David Bahn – Reflections

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, ² not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³ Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 [ESV]

Diane and I were once described as two kids in a wagon. Diane is picking up things and handing them to me. I take a quick look at the item, and summarily discard it. Not a very flattering picture of how a marriage relationship should look. But in many cases it is accurate. For my part, I sometimes too quickly discard things I find unnecessary or unimportant (like details, for example!). I also tend toward overlooking unpleasant things, or things I hope will just go away with time. I realize that’s not my best asset. But sometimes it serves me well.

All this to say, I’d rather not embrace the full reality of sin, evil, judgment, and hell. It’s not pleasant to think about. It’s not easy for me to write about “the man of lawlessness…the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” Evil such as that foreign to me and I want to keep it that way. I have enough trouble dealing the the evil of my own flesh. 

Recently a comment was made about an issue of some controversy within our church body. Those who are embedded in that kerfuffle can get quite stirred, and one person spoke of some others essentially as tools of Satan. Another person immediately got up and expressed great distress at the idea that someone could be called Satanic. While it may or may not have been the proper place to have that discussion, there is another looming reality. Jesus called one of his closest disciples Satan (cf. Matthew 16:23)! Paul speaks of “nothing good” dwelling in his flesh (Romans 7:18).

Whenever we choose to sin, cave into temptation, get led astray by friend or foe, or fail to do the good we know we should do, we enthrone another god in the temple of the True God. Whenever anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ takes first place in our hearts, we replace the Lord of Life with a cheap, transitory, impotent, ineffectual, deceptive, and destructive imitation. I’d rather not acknowledge that I ever do that. But I do. We all do. Even if for a moment. That’s why we need a Savior.

And that Savior has come. His name is Jesus. He died for our sins. He rose for our justification. In him we have the promise of eternal salvation and life forevermore.

That’s why we can always talk about “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him” with hope and anticipation and joy. Yes! We must talk about that. 

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, ² not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³ Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 [ESV]

Diane and I were once described as two kids in a wagon. Diane is picking up things and handing them to me. I take a quick look at the item, and summarily discard it. Not a very flattering picture of how a marriage relationship should look. But in many cases it is accurate. For my part, I sometimes too quickly discard things I find unnecessary or unimportant (like details, for example!). I also tend toward overlooking unpleasant things, or things I hope will just go away with time. I realize that’s not my best asset. But sometimes it serves me well.

All this to say, I’d rather not embrace the full reality of sin, evil, judgment, and hell. It’s not pleasant to think about. It’s not easy for me to write about “the man of lawlessness…the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” Evil such as that foreign to me and I want to keep it that way. I have enough trouble dealing the the evil of my own flesh. 

Recently a comment was made about an issue of some controversy within our church body. Those who are embedded in that kerfuffle can get quite stirred, and one person spoke of some others essentially as tools of Satan. Another person immediately got up and expressed great distress at the idea that someone could be called Satanic. While it may or may not have been the proper place to have that discussion, there is another looming reality. Jesus called one of his closest disciples Satan (cf. Matthew 16:23)! Paul speaks of “nothing good” dwelling in his flesh (Romans 7:18).

Whenever we choose to sin, cave into temptation, get led astray by friend or foe, or fail to do the good we know we should do, we enthrone another god in the temple of the True God. Whenever anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ takes first place in our hearts, we replace the Lord of Life with a cheap, transitory, impotent, ineffectual, deceptive, and destructive imitation. I’d rather not acknowledge that I ever do that. But I do. We all do. Even if for a moment. That’s why we need a Savior.

And that Savior has come. His name is Jesus. He died for our sins. He rose for our justification. In him we have the promise of eternal salvation and life forevermore.

That’s why we can always talk about “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him” with hope and anticipation and joy. Yes! We must talk that. 

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, ² not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³ Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

– 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 [ESV]

My grandson may have been born in 007 (2007). His name may be James. And I have watched a few 007 movies. I am well aware that James Bond likes his martinis “shaken not stirred.” I’m not sure of the significance of such a way to make a martini. But when it comes to God’s impact in our lives I am convinced that God wants us to be stirred but not shaken. God wants our hearts to be stirred by his message of truth and grace. He does not want our faith in him to be shaken.

Paul’s message here is all about how the faith of the Thessalonians had been shaken by untrue and confusing reports about Jesus’ return. Some had even been told that Jesus had already returned.

The Reformation Study Bible states,

Second Thessalonians was written mainly to supplement Paul’s earlier teaching by correcting a premature and unsettling announcement that the day of the Lord had already arrived (2:1–11). This misguided claim may have been due in part to wrong inferences drawn from Paul’s own teaching, coupled with the congregation’s painful experience of persecutions thought to be indicative of end-time disturbances.

