"This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2 Thessalonians 1:5-8).
Notice Paul links God taking vengeance on those who afflict and do not obey the truth with bringing relief to those who are afflicted. Jesus did not return during Paul or the Thessalonians' lifetime, so the connection did not mean God stopped the affliction for the Thessalonians. What then brings the relief?
There is a comfort in knowing God, our Father, will take revenge on those who purposely harm his children. The Father and Jesus allowed the crucifixion for an eternal purpose, to save us from our sin. But vengeance awaits those who continue to reject the offer. The same is true for those who purposely inflict pain on us. God is offering his gift to them of salvation, grace and peace through us, but one day the offer will cease and retribution will be paid.
Those who treat us as powerless have no inkling of whom they are really dealing with.
