Hope is a marvelous and essential part of the power triplets, faith, hope, and love. The Lord provides hope and a way of escape in perilous times as the light grows darker among those who refuse to believe. He did such a thing in Noah’s day when the world was even darker than it is right now. God provided hope and a way of escape via the Ark that He commanded Noah to build. There’s a humorous story detailing the Ark building process. Here it is. And the Lord said unto Noah: “Where is the ark which I have commanded you to build?” And Noah said unto the Lord: “Truly, I have had three carpenters off sick. The gopher-wood supplier has let me down—yea, even though the gopher wood has been on order for over 12 months. What can I do, O Lord?” And God said unto Noah: “I want that ark finished even after seven days and seven nights.” And Noah said: “It will be so.” And it was not so. And the Lord said unto Noah: “What seems to be the trouble this time?” And Noah said unto the Lord: “My subcontractor has gone bankrupt. The pitch which you commanded me to put on the outside and on the inside of the ark has not arrived. The plumber has gone on strike. Shem, my son who helped me on the ark side of the business, has formed a pop group with his brothers Ham and Japheth. Lord, I am undone.” And the Lord grew angry and said: “And what about the animals, the male and the female of every sort that I ordered to come to you to keep their seed alive upon the face of the earth?” And Noah said: “They have been delivered to the wrong address but should arrive on Friday.” And the Lord said: “How about the unicorns, and the fowls of the air by sevens?” And Noah wrung his hands and wept, saying: “Lord, unicorns are a discontinued line; you can’t get them for love or money. And fowls of the air are sold only in half-dozens, Lord. Lord, you know how it is.” And the Lord in His wisdom said: “Noah, my son, I know. Why else do you think I have caused a flood to descend upon the earth?”¹ Now, hopefully, that put a needed smile on your face. In today’s podcast, we take a look at the actual way hope and deliverance come via the simple expectation of Jesus Return. Why Jesus Proven Second Coming Produces Ironclad Hope, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

Listen to the Audio

Click to Listen | Right Click to Download |Subscribe to PlayerFM

What’s So Important about the Days of Noah?

The Second Coming is a future event hidden by time and the will of the Father God. Click To Tweet

Read the Notes

You can view a basic transcript of this podcast at the bottom of this section.

Accept the Challenge

Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put it into operation.
This week’s call is:

Ironclad hope is your anchor and it’s based in the Second Coming of Jesus.  

Join the Conversation

Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11). Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony.
This week’s question is:

Question: Share a testimony about how the Lord you have been inspired by the hope that’s in Jesus return.  Share your story in the comments section below.

Episode Resources:

We are currently teaching in the book of Second Thessalonians. You can click on the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

1. #S10-048: Why God’s Amazing Dynamic Deliverance Is Coming Your Way [Podcast]
2. #S10-047: What Does a Spiritually Healthy Jesus Follower Look Like to God? [Podcast]
3. #S10-046: Why Repetition Is a Vital Need for Godly Spiritual Growth [Podcast]

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 47 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. He and his wife Sharon of 42 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

Subscribe to the Podcast

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.

Note: Pocket Casts is available on the App Store or Google Play.

     Pocket Casts 

iTunes                                                                                PlayerFM

Share the Love

If you enjoyed the podcast, please rate it on Stitcher Radio and leave a review. If you have a suggestion for a Bible topic, you would like to see taught, or if you have a question, please e-mail me at emery@emeryhorvath.com

---

Prayer

Let’s pray.

Now Father God, once again we look at the Second Coming and why not once again? This has been your proven method for inspiring hope among your people. Thank you for the truth of Jesus Return. We say with all the saints of God, ‘Even so Lord Jesus come.’

Podcast Notes

The Blessed Hope: Why We Need to Hear of It Repeatedly

• We’re in Second Thessalonians.
• We’ve gone past the introduction to this second letter to this church and now we get to the meat of chapter two.

2 Thessalonians 1:5–12 (ESV) — 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.

• If you recall, and we did a podcast on this, that in their first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul, Silas, and Timothy wrote to this church encouraging them amid persecution.
• The message of the Second Coming of Jesus was a tool for this purpose.
• Now, we are in the second letter and we are seeing the same message.
• Why is that?
• Well, for one, the persecution has gotten worse instead of better.
• Seemingly, there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.
• Believers had varied reactions to the intensity of the times.
• Some got stronger — others wilted.
• And, with that thought, here is the Illustration of the Day.

