Those who do not know God . . . will be . . . shut out from the presence of the Lord . . . on the day he comes to be . . . marveled at among all those who have believed. (2 Thess. 1:8–10)
Expanded Passage: 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10
My husband was a caver when we lived in Eastern Europe. The country was full of caves, and he wanted to explore them all. To enter these caves, he needed a harness and ropes to descend into the depths. He also needed a special, high-powered headlamp to illuminate the pitch black. On one trip, my husband and his friends descended nearly 1,000 feet underground and stayed there for more than forty-eight hours. They relied on their equipment and each other for safety—they had no contact with world above. What an amazing feeling it must have been to ascend at the end of two days below ground and feel the sun shining again!
Paul contrasted those who know God and those who do not. By describing what eternal separation from God looks like, Paul provided a not-so-subtle motivation for the church to keep holding on to a life of faith—to keep believing and obeying Jesus.
Cavers will either be engulfed in the complete darkness of a cave or they will reemerge into the light of day. Believers will either be shut out from the presence of the Lord or they will marvel at him in his glory. Paul put the choice in front of the church—and in front of us. We can reject him when it feels too hard, or we can hold fast to our faith in Jesus.
Marvel at how the Lord has been good to you.
Kristina Carter uses her passion for writing on the Global Partners Communication Team to equip people in the mission to share the gospel with the unreached.
© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
