Forbidding us to Speak. 1st Thessalonians 2:16 When Paul said that God had sent him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, it provoked the Jews in Jerusalem to fury. Judaism was recognized as a legal religion in the Roman Empire, and the Romans considered Christianity to be a sect of Judaism. Orthodox Jews feared that their political and religious positions would weaken if people believed that Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for. If He didn’t come in the way they expected or do what they wanted, they feared repercussions from the Roman rulers. They wanted control, authority, and victory over Rome. In the view of religious Jews, they held a special status with God and opposed the idea that Gentiles and Jews could be equals in God's eyes, much less within a Christian assembly of believers.
In those days, people were not allowed to speak the truth of the Gospel in many places so others could be saved. The same is true today. Some things we cannot change, but there are usually ways to adapt and stay faithful to the Lord and His word. Often, it is during times of persecution that the Gospel thrives best. We need to remember that God is "longsuffering, not willing that any should perish."
God allowed persecution to continue because He is patient. Paul was an example of this. However, when those who persecute believers reach a certain point, “The measure of their sins” is full. Opposition to God’s followers and His work has an end. Resistance by nations, groups, or individuals will be halted and God's judgment will come.
When God's wrath falls on sinful humanity, there will be no escape from the consequences of sin. A judgment came upon the Jews and Jerusalem within a generation after the people declared, “His blood be on us and on our children.” Jerusalem was destroyed, and millions of Jews have died since then. From Roman aggression to Nazi and Muslim persecution, Jews have suffered and perished. More suffering is still ahead, though Israel’s identity will remain.
In a short phrase from the Old Testament, Paul discusses sins being full. God's righteous wrath will be poured out when His patience with mankind’s evil is exhausted. He loves “to the uttermost,” but His wrath extends just as far. There is no compromise or inconsistent justice in what God executes. Unlike the deceitful kind of "justice" a corrupt judge might deliver, the true justice from a loving and righteous God is clear. Religious people killed the Master, and the servant should not expect different treatment from his Master.
The word of God might not be fulfilled exactly when or how we expect, but we can be sure of one thing—what God promises will come true. There will be fair judgment for sin and blessings for those who trust in Him. Faith doesn’t mean there will be no suffering or persecution, but it does mean that what God has promised will happen.