergoing “eternal destruction” (v. 9) or being punished in hell “forever” or “eternally” as referring to how their being eliminated lasts forever (cf. Matt 25:46, Rev 14:11). In this perspective, humans do not have inherent immortality—only God does. Eternal life is something given by God to humans who put their faith in Christ (John 3:16, 17:2).

However, the traditional view that most have historically believed is that unbelievers will experience eternal judgment for their sins. The word “destruction” that Paul used in verse 9 does not mean eradication but complete ruin or loss. Also, many other verses teach eternal judgment. For instance, in Matthew 25:46, Christ said this about the goats who are not saved and the sheep who are: “And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Since eternal punishment is contrasted with eternal life, it seems clear that they both are eternal. Also, Revelation 14:9-11 vividly describes the conscious, eternal suffering those who worship the antichrist and accept his mark during the tribulation period will experience. It says:

A third angel followed the first two, declaring in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand, that person will also drink of the wine of God’s anger that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and sulfur in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb. And the smoke from their torture will go up forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have no rest day or night, along with anyone who receives the mark of his name.”

Them being tortured and having no rest day and night does not describe annihilationism. It describes their eternal, conscious torture.

With that said, some argue that God giving eternal suffering for sins committed in time would be an unjust punishment. However, this actually shows how holy and righteous God is and how serious a crime, even, one sin is. To him, one sin is an infinite offense deserving an infinite consequence. Romans 6:23 says, “For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Literal or Metaphoric Fire?

With that said, in verse 8, when Paul says this about Christ, “With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus,” this gives us further details about the judgment of the wicked. It teaches that both Christ’s immediate judgment of wrongdoers at his coming and their eternal judgment in hell will be fiery. Some have argued that we should not take Paul’s use of the word “flames” as literal when referring to hell, maybe to try to minimize the picture of judgment. However, even if they are not literal, they are given to demonstrate something that is literal, terrible, and unimaginable. James Boice, a former well-known Presbyterian pastor and author said,

…although the Bible uses imagery to portray the unimaginable, it does so precisely because the reality is unimaginable. That is, the suffering of the wicked in hell is so intense and so terrible that, if it is not actual physical suffering by fire, only such intense physical suffering can be used to describe it.

Degrees of Suffering

As we continue to consider the eternal judgment Christ will bring at his coming, we should also realize that it will be measured. Though every wrongdoer will be judged, each will be judged according to their sins and therefore the judgments will be different. In Luke 12:47–48, Christ said this:

That servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know his master’s will and did things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.

Also, Hebrews 10:26-29 says:

For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us, but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume God’s enemies. Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace?

In both of these passages, it is not only the sins that people committed which they are judged for but the knowledge they had beforehand. When a human court judges a minor, they do so more leniently than an adult because of a lack of knowledge and life experience. However, when the minor becomes an adult, there is no such leniency. Likewise, those who have been raised in the church, taught the gospel, and studied the Bible and yet rejected God and disobeyed his Word will receive a worse judgment than somebody who had no such privileges and yet committed the same sins.

Omnipresence of God and Hell

Finally, we must consider when Paul says in verse 9, “They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength,” there is a potential doctrinal conflict with the omnipresence of God. Scripture teaches that God is present in all places at all times with his full being. For example, Jeremiah 23:23-24 says,

Do you people think that I am some local deity and not the transcendent God?” the Lord asks. “Do you really think anyone can hide himself where I cannot see him?” the Lord asks. “Do you not know that I am everywhere?” the Lord asks.

Also, Psalm 139:7-10 says:

Where can I go to escape your spirit? Where can I flee to escape your presence? If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there. If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be. If I were to fly away on the wings of the dawn, and settle down on the other side of the sea, even there your hand would guide me, your right hand would grab hold of me.

