1 “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 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.”
Is the time ripe for Jesus’ return? Prophetic teaching, sermons, and articles are increasing tremendously since Russia’s threat of nuclear weapons against Ukraine. Even President Biden acknowledges the future damage could be at Armageddon proportions. TV ministers are citing the natural earthquakes, floodings, and draught, unrest in the Middle East to be the signs of the imminent end times.
If you have been a believer in Christ, you are aware that the second coming of Jesus Christ is an exciting and profound hope when God shows His mighty display of power and glory and dramatically overcomes Satan and the forces of evil. Yet, there is probably nothing that divides the church into more factions than the various interpretations of the events of the second coming. Satan would have us do that.
I personally agree with what Harold Ockenga wrote in his commentary. "For me, a premillennialist and one brought up in the dispensational school, it has been difficult to refrain from reading into this what I have been taught about the 70th week of Daniel, the distinction between the coming for the saints and the appearance or the revelation in judgment, the two resurrections, the day of Christ, and the day of the Lord, etc. Close scrutiny will find, however, that these things simply are not here in these epistles. We must let the epistles speak for themselves."
When the Apostle Paul was with the Thessalonians, he spoke about the second coming of Jesus Christ. He taught them about the rapture of the church (the catching up of all believers at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ). However, as time moved on, death began to take some of them; they wondered if those believers would miss out on the rapture. Hence, he wrote them further instructions in 1 Thessalonians. but other problems and questions arose. He wanted to encourage them amidst their persecutions, and give further truths as well as warnings of some elements of false teaching associated with Christ's return.
We will look at some of these warnings this week.
Application: Meditate on God’s Word. 2 Thes. 2:1-12. Ask God to remove any preconceived ideas You may have about these verses so that you are able to hear the Holy Spirit as your resident teacher.
Prayer: Lord God, I pray that You might use this for encouragement and thought as we seek together to serve Jesus until He returns. All this only by God’s Grace.
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