50 Days to Understanding the End-Times More Accurately - Day 11 - 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
DAY 11 - 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
It may appear at first that many things which the Bible says elsewhere should prevent yesterday’s conclusion from being accurate by contradicting it. If what I have shared thus far is Biblically inaccurate, then I agree, the Bible must disagree with it. However, once the blinders of the pretribulational presupposition are removed, this may not be the case.
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4)
Here we see that Paul is speaking to believers about “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” and “our gathering together unto him”.
He also warns them not to believe “that the day of Christ is at hand”.
I believe that the “day of Christ” is synonymous with the “Day of the Lord”, since Christ is Lord.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)
“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:11)
Paul’s message is given to help these believers understand that they were not in the “Day of the Lord”, which was their concern that lead them to believe that they missed the rapture. He then tells them “that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed”.
Before the coming of the Lord and our gathering together unto Him, and before the “Day of the Lord”, two things must happen.
First, there will be a falling away. I believe that this means many people will reject Christianity, and “fall away” from the faith.
The second prerequisite is that the “man of sin be revealed”.
The name “man of sin” is another title for the Antichrist. Before Jesus returns for believers and the “Day of the Lord” can start, the Antichrist must be revealed.
In regard to the revealing of the Antichrist, pretribulationists will claim that the confirming of a covenant with many that Daniel speaks of is the event that reveals the identity of the Antichrist.
I do not find this to be accurate.
Even if it was, it contradicts their belief.
If the Lord will return for believers before the “Seventieth Week of Daniel” (their “The Tribulation”), how could He not return until after the week began?
He cannot rapture them prior to the week beginning if He must wait for the week to begin in order to rapture them.
That is a self-refuting argument.
Also, the signing of the covenant is not what reveals the Antichrist.
Daniel only tells us that he will confirm a covenant, not that this action will reveal his identity to the world. Even if we knew all the people involved in confirming the covenant, we may still not know which one is the Antichrist.
Point #1: Paul is writing about the coming of Jesus and our gathering together unto Him, commonly called the rapture.
Point #2: The “Day of Christ” is the “Day of the Lord”, for Christ is Lord.
Point #3: Paul lists two specific events that must occur prior to the Lord’s return; a “falling away” and the revealing of the Antichrist.
2+2=4
Thanks, @narrowminded
In case you missed them,
Introduction
Back Cover
1 : The Foundation
2 : The Tribulation
BONUS : A Biblical, New Testament Understanding of Tribulation
3 : The Seventieth Week of Daniel
4 : Not Appointed to Wrath
5 : Wrath vs. Tribulation
6 : The Day of the Lord
7 : The Lord Alone
8 : The Exaltation of the Antichrist
9 : Promises
10 : The Presupposition