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Sunday, January 20, 2013

I Thessalonians 1:10



And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

For further study - I Thessalonians 1:1-10

The extended reading today is another example of the "heart of love" Paul had for those he had led to the Lord or had a ministry in their lives. Paul must have been a real man of prayer. We read over and over again of his prayers for the brethren. Also he is always thanking the Lord for brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul sets the example for a good, and faithful minister to people.

All that I've written is true but the blessings of the truths from the one key verse will take up my space with you for this devotional. Stop a moment and reflect on what the verse says, we "are to wait for His Son to return from heaven". Just think of some of what that means.

Jesus said in the upper room that He was going to Heaven to "prepare a place for us", John 14:2. This place is in His Father's house and He is getting our place ready so that we can dwell together, forever. The Lord exhorted us to watch for Him, because we know not which hour He comes, the spiritual application for us from Matthew 24:42.

As we watch for Him to come from Heaven we are also to pray, Matthew 26:41, so that we will not enter into temptation. What an amazing formula for our daily life, we can have victory over temptation by being watchful for our Lord to come back from Heaven as we watch and as we pray.

Also in verse 10 is found the fact that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, by His Father, the most High God. The "Resurrection" is the "cornerstone" of our faith and the "foundation" of Bible prophecy. It was recorded in Revelation 1:18, that Jesus testified of His Resurrection, after His death. Sometime, look at Revelation 1:19. The Lord, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ tells John the Revelator to write down what was to come, that's prophecy.

The last phrase in verse 10 is a promise that we as Christians will not enter into the terrible time of judgment to come, the seven year Tribulation Period as described in Revelation 4:2 through 19:10. In our verse for today He promises us He will deliver us from that "wrath to come". There is a "judgment period", yet to come. What a promise!

This passage is a parallel passage to two other passages in scripture, I Thessalonians 5:9 and Revelation 3:10. The book of I Thessalonians is crammed full of prophetic passages, which we will get to in future devotionals. Please notice the truth of the Rapture, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, which explains how He will keep us from the wrath to come. By the way, the Rapture could happen today.

PRAYER THOT: Help me to be pure and productive as I wait for Jesus to come from heaven for me.