The second coming of Christ
2
📚Now concerning the coming of our Lord 📖 Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him 📖, we plead with you, brethren, 2 📚not to be hastily shaken in mind, or alarmed, either by a spirit or by a message or by a letter seemingly from us 📖, that the day of Christ 📖 is at hand.The antichrist, his deeds, his destruction, and the ruin of his followers
3 📚Let no one deceive you 📖 by any means. For that day will not come, unless 📖 apostasy comes first and that man of sin 📖 be revealed, the son of perdition 📖. 4 📚He opposes and exalts himself 📖 above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he as if he were God sits in the temple of God 📖, setting himself forth to be God 📖.
2:4 The “man of sin” will be an exceptional political and military leader, but He will claim to be God and demand worship from everyone on earth – Rev 13:1-8, 15. He will have no regard for either the laws of God or the laws of men. In nature and character he will be the exact opposite of the Lord Jesus (Heb 10:7; Ps 40:8). The world does not want Christ, so they will get the antichrist instead. They do not want God’s royal law, so they will get the lawless one.⚜
5 📚Do you not remember that when I was still with you 📖 I told you these things? 6 📚And now you know what is restraining that he might be revealed at his proper time. 7 📚For the mystery of lawlessness 📖 is already at work, but he who is now restraining will continue to restrain until he is taken out of the way.
2:6-7 Some power or some person will prevent the appearance of antichrist until the time God has chosen for him to appear. Paul told the Thessalonians what this power or person will be, but he did not repeat his words in this letter, so we do not know what he meant. Therefore we should not speak dogmatically about it. There has been much speculation on this matter.
Some believers say Paul meant that the Holy Spirit is the one who holds back the appearance of the antichrist. In their view “taken out of the way” means the Rapture of the Church, and that then the Holy Spirit who is in all believers will depart from earth with them. However this too is speculation. There is no mention here of either the Holy Spirit or the Church or the Rapture. Even if Paul did mean the Holy Spirit, “taken out of the way” would not necessarily refer to the Rapture of the Church.
One difficulty with the view that Paul here is referring to the departure of the Holy Spirit before the great tribulation or during the tribulation is this: there will be believers of some kind, “saints” on earth throughout the tribulation period (Rev 7:9-17; 13:6). How is it possible that they will be left here without the Holy Spirit as believers now have Him, just when they will need Him most?
Also there is the uncertainty of the meaning of the phrase “taken out of the way”. This is not a literal translation of the Greek. Literally it is “until he becomes out of the midst”. It could mean until he moves aside. Certainly, being taken upwards is not indicated by anything in this phrase. And there is no suggestion that anything or anyone is included with him in this going out of the midst. Nor are we informed of what “midst” he goes out. To take such a doubtful phrase and assert dogmatically that it means the Rapture of the Church is surely not wise commentary.
Others have suggested that in verse 7 Paul was referring to some particular angel. Certainly angels will be very active in events at the end of this age – Rev 7:1; 9:14-15; (the word “angel” – singular or plural – occurs about 80 times in the book of The Revelation). And it is possible that God has appointed one to restrain the appearance of antichrist until the right time. This explanation seems as good as any other to the author of these notes. But it must be repeated: Paul did not tell us what he meant and so we do not really know.⚜
8 📚and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth 📖 and will destroy with the brightness of his coming 📖.
2:8 Powerful as the lawless one will be, he will not be able to stand against Christ. See Rev 19:19-20.⚜
9 📚This one’s coming will be according to the working of Satan, with all power and miraculous signs and deceiving wonders 📖,
2:9 The coming of Christ was in accordance with the work of God. The coming of antichrist will be in accordance with the work of Satan (Rev 13:2). We can judge the true condition of the world by the fact that to mankind in general the antichrist will be more popular than Christ has ever been – Rev 13:3-4, 8. Compare John 1:10-11; 5:43.⚜
10 📚and with all the deception of unrighteousness 📖 among those who perish 📖, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
The reason for antichrist’s temporary success
11 📚And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, so that they will believe the lie 📖, 12 📚that they all might be condemned 📖 who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 📖.
2:12 Refusing the truth is the most dangerous thing anyone can possibly do. It will result not only in believing that which is false, but in eternal condemnation.⚜
The glorious future of Christ’s believers
13 📚But always we are bound to give thanks to God for you, brethren dearly loved by the Lord 📖, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation 📖 through sanctification of the Spirit 📖 and belief in the truth 📖. 14 📚To this he called 📖 you by our gospel 📖, to obtain a share in the glory 📖 of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Standing firm and strong
15 📚Therefore 📖, brethren, stand firm 📖, and hold the traditions you were taught, whether by word of mouth or our letter.
16 📚Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us 📖, and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope 📖 through grace,
2:16 Observe the distinction Paul makes between the Lord Jesus and the Father. See also Matt 3:16-17; 28:19; John 17:1; 2 John 3.⚜
17 📚encourage 📖 your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.