Our brothers in ancient Thessalonica, when new in the truth, suffered tribulations similar to those experienced by many of Jehovah’s Witnesses today. Hence, the apostle Paul’s words to them are very meaningful for us. He wrote: “It is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you, but, to you who suffer tribulation, relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels

(2 Thessalonians 1:6-8)

4. Why do the clergy merit the judgment that will be executed at Jesus’ revelation?

⁴ In Paul’s time much of the tribulation was caused by the Jewish religious leaders. Similarly today, opposition to the peace-loving Witnesses of Jehovah has often been instigated by those who claim to represent God, in particular the clergy of Christendom. These pretend to know God, but they reject the “one Jehovah” of the Bible, replacing him with a mystic Trinity. (Mark 12:29) They do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus, looking to man-rule for relief and rejecting the good news of Christ’s incoming Kingdom of righteousness. All these religious opposers must perish at the time of “the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven”!