Then, how is it possible that Paul can describe hell or the eternal destruction that wrongdoers will experience as, “away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength”? When he describes it as “away from the presence of the Lord,” he must be describing the presence of the Lord in the sense of God’s blessing (cf. Gen 39:2). Here on earth believers and unbelievers experience God’s blessings in the form of common grace. Common grace includes food, drink, rain, sunshine, friendship, family, sleep, and work, amongst other things. Acts 17:25 says this about God, “he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone.” However, in hell, there will be an absence of both God’s saving grace, as there will be no second chances to repent and follow Christ, and an absence of common grace. In fact, though other people will be in hell, they will most likely be isolated from one another. The fact that hell is repeatedly described as “darkness” in other verses probably implies the separation and loneliness experienced there (cf. Matt 22:13, 25:30, 2 Peter 2:17). Hell is the opposite of heaven; in heaven, there will be increased intimacy with God and others, but in hell, there will be increased separation, isolation, and loneliness. Though hell is described as unceasing torment in fire, it’s also described as darkness. It is the absence of God’s manifest presence and blessing. It’s a place of isolation, suffering, and loneliness.

As far as God’s omnipresence, God will be present in hell, not to bless, but only to judge. Amos 9:1-4 gives us a picture of God’s presence to judge, in referring to a disobedient Israel. This is what it says,

I saw the Lord standing by the altar and he said, “Strike the tops of the support pillars, so the thresholds shake! Knock them down on the heads of all the people, and I will kill the survivors with the sword. No one will be able to run away; no one will be able to escape. Even if they could dig down into the netherworld, my hand would pull them up from there. Even if they could climb up to heaven, I would drag them down from there. Even if they were to hide on the top of Mount Carmel, I would hunt them down and take them from there. Even if they tried to hide from me at the bottom of the sea, from there I would command the Sea Serpent to bite them. Even when their enemies drive them into captivity, from there I will command the sword to kill them. I will not let them out of my sight; they will experience disaster, not prosperity.”

Hell will be the absence of God’s presence in the sense of his blessing. He will only be there to eternally judge those who rejected him and his gift of salvation.

Again, Paul reminds the Thessalonians of Christ coming to judge those who afflicted them to appeal to their sense of justice. They should not get angry at God nor compromise their faith while suffering unjustly, Christ will one day make everything right. In addition, they should not return evil for evil when considering those persecuting them, but instead they should overcome evil with good, since Christ will ultimately bring justice. We must remember this reality as well to buffer our faith when tempted to doubt God, return evil for evil, or Christ’s coming seems delayed. Christ is coming soon to judge those who reject him and hurt his children. He will bring justice in this life or the next.

Application Question: What stood out most about Christ’s return to judge wrongdoers and why? In what ways has God revealed himself to the world as God and why are people without excuse for believing in him according to Romans 1:19-20? Is it fair for God to eternally judge those who have not heard the gospel? Why or why not? How can God eternally judge people for temporal sins (cf. Rom 6:23)? What does this teach us about sin and God’s character? What should be our response to God’s eternal judgment of the lost? What makes it difficult to bless and serve our enemies and not return evil for evil and instead allow God to bring justice, in his own time and way (cf. Rom 12:19-21)? Have you ever had to apply this principle and how did it go?

When Christ Returns, He Will Be Revealed in Power, Bring Relief to His Saints, and Be Glorified Among and In Them

…and to you who are being afflicted to give rest together with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels... when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed—and you did in fact believe our testimony.

2 Thessalonians 1:7, 10

After describing Christ’s judgment on unbelievers, Paul describes Christ’s manifestation to his saints. There are several things, we can discern about Christ’s coming from Paul’s description in verses 7 and 10.

Observation Question: What can we discern about Christ’s coming from verses 7 and 10?

