One God, Two People, Two Futures

Introduction:

Paul has expressed his obligation to thank God for the Thessalonians’ endurance.

He has written to them to assure them of the coming of Jesus.

When that occurs, it will be a time of revealing the truth.

This will be extremely important for 2 Thess. 2 as well as the rationale for the coming rebellion.

It will be a time of judgment.

He has described this future based upon the LXX of Isaiah 66.

2 Thess. 1:8 places the emphasis on what Jesus will give.

Now, at least briefly, Paul will bring into view what those will receive.

The NT is consistent that the world has two types of people.

Now, God has in store two very different futures for those two types of people.

Paul will also explain these futures echoing the words of Is. 2.

Future 1: Receiving Eternal Destruction

2 Thess. 1:9 shifts “those who do not know God and those who are not obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus” to the subject.

They constitute the first people.

Paul treats them together with the relative pronoun.

Jesus will give, they will receive.

This statement also brings ἐκδίκησιν (see 2 Thess. 1:8) into focus.

What exactly does that mean?

We may not get total clarity, but we will get some.

For Paul, in this statement, “eternal destruction” does not refer to annihilation.

Instead, the following prepositional phrase clarifies what Paul has in mind and aids him in developing the contrasting future yet to be explained.

ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ mirrors Is. 2:10 - ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ φόβου Κυρίου καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ

Those who do not live in the truth now will be excluded from living in the truth yet to be amplified in Jesus’ apokalypsis.

Note that Is. 2:19 repeats this phrasing, and Paul more closely follows it. ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ φόβου Κυρίου καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ. So does Is. 2:21.

Both times (Is. 2:10, 19, 21), the LXX is followed by ὅταν.

Introduction #2:

It is important for us to build a firm biblical foundation for understanding Paul’s teaching.

Often times, we think of teaching on the 2nd coming strictly based upon a timeline until the return of Jesus.

Paul teaches the Thessalonians from the point of view of the OT scriptures.

The New Testament is based upon the Old not a departure from it.

Important elements of prophecy, then, play a role in the fulfillment of events in the return of Jesus.

As we look at Isaiah 2 - note the contrast between the arrogance of humanity and God’s intention to be recognized and shown proper respect.

Future 2: Glorifying Jesus

Isaiah 2, not just Is. 2:10, in its entirety shapes Paul’s understanding and teaching about the apokalypsis.

It is also integral for the great conflict he will describe in 2 Thess. 2.

Isaiah wrote of a time when the exaltation of God will happen.

Paul now substitutes Ps. 89:8 for the ideas that follow in Isaiah 2:10.

We now know:

When “they will receive punishment/sentence.”

Why Jesus will come.

Jesus’ “revelation” will not be strictly about unbelievers, vengeance, and punishment.

It will be about him.

ἐνδοξάζομαι: to be the object of great honor—‘to receive honor, to be honored.’ ὅπως ἐνδοξασθῇ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν ‘so that the name of our Lord Jesus may receive honor from you’ 2 Th 1:12

Believers have a part in something that is about Him.

Our salvation, our future is about Him.

In His holy ones, whoever they may be, God will receive the glory commensurate with His person.

The second part of this is that he will be “marveled at” in those who believe.

Paul bases this on Ps. 68:35.

“In that day” belongs with these statements.

Paul interjects a “cause” clause that brings everything into view.

The Thessalonians are integral to God’s future glorification of Christ.

In them, he will come for the purpose of being glorified and marveled at.

Their vindication, and His, are intimately intertwined.