Paul had been forced to leave Thessalonica because of
violent opposition from the Jews. The
Christians had gone on to serve God in spite of the opposition, becoming quite
strong. I Thessalonians had been written
to encourage them to continue to grow and walk in the Spirit. They had done so and II Thessalonians
compliments them for having done so.
“We are bound to thank
God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth
exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other
aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your
patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be
counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a
righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed
from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them
that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who
shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,
and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his
saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among
you was believed) in that day.” (II Thessalonians 1:3-10)
Their continued growth was a testimony to the wisdom of God
in calling them and predestinating them to be saved, and promising to punish
those who attacked them. Clearly, their
enemies deserved the punishment they will receive when Christ returns. Paul and his associates just prayed that they
would keep on, so that God would be glorified, as I Thessalonians 1:11-12
states. “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you
worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and
the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be
glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord
Jesus Christ.”
In I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, Paul had stressed that the
knowledge that Christ was going to return was a primary motivating factor in
serving the Lord, making it very clear that we do not know when it will
happen. Unfortunately, some had become
so wrapped up in the Lord’s return they were neglecting teaching about
spiritual growth in their effort to scare people into getting saved or
witnessing. As a result a lot of false
teaching about the second coming was being disseminated. II Thessalonians 2:1-2 warns them not to
allow such teachings to concern or distract them from just following what
Christ taught. “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.“ They
were not to let even claims of some special revelation from the Holy Spirit, some
exciting new interpretation of scripture, or some newly discovered writing
purporting to be from the apostles distract them from what they had been
taught. Everyone who claims to have some
special knowledge about when it will happen makes it clear they are false
teachers.
Paul went on to remind them that certain things had to
happen before the Lord would return, in II Thessalonians 2:3-5. “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, showing himself
that he is God. Remember ye not, that,
when I was yet with you, I told you these things.” Before
the Lord returns, there will be a great turning away from the scriptures to
other teachings. This will lead to the
Antichrist seizing power and setting himself up as a God. The Lord will not take out his saints until
after the Antichrist comes to power.
This is exactly what Christ described in Matthew 24:4-31, Mark 13:4-27,
and Luke 21:7-28.
As II Thessalonians 2:6-7 points out the spirit of Antichrist
is already working, but is restrained from taking over until that restraint is
removed. “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his
time. For the mystery of iniquity doth
already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the
way.” Many have taught that this
refers to the Holy Spirit and inferred that as a result, Christians had to be
taken out in what is known as the Rapture before the Antichrist comes to
power. Daniel 10:20, Daniel 12:1-2, and
Revelation 12:6 all indicate that Satanic power and the Antichrist are held in
check by the archangels. There are no
verses in scripture that imply the Holy Spirit is the one referred to here, and
thus no evidence that the Christians will be taken out before the
Tribulation.
Once the restraints are removed, The Antichrist will seize
power, according to II Thessalonians 2:8-12.
“And then shall that Wicked be
revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall
destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the
working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who
believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Those who have rejected Christ will
follow the Antichrist because they have chosen not to believe in Him.
God chose those who would believe to be saved, from the very
beginning of creation. He used the
gospel to draw us to him, and save us, and we have nothing to fear when he
returns. We need to stand fast in the
faith which resulted in our salvation and allow the Holy Spirit to establish
us, as II Thessalonians 2:13-16 says. “But we are bound to give thanks alway to
God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore,
brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught,
whether by word, or our epistle. Now our
Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and
hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your
hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” We are to occupy till he comes.
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