Harsh persecution is enough to shake anyone’s faith. If the faithful are treated shamefully, and not rescued from such terrible treatment, one might conclude that God has abandoned them. This is what is meant by the phrase, “despairing of God’s grace.” In the fury of persecution and confusion of false teachers, it would be easy to be shaken. Such is Satan’s ploy.

So Paul writes these Christians to clarify their understanding – dealing with the confusion – and to shore up their faith – dealing with the doubt they had cast on them.

But I don’t think of faith as merely an absence of confusion, or a matter of supreme confidence in God’s promises, or correct doctrine. James reminds us that we may believe God is one, but so does the devil. And he trembles in fear (he is properly shaken!).

We are to fear, love, and trust in God above all things. There should be times we are stirred to awe, wonder, praise, and even fear. We are also properly stirred by the work of the Holy Spirit to act with kindness and love toward those who need God’s grace. And when God’s stirs our hearts to speak truth that’s a good thing too. Stirred to fear, love, and trust God above all things, and stirred to do good to our neighbor: these are good things. Shaken in our love for God or neighbor: not good.

Paul writes to clarify our knowledge of God and the world, encourage our love for one another, and remind us of God’s promises to embolden our faith. Few of us today are distracted by worries of Jesus’ Second Coming. More likely we are distressed by the abandonment from the faith of many. We are rightly distressed by the way the world is going. We may even feel like we’re under attack for our beliefs.

Do not be shaken by any of the devil’s schemes. Be stirred by God’s love and faithfulness, his grace and mercy. And look toward the time when every evil plot and scheme will be revealed for what it is, and Satan himself will be brought to nothing.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, ² not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³ Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

– 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 [ESV]

In his book Nothing to be Frightened About, Julian Barnes, writes about his encounter with mortality at a young age:

“It is like being in an unfamiliar hotel room, where the alarm clock has been left on the previous occupant’s setting, and at some ungodly hour you are suddenly pitched from sleep into darkness, panic, and a vicious awareness that this is a rented world.”

Barnes realizes that he is powerless to change the settings on that ubiquitous and jarringly uninvited hotel room alarm clock. So are we.

But few people today are engaged in any meaningful way by a question of life after death. We used to be able to engage people with the Kennedy evangelism, “If you were to die tonight, would you go to heaven?” But not today. Seems the world doesn’t care about this anymore. That’s your truth, they say. But sometimes there is that rude, and uninvited hotel alarm.

A spouse dies. A friend gets fired. The doctor calls asking you to go to the hospital … immediately. A bill comes due. You’re left without the necessary resources to make life work as it always had before. These are God’s wake-up calls. I’ve had a few over the years. Medical reports. Relational troubles. Vocational challenges. Spiritual struggles. In every case God wants our hearts; not just the right answers to theological questions; not just outward compliance.

We who love the truth, thank God for these reminders that we live in a rented world. For our hope is not properly tied to any earthly thing. We’re not there yet. Turmoil, trouble, and confusion is God’s way of inviting us to repent and believe the Good News of Jesus’ love, life, grace, and salvation. Let no one confuse you about that, nor deceive you into believing there is any answer other than God’s true promises in this rented world. A promise that is centered in Jesus, secured by his life, death, and resurrection, and will be fully enjoyed in the life of the world to come. Jesus will come again at the End of All time and receive us to live with him forever.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, ² not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³ Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

– 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 [ESV]

Over the years, people would come to me, asking about the Rapture, the End Times, the Final Judgment, or the Resurrection. Thankfully it seems those questions are not as common as they once were. Now questions center around the exclusive claims of Christ, the relationship of science to the Bible, creation and evolution, or the questions about sexual identities, practices, and morals.

But in Paul’s day the questions were swirling around the issue of Jesus’ return and how his followers would know it. There may have been some concern about the tribulation. But that was likely a lesser issue. The people of Paul’s day were living the tribulation. They were being actively persecuted. People were martyred for their allegiance to Jesus Christ.

But the devil will cause trouble however he can. In their case it was to confuse people about Jesus’ Second Coming. Had he already returned (see v. 2)? Who was the man of lawlessness? Why is he being delayed? Why is his power so evident and unrestrained? When will we be done with him?

These questions may seem foreign to us. But if we stop to think about it, that’s what we’re all asking from time to time. How long before I’m rid of this illness? When will my husband understand me? When will my wife appreciate me? Will my children ever learn to respect me? Will I ever get to see the world as it should be? Same questions. Different words.

