The book of Revelation is about the Tribulation and Israel. The book of Isaiah reveals the details of the Millennium. Daniel gives us insight as to events leading up to That Day of God; week #69 of his dream found in Daniel 9:24-27.
In II Thessalonians chapter two we get into some predetermined details of end time happenings, On That Day. Details that include identities and sequences of some events.
We are clearly told in verse, “concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ…” believers will be with Christ. However, Paul raises a curiosity of the strength and patience of the believer. Some believers during Paul’s time on earth had distorted some of the things Paul wrote about in his I Thessalonians letter. In particular, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. This seeming confusion exists even today for lack of personal Bible study and understanding. This confusion required Paul to write an appendage to 1 Thessalonians, i.e., 2 Thessalonians.
JIV NOTE: The confusion back then which remains today is the “taking home” of believers. Today it is pre, mid, or post tribulation rapture questions. Pay great attention to the wording in this passage. Christ will arrive with a shout, the dead IN CHRIST will arise, then those believers who are on earth will betaken up…where? To meet Christ in the clouds. This is not when he establishes his Kingdom on Earth. There is no mention of Christ standing on the Mount of Olives. He is in the clouds where the dead in Christ and living believers join him. The Mount of Olives return of Christ is when he condemns Satan to a 1,000-year bondage in the bottomless pit then sets up his Kingdom on Earth. That event follows the 7-year Tribulation. However, what does happen is the man of sin (antichrist) will be revealed.
II Thessalonians 2:3 lays out the problem of misinterpretation by some be it deliberate or from a lack of understanding. Paul sets the record straight per the prophecy that must precede the second advent of Christ.
“For it [NASB] will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed…”
The “It” (That Day in many translations) in this verse means the second advent (return to earth) of Jesus to set up his Millennial Kingdom. What is certain is that the great deceiver, the apostasy, aka man of sin, will be made known…revealed. To help understand this question of “it” we must go back to both I Thessalonians 5:2 and II Thessalonians 2:2. The technical question: Is this the Day of the Lord or the Day of Christ?
What is the difference? The Day of Jesus Christ is the rapture of believers. The Day of the Lord is the beginning of the Millennial Reign. A good explanation can be found in an article written by Mark Kolchin in 2013:
“…the Day of Christ is that period in biblical prophecy that will commence the long-awaited union in heaven of believers [the Bride of Christ] with her Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus. It is the culmination of the “blessed hope” of the believer (Titus 2.13), a hope that has been operative through the centuries (though obscured at times); ever since the days of the Thessalonians who eagerly awaited for the Son from heaven (1 Thessalonians 1.10). It will begin when the Church is raptured from this scene to meet the Lord in the air (clouds) to ever be with Him (1 Thessalonians 4.13-17) It will also begin the judgment seat of Christ in which each Christian’s life and works will be reviewed and rewarded in accordance with faithfulness to the Lord. Because this bema seat judgment is one of evaluation rather than punishment, it will not deal with the issue of salvation, but instead with the issue of service for the Lord — reward for proper motives in ministry and the loss of reward for improper motives. (1 Corinthians 3:14-15) The judgment seat of Christ will apparently conclude before the Tribulation period begins since the twenty-four elders in Revelation 4-5 viewed by many as representatives of the Church are described as being in heaven and crowned.”
Go back to II Thessalonians 2:1 then 2:2… “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,” This is a singular event.
- Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is the rapture
- …our gathering together to Him (Jesus) in the clouds
These thoughts when put together are the Day of Christ and the gathering or rapture of believers. (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
In II Thessalonians 2:2 we read… “…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.” This melds into verse 2:3 about the warning to not be deceived. It is the preamble to the beginning of THAT DAY.
We teach but you decide. Think it through. First, how can one be deceived unless s/he does not understand or know of this passage? It says to not be troubled about wondering if Christ had already returned and a believer missed the boat. One who is not Bible studied or knows not this forewarning will not know what is to happen and the sequence of events. Paul makes it plain. Believers will be raptured then the great deceiver is identified. The deceiver takes the ignorant world into his confidence with a false global peace with Israel. 3 ½ years later he sets himself up in the rebuilt third Temple. It is then that the people of Israel will open their eyes to the false prophet and false peace of the antichrist. It is at this moment Israel will fall into the “Troubles of Jacob” spoken of in Matthew 24:15-31 and Jeremiah 30:7. Be careful here. Matthew was not originally written to the Gentile believers. It was written in Hebrew to the Jewish communities. This means the wording “when you see the abomination of desolation” is a note of caution to Israelis (Jews), not the body of believers.
JIV: We are talking about the Jews and Israel. Matthew was originally written in Hebrew to the Hebrew people. Believers at this time have been taken up with Jesus in the clouds.
Verse 3 of II Thessalonians gives additional knowledge. There must be a mass falling away from believing scripture. There are many “false ministers” that stand behind pulpits today. The church today as a building with members and has become a compromised place of worship. It is growing daily for the sake of social correctness and probably church attendance and size. How can a parishioner be discerning of false or true pulpit messages if s/he has no personal awareness, knowledge, or understanding of scripture? The falling away of all, including those who are traditional churchgoers but not true followers of Christ, is obvious since the believers are no longer on earth.
This is the real goal of this website. Increase awareness, knowledge, and understanding.
We see identity in verse 4: [The] man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 2Th 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as (the)god in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Of course, anyone without prior knowledge of this prophetic description will easily be deceived. The man of sin will appear and perform great signs and miracles, even deceive many of the elect (Jews) — when it is possible. [see Matthew 24:24].
When Christ returns to set up his millennial kingdom (recall the Lord’s Prayer: Thy Kingdom come…) there will not be a need to try and make others understand who he is. He will appear on the Mount of Olives 3 ½ to 7 years after the rapture. The Kidron Valley in Israel will expand greatly. The Mount of Olives will be driven part to the north and part of it to the south. Other than this happening, it will NOT be of God. We will continue with II Thessalonians later.
GEOLOGICAL NOTE: A natural fault line goes through the Kidron Valley.
PS: Does this sound a bit like current events?
“Leading up to end times will be marked by chaos, upheaval, unrest and terror. A GREAT NUMBER of systems, products, societies, and other parts of man’s existence which have worked for (in some cases) thousands of years will appear to be breaking down. End time will be seen as a movement to throw out the old ways and trying something completely different. Some may call it attempts to ‘cancel – cultures’. In many cases man claims he is FORCED into these changes because “mistakes have been made in old time religions” OR “the old ways just don’t work anymore.” OR “Some problems are bigger than one country by itself can solve. We must be UNITED!” Man must have a global mindset.” (Beware and be aware)
Is this currently on our horizon?
We teach but You Decide moment.
Rev. Dr. Jstark
2022
AHA Bible Moments 