Jan 16, 2022. II Thessalonians 2:1-4

Posted byJohn Sanzone

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DECEPTION DEFENSE. II Thessalonians 2:1-4. 1/16/2022. #3

1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

  1. Deceivers abound
    1. Throughout Scripture we are warned of deceivers
      1.  The Galatians were tricked by Judaizers
      1.  Paul warned Corinthians of Satan’s tricks (II Corinthians 11:14-15)
      1.  Matthew 24:3-14 many end times deceptions
    1. Main issue with Thessalonians = confusion about end times
    1. Some wrote to church that Christ has already come
      1.  The church had missed the rapture!
      1.  1 Thessalonians 4 they were concerned about those who had already died
    1. Paul indicates that the Thessalonians should not be worried
      1.  Christ had not yet come (Paul still here)
      1.  There will be those who try to deceive you
      1.  All believers will be taken up by the Lord
  2. 4 aspects of the 2nd Advent
    1. The rapture of the church starts the second coming
      1.  The Parousia or Coming is a 4 part event (rapture of church, rebellion of man, wrath of God in Tribulation, return of Christ)
      1.  To put all into one point of action is error
    1. This passage leads some to believe that the church will be taken up after the rapture (after the revealing of the son of perdition)
      1.  View the 2nd Coming as 1 event
      1.  Clearly, Scriptures teach a 2-part coming
  3. –CHURCH -> RAPTURE -> TRIBULATION -> PAROUSIA  
    1. c. Paul tells Thes. that it is impossible that Christ had already returned
      1.  After the Rapture, The Apostasy (falling away; departure) or Rebellion will occur
      1. (the world will actively oppose God, worship the beast, kill God’s messengers, and blaspheme the Lord)
      1.  The Son of Perdition (Antichrist) will be revealed and he will sit on a throne in the Temple of God, challenging God, claiming to be God)
    1. Paul is essentially asking the Thessalonians, if the Rapture had already come, where is the Antichrist, where is the Abomination of Desolation in the Temple, and where is the Great Rebellion (Apostasy)?
  4. Many ways to be deceived
    1. Man has developed many schemes for end times
      1.  AMILLENNIALISM – there won’t be a Tribulation or Millennial Reign (all the end times passages are symbolic of church)
      1.  POSTMILLENNIALISM – the church will usher in a 1000 years of peace and prosperity and then receive Christ at the end
      1.  PREMILLENNIALISM – the church will be raptured before the Lord sets up his Mill. reign (pre-trib = church will not go through Tribulation; Mid-Trib. = raptured in middle of Trib.; Post-Trib. = church goes through Tribulation)
    1. Paul already told the Thes. that we will be raptured
    1. before the Tribulation (1 Thes. 4)
      1.  Church goes to the Marriage Supper of Lamb
      1.  After the Trib. we return with Lord to reign with him (Mt. 25)
      1.  Jer. 33 Israel will finally have their kingdom, having turned to the Lord in Trib. (Zech. 12)
    1. Many clever end times schemes can confuse and trick
      1.  Heretics lift pass. out of context and ignore other passages (use numbers, schemes, and philos.)
      1.  Guard against error (stay with basics)

Key verse: Matthew 24:3-143 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.