Waiting for Jesus

The Church of Thessalonica began to serve the Living God and wait eagerly for the arrival of His Son from Heaven – 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10.

The saints of Thessalonica responded to the preaching of the Gospel by turning “from idols to serve the living and true God.” Their life orientation changed radically because of their new allegiance to Jesus Christ. Rather than a comfortable life in Macedonia, they chose a path that guaranteed opposition, trials, and even persecution.

• “For from you has sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves report concerning us what manner of entrance we had toward you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who is rescuing us from the coming wrath” – (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10).

[Dawn - Photo by Elias Vidal (Punta Cana) on Unsplash]

Paul uses two infinitive clauses to express how disciples should live in this world.  First, we must turn from idols “to serve a living and true God.” It is not enough to simply exercise faith in Jesus, but we must also forsake our sinful ways and allegiances.

Second, believers are “to wait for his Son from Heaven.” By this, the Apostle Paul anticipates his later discussion about “the arrival” or ‘Parousia’ (παρουσια) of Jesus. At that time, the Son of God will resurrect dead believers, and the entire assembly of the saints, both living and dead, will meet Jesus as he descends from Heaven. This hope enables us to endure the tribulations of this life - (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2).

• “Now, may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you; to the end, that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the arrival [‘Parousia’] of our Lord Jesus with all his saints” – (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13).

The Son of God will arrive to resurrect and gather his saints, the same man raised bodily from the dead by his Father. As he so frequently does, Paul anchors the future hope of the Church in the past resurrection of Jesus – (1 Thessalonians 4:13-15).

• “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order. Christ the first fruits, then they who are Christ's at his arrival [‘Parousia’]” – (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

Moreover, this same Jesus is now “rescuing” us. The English term ‘rescue’ translates a Greek present tense participle that means “rescue, deliver, save” (‘rhuomai’ - Strong’s Concordance - #G4506). The present tense signifies action in progress. In other words, Jesus is in the process of rescuing us from future judgment and punishment.

DELIVERED FROM WRATH

The description of our being “rescued from wrath” echoes the story of the deliverance of the three Jewish exiles from the “burning fiery furnace” of Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon.

The Babylonian monarch threatened to sentence anyone who failed to worship his “great image” to death by fire. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to do so, in his “wrath,” the king threatened the three men:

• “Then Nebuchadnezzar, in his rage and wrath, commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. Then they brought these men before the king. <…> If you bow down and worship the golden image which I have set up, good. But if you do not, in the same hour, you will be cast into the burning fiery furnace; and who is the God that will rescue you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, <…> Our God whom we serve is in the heavens, and He is able to rescue us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will rescue us from your hands, O king. However, if not, we will not serve your gods or worship the image that you have erected. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of wrath, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; therefore, he spoke and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated”– (Daniel 3:13-19).

The Lord rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego from the fiery furnace to the astonishment of King Nebuchadnezzar and his entourage of princes and magistrates.

Likewise, Jesus is “rescuing” his people from the wrath that is “coming.” The two present-tense Greek participles translated thusly refer to processes that are underway even now in the present life of the Church: Rescue for some, but wrath for others. These processes will reach their conclusions when Jesus arrives from Heaven.

We must not be dismayed by the opposition that results from our faith in and allegiance to Jesus Christ. His arrival will bring rescue and salvation for us if we wait patiently for him through every trial, including persecution.

However, his return will also result in punishment and “wrath” for those who refuse to respond to the Gospel and “turn from idols to serve the Living God.”

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SEE ALSO:

• To the Assembly - (The Thessalonians received the Gospel of Christ in tribulation yet remained faithful while eagerly anticipating the return of Jesus – 1 Thessalonians 1:1-7)

• Persecution and Suffering - (When disciples react to hostility with hostility, whether by government, society, or individuals, Satan triumphs)

• The Imminent Storm - (The New Testament warns of a future apostasy caused by deceivers and the Son of Destruction, the Lawless Man, before the Day of the Lord arrives)

• Accounted Worthy - (The Spirit of Antichrist operates in the world by sending deceivers into the church)