Satan is doing all he can to confuse, misdirect, and deceive God’s people. He is set on killing, stealing, and destroying everything good and every hope that we have for God’s good grace. The answer is quite simple. When God determines it’s time to bring things to an end The End will come. When the fullness of God’s patience and grace is fulfilled Jesus will return. We may not be most fit for heaven when we are least happy on earth. But we are not wrong in praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” When Jesus comes all confusion will be laid to rest.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, ² not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³ Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

– 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 [ESV]

I had finished the graveside portion of a funeral for a church member in Arlington, Texas. A young man came up to me with an expression that signaled a great deal of earnestness. “I really appreciated how you talked about the resurrection of Jesus and his Second Coming,” he said. “Yes, well, that is the hope we have,” I replied. “Do you know that they’ve actually bred a red heifer in Jerusalem?!?” He was very excited. I had no idea what he was talking about. “Yes,” he said, “when they sacrifice it on the altar in Jerusalem, it will usher in…”

I honestly don’t remember the rest of what he said. But I do remember what his point was, and it had much to do with a particular understanding of the End Times, the tribulation, the Rapture, and the end of the world. Frankly, it seemed to me to overshadow the message of the gospel: that for Jesus’ sake, God forgives our sins, and promises all who believe eternal life.

Some espouse a pre-tribulation millennial belief. Others speak of a post-tribulation millennium. Still others are amillennialists (I number myself among those). I like to say, that I’m a pan-millennialist: It’ll all pan out in the end. Although I talk about the End Times in a somewhat whimsical manner, it’s anything but whimsical. But if our belief about the millennium is more important than faith in Jesus, we are in grave danger.

Such was the danger – in addition to the confusion about the End Times – that the Christians in Thessalonica faced. Here Paul is speaking about the antichrist, the man of lawlessness. Key markers of this one is that he exalts himself, takes his seat in the temple of God, and proclaims himself to be God. People through the years have supposed who this might be. Corrupt popes, Stalin, Hitler, Son Young Moon, come immediately to my mind.

I believe the Antichrist will come. And I believe he will be overcome by Jesus. I believe there will be no doubt when Jesus returns. And I truly do look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. The real truth is centered in and anchored in and secured in Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He loves us perfectly and eternally. He, alone, is worthy of our true love.

PS: Click here for a fuller discussion of millennialism. Or paste this into your browser window to see this article in the Lutheran Cyclopedia. [https://cyclopedia.lcms.org/display.asp?t1=m&word=MILLENNIUM]

Join me in praying these Psalms on this Lord’s Day

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
³     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name’s sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 53

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
    there is none who does good.

² God looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

³ They have all fallen away;
    together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
    not even one.

⁴ Have those who work evil no knowledge,
    who eat up my people as they eat bread,
    and do not call upon God?

⁵ There they are, in great terror,
    where there is no terror!
For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;
    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

⁶ Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When God restores the fortunes of his people,
    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Psalm 83:1-4

O God, do not keep silence;
    do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
² For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
    those who hate you have raised their heads.
³ They lay crafty plans against your people;
    they consult together against your treasured ones.
⁴ They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
    let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”

Psalm 113

Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
    praise the name of the Lord!

² Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore!
³ From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised!

⁴ The Lord is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens!
⁵ Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
⁶ who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?
⁷ He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
⁸ to make them sit with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
⁹ He gives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 143:1

Hear my prayer, O Lord;
    give ear to my pleas for mercy!
    In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®)
Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
All rights reserved

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. ⁴ Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

⁵ This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— ⁶ since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷ and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels ⁸ in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, ¹⁰ when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. ¹¹ To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

– 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 [ESV]

For many years, I undervalued the 23rd Psalm. The thoughts there, I realized, are good and edifying. The truths important. The promises rich. But not until I looked more closely at verse 4 did I begin to have a new and very deep appreciation for this well-known psalm. In verse 4 David stops speaking about God (“the LORD is my shepherd…He makes me lie down…He leads me…”) and begins speaking to God. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me,” he says [emphasis added].

In the dark times God’s presence is most precious. In the dark times we look for The Light of his love, goodness, mercy, and power. The candle burns brighter in the darkness than in the light. Well…actually the candle does not burn brighter in the darkness (as far as I’m aware). But it is more noticeable in the darkness. It is more clearly seen in the darkness of night than in the bright of day. Many Christians will confess that their prayers take on a stronger sense of urgency and fervency during times of trial than in times of favor. It’s true, David expresses thanks to God when “the lines have fallen in pleasant places.” But he pours out so many more of his Psalms in times of trouble and persecution. 

As Paul writes the Thessalonians they are experiencing persecution. This is clear by Paul’s reference to “all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.” Paul’s chief concern in writing this letter is to clarify with them the not-yet-but-ultimate reality of Jesus’ Second Coming. There was some confusion there about this. Some even thought that the Day of the Lord (i.e., Second Coming of Jesus) had already happened (2 Thessalonians 2:2). He assures them that Jesus had not yet come, but that he would surely return, and the scales of justice will be balanced. 

In the meantime he commends their faithfulness and urges continued steadfastness. 