1. When Christ returns, he will be revealed from heaven in a personal, public, and powerful manner.

In Acts, as Christ ascended into heaven, leaving his disciples to complete his work, angels appeared beside them and spoke to them. In Acts 1:11, they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.” The initial promise from the angels will come true at Christ’s return. His ascension to heaven appeared to be mostly private, observed by a few; however, his appearance and descension will be very public—seen by the entire world. Again, in Matthew 24:30, Christ described this: “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

The fact that Christ will come with angels, as described in verse 7, demonstrates his great glory to all who see him. Like a great general or president with his army behind him, so will Christ come in all his glory. Though not mentioned in this text, other texts also describe how Christ will come with believers. First Thessalonians 3:13 says, “so that your hearts are strengthened in holiness to be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” The word saints can also be translated “holy ones” (NIV) which probably includes both angels and believers. In addition, 2 Thessalonians 1:8 describes Christ as coming, “with flaming fire.” This probably doesn’t only refer to his judgment on unbelievers but also his glory. Throughout the Old and New Testament, fire was a way that God displayed his glory. With Moses, God manifested himself in a burning bush (Ex 3:2). When God led Israel through the wilderness, he manifested himself through a cloud during the day and a fire at night (Ex 13:21). When the Holy Spirit fell on the disciples at Pentecost, he fell on them with tongues of fire (Acts 2:3). Also, in Hebrews 12:29, God is called a “devouring fire” or “consuming fire” (NIV). Again, the myriads of angels and saints and the manifestation of fire are meant to demonstrate Christ’s magnificent glory, both to believers and unbelievers on the earth.

The angels will not just be for display but to implement Christ’s sovereign plans. According to Scripture, they will quickly be dispatched to gather both unbelievers and believers, the unbelievers for judgment and believers for approval and reward. We see this described in various verses. For example, Matthew 13:41-42 says:

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth

And Matthew 24:31 says, “And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

This leads to the next aspect of Christ’s return.

2. When Christ returns, he will bring relief to believers.

In verse 7, Paul says, “and to you who are being afflicted to give rest together with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.” The word rest means to “loose,” “release,” “relax,” or “remove from pressure.” It was used of loosing a bowstring. It refers to the opposite of tribulation, which believers will be in right before Christ comes. In the tribulation period, they will experience persecution from the Antichrist and unbelievers, wars, disease, and catastrophe. However, when Christ comes, he will remove all weight and pressure, including the pressures that just come from living in a fallen world and frail bodies. In this life, we are under constant stress and pressures from health, family, school, work, church, and government, but one day, Christ will release us from those. This doesn’t mean that in the coming kingdom, we will not work. Work was instituted before the fall. It’s a way that we glorify God and serve others. However, after the fall, we began to experience uneccessary frustration and burden with our work. Genesis 3:17-19 says,

…the ground is cursed because of you; in painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, but you will eat the grain of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”

At Christ’s return, he will remove the curse, including the frustration, burden, and lack of joy from our work and relationships. He will remove the mental health issues that began after the fall. Right after sin came into the world, in Genesis 3:10, Adam said to God, “I was afraid.” Fear, anxiety, worry, and the resulting depression, now plague humans (cf. Prov 12:25). He will also remove the conflict with others that began after Adam and Eve’s sin (cf. Gen 3:16, 4:8). When Christ comes, we will experience rest and release. Eventually, when Christ institutes the eternal kingdom, there will be no more death, mourning, crying, and pain as said in Revelation 21:4. In addition, this relief will include rewarding his saints for their faithfulness. In Matthew 16:27, Christ said, “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”

With that said, this does not mean God will never grant us relief from our stress, frustration, and pressures in this life. At times, he will. However, we will never have complete relief in this life. Obviously, Scripture teaches that God uses trials in our lives for a purpose—to sanctify us—and often when that purpose is complete, he removes them. In 1 Peter 5:10, Peter said this to persecuted Christians, “And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” Often, this happens in this life. As we grow in trusting God, patience with others, and godly character, God will commonly choose to remove a certain trial. Joseph’s slavery and imprisonment weren’t forever and neither was Job’s suffering. After a purposeful season, God chose to remove them. With that said, with certain sufferings, instead of removing them, God may choose to give us grace within them, so we cannot only persevere but also be empowered in them so he can use us more. When Paul asked for God to remove his demonic thorn in the flesh (whatever trial that referred to) in 2 Corinthians 12:9, God said this in return, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul’s trial was not removed because the weakness he struggled with made him rely on God more and enabled God’s power to flow through his ministry in a less deterred fashion. In addition, with Jacob, we have no confirmation that he ever lost the limp he gained when wrestling with God. Apparently, it was a lifelong weakness, which reminded him to depend on God instead of trying to deceptively do things on his own. At times, God may choose to not remove a certain trial from us, whether that be a degenerative disease, difficult family situation, or persecution while serving in a nation where Christians are persecuted and marginalized. In this season, he may remove a trial or simply give continued grace in the trial, so we can be strong in him. However, when Christ returns, he will bring an ultimate release from all our stresses, worries, fears, and pressures. This should give us great comfort as we await his return.

