"Deliverance from the Wrath to Come" -- Episode Four of My Series on Paul’s Thessalonian Letters

Episode Synopsis:

There is one thing a congregation dislikes even more than stewardship Sunday–a sermon on the wrath of God. To proclaim that the wrath of God is coming upon the whole world (and it is) is be thought of as some sort of fundamentalist with the misguided faith of a snake-handler, or the mind-set of a Jihadi terrorist. Any one who believes such a thing is considered a kooky zealot who probably carries around a sandwich-board sign which reads, “Repent, for the end is near!”

Since Paul ties Christ’s second advent to the coming day of wrath, he creates very difficult problems for all forms of premillennialism–those who insist that Jesus’s Christ return will usher in a thousand year reign of Jesus upon the earth with the final judgment not occurring until the millennium comes to an end. How does this fit with Paul’s declaration in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 that deliverance from the coming wrath of God occurs when Jesus returns? (Hint, it doesn’t). What does what does this say to those engaged in the “pre” and “post” trib debate, and to the dispensationalist expectation of a future seven-year tribulation period?

We’ll tackle these issues and more in this edition of the Blessed Hope Podcast

Show Notes:

Thanks again to Nick for the new podcast art!

I live in the flight plan of a local municipal airport. I try to record when aircraft are not around, but occasionally a nearby plane’s noise sneaks into the recording. I’m doing my best to filter such noise out.

Links to Additional Resources:

Leon Morris on God's Wrath in the New Testament

Herman Bavinck on God's Righteous Wrath

KR -- Hear Anything About the Wrath of God Lately? --The Silence Is Deafening

Fowler White -- Biblical Hell and God's Everlasting Wrath

Bibliography for Season Two of the Blessed Hope Podcast, “When the Lord Jesus Is Revealed from Heaven: Paul’s Thessalonian Letters”

A History of the City of Thessalonica Important background to our series

F. F. Bruce's "Paul: The Apostle of the Heart Set Free" The Life and Times of Paul—Still the best biographical study of Paul

G, K, Beale, 1-2 Thessalonians (IVP NT Commentary) The best all around commentary on the Thessalonians letters (strong on eschatology)

F. F. Bruce, 1 and 2 Thessalonians (Word) One of the better technical commentaries—Bruce is especially strong on background, setting, and historical matters

Gene Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians (Pillar) A very good scholarly evangelical commentary

John Calvin, 1 and 2 Thessalonians (Crossway Classics) Calvin’s insights into this letter are still worth consideration

Music:

(Shutterstock): Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op 92m, second movement, Allegretto (A minor)