Names of Jesus: Deliverer

in 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul writes a letter to the church at Thessalonica. Paul has a beautiful way of identifying Jesus Christ in the greetings of his letters to various churches. It is important to never take these introductions for granted and miss an incredible lesson about who Jesus is. In 1 Thessalonians Paul opens his letter by describing Jesus as the one “who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 NKJV) Jesus is our deliverer.

What is the wrath of God?

⁹ For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰ and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 NKJV

As our Deliverer, Jesus draws those who believe in Him to Himself to rescue them from the wrath of God. God’s wrath is His response to sin and disobedience, and those who resist the gospel. God’s wrath is a punishment for the wicked, those who relish their sin and atheism and are hostile toward God.

• deliver – G4506 – rhyomai
  • to draw to one’s self, to rescue, to deliver

• wrath – G3709 – orgē
  • that in God which stands opposed to man’s disobedience, obduracy (especially in resisting the gospel) and sin, and manifests itself in punishing the same
  • vessels into which wrath will be poured (at the last day)
    • the day on which the wrath of God will be made manifest in the punishment of the wicked

• to come – G2064 – erchomai
  • to come, future 

⁹ Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
But establish the just;
For the righteous God tests the hearts and ^[a]minds.
^10 [b]My defense is of God,
Who saves the upright in heart.

¹¹ God is a just judge,
And God is angry with the wicked every day.

Psalm 7:9-11 NKJV

God is a jealous God. As our Creator, He has made each and every one of us and has given us all that we have. All that we have and all that we are is for His purposes and glory. When we do not do what God has planned for us, and we go our own way rather than God’s way we become enemies of God. Disobedience to God and failing to give Him glory is to live in sin and be His adversaries instead of His children.

² God is jealous, and the Lord avenges;
The Lord avenges and is furious.
The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries,
And He reserves wrath for His enemies;

Nahum 1:2 NKJV

God is very clear that those who choose to live in conflict with Him will receive His wrath. He will repay evil just as He promises, and will always be just in His judgment. His holiness requires justice for sin, and His wrath is the due punishment for all disobedience and hostility to His will and commands.

³⁰ For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

Hebrews 10:30 ESV

¹⁷ For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Revelation 6:17 NKJV

He is also very clear that He makes Himself known to all of His creation, so there is not a single person with an excuse for remaining in their sin and ignorance and failing to believe in Jesus and obey the Lord. He makes Himself known and draws all of us to Himself, and sent His One and Only Son to die the death we deserve in order to deliver us from His wrath. He does not want any of us to perish under His wrath but wants us to be delivered and live in unity with Him. When we choose not to obey God, we choose to receive His wrath rather than His mercy.

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who ^[a]suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because what may be known of God is ^[b]manifest ^[c]in them, for God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and ^[d]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1:18-21 NKJV

Jesus delivers us from evil

As our Deliverer, Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come. While in this life, though, there is evil all around us that Jesus has the power to deliver us from as well. When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Deliverer, we receive His Spirit and are able to fight against the evil of this world, as well as the evil spiritual forces wreaking havoc in unseen places.

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV

² So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our^[a] Father ^[b]in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
^[c]Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
³ Give us day by day our daily bread.
⁴ And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
^[d]But deliver us from the evil one.”

Luke 11:2-4 NKJV

By our faith in Jesus, we can escape the clutches of the devil and his evil schemes, and resist sin and temptation in our lives. We are able to flee from evil and cling to God and His goodness. Without faith in Christ, we would still be enslaved to this sin and wickedness, unable to resist it. With Jesus, His power over sin and death sets us free and delivers us from the fate of those enslaved to their sin.

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 ESV

¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,^[a] you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Romans 6:16 ESV

Jesus delivers us for eternity

As we trust in Jesus for our deliverance, He strengthens us against the schemes of the devil in this life, and also delivers us from an eternal separation from God and all that is good. Faith in Christ as our deliverer gives us the strength to persevere through the trials of life, and the confidence to stand before God on the Day of Judgment with Jesus as our Advocate. On that day, those who have obeyed God and trusted in Christ as their Savior will be delivered from God’s eternal wrath, which is the fiery pits of Hell.

³⁶ He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John 3:36 NKJV

Those who have faith in Jesus have their names written in the Book of Life, and their sins will be forgiven because of the precious blood of Jesus that was spilled for their sake, and accepted by them as their personal sacrifice. Faith in Christ delivers you from the fate of Hell and into an eternity with God and His eternal glory. Eternity with God will not be tainted by sin, pain, shame, guilt, or tears. We will spend eternity in Heaven, and because of our faith in Jesus Christ as our Deliverer, we will not suffer the eternal wrath of God we deserve.

³² There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. ³³ And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. ^34 [a]Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Luke 23:32-34 NKJV

Jesus died on the cross so that all who believe in Him would be forgiven and delivered from the punishment for sin. As He died, He prayed for God to forgive those who mocked, beat, and sent Him to die. The people disobeyed God, denied Christ, and remained unrepentant in their sins. They ridiculed Jesus as though He was powerless to save Himself while He allowed Himself to be sacrificed for the deliverance of all of mankind.

⁴¹ Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the ^[a]scribes and elders, said, ⁴² “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. ^[b]If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe ^[c]Him. ⁴³ He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

Matthew 27:41-43 NKJV

What does it mean to flee from the wrath to come?

During Jesus’ ministry, He gave many warnings. One warning He gave is to flee from the wrath to come, calling the hypocritical and blasphemous Pharisees a “brood of vipers”. He goes on to explain that there should be “fruits worthy of repentance”. To flee from the wrath to come, which is burning for eternity away from God and all goodness, we must place our faith in Jesus as the Deliverer and bear fruits of our faith.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,

Matthew 3:7-8 NKJV

True faith requires repentance, which is to agree with God about your sin and turn away from it to follow Jesus. To bear the fruits of repentance means that you must completely turn from your sin and live in obedience to the Lord. By living according to the will of God, and abiding in Him, we will produce evidence of our faith and repentance throughout our lives. As we produce these fruits we are growing in faith, and in our likeness of the Lord, becoming more like Him in preparation for the day of Judgment.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1 ESV

⁷ “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
    and whose sins are covered;
⁸ blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Romans 4:7-8 ESV

²¹ And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’

Acts 2:21 NKJV

⁵ But in accordance with your hardness and your ^[a]impenitent heart you are ^[b]treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶ who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: ⁷ eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; ⁸ but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, ⁹ tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the ^[c]Greek; ¹⁰ but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 2:5-10 NKJV

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