What else will happen when Christ returns?

3. When Christ returns, he will be glorified among and in his saints.

In verse 10, Paul said: “when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed—and you did in fact believe our testimony.” This could mean several things. (1) First, it means when Christ returns to bring relief and reward to believers, they will offer wholehearted worship to the Lord, glorifying him with their lips and actions. While the unbelieving world will cringe and mourn in fear at his coming, believers will praise and glorify the one they have been waiting for. Today, believers are called to glorify Christ in everything they do. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul said this: “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” Also, in Matthew 5:16, Christ said, “In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.” We are called to glorify Christ, including giving him thanks, in everything we do. However, in this season, we glorify Christ imperfectly, as we often neglect to do so or our praise of him and devotion to him is affected by sin. But when Christ returns to give believers relief from sin, pain, and suffering, we will all glorify him in a way we’ve never done before.

(2) With that said, Paul’s words in verse 10 could mean more than this. “Be glorified among his saints” can also be translated “be glorified in his saints” (ESV). Therefore, this may refer to believers receiving their glorified bodies at Christ’s return. Philippians 3:20-21 says,

But our citizenship is in heaven—and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.

Revelation 20:4 says:

I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Depending on one’s view on the timing of the rapture (pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib), Christ being glorified in the saints in the sense of having glorified bodies could mean different things.

(3) Finally, some believe Paul is referring to Christ’s glory being manifest in his saints causing the saints to marvel at themselves. Verse 10 in the ESV reads, “to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed.” Because of this interpretation, Charles Spurgeon said this:

Those who look upon the saints will feel a sudden wonderment of sacred delight; they will be startled with the surprising glory of the Lord’s work in them; ‘We thought He would do great things, but this! This surpasseth conception!’ Every saint will be a wonder to himself. ‘I thought my bliss would be great, but not like this!’ All his brethren will be a wonder to the perfected believer. He will say, ‘I thought the saints would be perfect, but I never imagined such a transfiguration of excessive glory would be put upon each of them. I could not have imagined my Lord to be so good and gracious.

Also, Matthew Poole, an English theologian and Bible commentator from the 1600s, said this: “To raise up such a number of poor, sinful, despicable worms out of the dust into such a sublime state of glory and dignity, will be admirable.” No doubt, the glory revealed in the saints will be magnificent. Romans 8:18-23 teaches us that all of creation awaits this event, as it will eventually lead to creation’s renewal:

For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the coming glory that will be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of God who subjected it—in hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

When Christ returns, he will be revealed in power with myriads of angels, saints, and fire; he will bring relief to suffering believers, and he will be glorified among and in them.

Application Question: What stood out most about Christ’s return to bring relief and glorification to his saints? According to Romans 8:18-23 and other Scriptures (cf. Is 11:6, Rev 21:1-4), how will creation be affected by the eternal glory believers will receive at Christ’s coming? What are consequences for believers losing their desire for Christ’s coming and how can believers increase their desire for it (cf. Lk 12:45-47, Heb 10:24-25, Matt 6:10)?

Applications

Finally, as we consider that at Christ’s return, he will bring eternal judgment to unbelievers, relief to believers, and glory to himself, there are several applications we can take from this.

Application Question: What applications can we take from considering Christ’s return in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10?

• As an application of Christ’s return for judgment and relief, we must make sure we have accepted Christ as our Lord Savior and share the gospel with others so they can do the same.

