RETRIBUTION OR REST?

“since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:6-8‬‬)

We are going to spend eternity somewhere—heaven or hell. We can receive retribution, paying the price for what we have earned as we experience the justice and wrath of God, or we can enter rest, because Christ paid the price for us in suffering the wrath and justice demanded in His death on the cross.

What is the “rest” Paul mentions here?  This is how it is described in Revelation 14:13, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.“‘ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’”

This eternal rest is heaven—the everlasting home of the saints.  It is the place where we will abide in the presence of God in the fullness of His glory, where we will worship Christ and see Him face to face, where we will be united with loved ones gone before us, and where there will be no sin, no sorrow, no sickness—no more.

What a day that will be!  Give praise to God who sent His Son to die that we might live, to suffer the punishment we merit so we can have His merits by faith and enter His rest!

SAINTS SAVED FROM WRATH

The saints do not have to fear the day they stand before God, as Paul speaks of that time, “when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:10-12)

There is a difference between saints and sinners. God distinguishes between those who are delivered from wrath and those who are destined for it.  As the old song says, “Oh Lord I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in!”‬‬ So, who are the saints?  Let’s look to 2 Thessalonians 1 for answers.

They are all those in the church. Paul writes to those “in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (v.1). We are doomed if we are judged for what we do. Our deliverance is based in what Christ has done and our identification with Him and His righteousness imputed to us by faith.

The saints have experienced ”grace” and “peace” (v.2).  It is not our goodness, for we have none. It is the grace of God that brings us peace with God.

Saints are people of “faith” and “love” (v.3). If the root of salvation rests in the love of Christ and His gift received in faith, then there will be the fruit of a genuine experience with God—namely a growing faith and abounding love.

They are given grace to persevere with “patience and faith in all your tribulations that you endure,” (v.4).  We are not saved because we endure, but we endure because we are saved.

The saints have taken up the cross. “which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer” (v.5).  God makes us worthy as we die to sin and live to God.  Our sufferings at the hands of sinners are evidence of God’s righteous judgment—using evil for good in our lives now—a temporal fire of refining—and storing up wrath for the wicked who seem to get by now—an eternal fire of retribution.  The former purifies saints for heaven and the latter punishes sinners in hell.

Furthermore, saints glorify God. Twice in verses 10-12, Paul mentions Christ being “glorified” in His people. Saints have found the chief end of man, “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”  Therefore, we anticipate His coming in glory with delight and not dread!

I remind you that these are not qualities possessed by a select group of Christians as contrasted to your “run of the mill” bunch of believers. The saints are all those who are saved. Saints are saved sinners. Will you be in that number?

JUSTICE

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.  He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 NIV)

Because wickedness is not punished immediately, we may foolishly think it will not be punished eventually.  Paul reminds us that since God is just, sin must be punished.  Yet, God is also merciful, and has made a way of forgiveness through the Gospel, having visited the justice sinners deserve upon His Son.  If we do not obey the Gospel of Christ, and spurn that offer of salvation, then the full fury of God will descend upon sinners.  That it does not happen instantly is another indicator of God/s mercy—His forbearance that affords the wicked occasion to repent.  Payday, however, comes someday for, “the wages of sin is death,” (Rom.6:23a).  Those who are anti-God and assail the people of God will experience God’s wrath.  This will bring the deliverance of God’s children.  That day is the end of the age at the return of Christ—a day of “blazing fire.”  Oh, sinner, obey the Gospel today!  Come to Christ without delay, for tomorrow may be too late!

                                                                                                          

SEVEN BOWLS FOR SEVEN JUDGMENTS

 

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”  (Revelation 16:1)

Numbers in Revelation are significant.  You find seven to be prominent—the number of completion.  Following the rapture of the church, a scroll is presented to the Lamb of God who opens seven seals.  Under each seal there is a judgment.  Beneath the seventh seal, there are seven trumpets, and as each trumpet is sounded another judgment falls on a Christ-rejecting world.  The seventh trumpet blast signals the time for seven bowls, filled with the wrath of God to be outpoured, which will be the final plagues upon the populace—seven bowls for seven judgments (Rev.16).

The scene in heaven is solemn, as seven angels are summoned to come and pour out the contents of their bowl.  While it may not be politically correct to speak of God’s wrath, it is theologically correct—and Scripture, rather than popular sensibilities must govern our vocabulary and concepts.  Our world scoffs at this, but one day God says, “Enough!”

• Those who have refused salvation in Christ and instead have pledged allegiance to the Antichrist will suffer from boils from the first of the bowls (v.2).  Imagine the world filled with people writhing in pain from these boils.  The smell of the puss-filled populace will be horrible.
• If we think an oil spill to be an ecological disaster, then what will it be when the oceans become blood (v.3).  The dead creatures of the deep will wash up on crimson-clotted sands, their rotting stench pervading the atmosphere. 
• The fourth angel empties his bowl and the fresh water becomes blood (v.4-7).  Imagine going to a spigot, running a glass of water, and gagging on the taste of blood!  Sinners have been bloodthirsty.  God will give them all they want.
• The sun will scorch the earth (v.8-9).  A previous judgment had obscured the sun, and now the opposite occurs.  People suffering from boils, now are seared by the sun, and they can find no relief to cool their brow or tongue for the water is blood.
• Suddenly, Babylon experiences a blackout (v.10-11).  When we reject the Light, only darkness remains.  These plagues are reminiscent of those found in Exodus.
• The sixth angel’s bowl dries up the Euphrates River allowing a millions of soldiers from the Orient to invade (v.12-16).  The campaign of Armageddon is commencing.  The horrors of war ravage the globe.
• The final bowl is poured out and Babylon—the capital of the Antichrist—the economic and ecclesiastical center of the world is judged (v.17-21).  This judgment is described in detail in the next two chapters of Revelation.

Surely then, people will admit their sin and beg for mercy.  No!  They will curse God (v.9,11,21)!  They refuse to repent—fully reprobate—a rebel heart and a reviling tongue.  If a man or woman in this day of grace can look at the cross and God’s offer of forgiveness and brush it aside, then there only remains judgment for such.

Here is the question we must consider, if we would avoid these plagues:

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?  (Elisha A. Hoffman)