2Th 1:9-10 | Burkitt | STEP | Observe here, The tremendous dreadfulness of that wrath and vengeance which at the great day will be inflicted on the ignorant and disobedient part of mankind; to denote the greatness of it, it is called destruction, not as if it were an abolishing of their nature, and utter extinction of their being, as the destruction of beasts is; but a loss of their happiness and well-being, as the destruction of the fallen angels was; and to set forth the duration of it, it is called everlasting destruction, a dying life, and a living death; their debt will never be paid, they will never come out of prison; they will be always satisfying, but never able fully to satisfy, divine justice. And observe farther, As their punishment of sense is here described, so we have their punishment of loss declared: they shall be banished from the presence of the Lord, that is, for ever excluded from the sight of his blessed face, and the enjoyment of his gracious presence: the presence of his favour they shall never find, the presence of his fury they shall ever feel. Lord, how is thy presence here on earth, life, light, and joy, to thine own people: how much more will it be so in heaven! But how terrible and dreadful will thy presence be to the wicked at the great day, even everlasting destruction! Lord, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear, when thou appearest! Thy very presence shall punish and torment them, and thy glorious power drive them away to the place of torment prepared for them. They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; that is, destruction shall come forth immeniately from the presence and glorious power of Christ upon them, and that without any measure of mitigation; the sentence denounced will be instantly executed, and the sinner that is banished from Christ's presence shall be everlastingly tormented by his power.

‏ 2 Thessalonians 1:9-10

Observe here, The tremendous dreadfulness of that wrath and vengeance which at the great day will be inflicted on the ignorant and disobedient part of mankind; to denote the greatness of it, it is called destruction, not as if it were an abolishing of their nature, and utter extinction of their being, as the destruction of beasts is; but a loss of their happiness and well-being, as the destruction of the fallen angels was; and to set forth the duration of it, it is called everlasting destruction, a dying life, and a living death; their debt will never be paid, they will never come out of prison; they will be always satisfying, but never able fully to satisfy, divine justice.

And observe farther, As their punishment of sense is here described, so we have their punishment of loss declared: they shall be banished from the presence of the Lord, that is, for ever excluded from the sight of his blessed face, and the enjoyment of his gracious presence: the presence of his favour they shall never find, the presence of his fury they shall ever feel.

Lord, how is thy presence here on earth, life, light, and joy, to thine own people: how much more will it be so in heaven! But how terrible and dreadful will thy presence be to the wicked at the great day, even everlasting destruction! Lord, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear, when thou appearest! Thy very presence shall punish and torment them, and thy glorious power drive them away to the place of torment prepared for them. They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; that is, destruction shall come forth immeniately from the presence and glorious power of Christ upon them, and that without any measure of mitigation; the sentence denounced will be instantly executed, and the sinner that is banished from Christ's presence shall be everlastingly tormented by his power.

The former verses represented to us the great end of Christ's appearance to judgment; with respect to the wicked, it was for punishment, they shall be punished with everlasting destruction, &c. Now here we have assigned the gracious design of Christ's coming with relation to the godly: he shall come to be glorified in his saints.

Where note, The character of Christ's saved ones, they are saints, all such, and only such; not by visible profession barely, but by inward sanctification, and holiness of conversation also; and also all believers, who are endued with the grace of saving faith.

Note, 2. The end of Christ's coming, with reference to his own children.

1. To be glorified in his saints: mark, not to be glorified in them: the head will not only be glorious in himself, but glorified in his members. The glory God gave the Son, he hath given the saints, and will put such a glory upon them in soul and body, as he himself shall be thereby glorified.

2. Admired in all them that believe, that is, he will do such things for believers, as will be to their own and others' admiration; things that will not only exceed their unbelief, but their faith too.

Plainly thus, the Lord Jesus at the great day will put such glory upon believers as never was expected either by themselves or others, and consequently shall be admired, greatly admired, eternally admired, by all beholders.

But, Lord, if the glory put on the saints shall be thus admired, how much more shall thyself be admired, the bestower of that rich transcendent glory! The glory of thy justice in the damnation of the wicked will be admired, but not comparably with the glory of thy mercy in the salvation of believers. O! how will this strike the adoring angels into an ecstasy of holy admiration, and transport thy admiring saints into an eternal rapture, when thou shalt come to be glorified in the saints, and admired in all them that believe.