The Thessalonians were under great distress from everyday living, but also the added trouble of persecution from Jews, the business community, and government (Acts 17). Paul reminded the believers what he’d taught earlier: Jesus is coming to repay His Church with glory for their suffering, and persecutors with His righteous judgment. Just as He’d come literally, bodily, and physically to be born in Bethlehem, He’ll return again literally, bodily, and physically.

I. The King and His Army (2 Thess 1:7-8). This amazing, unbelievable, glorious unveiling (apokalupsis, revelation) of Jesus, will be an open event the eyes of all living will behold. Jesus will come from Heaven with His mighty angels, a warrior King with His invading army (Jude 1:14-15). In His first coming, He was the Servant-King to redeem His people from their captivity to sin. In His Second Coming, He returns as a Conquering King to dispense justice upon those in rebellion and reward those in faith.

II. The Judge and His Vengeance (2 Thess 1:8-9). The Creator-King will judge those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel. To know about Jesus and know the gospel isn’t sufficient for salvation; one must believe upon Jesus and obey the gospel (Jn 6:28-29; Rom 1:5; 10:16; 1 Thess 4:5; 1 Pet 1:22).
Jesus with His angels will judge with flaming fire. Despite only 58% of American Christians believing in a literal Hell, Jesus spoke of it as a literal place of darkness and un-ending flame (Mt 5:22; 8:12; 13:42, 50; 18:8-9; 22:13; 24:41; 25:30; Mk 9:48; 2 Pet 2:4, 7" class="scriptRef">17; Rev 19:20; 20:10). The darkness of Hell is real, but also symbolizes separation from God, who is the light of the world and the light of life (Jn 1:5, 7; 8:12; 1 Jn 1:5). The fire of Hell is literal, but also symbolizes the worst kind of un-ending torture: separation from God’s gracious presence.
God’s punishment of the wicked will be everlasting destruction (Rev 14:10-11). The word everlasting denotes something without an end. It’s used in the Bible to describe God (Rom 16:26), salvation (Heb 9:12), and the resurrected bodies of believers (1 Cor 15:53). Destruction (olethros) means ruination, utter doom and hopelessness. It does not suggest annihilation as the 7th Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses teach, but the absolute hopelessness caused by separation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.
God is omnipresent (1 Ki 8:27; Ps 139:7-10; Jer 23:24; Jn 1:1-3; Col 1:17; Heb 4:13); Hell is separation from the favor of His presence. God is wholly good (Mk 10:18); beautiful (Ps 27:4), holy (1 Pet 1:16), gracious (Ps 86:15), merciful (Heb 2:17-18), and loving (1 Jn 4:16). To be separated from Him is to be abandoned to receive everything that is contrary to Him.

III. The Lord and His Glory (2 Thess 1:9-10). As physical beings, we think of punishment in physical and emotional terms. Punished (tisousin diken) means to settle up an owed debt. Christ’s judgment of the wicked is their deserved payment for a debt due (Ps 37:38; 145:20; Is 59:18; Rom 6:23; Heb 2:2-3). At His return, the wicked will not be given time to defend themselves, ask questions or offer answers. There will be no trials or hearings. Jesus will appear to sentence unbelievers in equality and justice (Rev 20:11-15).
Though future, His judgment also has a present aspect. Jesus said that one who doesn’t believe upon Him now is already condemned and believers not condemned (Jn 3:18, 36; 5:24; Rom 5:1; 8:1). By contrast, Jesus will be glorified in His saints.