In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians he concentrated on the timing of Jesus’ return - and that believers were not lost in some transporter buffer error - but would actually precede those that remain alive.
But no sooner had the postman delivered that letter and it was read - that some folks came in and provided detail that was totally mistaken about what would circumstances would be surround the coming of the Lord - and in fact they tried to say that Jesus had already come! Worse yet, they claimed Paul as the source of the intel!
That same controversy still exists today - among cults and even among academics in our society.
Paul deals with 1) The circumstances that must occur before the Lord returns, and then 2) when happens immediately upon Jesus’ return to the earth. There are also three parts to the expectation: 1. The unveiling of the Anti-Christ, 2. The rebellion, and 3, the removal of He that restrains (we’ll get to that).
This is great stuff - it adds a lot of detail to accounts found in other prophesies - including Daniel, and the Book of Revelation.
1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.
The Day of the Lord was a commonly known Old Testament reference to the time when God would return to vanquish His enemies. An example can be found in Isaiah 13:6-13.
There are two aspects to the Day of the Lord: judgment for sin, reward for the faithful. Apparently these false prophets were saying that Judgment Day had already taken place. They were then waiting for part two - relief from suffering and reward for faith. When it didn’t come they started worrying that they’d missed it - been left out of salvation.
You know - there is a lot of needless alarm surrounding the last days in the church too. One of the main reasons we don’t have to worry about it Paul gets to in verse 13 - so stay tuned.
3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
Two important events precede the Lord’s return.
1. The "rebellion" or Greek: apostasia where we get the word "apostasy". (See Matt 24:11-12, 24; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 4:3-4; 2 Peter 2:1-22, 3:3-6; Jude 17-18)
Matt 24:10-12 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
1 Tim 4:1-3 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods,
2 Tim 3:1-5 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them
2 Peter: Greed, "carouse in broad daylight", promise freedom but are slaves of depravity.
This rebellion will be free to occur once the church has been raptured away. Those that call themselves Christian will be able to freely interpret the Scriptures any way they want, and the last hold out for morality will be gone (we’ll get to more on that in verse 7 in a moment).
2. The "man of lawlessness" is a reference to the Anti-Christ.
Rev 13:5-8 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast-all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
Anti refers not to opposed to (though he is) but replacement - so he is putting himself up as the Messiah - as God. He is the second member of the unholy trinity of Satan (father), the Anti-Christ (son), and the false prophet (holy spirit).
1 John 2 says there are "many" anti-Christs - an indeed there has been at least one in probably every generation. Hitler, Stalin - the Pope in 1614 - and a man named Antiochus Epiphanes- who lived 200 years before Christ, all named as the Anti-Christ. But this guy will be empowered by Satan in such a way that has never been seen before and especially when accompanied by the False Prophet.
The Jews today say they are looking for two things: peace in Israel and prominence of their nation. The Anti-Christ will give them both. What he’ll do politically is create a peace treaty for the Middle East
Daniel 11-12 Give us a clear picture of the Anti-Christ.
Let me just give a sense of what he will do:
1. He typifies the rebellious attitude in the world ("man of lawlessness")
2. He has power for a time, but will not prevail ("doomed to destruction")
3. He will use his power to stop worship of God
He will rise to power by promising peace, but after 3 ½ years he will break the treaty - persecuting the Jews to near extinction (Daniel 9:27).
4. He will declare himself to be God, and set up what’s called the "Abomination of Desolation" (Daniel 8:13, Matt 24:15, Mark 13:14) - which is he will set up himself as God in the rebuilt Jewish Temple.
5. A period of war and persecution will arise as never seen before until Jesus comes back, sets His feet on the Mt of Olives, and destroys him and his followers with a word (Zech 14:4, and here in verse 8).
The question is, of course - WHEN! There is an incredible hint here in verse 7.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
Is it possible that "he" of verse 7 is the Holy Spirit living in the church and that being "taken out of the way" means that when the Rapture occurs God’s Spirit will no longer be present literally on the earth in the church?
There is nothing definitive in Scripture but I believe it so for the following reasons:
1. God said that His Spirit will not always strive with man (Gen 6:3)
2. The giving of the Holy Spirit brought about the church age (Acts 1:5, 2)
3. The Spirit, working through Christians has a huge restraining force on evil in this world (seen even in this last national election in the U.S. where the unseen Christian forces swung the election for George W. Bush and passed restraining laws against homosexuality in 11 states)
4. The Rapture will immediately precede the Great Tribulation (the 7 years of the Anti-Christ’s reign - so with the church gone, "He that restrains" will the snatched out of the way.
More now on the Anti-Christ:
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
The Anti-Christ will perform miracles - including supposed resurrection (Rev 13)
He will be a master persuader - "evil that deceives"
He will do it by keying in on man’s normal sinful nature and opposition to God
God will help those who want to turn away (see "The God Enhanced Heart, Romans 9:1-33 2003-006)
In the end God will give everyone what they want - if they "refuse to love the truth" then He will let them "believe the lie."
Remember: God desires that all men be saved (1 Timothy 2:4) - but to do that we must come to a "knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy). You can’t just decide to go your own way when you die - you have two destinations possible - one is through Jesus Christ, the other isn’t.
Also remember that God is just and fair - everyone will get what they deserve. (Revelation 16:5) and what they want. "Delighted in sin" means to be happy when they sin - sin being anything that is against the character of God.
So should we worry?
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
This is why worrying about the last days is fruitless. Whenever Jesus comes back - if you have given your heart to Him, you don’t need to fret. God chose you to be saved - so when He comes you’ll be on His side.
Notice the dual nature of the work that God does in this salvation - it’s the sanctifying work of the Spirit (setting you apart for God by the work of the Spirit - transforming you into God’s image) and your believing what God said - the truth (of the gospel). So God is the agent, the one who does it all - but there are two secondary agents working together - the Holy Spirit, and you!
14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
Verse 15 - lends credence to the letters of the New Testament that Paul and the Lord meant them to be followed, not just considered.
"stand firm" don’t let anyone try to convince you of a "secret" coming of the Lord.
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
I love this benediction - not just for the context of worrying about the end times - but just in general. God has given us "eternal encouragement" - its not like Islam, where believers have to wait until they die to see if God will accept them into heaven - we know right now that if we receive Jesus Christ as Lord that we’re going there!
For more Bible studies and an audio copy of this message, please visit:
www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org.
