There is no doubt that by now, you can feel it.
Like a tidal wave approaching, we can certainly sense its rise. The looming darkness. The restlessness. The confusion.
Every day, it pushes closer as it silently gains strength. Its forces ready for warfare, just beneath its thin surface of secrecy.
Many don’t know what to do next. Many give in to fear. The vast majority won’t understand or even acknowledge what they see or feel, or why it even matters.
But those who are in the family of Christ Jesus keep watch through spiritual eyes, and gain a sensitivity to their surroundings. The lawlessness. The bizarre, nonsensical thinking. The casting off of restraints. The mocking and scoffing of anything with Biblical values—and the celebration of sin. And upon careful reflection in the Word of God, so much becomes clear.
I’m writing this during a foggy morning, and my neighbor’s house across the street has nearly vanished. Fog is disconcerting, because it isn’t darkness or daylight. If it was darkness, I could shine a light to dispel it. And if it was just daylight, all would be normal.
But fog seems to be some sort of illusion, standing between me and what I want to see. It confuses my senses, like something in the air that shouldn’t be there. How glad I am when it all finally burns away, to reveal the new day’s true reality.
Today, as the spiritual “fog” grows thicker, we must constantly rely upon our God-given navigational equipment: The inerrant word of God, the very present and powerful Holy Spirit, and our most holy faith. Our faith—for what cannot yet be physically seen, but only believed for, and patiently awaited.
The need for God’s clear and unchanging truth is essential for our spiritual awareness. And the revelation of the “day of Christ” must be correctly understood. Or we run the risk of fearing it. Or ignoring it. Or even rejecting its most present reality.
Panic and Confusion
“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.”
II Thessalonians 2:1-2
Back in those first days of the church age, the church at Thessalonica was in a panic. And it was all brought on by their own confusion.
First Corinthians 14:33 tells us that God is not the author of confusion. Of course, we know who is—satan, the father of lies. He’s always the instigator of deceptions. Which soon lead to confusion. Which soon brings in division.
The believers at Thessalonica had been infected with a deceptive and misleading message. And some had apparently believed it. While others had questioned it, and wondered. Human nature tends to fear—or worse, attempts to ignore—what we don’t understand.
What they needed was clarity. The Truth, to dispel the fog of falsehood. And the Apostle Paul, in his sequel letter to the Thessalonians, makes abundantly clear the mystery of “the day of Christ.”
In this passage of scripture, Paul first exhorts his fellow believers in Christ to settle themselves down—to center their minds on Christ Jesus, and not on men’s conflicting words. Then he plainly and perfectly establishes a proper timeline of events.
Please understand that this “day of Christ” referred to here, should not be confused with Christ’s triumphant second coming described in the book of Revelation. The church at Thessalonica well understood that this day would be the “gathering together” of the church to Christ Jesus—the event that we call the “rapture” (from the Greek word, “harpazo” translating to the Latin word, “rapturo”) of the church today.
But they had been confused by discussions and letters sent to them, and so were divided and disturbed. Some seemed to have lost sight of the fact that this “day of Christ” would be physically real, and in real time—as if they could have missed it somehow. This event—for all true believers in Christ Jesus—is hard-wired into God’s eternal purposes for His church. Therefore, for any one of us who are blood-bought and born again in Christ Jesus, this moment in time will directly involve us.
We could not possibly miss it! It is a precise moment, driven by Father God’s perfect understanding and timing.
But, can we now, in these last days, sense His perfect timing? Yes, I’m sure we can. Because the Apostle Paul, by the power of the Holy Spirit’s revelation to him, gives us all a direct and distinct clue.
A Falling Away First
“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, shewing himself that he is God.”
II Thessalonians 2:3-4
Prolonged days of evil can do many things to many people. It can drive fear. Or lawlessness. Or just the natural tendencies of self-preservation. They can also breed uncertainties and disbelief. Every heart and mind has a personal war to wage within: to either stand firm in Christ’s righteous truth, or to follow the fallen natural patterns of the world.
Paul is telling us here, just as he commanded the church then, to not allow anyone to deceive us, in any way. Because there must be a “falling away” first, before that day of Christ—the rapture of Christ’s body, his church—can happen.
Bible scholars have pondered for centuries exactly what this “falling away” might be. In fact, many Bible prophecy teachers are not in agreement as to what this “falling away” is.
There is one thing you and I can be certain of. This “falling away” is not simply some decrease of church attendance, that now seems to be in vogue. It is something much more all-consuming and sinister.
According to the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, The Greek word (a single word) which basically translates to “falling away” (two words) is “apostasia.” “Apostasia” is where we get our modern English word, “apostasy.”
