Topical Bible: The Power of Christ: The Wicked Shall be Destroyed By

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The theme of Christ's power to destroy the wicked is a significant aspect of biblical eschatology and soteriology. Throughout Scripture, the power of Christ is depicted as both a force of salvation for the righteous and a means of judgment and destruction for the wicked. This dual role underscores the comprehensive authority of Christ over all creation.

Old Testament Foundations

The Old Testament lays the groundwork for understanding the power of God to judge the wicked, a theme that is fully realized in the person and work of Christ. In the Psalms, we see a recurring motif of God as a righteous judge who will not let the wicked go unpunished. Psalm 37:20 states, "But the wicked and enemies of the LORD will perish like the glory of the fields. They will vanish; like smoke they will fade away." This imagery of destruction is echoed throughout the prophetic literature, where the Day of the Lord is depicted as a time of divine retribution against the wicked (Isaiah 13:9, Joel 2:1-11).

Christ's Authority in the Gospels

In the New Testament, the Gospels present Jesus Christ as the ultimate judge who possesses the authority to execute judgment. In Matthew 13:41-42 , Jesus explains, "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." This passage highlights Christ's role in separating the righteous from the wicked and His power to consign the latter to destruction.

Apostolic Teachings

The apostolic writings further affirm Christ's power to destroy the wicked. In 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 , Paul writes, "And to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in blazing fire. He will inflict vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might." This passage emphasizes the certainty and severity of the judgment that awaits those who reject the gospel.

The Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation provides a vivid portrayal of Christ's power to destroy the wicked at the end of the age. Revelation 19:11-16 describes Christ as a warrior king who judges and wages war in righteousness. "He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty" (Revelation 19:15), signifying the complete and final destruction of the wicked. The imagery of the winepress is a powerful symbol of divine judgment, illustrating the thoroughness with which Christ will execute justice.

Theological Implications

The power of Christ to destroy the wicked is not merely punitive but serves to uphold divine justice and holiness. It is a demonstration of God's commitment to eradicate sin and restore creation to its intended order. This aspect of Christ's power is a sobering reminder of the seriousness of sin and the necessity of repentance and faith in Him for salvation. The destruction of the wicked is ultimately an act of divine love, ensuring that evil will not have the final word in God's creation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 2:9
You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 11:4
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 63:3
I have trodden the wine press alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in my anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled on my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Thessalonians 1:9
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of Christ Descending from Heaven to the General Judgment, and of ...
... shall be opened in a tempest, [1605] and Christ shall descend with great power,
and there ... angels, and all that multitude of the wicked shall be destroyed ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap lxxii of christ descending from.htm

Of the Advent of Christ to Judgment, and of the Overcoming of the ...
... and King, and God, whom we call Christ, who before ... before Him an unquenchable fire,
and the power of the ... all his forces being destroyed, the wicked one shall ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xix of the advent of.htm

Christ's Work of Destruction and Deliverance. Rev. John H. James.
... the prince of the power of the air, that wicked one that ... and effect of death, when
in the power of the ... has been defeated and reversed by the death of Christ. ...
/.../the wesleyan methodist pulpit in malvern/christs work of destruction and.htm

Moreover, --To Touch Briefly Some of the More Recondite Topics ...
... that bond then every man was held by those most wicked rulers, which same bond Christ,
when He came, tore down and stripped them of this their power. ...
/.../15 moreoverto touch briefly some.htm

Desolation of the Earth.
... has received God's people, and he would have held them captive forever, but Christ
has broken ... Even the wicked are now placed beyond the power of Satan ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /41 desolation of the earth.htm

Whether Christ's Resurrection is the Cause of the Resurrection of ...
... of Man" (Jn.5:27); the efficient power of His Resurrection extends to the good and
wicked alike, who ... But just as the Resurrection of Christ's body, through ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether christs resurrection is the.htm

From the Twentieth Chapter.
... of believers, began to take possession of the wicked, in whose ... them the second death
shall have no power, but they shall be priests of God and Christ, and they ...
/.../commentary on the apocolypse of the blessed john/from the twentieth chapter.htm

Desolation of the Earth
... has been in progress; the Son of God and His heavenly messengers have been in conflict
with the power of the ... At the coming of Christ the wicked are blotted ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 41 desolation of the.htm

The Return of Christ to the Earth Itself.
... of His lips shall He slay the wicked." It marks ... the Roman Empire, and stood for restless
power, rigid rule ... will be the fitting emblem of Christ's government in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/7 the return of christ.htm

"It is Finished"
... never shalt thou be any more." Then "the wicked shall not be ... This is not an act of
arbitrary power on the ... is "alienated from the life of God." Christ says, "All ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 79 it is finished.htm