As mentioned previously, the difference between whether a person can look forward to eternal refreshment and glorification at Christ’s coming or eternal judgment hinges on the word “believe” that is repeated twice in verse 10. It says, “when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed—and you did in fact believe our testimony.” Likewise, John 3:16 says, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Also, in Acts 16:31 when Paul was speaking to the jailor about salvation, he said this: “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.” Salvation is a gift to those who believe and obey the gospel. Again, the gospel teaches us that God judged every sin that humans would ever commit by punishing his Son on the cross as a substitute for them. Because God accepted Christ’s sacrifice for the sins of the world, God raised Christ from the dead. And because of Christ’s perfect work, God has offered forgiveness to all who will repent and put their faith in Christ. Romans 6:23 says, “For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” However, for every person who does not accept the free gift of pardon in Christ, their sins will be judged by Christ at his coming. God has committed judgment to Christ (John 5:22), and he will bring a frightening and thorough eternal judgment. Therefore, we must make sure we are saved. Have we repented of our sins and accepted Christ as our Lod and Savior? If we have, are we sharing the good news of salvation from judgment with others? Certain, these are essential applications from considering that Christ is coming to eternally judge or eternally save.

• As an application of Christ’s return for judgment and relief, we must take an eternal view of all things, especially when encountering injustice.

Many believers throughout the ages have struggled with how God allows the wicked to prosper and the righteous to at times suffer. It’s possible some of the Thessalonians struggled with this. In Psalm 73, Asaph, certainly, struggled with it. In Psalm 73:2-3, he said: “But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my feet almost slid out from under me. For I envied those who are proud, as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.” However, when Asaph took the eternal view instead of a temporal one, he understood God’s justice and perfect timing. In Psalm 73:17-19, he said: “Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple and understood the destiny of the wicked. Surely you put them in slippery places; you bring them down to ruin. How desolate they become in a mere moment. Terrifying judgments make their demise complete.” Likewise, if the Thessalonians only focused on their current circumstances, they may have been tempted to see God as unfair, envy the wicked as well, and possibly compromise their faith. No doubt to combat this, Paul reminded them that God watches all things and will judge wrongdoing and wrongdoers at his perfect time. Often that will be in this life, but it may happen at the death of the wicked, or when Christ comes. Because Christ is returning to rectify all injustice and bring eternal judgment, we must take an eternal view of things happening in our lives and around the world, especially when considering injustice. If not, we may find ourselves tempted to become discouraged, angry at God or others, and compromise our faith.

• As an application of Christ’s return, we must bless others who mistreat us, since God will presently and ultimately bring judgment.

Again, Romans 12:19-21 says,

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

As mentioned, this was, no doubt, part of the reason Paul reminded the Thessalonians of Christ’s coming judgment on evildoers and especially those afflicting the saints. Since God will eventually judge them, we don’t need to seek vengeance. Instead, we can bless them. Every accusation, slight, or hurt from others can be met with kindness instead of resentment, as we seek their eternal good. This is not a call to be unwise and put ourselves or others in dangerous situations. It is a call to leave justice to God or his delegated authorities, whom we can call upon (Rom 13:1-7). But even if we seek justice through God’s delegated authorities or distribute it as an authority, we must be kind, gentle, loving, and forgiving, even in doing so. People will not get away with evil because God is just, and because of that, we can demonstrate his love and gentleness to those who harm us. That’s exactly what Christ did with us. Romans 5:10 says, “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son.” Likewise, we must show love to our enemies as well. God will bring justice in his perfect timing and ultimately when Christ returns.

• As an application of Christ’s return, we must seek to glorify God through our lives, including giving thanks for his grace in ourselves and others.

