1Th 4:13-18, 2Th 1:5-10, Heb 10:35-39 | Family | STEP | Asleep ; asleep in Jesus, who have died in union with Christ by faith, verse . Others ; the unenlightened heathen, who have no hope of a resurrection and life of blessedness with Christ in heaven.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Asleep; asleep in Jesus, who have died in union with Christ by faith, verse 1Th 4:14.

Others; the unenlightened heathen, who have no hope of a resurrection and life of blessedness with Christ in heaven. Will God bring with him; raise from the dead in glorious, immortal bodies, so that they as well as those that remain alive at Christ's coming, shall appear with him in glory. 1Co 15:51-54. Which are alive; when the Lord shall come to judgment.

Shall not prevent; not go before, or rise to meet the Lord before those do who are dead. Rise first; before the living shall be changed. But after the dead in Christ are raised, the living shall be changed, and both ascend together to be for ever with the Lord. The prospect of meeting our pious friends at the day of judgment, and with them, perfect in body and soul, ascending with Christ and all his redeemed, to be for ever like him, soothes the anguish of parting with them, and fills the soul with joys unspeakable and full of glory.

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

A manifest token; your "patience and faith," namely, "in all your persecutions and tribulations," endured for Christ's sake, make it manifest that a righteous judgment is coming when God will graciously reward you and punish your foes.

That ye may be counted worthy; these words express the end and issue to which the righteous judgment of God looks, in the case of those who have steadfastly suffered for Christ's sake. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed; at the day of judgment. The prosperity, injustice, and cruelty of the wicked, and the adversity, meekness, patience, and submission of the righteous, show that men are not in this world treated according to their character; and that there is a coming judgment; when the righteous will be rewarded and the wicked punished according to their works. Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord; their destruction consists in everlasting banishment from God's presence and the glory of his power, and the everlasting endurance of God's wrath with the devil and his angels. Mt 25:41,46. The endless destruction of the perseveringly wicked is just. Admired in all them that believe; that is, in the persons of all them that believe; for they will be transformed into Christ's image in soul and body, and will reflect his glory.

Because our testimony among you was believed; a parenthetical sentence added to show that the Thessalonians also are included in "all them that believe."

In that day; in the day of Christ's second coming. These words are to be connected immediately with those before the parenthesis.

Hebrews 10:35-39

Confidence; in the ability and willingness of Christ to support, deliver, and save.

Great-reward; in peace of mind here and endless glory hereafter. Patience; in suffering as well as in doing the will of God.

The promise; of eternal life. He that shall come will come; an application to the coming of Christ of the promise made in Hab 2:3, where the coming is also one that has in view the destruction of the oppressors of God's people, and their salvation. The just shall live by faith--no pleasure in him; quoted for substance from the Greek version of Hab 2:4.

Draw back; give up confidence in Christ, deny him, and renounce his cause to escape suffering, or for any other reason.

No pleasure; God will abhor him. We; true Christians.

To the saving of the soul; Job 17:9; Joh 4:13,14; 10:28,29; 1Pe 1:2-9. The assurance God has given that he will keep his people in the floods of tribulation, however high they may rise, and in the fires of affliction, however fiercely they may burn, is suited to inspire strong and living confidence in him, and firm, energetic, persevering devotion to his service.