2 Thessalonians 2 - What Will Happen Before Jesus Returns and How Can We Be Ready?
The Man of Lawlessness
2 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. 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. 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 how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness 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.
Paul gives a rough timeline of the events which will precede Jesus' second coming to take the church with him. Paul is counseling them to calm down, for apparently other teachers were saying that Jesus had already come. Of course, this would be very disconcerting because the believers might wonder why they were still there. Paul warns them that there will be many who will try to deceive them in this matter and even and couch it by calling it a "prophetic word from God". We have already seen that happen many times in our lifetime.
Paul talks about two more things that will happen first. First, he says there will be a rebellion of God's people. This is often called the "apostasy". The word "apostasy" means,
"The complete rejection of a previously held religious faith. In the Bible, it describes a deliberate, willful turning away from foundational spiritual truths rather than simple doubt or temporary questioning." (Google)
Sometimes people have claimed that the church is already "apostate", but it doesn't seem to fit the scenario Paul is describing here. Some people differ on whether the apostasy refers to the church, or the world in general. But scripture seems to back both. There might be a time when the people in the world have so rebelled and turned from God, He determines they are beyond redemption.
The man of lawlessness is also thought to be the "antichrist". Again people differ on who the anti-Christ is. Is it an individual of great power? Or. is it a world system that is "anti-Christ". The book of Revelation paints the picture of an individual. I think there is more evidence it is a person who will be introduced in history. In John 5:43, Jesus described him as a person who would come in his name.
This man of sin is a prominent figure in the Bible, and the ultimate personification of the spirit of the Antichrist spoken of in 1 John 4:2-3 (NLT) He will no doubt live many years before the Great Tribulation, but he will only be revealed as the man of sin during that period. The idea behind the title man of sin is that “Sin has such absolute domination over him that he seems to be the very embodiment of it.” (Hiebert)
So what can the Thessalonians (and us) do as we await Jesus' return?
1. In verses 13-17, Paul calls them to stand firm in what has been passed down orally or written to them by Paul. Today this is the bible (Old and New Testament). There is plenty of teaching about the end times in both the Old and New Testament, especially in the book of Revelation and Matthew 25. These teachings will be guard rails for us to keep on track from false doctrine.
2. We also need to be about what Jesus has called us to do, rather being obsessed with timelines which are only known by the God. Jesus will come in God's sovereign timing, and it will be in accordance with His will. There are billions who don't yet know Christ, or have not even heard of him. This makes me believe our mission, as defined by the "Great Commission", is far from accomplished.
3. Be grateful we have been saved by the sovereign grace of God. We don't have to be afraid of Jesus' return, and we have been give the Holy Spirit as the deposit and guarantee of our future inheritance. Ephesians 1:14
4. Do everything in our power individually and as the church to reach those who don't know Christ and are headed for a Christless eternity. The uncertain nature of Jesus' return should give us an urgency to spread the gospel. Romans 10:14 says,
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Do you feel you are ready for Jesus to return at a time God will choose? Are there people that you know of who don't know Christ, and you have been reluctant to share the Good News to them?
Remember we don't convert anyone. We are not responsible for any one else's salvation. We are called to share our story with people as a testimony to God's great love and grace. If you are coming from a place of love and not judgment, I believe the person you share with will know it.
Jesus, we know you will return some day and we long to see you face to face. Help us to live such lives in this world that others will be drawn to you through us. Keep us grounded in Your Word and living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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