As we look at chapter two...let me offer a caveate before we dig in too deeply. The subject is the coming of the Day of the Lord and involves details of the advent of the antichrist and so forth. There is little consensus among scholars about the details of the rapture, the great tribulation, and the Second coming. Each position...tends to spend a great deal of energy picking apart the other guy's position...without being able to conclusively convince others of his own. This is because there is a "mystery" involved in the details of this prophesy. I have friends who would hold firmly to each position...and all of them love God and I expect they will all be with me in heaven one day. I consider them to be men of God and to have effective ministries today in the places they serve. I do, however, think they are wrong on their positions that differ from mine. I also believe...that one's beliefs on matters like this are in the realm of Christian liberty...not because God needs us to offer Him suggestions on how to do it...but because it relates to prophesy which, by nature, is a mystery to be revealed. If I could encourage you to hear ANYTHING as you look at "end-times study" (i.e. Eschatology)...it is to hold onto the big picture. There is a Day coming when all righteousness will be rewarded. Our King will make all righteousness known and He alone will be worshipped and honored. At that same time...in the making known of righteousness...He will be judging all that is/who are unrighteous. One cannot affirm righteousness without condemning unrighteousness. This does not make Jesus somehow "unloving." To the contrary...it is the love of God and His infinite mercy that holds back the Coming of this Day...that many shall be saved (2 Peter 3:9-10).
In 2 Thess 2:1-2, Paul warns the church to accept no false message that the Day of the Lord has come...even if it appears to have come from him. He appeals to the church to examine the claim in light of what they know about the end-times from the teachings of Scripture and the prophesies available to them (2 Thess 2:3-5).
Paul states that the "force" restraining the anti-christ's appearance and the unfolding of his scheme is none other than the Holy Spirit (2 Thess 2:6-7). Satan has been at work seeking to set himself up as the world power worthy of worship since before the Fall of man. He is actively at work seeking to bring it about even now. However, he has no power or ability to go any further than God permits. When he comes onto the world scene...it is expected that he will be a prominent figure who will look much like a Messianic figure. He will "preach" a message of peace and will accompany his message with signs and wonders (2 Thess 2:9). Many will be deceived and believe this messenger (2 Thess 3:10). This is not because he is somehow more powerful than God and won the wrestling match for the souls of men; rather, God sends a deluding influence...or "gives them over" (Romans 1) to their own way (2 Thess 2:11).
Now...lest the Thessalonians get sidetracked trying to identify the "what" and "when" of the coming fo the Day...Paul reminds them that they are not looking for the antichrist...but the Christ (2 Thess 2:13-14). Others are majoring on discovering the time of the rise of the antichrist...Paul instructs the church to be looking for the rapture. In other words...the rapture is the next big event for the church. There should be no more emphasis on the immediate need to preach the gospel AFTER the revealing of the antichrist...than there is right now! Those without Christ are lost today...period. Their demise will not be more imminent after the antichrist appears. They are bound for eternal separation from God right now. They live everyday separated from Christ. They live without the power of God working in them today.
Paul encourages the church to stand firm in the teachings they have learned from him and not to become sidetracked with these "other" things (2 Thess 2:15). In doing so, they are useful to God to the purpose for which they were created. There is no PEACE to be gathered in discovering the "secrets" of the antichrist. Peace comes from God...and Paul prays that the church will experience that peace and comfort one another with it (2 Thess 2:16-17.)
Proverbs 15:3 is the takeaway today. There is nothing hidden from God. Every sin is apparent and obvious to Him. Both our sins and others. We should live in light of these truths and choose our course with these in mind everyday.
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2 comments:
Well done on covering End Times positions and our current job of fulfilling the Great Commission.
I have to say what God has been saying to me through this study the last couple of weeks. I go to work everyday and my mission is to get my job done and come home to my family. But God is showing me that there is more for me. His plan is bigger than I know, he wants me to be hurting for those around me and to know their destination. I sometimes get frustrated because I think I know people but we all put on what we want people to know about us. I get so wrapped up in me, this is not about me. It is about those around me... Are they ready for the rapture? Are they ready for the end times? Would they be in glory with me? I interact with people all the time and I have no idea where they will spend eternity. Scary to know the truth about their passion and love for my savior. Most times they say they are saved and headed for heaven but there are no fruits. In my opinion these are the hardest. I pray for clarity and words to say, for a bold walk and an amazing testimony, broken hearts and willing spirits. The rapture is close are we truly ready, getting others ready or are we sitting in a room behind closed doors where everything is about ME!! Open the doors and look around.
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