2 THESSALONIANS 1:4
4. And this is a cause of our mentioning you with pride among the churches of God for your steadfastness — your unflinching endurance and patience and your firm faith in the midst of all the persecutions and crushing distresses and afflictions under which you are holding up. Amp.
The Lord is coming back with recompense. This scripture is saying God’s people were paying attention to those who were not necessarily prospering and had the victory, but those who were enduring persecutions, crushing distresses and afflictions.
We at times try to walk around the afflictions in this life to avoid them. But we do ourselves great harm. Faith grows in the trial. The Lord is always testing us to see if we have true faith or fair-weather faith as CH Spurgeon puts it. As times get harder, we will be called by Him to suffer greater than before. We must be close as we can be to Him, so we can understand why things are happening the way they are happening. Then we will not question our suffering.
2 Thess. 1:6-10 It is a fair decision since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with distress and affliction those who distress and afflict you,
7. And to recompense you who are so distressed and afflicted by granting you relief and rest along with us — your fellow sufferers when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in a flame of fire;
8. To deal out retribution upon those who do not know or perceive or become acquainted with God, and upon those who ignore and refuse to obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9. Such people will pay the penalty and suffer…. eternal exclusion and banishment from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
10. When He comes to be glorified in His saints. (That is on that day He will be made more glorious in His consecrated people) and He will be marveled at and admired in His glory reflected in all who have believed — who have adhered to, trusted in and relied on Him — because our witnessing among you was confidently accepted and believed. Amp.
This is giving a detailed outlook at the last days. The church will suffer at the hands of unbelievers. The Lord will come back and turn things upside down. The persecutors will be the sufferers and the sufferers will be made more glorious by the presence of the Lord and His glory shining through them for all to see.
Just think about all the Radical Muslims who have tormented city after city of Christians. They will not always be successfully committing these atrocities. They will begin to suffer the very things they have dished out. They will then be banished eternally.
God’s suffering saints will arise with healing in their wings. They will arise and shine as the Lord pour His glory into them. They will shine brighter than any of His people have shown up to now. “He will be made more glorious in His consecrated people.” This radiating glory will shine out and others will be drawn to Him. What a beautiful recompense!
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