Deeper Reflection
AT CHRIST’S SECOND COMING, THOSE WHO REJECTED GOD will be eternally “away from the glory of His might” (v.9) as God’s judgment on them. In contrast, for believers, the Lord “comes on that day to be glorified in His saints” (v.10). This eschatological glory of the Lord will be manifested in two ways.In the exaltation of the Lord: On this eschatological manifestation of God’s glory, Paul has Isaiah 2 as the background.¹⁵ The Lord of history and the nations allows human pride to prevail on earth – “filled with silver and gold…filled with horses and chariots” with “no end”, and worshipping “the work of their hands” (Isa 2:7-8). This prevailing human arrogance will not cease until the day of the Lord. It is only “on that day” that “the loftiness of man will be humbled” and “the Lord alone” – no one else and nothing else – “will be exalted” (Isa 2:11, 17). But God’s glory is still present on earth now (Isa 6:3), albeit its overt full manifestation will be “on that day”.The Lord “comes on that day to be glorified in His saints” (v.10) – that is, in the transformation of our lives. The Lord being “glorified in” us is similar to “the Father may be glorified in the Son” (Jn 14:13). God’s glory is present in us as He transforms our lives: “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor 3:18). God is glorified not only by praising Him with our lips, but more so in our lives that reflect His character in all we think and do.

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¹⁵ G. K. Beale, 190