This word, “apostasia,” means a defection from the truth. To forsake. A complete separation, as in a divorce. To “forsake” something or someone means to abandon them—to desert them.
In Paul’s days of the early church, this was playing out—as those who seemed to be true followers of Christ were attempting to change the truth with some additional message. Essentially, these people had their own agendas, and were “wolves” among the sheep.
Today, those same sinister tactics are now plainly evident on a worldwide scale. We are now able to witness Pope Francis—and many others around the globe—conspiring to create a one-world religion, as they forsake the one true and living gospel of Jesus Christ.
Maybe your jaw has dropped as mine has, as the rise of this new world religious movement comes steadily into focus. If you haven’t already, do some research on Pope Francis and the “Abrahamic Family House” in Abu Dhabi. This is huge! It is apparent that it is the forerunner for the demonic, worldwide domination that will soon follow. For that “man of sin” (the Antichrist) will soon be revealed—and will eventually be worshipped as if he were God.
As this falling away from the truth of Christ has become blatantly evident, we—the true church—have our clearest clue. Now that we are able to actually witness the undeniable evidence of an upcoming new, worldwide religion, can our Lord’s soon appearing in the clouds be far away?
The Restrainer Taken Out of the Way
“Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 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.”
II Thessalonians 2:5-7
You may have asked yourself: If the evil people of this world have so much power, why don’t they just go ahead and take over? The short answer, according to scripture, is that they can’t. Not yet. For they are still being restrained from carrying out their most evil intentions. Evil is being held back until God’s own perfect timing comes into play.
Despite the evil becoming worse around us, we must remember that God is in full control of all things, by “He who now letteth.” This word “let” or “letteth” is defined in the Greek as: to hold down, or hold fast—to keep, to possess, stay, or retain. We might use the more modern phrase, “to keep on keepin’ on,” as another way to understand this action of the Holy Spirit. Through His residence within us, and action through us, He is literally holding back the rising tide of coming evil upon an unsuspecting world.
For now—and for the sake of His church, His temple—the mighty and magnificent Holy Spirit acts as the super glue, holding things together. The Restrainer is holding back the antichrist system from yet fully coming into power, until the rapture—the departure of His church—has taken place.
God’s timing is always perfect. Soon to come is the tribulation period—the seven year span of time called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” when the surviving remnant of Israel will at last believe in Jesus as Christ, and be saved. But for this to happen, the departure of the church must take place, along with the removal of the Holy Spirit’s restraining power. Until this happens, the coming antichrist system will never have the complete control over the whole world, as described in Revelation.
Remember, God is fully in control, not the enemies of Christ. Surely you can sense this “day of Christ” approaching. But this goes far beyond our own personal “vibes” or feelings. For our proof lies soundly in the word of God.
The Man of Sin Suddenly Revealed
“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:”
II Thessalonians 2:8
Imagine that moment in time, when millions of Christ’s born again believers are suddenly swept away from planet earth. And imagine the utter chaos that this would cause, and the severe, global restrictions that are sure to follow.
Now imagine you are just one of the countless others, who were sadly left behind—some of whom foolishly wore the name of Jesus, but never actually knew Him. Humanity will be crying out for an answer. For someone—anyone—who would be able to put the pieces of their broken world back together.
Then soon, that “wicked” one is “revealed”—riding in like some magical savior. That word “revealed” in the Greek is “apokalupto.” It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to hear our own modern day word, “apocalypse,” there.
So here he comes. Peacefully at first. Passionately. Purposefully. He seems to understand all of the problems. He seems to hold all of the needed answers. Yes, he is tough. But he’s timely. Yes, he’s forceful. But he’s sort of thoughtful and understanding. He’s a real take-charge kind of guy. And the masses, fraught with fears and uncertainties, will soon surrender to his will.
But there are millions who won’t be spiritually among them. Instead—haunted by those voices that once told them the truth of Christ Jesus—they will finally be ready to listen. They will frantically get out their old, dusty Bibles, and cry out to God. They will finally turn away from their own failed understandings of what they thought they knew, and rediscover verses like John 3:16—written to us from a loving Heavenly Father, who sent His own Son to humbly take our place.
These are the people who will make that critical decision to fall upon Christ, and to be His, no matter what horrors may come during the tribulation. Even if death proves to be their only escape, they will stand on Jesus, and stare evil squarely in the face.
Revelation 7:9-17 gives us a clear vision of such a time in history, when uncountable masses of the left behind will put their faith in Christ Jesus, and be cleansed from their sins. Yes, they must pay a high price—their very lives—for waiting until the days of tribulation. But they will be gloriously set free, and saved from any further horrors awaiting planet earth.
