Thank you for joining us as we have worked our way through the book of Revelation. As Pastor David continues to help us unpack the rest of the book, we are going to turn our attention in our daily devotions to the different themes found in John’s writing. For the next few weeks, we’ll dive into themes in the book of Revelation and explore how they align with the rest of Scripture.
Day 5: Retribution and Relief
Read 2 Thessalonians 1:6–10
God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
“Two wrongs don’t make a right,” my mother always reminded my brother and me whenever we shared our ideas of how to “get even” with someone who had hurt us. Our plan was severed quickly with the look that preceded the words. Mom was definitely a 70×7 woman (Matt 18:21-22). Forgiveness was her middle name, and she encouraged us to follow suit.
My mom endured many years of abuse from a very young age, yet she never set out to hurt anyone. She pledged to do unto others as you would have them do unto you – NOT as they did or had done to you. Mom taught us to be considerate of and take responsibility for our own actions. She trained us to think about how we would feel if the tables were turned and we were the recipient of our intended revenge.
This thought process is embedded in my soul. I did not grow up knowing the rest of the story. I just simply did what I was told. I thought how I was trained to think.
Today I am grateful for the rest of the story. God is my defender! He makes all things right!
Reflection: How does the certainty of ultimate divine judgment free you from seeking personal revenge against those who wrong you?
