Paul's Exhortations to the Thessalonian Church 2nd Letter Volume 4

Paul Declares the Final Judgement of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ Part 2

2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: KJV

In the opening of this section of Paul's second letter to the believers in the city of Thessalonica, we found the Apostle Paul declaring the certainty of Christ 2nd coming to this earth to Judge all humanity and to put down sin and rebellion once and for good, however, now we find Paul painting for us a beautiful, yet horrible 'Word Picture' of exactly what that 2nd coming will look like for every soul who did not bow their knee to Him as the One True and Only God and King of Kings and Lord of Lords when he says this, "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:" (2 Thessalonians 1:8) (KJV). For those Thessalonian believers and we believers today who had/have already bowed their/our knee to Him by or through 'faith in His Blood' (Romans 3:25), we will be with Him as one of His soldiers just as the Apostle John himself paints his own 'Word Picture' with these words, "After that I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse [appeared]! The One Who was riding it is called Faithful (Trustworthy, Loyal, Incorruptible, Steady) and True, and He passes judgment and wages war in righteousness (holiness, justice, and uprightness). His eyes [blaze] like a flame of fire, and on His head are many kingly crowns (diadems); and He has a title (name) inscribed which He alone knows {or} can understand. He is dressed in a robe dyed by dipping in blood, and the title by which He is called is The Word of God. And the troops of heaven, clothed in fine linen, dazzling and clean, followed Him on white horses. From His mouth goes forth a sharp sword with which He can smite (afflict, strike) the nations; and He will shepherd {and} control them with a staff (scepter, rod) of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath {and} indignation of God the All-Ruler (the Almighty, the Omnipotent). And on His garment (robe) and on His thigh He has a name (title) inscribed, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." (Revelation 19:11-16) (Amplified Bible), Hallelujah!

The phrase 'flaming fire' has been debated for many centuries by Biblical Scholars as to whether this refers to literal or figurative fire and I will not now perpetuate this but express my agreement with both sides (not to appear political), but to give great regard, respect, and reverence to the Mighty God our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ who will carry this out against those who have mocked Him, mutilated His Name in profanity, and mauled His children for loving Him and His Word. The English word 'flaming' is translated by the Greek word phlox which means (to flash or flame); a blaze: - flaming. The English word 'fire' is translated by the Greek word pur meaning fire” (literally or figuratively, specifically lightning): - fiery, fire. With this said, I believe the Jesus who lived for 33 years here on the earth and exemplified the most loving, caring, forgiving human nature that ever has lived (then He was the Justifier of sinful man) will return in a cloud of literal fire all around Him and He will internally be filled with fiery fury against those who would not have Him to rule over them (Luke 19:27) executing 'vengence' against them and this English word is translated by the Greek word ekdikesis meaning vindication, retribution: - punishment.

Let us remember the response and reaction and description the Apostle John had and gave us when he encountered the Resurrected Christ, "I was in the Spirit [rapt in His power] on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a great voice like the calling of a war trumpet, Saying, {I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.} Write promptly what you see (your vision) in a book and send it to the seven churches {which are in Asia}--to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea. Then I turned to see [whose was] the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, And in the midst of the lampstands [One] like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe which reached to His feet and with a girdle of gold about His breast. His head and His hair were white like white wool, [as white] as snow, and His eyes [flashed] like a flame of fire. His feet glowed like burnished (bright) bronze as it is refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and from His mouth there came forth a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full power at midday. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if dead. But He laid His right hand on me and said, Do not be afraid! I am the First and the Last, And the Ever-living One [I am living in the eternity of the eternities]. I died, but see, I am alive forevermore; and I possess the keys of death and Hades (the realm of the dead)." (Revelation 1:10-18) (Amplified Bible).

This is who our Lord Jesus Christ is right now as He seats at the Right Hand of God the Father until all His enemies are made His footstool (Hebrews 1:13). His Judgement is not like our human judgement, but it is just, fair, and good because He is Holy and He cannot have that which is un-holy in His presence. As we learned from the last study/commentary, we all are un-holy (Romans 3:9-12), but those Thessalonian people then and we now who have obeyed the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ have been granted, gifted, and given His Righteousness and that makes us holy in the sight of God the Father, for He sees us just as He sees Christ Jesus our Lord. The little English word 'obey' is translated by the Greek word hupakouo meaning to hear under (as a subordinate), that is, to listen attentively; by implication to heed or conform to a command or authority: - hearken, be obedient to, obey. Therefore, the greatest sin in the Halls of Heaven is not adultery, fornication, murder, or theft, but in fact it is un-belief or in other words, to dis-believe God the Father's one and only way to approach Him, that is, obedience to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is why the greatest men and women are not any who are in Washington, D. C. or the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia or any other 'so-called' place of power, but it is wherever any redeemed man or woman or group of redeemed men and women are getting the Word of God out to the ends of the earth and praying for God the Holy Spirit to convert lost men and women who hear and obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"The object of the Apostle here seems to be to represent Him as coming amidst vivid flashes of lightning. He is commonly described as coming in clouds, and to that common description there is here added the image of incessant lightnings, as if the whole heavens were illuminated with a continued blaze. The word 'vengeance' is used in the sense of punishment, for there cannot be in God what literally corresponds with the passion of revenge. On all who are strangers to Him; that is, who are living in pagan darkness, or who, having heard of Him, have no practical acquaintance with Him." Albert Barnes

"The effects of this appearance will be terrible to some and joyful to others. They will be terrible to some; for He will then take vengeance on the wicked. On those that sinned against the principles of natural religion, and rebelled against the light of nature, that knew not God (2 Thessalonians 1:8), though the invisible things of Him are manifested in the things that are seen. On those that rebel against the light of revelation, that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light. This is the great crime of multitudes - the Gospel is revealed to them, and they will not believe it; or, if they pretend to believe it, they will not obey it. Note, Believing the truths of the Gospel is in order to our obeying the precepts of the Gospel: there must be the obedience of faith. To such persons as are here mentioned the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ will be terrible." Matthew Henry

"To know God is to know Him as the one, true God as distinguished from false gods; to know His will, His holiness, His hatred of sin, and His saving intent toward mankind. A distinction is asserted between knowledge grounded in personal experience, apprehension of external impressions - and purely mental perception in contrast with conjecture or knowledge derived from others. There are doubtless passages which bear out this distinction (see on John 2:24), but it is impossible to carry it rigidly through the N.T. In the two classes, - those who know not God and those who obey not the Gospel, - it is not probable that Paul has in mind a distinction between Jews and Gentiles. The Jews were not ignorant of God, yet they are described by John as not knowing Him. The Gentiles are described by Paul as knowing God, but as refusing to glorify Him as God (Romans 1:21). Paul rather describes here the subjects of God's judgment as one class, but under different aspects." Vincent's Word Studies

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…