I think of people who have given to me the strongest witness for Christ. The testimony of a bedridden man in Springfield, Illinois comes to mind. I would visit him in the nursing home as part of my seminary field education training. I could barely understand his words, but I discovered in him a deep faith. His refrain of faithfulness, “There ain’t nothing the Lord can’t do!” echoes in my mind all these years later.

Jesus has shown that to be true when he rose from the dead. He promises eternal salvation to all who believe. That remains true no matter the external circumstances. He will come again at the end of all time and take his own to be with him forever. This is our true Christian hope.

Unbelievers might expect us to praise God when things go well. And well we should! God deserves all the praise for every good and perfect gift: it comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no shadow of change (cf. James 1:17). But in the throes of suffering we offer praise to God it’s as though a candle has been lit in the darkest of night. It brings light to all. Fellow believers are encouraged. Unbelievers surely take notice.

This is no call to seek hardship and suffering. But it is a reminder to us that when we praise God in the midst of suffering we show our faith to be pure and good. And we light a candle of hope for all to see.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. ⁴ Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

⁵ This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— ⁶ since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷ and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels ⁸ in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, ¹⁰ when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. ¹¹ To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

– 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 [ESV]

Maybe you’ve heard someone speak of some location as a God-forsaken place. That’s usually a moniker for a place no one wants to be. Death. Desolation. Despair. Gloom. Hopelessness. Unhappiness. Disheartment. When God forsakes a place life no longer flourishes. Hope hops a train. Misery moves in. Who wants to be there?

Many people, however who do not want to be in a God-forsaken place, have forsaken God. They don’t like his rules. They don’t want to acknowledge his sovereignty. They don’t think they need his mercy. But they surely do want the benefits of his providential care, gracious kindness toward them in their hour of need, and the positive influence of justice and good order that God provides.

Saddest of all, the most fundamental reality of hell is a God-forsaken place. Totally God-forsaken. Chaos. Godlessness. Death. Eternal despair. Everlasting hopelessness. Weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Since unbelievers do not want to be in a God-forsaken place, they would surely not consign themselves to an eternity of such utter desolation. And Paul describes the eternal destiny of those who do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ as a place of “eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.”

Those last words, “the glory of his might,” speak life and hope to people who look to God for salvation. True, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). It is better to fear God than being eternally banished from his presence. When David faced a terrible choice in punishment for his census taking: “David said to Gad, ‘I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man’” (1 Chronicles 21:13). 

On another occasion, Moses spoke to God in the threat of God’s abandonment of Israel: “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” And recall the excruciating cry of Jesus from the cross. Echoing Psalm 22 he cries out, “My God. My God. Why have you forsaken me?” Terrible. Tormenting. Torturous. And in our place, so we would not have to face that horrific God-forsaken experience.

Ultimately, the name of Jesus Christ will be glorified. Every tongue in heaven and on earth and under the earth will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God (cf. Philippians 2:11). Will it be a joyful exaltation of God’s grace or a cry of utter duress? Thanks be to God who has called us to repentance and faith so that we can experience an eternity of his glorious and gracious presence!

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. ⁴ Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

⁵ This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— ⁶ since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷ and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels ⁸ in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, ¹⁰ when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. ¹¹ To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

– 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 [ESV]

In the moment Mary was ready to let her have it: she had been cut off in traffic and it was just one too many times. She was tempted to crash her car into the back of the offender. That’s a made-up scenario. But there have been reports of road rage ending in death. Just this July. In Conroe, Texas – 40 miles from where I live, and a place where I regularly drove over recent months. We can get all too ready to take matters into our own hands. Exact revenge.

But as the saying goes, “Revenge is a dish that is best served cold.” In other words, it’s better not to react in the heat of the moment. And if you take that to its extreme, it means you should calculate and bring the retribution in a premeditated manner. Sounds pretty sinister to me. I’d hate to be put into the hands of someone so dedicated to cold-blooded revenge.

But according to a recent report, 4500 or more Christians were martyred last year in Nigeria alone. Violence and evil flourish on every continent. The name of Jesus is sullied and his followers mocked and ridiculed daily. Surely this needs to be stopped. It surely stirs my heart to hear of such things.

There will be a time when those who persecuted these believers, and all who do not honor Christ will experience Jesus coming “in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (v. 8-9). This is terribly horrific. I don’t want to think of it. 

I don’t want to think of it, at least in part, because I know I’m a sinner – just like everyone else in the world. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). 

The only difference is how we view Jesus and our own sin. Those who acknowledge their sin and look to Jesus will be saved. This is the promise and the hope held out over against this dire prediction of doom and damnation. It is by the grace of God any of us has hope. And God is clear on this: He wants all people “to be saved, and come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

Jesus is the truth. He sets us free. And although it is very clear here about the vengeance of God, God’s greater desire is for us all to turn from our sinful ways and live. “As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).

Hell: Let’s not go there. Let’s repent daily and live.