1Thessalonians 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, [even] Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

The Greek word for wrath is “orge”. The same word (orge) is used in John 3:36: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath (orge) of God abides on Him.” (NKJV)

I was in the Navy, it was war time, and I was not ready to meet God. I sensed I had the wrath of God hanging over me like an ominous cloud. A fellow sailor invited me to a Bible study where I heard the gospel for the first time. Crying out to God for mercy and opening my heart to Jesus brought peace and joy and I knew that God’s wrath was gone. Jesus delivers us from the wrath that will come on all who reject Him, and Christ’s resurrection assures us of His power to grant us deliverance from that wrath.

Therefore 1Thessalonians 1:10 simply reminds us that the Son from heaven whose return we now “wait for” is the One who had the power to rise from the dead and is able to free us from the wrath of God that will be poured out on all who refuse to submit to the Son. This wrath (orge) is referred to in Rev.6:16,17 as the WRATH OF THE LAMB, and in Rev.19:15 is called the WRATH OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

Colossians 3:6 states: “For which things' sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.” (NKJV) (not on the saints)

In Ephesians 2:3 we read: “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (what we used to be and deserve)

1Thessalonians 5:9 tells us: “For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” Believers are not appointed unto wrath (orge), but believers ARE APPOINTED unto tribulation (thlipsis) in whatever era we live.

When saved, we are delivered from the wrath (orge) of God that is prepared for those who reject His Son, but as believers here on earth we will suffer tribulation (thlipsis) at the hands of Satan.

Paul, in 1Thessalonians 3:3, tells us we are not be shaken by these afflictions (thlipsis-tribulations) knowing that we are appointed to this. (This is the hatred of Satan against the people of God from Abel till the present day). In v. 4 he says that before, when he was with them he told them they would suffer tribulation.

In Philippians 1:29 Paul tells us that it is given to us, not only to believe on Christ, but also to suffer with Him.” Jesus warned us: “They have hated me and they will hate you.” That is why Cain slew Abel and why a person who turns to Jesus must in many countries either flee or die.

So the wrath that is to come that Jesus delivers believers from is the wrath of God against unrepentant sinners who will not have this man (Jesus) to reign over them. Receiving Jesus delivers us from that coming wrath of God, but at the same time brings upon us the tribulation Satan pours out on the saints of all generations. However, Satan is limited and must get God’s permission before he can touch a saint, but nobody can limit God as He pours out His wrath on the unbeliever with the goal of gaining repentance unto eternal life. This wrath would have no purpose for the believer and therefore Christ raptures His Church to glory before the seven years of wrath begin.