Again, 2 Thessalonians 1:10 says this about our response to Christ’s return, “when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed.” Certainly, this is something we are commanded to do now in everything. In 1 Peter 2:9, Peter said, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Also, 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.” Our praise of Christ when he comes should just be the culmination of a life lived to glorify him now. We can glorify Christ daily by giving him thanks in everything, including trials. We can glorify him daily by seeking to redeem everything we do, including the mundane like eating, drinking, sleeping, and working. We do this by not only giving God thanks in everything, but also by doing everything with a right attitude—one that seeks to please and glorify him in those things. We don’t have to wait until Christ comes for him to be glorified in and among us. We can do that now in our daily endeavors. In addition, since verse 10 can be interpreted as Christ being glorified “in us and among us” in the sense of us praising God for the glories displayed in our lives and others at his coming, we can praise God for his grace in people around us now, as they serve us, grow in faith, and demonstrate his characteristics. As Paul praised God and the Thessalonians for their flourishing faith and love for one another at the beginning of the epistle (2 Thess 1:3), we can do that with people around us as they demonstrate marks of God’s grace in their lives. We can thank our worship leaders, elders, small group leaders, ushers, and greeters. We can thank our spouse and children and praise God for his grace demonstrated in their lives. In our workplaces where people are prone to complaining and criticism, we can be light as we do all things with a thankful attitude and lips. Are we allowing Christ to be glorified in us and among us today? We don’t have to wait until he comes.

• As an application of Christ’s return to bring judgment and relief, we must eagerly wait and hope in it.

In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, he praised the Thessalonians for their “endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” While being persecuted, they were faithfully enduring suffering through hoping in Christ’s return for judgment and relief (cf. 2 Thess 1:4-5). Most likely the Thessalonians believed Christ might come during their lifetime, which is how every Christian should live. However, when Paul wrote the second letter months later, very little had changed (they were still being persecuted, Christ had not come, and there had been no relief). Clearly, in this second epistle, he starts off reminding them of Christ’s coming to praise them for their faithfulness in waiting for it but, no doubt, to further stir up their hope in the Lord. We must continue to hope in the Lord as well. He is coming, and we should live as though he could come today.

How should we stir up our hope in the Lord’s return? (1) We stir up our hope in Christ’s return by studying his Word while we wait as the Thessalonians were doing while they studied Paul’s letter. (2) We stir up our hope in Christ’s return as we consistently pray for it, even as Christ taught us to pray for his coming kingdom in the Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:10). (3) We stir up our hope in his coming by getting rid of sin and growing in righteousness. When we’re in sin, we won’t want Christ to come or think of it much. (4) Related to this, we stir up our hope in Christ’s return by repenting for not hoping in his return. When other things consume us, we start to lose sight of our coming Lord. Are we eagerly waiting for Christ to come? Paul wrote to further stir the hearts of the Thessalonians for Christ’s coming. We must do the same with ourselves and others. Lord, come! Lord, come!

Application Question: Which application from Christ’s return stood out most and why? What are some other applications? How will you practically apply the reality of Christ’s coming to eternally judge wrongdoers or bring eternal relief and glorification to believers?

Conclusion

In 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, Paul wrote to remind the Thessalonians of what would happen when Christ returned. They were being severely persecuted by their neighbors and government authorities and therefore were being tempted to give up hope. Likewise, we are tempted to give up hope in Christ’s return, whether because of dullness from indulging in the things of this world, trials, laziness, or sin. We must further stir our hearts for Christ’s return, so we’ll be found faithful when he comes. To do this, we must remember that:

1. When Christ Returns, He Will Rectify All Injustice by Bringing Eternal Judgment to Unbelievers

2. When Christ Returns, He Will Be Revealed in Power, Bring Relief to His Saints, and Be Glorified Among and In Them

Application Question: In this study of 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, what stood out most and why?

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for God to protect, empower, and deliver persecuted Christians around the world, that God would save their persecutors, and that God would bring his perfect justice.

• Pray for God to draw unbelievers to himself throughout the world, especially our unbelieving, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family, so they may be saved and delivered from eternal judgment.

• Pray for God to bless his saints throughout the world, by strengthening their character, emboldening their witness, and refreshing them.

• Pray for God to send his Son to bring perfect judgment, perfect refreshment, and a perfect world. Come, Lord Jesus, come!