Take a piece of wax, a piece of meat, some sand, some clay, and some shavings, put them on the fire and see how they react. Each of them is being acted upon by the same agent, yet … the wax melts, the meat fries, the sand dries up, the clay hardens, the shavings blaze. Just so, under identical influence of circumstances and environment, one man is made better, and he becomes stronger, and another becomes weaker, while another withers away. This explains why one hears the Word of God and is made better. Still another hears the same thing and is made angry. Not so much what is done to us, but what we do, determines our destiny. Take heed how you hear and act.²

• So, the return of Jesus, mentioned 318 times in the New Testament, is the major theme of this letter.
• Paul wrote his second letter to the Thessalonians from Corinth, the last location where Paul, Silas, and Timothy had been together.
• These co-authors wrote this second letter shortly after the first, in response to fresh developments in Thessalonica.
• The persecution had intensified, and many of the victims were struggling with despair.
• The only way out seemed to lie in the return of Christ, and rumors had started that Paul himself was saying the time of the end had arrived!
• Paul’s desire is to grant relief.
• You know relief means rest.
• We said that in a previous podcast.
• Relief is the absence of tension and trial.
• The Thessalonians needed some this kind of relief.

2 Thessalonians 1:4 (ESV) — 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.

• Paul tries to grant this relief by speaking of the Revelation (the 2nd Coming of Jesus) of Jesus Christ.
• The Second Coming is a future event hidden by time and the will of the Father God.
• But, you know, Paul already covered this in his first letter.

1 Thessalonians 5:1–10 (ESV) — Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.

• Then, dropping to verse nine.

9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

• So, here is Paul visiting this same thing again.
• Why?
• Things have gotten worse.
• You would think we would need more answers.
• The saints are looking to Paul for answers.
• What does Paul do?
• Does he wax eloquent — you know, say a bunch of words that mean nothing?
• No, Paul preaches the same message he did in the first letter.
• The point is, you need to hear the same message over and over.
• Paul doesn’t come up with something different.
• You don’t need to come up with something different.
• Don’t get under pressure to come up with answers that satisfy people’s ears.
• The message of salvation is plain: Jesus is the way.
• Don’t let anyone pressure you to change, modify, or soften that for an unreceptive crowd.
• Mad or glad, the message does not change.
• Don’t compromise.
• The message concerning who we are in Christ, who God made us to be — His workmanship created in Christ Jesus, is the same.
• People get mad because they base everything on their own experiences.
• Your experiences are never the standard.
• God’s Word is the standard.
• If your experiences are not in line with God’s Word, then you have to make adjustments to receive.
• ‘Well, what adjustments do I need to make?’
• I can’t tell you that without a direct revelation from the Father God — no one can.
• What we can do is repeat the message just like Paul did here with the Thessalonians.
• ‘Be comforted, oh Thessalonians; Jesus is coming.’
• Paul said this in the first letter and, he said it in the second.
• The message didn’t change.
• Each believer has to work out their salvation.

Philippians 2:12 (ESV) — 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

• The words salvation means deliverance.
• The Greek word ‘work out’ is the one we want to look at, and with that thought, here is the Definition of the Day.

The words “work out” are the translation of a Greek word which means “to carry out to the goal, to carry to its ultimate conclusion.” We say, “The student worked out a problem in arithmetic.” He carried the problem to its ultimate conclusion. This is the way it is used here. The Philippians are exhorted to carry their salvation to its ultimate conclusion, namely, Christlikeness.³

• The onus is on each believer to work out the math problem.
• If you are seeking healing from the Lord and are having trouble realizing the manifestation of health in your body, work out the math problem.
• Constantly worried about the future?
• Having trouble casting your care on the Lord as first Peter five seven instructs us?
• Workout the math problem.
• If you’re not hearing God speak in your heart, work out the math problem.
• You’ve already heard how that played out in my life.
• That’s an area that I’m continually working out.
• If you’re having trouble forgiving people, work out that math problem.
• The answer to the problem is in the Word.
• Find a scripture that covers your case.
• Quote it to yourself repeatedly — read it repeatedly.
• Make it your severe intention to believe it in the face of contrary circumstances.
• Get your feelings under control.
• Check your pride at the front door.
• Never ever accuse God of not being true to what He said.
• If God said a thing is yours, if he provided it for you, then it’s yours whether or not you have received it.
• Your experience is not the standard.
• ‘Now, dear Lord, help me say this — to articulate this to the people — so many are struggling in this area.’
• Jesus is coming a second time and when He does, He will set everything right.
• That’s the hope, the rest, the relief, the message that will help bolster you against persecution.
• Let’s break this down.

