“I Know Who Holds The Future”
TEXT: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
INTRODUCTION: We continue in our study of II Thessalonians.
Paul had already written the Christians at Thessalonica a letter (1 Thessalonians) and explained the Rapture to them (4:13-18).
Like most Christians (even today), they didn’t understand it all.
To make matters worse, they had received a forged letter (2:2) that told them they had missed the Rapture and were in the Tribulation Period.
Paul wrote in his 1st letter telling them that they wouldn’t have to go through the Tribulation Period – 1:10, 5:9.
They were really confused. Paul now writes this 2nd letter to help clear up this controversy.
2:1-2
Paul is giving them God’s timetable for prophetic events … without setting dates.
Be careful when someone sets dates for the Rapture … Jesus warned us about setting dates.
Mt. 24:36 – “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
24:42 – “Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”
After the Rapture takes place, certain other events will take place. Paul outlines these events.
2:3
“that day” –the “day of the Lord” (2:2) begins at the Rapture.
This is what Paul is talking about here … “falling away” … i.e., the ‘departure’ of the church.
This is the GK. word APOSTASIA, which means ‘a divorce’ … usually meant as a falling away from the faith.
They don’t have to worry that they are in the Tribulation Period, because the Rapture hasn’t taken place yet.
WHEN the Rapture takes place the “man of sin will be revealed, the son of perdition”. This is the Anti-Christ … tho Paul doesn’t use that term.
John is the only one to use the term “Anti-Christ” (1 John 2:18, 2:22, 4:3, 2 John 7). “Anti” is used because he is AGAINST Christ, and desires to be worshipped INSTEAD OF Christ.
“perdition” = ‘destruction’ … “son of perdition” is a name given to a follower of Satan (used of Judas in John 17:12).
SO … after the Rapture takes place, the Anti-Christ will be revealed to the world.
If the Rapture is SOON, the Anti-Christ is here now … and he will become prominent right after the Rapture … and be revealed as the “Anti-Christ” in the middle of the Tribulation Period. He will cause the world to worship Satan … which is what Satan has wanted from the beginning (Isaiah 14:14).
The Anti-Christ will, at first, usher in a world-wide peace as a master politician – 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3
2:4 - He will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and will in the middle of the Tribulation Period, take over the temple and demand to be worshipped as God.
2:5 - This is the “abomination of desolation” mentioned by Jesus in Mt. 24:15 … and Daniel 9:27
He will organize a world-wide religious church that will worship Satan by worshipping him.
He will perform miracles, imitating Christ’s ministry on earth … the “Anti”-Christ … and multitudes will follow him.
When the Anti-Christ comes out of the closet, he will bring great tribulation on the earth.
He will persecute the Jews, breaking his 3 ½ year peace covenant with them.
He will control the world’s economic system, so that none can buy or sell without the “mark of the beast” (Rev. 13:16-17).
The SEALS, TRUMPETS and BOWLS of God’s judgment will be poured out upon the earth during the last 3 ½ years … the GREAT TRIBULATION (The book of Revelation) … war, famine, death, hail & fire, killer locusts, sores, sea turning to blood, intense heat from the sun, darkness, etc.
2:6 – “withholdeth” = ‘restraining’
The “Restrainer” is the Holy Spirit, Who will be “taken out of the way” when the church is raptured.
2:7
As Christians, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
The INFLUENCE of the Holy Spirit (the Church) will be gone.
Do you realize that YOU are a part of restraining evil in our day?
That is part of our ministry, as long as we are here … to be used of God to be a Godly influence on the world around us.
It is only because of Christians that the lost can ever receive the true Word of God that leads to salvation.
2:8 – “And then” … i.e., when the Church is raptured … the Anti-Christ will come forth in political power to rule as a world leader.
BUT … NOTICE his END … which will occur at the REVELATION, 7 years after the Rapture.
NOTICE … Who is in charge here? GOD is!
This is God’s timetable … God is in charge … God is sovereign … He rules!
Satan can’t change a thing … he is ruled by God’s program of prophecy.
2:9 – The Anti-Christ will be empowered by Satan himself.
“power” to perform miracles (“signs”) … an imitation of Christ … like raising the dead – Revelation 13:11-15
Satan’s earthly leaders have performed miracles for centuries … Pharaoh’s sorcerers did it in the time of Moses (Ex. 7-8) … Judas performed miracles along with the other disciples (Mark 6:13) – Mt. 7:21-23
“lying” – Satan is a liar and the “father of lies” (John 8:44).
2:10 - The Anti-Christ will perform miracles to persuade people to believe Satan’s lies.
Instead of receiving “the love of the truth”, they will receive “the mark of the beast”.
Once they do this, their eternity is sealed, and they will not be saved … because they have rejected the “truth”
People today would rather believe a LIE, than they would the TRUTH.
That’s why GOSSIP is so popular.
REMEMBER the jockey who was accused of using an electronic device to win the Kentucky Derby?
Everybody was too eager to receive a lie … it’s so appealing … and not as glamorous as the “truth”.
The TRUTH is … there is no hope without Jesus.
YET … even some “Christians” still believe that God wouldn’t let the lost spend eternity in Hell … just because they do not trust Jesus as their Savior.
2:11 – “the lie” … that they don’t need God … that they can get to Heaven on their own.
This is PRIDE … the same “lie” that Satan used in the Garden of Eden.
Gen. 3:4-5 – “Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You shall not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’.”
PRIDE … you can do whatever you want … you control your own destiny … you don’t need God.
That’s what caused Lucifer to fall … PRIDE (Isa. 14:12-15, Ezek. 28:11-18)
This brings up the question … WILL ANY BE SAVED DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD?
YES … but those who missed the Rapture will not have a 2nd chance … they WILL believe the lie.
If they didn’t believe the “truth” when the Holy Spirit was here … they will not believe the “truth” when He is taken out with the Church.
The Bible does say that some will be saved during the Tribulation Period.
The Holy Spirit will come upon them, as in Old Testament times … to save them and redeem them by His grace.
144,000 Jews (virgins, by the way) … (Rev. 7:4-8, 14:1-5) … they will be sent to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom.
There will be a special angel sent to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to every person on earth … to those who have never heard before (Rev. 14:6-7) – Mt. 24:4-14
There will be a price to pay for salvation .. it will cost them their lives.
Those not martyred by the Anti-Christ will be allowed to enter the Millennial Kingdom (mostly Jews, because the Millennium is for the Jews)
The Gospel of the Kingdom will be given to the Jews, tho some Gentiles will also be saved.
2:12 – Judgment is coming for those who have “pleasure in unrighteousness”.
Doesn’t this describe many TODAY?
They find PLEASURE in unrighteousness … they are COMFORTABLE there.
BUT … one day, they will be JUDGED … and their PLEASURE and COMFORT will end!
CONCLUSION:
Paul is giving us a call to present the Gospel to a lost and dying world.
If we would only realize the awful conditions after the Rapture, our witnessing would take on a new zeal … wouldn’t it?
