The Process Of Growing Series

The second thing that occurs when he comes is that He will execute righteousness, or ekdikesis in Greek, better translated as “carrying out right” than NIV’s “punish,” which has a vindictive or spiteful or personal element about it. His target is those who deny, disparage and disobey Him. The other “punish” word in verse 9 is also not the classical word for “punish.” The second “punish” word occurs only once in the Bible and it consists of two Greek word, righteous and penalty, indicating that people pay the penalty for their righteous or unrighteous lives, or things will sort themselves out. The word “obey,” or hupakou in Greek (v 8), literally means “to hear under” or “to be under authority or to fall in line.” Eternal destruction is perpetual, permanent and painful, but not as painful as being shut out or ushered from the presence (v 9) – “face” in Greek – of the Lord and the majesty of his power, or “the power of His glory,” in Greek. Without his presence, there is no prospect, and without his glory, there will be no light. Without his presence and glory, there will only be darkness, doom, desolation, desperation and death. No pain now is comparable to or close to the absence of God, eternal separation from Him and His rejection in person.

Give Thanks for What You Can Expect

10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. (2 Thess 1:10)

Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, “Certainly the preacher won’t think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this.” Much to his surprise, however, Whyte was ready and began praying, “We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this.” (Our Daily Bread, August 26, 1989)

All is not business as usual or doom and gloom when He comes. Good news and great joy abound for the saints, God’s holy people. God’s glory, which He does not share and which He so jealously guards, will be revealed in His people. This word “glorified” occurs only in this chapter (vv 10, 12) and nowhere else in the Bible. The recipients of His glory are not wishy-washy, fence-sitting, double-minded people or but those who have sincerely and steadfastly believed, having paid the price for their belief.

“The day,” or better “that day” in Greek, is identified in the next chapter as the “day of the Lord” (2 Thess 2:2). “The day of the Lord” (2 Thess 2:2, 1 Cor 5:5) refers to the apocalypse or revelation in verse 7. It is also known as “the day of God” (2 Pet 3:12), “the great day of God Almighty” (Rev 16:14), “the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6), “the day of Christ” (Phil 1:10), “the day of the Lord Jesus” (2 Cor 1:14), “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 1:8).

The Old Testament three times stated that the day of the Lord is a great and dreadful day (Joel 2: 11, 31, Mal 4:5), depending on whose side you are on. It is near (Isa 13:6, Obad 15, Zeph 1:7, 14,), at hand (Joel 2:1). On the day of the Lord, he will come like a thief in the night (1 Thess 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10). On the great and glorious day of the Lord (Acts 2:20), the heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, the earth and everything in it will be laid bare (2 Peter 3:10).