The Day of the Lord is a Day of Mercy
“Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10b NIV)
The day of the Lord will be a mixed day. It will be a day with canyons of difference in experience
for the righteous and the unrighteous. For those who are against the Lord and his anointed, it
will be a day that begins an eternal sentence of punishment (Matthew 25:46). For those who are
counted among the righteous the day of the Lord is one where the mercy of God is upheld. Do
we consider the day of the coming of the Lord as a day of mercy? Albert Barnes
As I was reading this passage in 1 Thessalonians I wondered what notes Albert Barnes had on the passage. Albert Barnes was a Presbyterian theologian and pastor during the 19th century. Barnes was a prolific expositor, writer, and commentator. Here are some of his notes on
1Thessalonians 1:10
This is one of the instances which demonstrate that the doctrine that the Lord Jesus will
return to our world, is fitted when understood in the true sense revealed in the
Scriptures, to exert a powerful influence on the souls of men. It is eminently adapted to
comfort the hearts of true Christians in the sorrows, bereavements, and sicknesses of
life, Joh 14:1-3; Ac 1:11; 1 Th 4:13-18; 2 Pe 3:8,9; to lead us to watchfulness, and to an
earnest inquiry into the question of whether we are prepared to meet him, Mt 24:37-44;
25:13; to make us dead to the world, and to lead us to act as becomes the children of
light, 1 Th 5:5-9; to awaken and arouse impenitent and careless sinners, 1 Th 5:2,3; 2
Pe 3:3-7; and to excite Christians to self-denying efforts to spread the gospel in distant
lands, as was the case at Thessalonica. Every doctrine of the gospel is adapted to
produce some happy practical effects on mankind, but there are few that are more full of
elevated and holy influences than that which teaches that the Lord Jesus will return to
the earth, and which leads the soul to wait for his appearing.
The Promise Of Christ’s Return
What a lengthy, but also hopeful sentence! Barnes notes the following 7 manners in which the hope of the return of the Lord Jesus is a wonderfully good thing: Christ’s promised return is a…
Comfort to true Christians amid life’s valleys.
Reminder to live our lives on the watch for the Lord’s return.
Cause to reflect on the state of our soul and whether we are prepared to meet the Lord.
Motivation to cast off all affection for the things of sin.
Inspiration to follow the call to holy living.
Alert to the otherwise spiritually dead.
Passionate exhortation to expand gospel-sharing work.
What a day of mercy the day of the Lord shall be for all of God’s people! A day when mercy abounds, death is put down, and the people of God shall never again dwell apart from the everlasting glorious presence of God.
The Thessalonian church had experienced violence due to their faith in Christ (Acts 17:5). In writing to these dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Apostle Paul and the team of Silvanus and Timothy, saw the coming day of the Lord Jesus as a source of encouragement and hope. If Christ’s return only brought the wrath of God, then all mankind should be terrified. But because Christ’s return brings salvation to those who belong to Christ, the day of Christ’s return is a day to long for, look for, and live for.
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