The Blessed Hope: The Particulars

2 Thessalonians 1:6–7 (ESV) — 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

• The Father will reveal Jesus from heaven with a host of mighty angels.
• The word ‘revealed’ is a familiar use of the word ‘revelation’ used in 1 Corinthians 1:7, and especially in Peter – 1 Peter 1:7, 13, 4:13.
• The word ‘revealed’ comes from the root word meaning to hide, to conceal, and to cover.
• So, if a thing is revealed, it is brought out of hiding, out into the open, and uncovered.
• So, heaven covers, conceals, and hides Jesus’ physical presence from the eyes of the inhabitants of planet earth.
• On that day, the Day of the Lord, all of that will change.
• The Jesus that you have not seen physically, every eye will see.
• Our Savior, who is currently hidden from the carnality of men, will unveil Himself and make Himself visible to all.
• He’s not coming alone.
• Jesus is coming with mighty angels.
• The Greek word ‘mighty’ is the word dunamis.
• It means the potential for functioning in some way, power, might, strength, force, capability.⁴
• Jesus is coming with an army of angels that are capable, power-packed, stacked with strength, and full of the force of heaven.
• They are no joke.
• These angels are totally on a mission.
• Verse 8 tells us what that mission is.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 (ESV) — 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.

• In flaming fire will be a display unseen in the annals of man.
• The word ‘flaming’ means just that — a burning vapor surrounding an object.⁵
• You know, fire has several elements.
• There’s a visual component, a felt component which is heat, and a sound component — you know that crackling sound as air moves all around the flame.
• These Angels are on fire — and that’s not a metaphorical phrase.
• We’re talking actual heat and genuine sound.
• These guys are not just going to be floating on a cloud as some often think angels do.
• Malachi says concerning this.

Malachi 4:1 (ESV) — 1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

• This fire is going to serve up justice.
• The flame of God’s vengeance will purify and purge.
• Woe to those who get in the way.
• You’ve may have seen videos of raging forest fires that occur when there’s a lack of rain and forests and vegetation become brittle.
• How difficult it is for men to put out such a flame.
• What great energy it takes and sometimes the best that men can do is to contain it to an area just to let the flame have its way.
• There is no containing these flaming angels from the Most High.
• They burn all iniquity to ashes.
• That means those residents of planet earth who are rebellious, refuse to believe, resist the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ will become kindling to the flame.
• That’s what Malachi said: All evildoers will be stubble.

Isaiah 66:15–16 (ESV) — 15 “For behold, the LORD will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire will the LORD enter into judgment, and by his sword, with all flesh; and those slain by the LORD shall be many.

• Keep reading.

2 Thessalonians 1:9 (ESV) — 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

• This is suffering at the highest level.
• Now, this offends people that God would inflict suffering.
• You know God is love.
• Yes He is.
• Balancing the books and the universal scales of justice is the work of love at a high level.
• You remember we talked about the Law Sowing and Reaping.
• Those who have caused the saints to suffer, those who have taken the lives of God’s children, will themselves suffer.
• They will reap what they have sowed way beyond what men think.
• The words ‘suffer’ means to experience retribution, pay, or undergo a penalty.⁶
• What’s the penalty?
• The scripture told us what it was.
• The penalty is eternal destruction.
• Eternal means it’s not reversible.
• No amount of candles burned can reverse this judgment.
• Prayers for those who died will avail zero.
• You know some take comfort in doing this kind of penance — praying that people who died will be at rest in peace.
• You’re wasting your time.

Isaiah 57:21 (ESV) — 21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

• These haters of God will pay the ultimate price.
• It will not be pretty.
• The punishment is eternal destruction.
• The Greek Word ‘destruction’ means a state of destruction, ruin, or death.⁷
• It’s irreversibly eternal.
• But, here’s the worst part of it all.

It’s away from the presence of the Lord.

• God is light and in him is no darkness at all.
• Away from his presence is nothing but darkness.
• A darkness so thick and so intense that it terrifies.

John 3:19 (ESV) — 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

• These people loved darkness so much that they will receive all their desire — yet they have no clue what they have asked for.

Isaiah 66:4 (ESV) — 4 I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.”

• Eternal punishment away from the presence of the Lord.
• Do you recall what happened to Adam and Eve in the Garden?

Genesis 3:22–24 (ESV) — 22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

• Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, they were driven away from the Garden where God walked in the cool of the day.
• That’s the first time man was driven away.
• This is the second time, and it’s forever.
• There is no greater punishment that to be driven away from the Presence of the Lord without ever having a hope of return.
• Adam had a promise from God that the Lord what deliver him from his sin.

Genesis 3:14–15 (ESV) — 14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

• But, these men who are all Planet Earth on this day that Jesus returns have no such promise.
• There’s no way back.

2 Thessalonians 1:10 (ESV) — 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.

• Here’s the rest of chapter 1.

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 (ESV) — 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.

• I don’t know about you, but I am glad I am ecstatically happy over the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Father God, thank you for your great mercy. Thank you, oh Father of mercies and God of all comfort. You are so wise and so righteous. Thank you for the encouragment and the blessed hope of Jesus Second Coming. We pray all this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

• Why Jesus Proven Second Coming Produces Ironclad Hope
• You guys have a great God week and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life.

Why Holy Spirit Inspired Hope is the Anchor of the Soul

__________
References: