3357.— Consumed by His Glory
By Editor
Please explain in Question Corner 2 Thess. 1:8; 2:8; and Rev. 20:5, 9. Are those who are to be consumed with the brightness of His coming, the wicked who are living at that time? S. T. This is a large task, and we can reply but briefly. 1. The first passage (2 Thess. 1:8) doubtless refers primarily to our Lord's coming at the beginning of the 1000 years, but it includes in His just punishment upon the wicked their ultimate deserts. The apostle was writing to those who had suffered persecution; he points them forward to the time when God will justly recompense the wrongdoer. When Christ comes in all His glory, those who do not hold by faith His glory within, will perish at His presence in consequence. At the end of the thousand years, at the execution of the just judgment of God upon those identified with sin, in His glory the very earth will melt, and sin and sinners, those who have chosen sin instead of righteousness, will perish; the everlasting punishment will be everlasting destruction. 2. The second text refers to that great antagonistic system of the ages, having its last development in Great Babylon, the last masterpiece of Satan, "that Wicked," which deceives and rules the world. But all the glory of earth shall wither and perish in the forth-shining of the glory of Christ. All the armies of earth can not stand against the sword of His Word. All the pomp and glory of earth will shrivel and burn in the insurpassable glory of Christ. 3. Rev. 20:5, 9 relates first to the second resurrection, at the end of the 1000 years, the resurrection of the rest of the dead in contrast to the first resurrection of the "blessed and holy." After that resurrection the wicked, deceived and led by Satan, form into armies, and finally go up to the descended city of God (Zech. 14:4; Rev. 21:10) to take it. Again the insufferable glory of God appears; in other words, God only manifests Himself, and that glory sets on fire the very earth, it becomes a vast lake of fire, and the rebels against God and all good perish forever.