Sometimes, we have to go to God’s Word to see if what others have written is what God has said. This daily devotional looks at the role fire plays in Jesus’ second coming.
Nuggets
- We need to live the way God calls us to live – even through the trials – in preparation for Jesus’ second coming.
- God will fight for us.
- Disciples are promised rest and will receive it in Heaven.
- God appeared in the fire on numerous occasions and will use it to punish those who have not ABCDed.
When I was doing the research for a previous devotion, I came across this phrase that Jesus was going to come back in fire. I didn’t remember hearing that before, so I wanted to look into it.
I googled and came up with these verses. The sermons I pull brought up so many verses. I really wanted to look at them, so I am going to pull them in without many of my own words.
I usually am hesitant to go down these paths. I see the phrase. I want to know more about the phrase. I am so afraid that is one person’s take.
Hopefully, we can figure out the fire by the end. If not, hopefully, something else will have spoken to us along the way.
Doing Things Right
“It is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering” (II Thess. 1: 5 CSB)
We need to live the way God calls us to live – even through the trials – in preparation for Jesus’ second coming.
- “Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself” (Phil. 1: 28 NLT).
- “Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need” (Heb. 4: 16 CSB).
- “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’” (Mt. 25: 34 CSB)
- “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8: 18 CSB).
- “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2: 10 ESV).
- “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God” (Mt. 3: 8 NLT).
- “Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man” (Lk. 21: 36 NLT)
- “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mt. 6: 33 KJV).
- “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (Jas. 1: 12 ESV).
- “Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?’” (Mk. 10: 38 ESV).
- “There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing” (II Tim. 4: 8 CSB).
Resource
Those Against Us
“since it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you” (II Thess. 1: 6 CSB)
God will fight for us.
- “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you” (Ps. 5: 4 ESV).
- “The Rock — his work is perfect; all his ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true” (Deut. 32: 4 CSB).
- “He will repay each one according to his works” (Rom. 2: 6 CSB).
- “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Heb. 6: 10 NIV).
- “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” (Jn. 3: 19 ESV).
- “Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us” (Heb. 10: 29 NLT).
- “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom. 1: 18 ESV).
- “Then people will say, ‘Yes, there is a reward for the righteous! There is a God who judges on earth!’” (Ps, 58: 11 CSB)
- “But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Rom. 2: 5 NLT).
- “They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity” (Eph. 4: 19 ESV)
- “So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas” (Ps. 81: 12 NLT).
- “For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds. The upright will see his face” (Ps. 11: 7 CSB).
- “There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (Rom. 2: 9 NIV).
Resource
Rest in Him
“and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels” (II Thess. 1: 7 CSB)
Disciples are promised rest and will receive it in Heaven.
- “Let us, then, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience” (Heb. 4: 11 CSB).
- “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God” (Heb. 4: 9 NIV).
- “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Rom. 13: 11 NLT).
- “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11: 28 ESV).
- “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are” (Rom. 3: 22 NLT).
- “So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world” (I Pet. 1: 13 NLT).
- “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Ti. 2: 13 ESV).
- “Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets” (Ac. 3: 21 NIV).
- “Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed’” (Lk. 17: 20 NIV).
- “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (I Jn. 3: 2 ESV).
- “For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed” (Rom. 8: 19 CSB).
- “Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word” (Ps. 103: 20 NIV).
- “Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority” (I Pet. 3: 22 NLT).
- “And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Mt. 24: 31 ESV).
Resource
Flaming Vengeance
“when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (II Thess. 1: 8 CSB)
God appeared in the fire on numerous occasions and will use it to punish those who have not ABCDed.
- “These are the commandments the LORD proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me” (Deut. 5: 22 NIV).
- “Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest” (Ps. 50: 3: ESV).
- “And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt. 13: 42 NIV).
- “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives” (II Pet. 3: 10-11 NIV).
- “All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)” (Rom. 2: 12-15 NIV).
- “Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good” (Ti. 1: 16 NLT).
- “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (I Pet. 4: 17 ESV).
- “But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved” (Heb. 10: 39 CSB).
Resource
Making the Connections
“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mk. 16: 16 CSB)
Okay. So, we know God has appeared in the fire before. We know that those who haven’t ABCDed will end up in the fire.
(And why didn’t they pull out Revelation 20: 15? “And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20: 15 CSB).)
So, I think it isn’t that Jesus is going to come back in the fire but with the fire.
How Do We Apply This?
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
Father God. We need You in our lives now. We need You as our loving Father. We need You as Sovereign God. Amen.
What do you think?
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