Probably at this very same time, the nation of Israel will be led to believe the lies brought by the antichrist, and his new world system. And many will believe he is their long-awaited messiah—for a while.
All Hell Breaks Loose
“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.”
II Thessalonians 2:9-12
Second Timothy 3:1 warns us, “in the last days perilous times shall come.” We may think that perilous times are already here. And of course, days of evil are all around us now.
But listen to what that word “perilous” really says. The Greek word is “chalepos,” meaning difficult, dangerous, furious, or fierce. The root word of this word is “chalao,” which means to bring down, or lower—as one would do with a net. I think I can safely say this sounds like a great big trap, soon to be sprung upon the whole world. Thank God, we who are saved by Christ Jesus won’t be here to witness it!
Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be a citizen of the nation of Israel during those seven years of tribulation? Our Bible calls it “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” Because by then, God’s long awaited plans will be playing out for the nation of Israel (Jacob).
The millions of those precious tribulation saints of Christ will have now been martyred, and in the presence of the Heavenly Father—who will wipe away the bitter tears of their torments. And soon, the half-way mark of tribulation is reached (three and a half years into that seven year period of time) when the man of sin will further reveal himself—no longer as Israel’s savior, but as their arch-enemy.
Matthew 24:15-21 depicts the stunning turn of events that follow, as the believers in the true Messiah (Jesus) are sternly warned to flee the coming apocalypse. Those that do will somehow escape to the surrounding mountains somewhere, and are kept safe there, by God’s own sovereign protection. They will ultimately be rescued, at the Lord’s triumphant second coming! But those who don’t heed this warning to flee will sadly be swept into Satan’s evil frenzy of slaughter.
Second Thessalonians 2:9-12 reveals an astonishing picture of events, as the antichrist system briefly but viciously rules the world, through all kinds of lying signs and deceptions. And a fallen, God-forsaking world will believe every lie. They will love the lies, instead of the truth of God. Yes, they will even find pleasure in them, as they bow in worship before the evil one.
Of course, satan will be behind it all, and loving it all—as he, embodied in the antichrist, will finally be worshipped as if he were God. After all, isn’t that what Satan has always wanted?
But soon, his new world of “order” will come crumbling down around him, as the armies of heaven (the church returning with King Jesus!) will be readied to ride upon those prevailing winds of righteousness—joining our Savior’s magnificent entrance onto the earth, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
Some More Good News
“But we are bound to give thanks always 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.”
II Thessalonians 2:13-14
Have you ever been confused, or unsure in your faith? Maybe you heard something disturbing, that made you wonder about some things. Maybe some conflicting doctrine, different than the gospel you first believed. It may have shook you, and made you question if the ground you were standing on was sure ground.
Okay. But friend, don’t feel alone. You’re in good company. So many others who have passed this way before you, have had these same brief struggles. And by the truth and the power that is in Christ Jesus, they overcame such conflicts of misunderstanding.
They did not fall—because they did not fall for any lies.
At first glance, Paul’s closing statements here, may appear to just be some quaint transition from one sad subject to a better one. But remember how this chapter began. The Thessalonian church was shaken and confused. And they were no longer sure where they stood in God’s eternal plans for them.
Now, the Apostle Paul brings it all back around, to assure them of one single and simple truth. They have been chosen by God, from the very beginning of things, to be His. And to be called—into the truth of Jesus Christ. That place of Truth. That place of peace. That place of rest.
It is a safe place. And a sure place. A rock-solid-ground place—that sometimes gets shaken, but never moved. And will never be removed. It is that chosen place of God, where anyone who chooses this way must walk—following close behind the One who purchased this path for you to walk in.
It is a place of freedom. A place worth defending—with all and everything you have. For all and everything you’ll ever be. It is a strong place, where warriors are raised up, and righteous battles are fought and won.
It is the place to make a stand, and to never again fear the fall, or the wrath to come. For just as the Thessalonian church, we are not those people. Not anymore. And not ever again. We are chosen—separated by our faith in Christ Jesus alone—to obtain the glory that is His alone!
And what is that glory? To behold the Lord Jesus Christ, crowned as King of Kings—on this earth! We will be eyewitnesses, as His Majesty Jesus sits upon His Royal throne, ruling over His world! And then—if you can wrap your mind around this (I can’t!)—we will rule and reign with Him!
Therefore, Stand Fast
“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.”
II Thessalonians 2:15-17
Can you sense the urgency of Paul’s command to the troops at Thessalonica? Can you hear his righteous indignation, in response to their confusion and panic? In Christ’s authority, Paul just won’t have it. He makes it clear that no true believer in Jesus is to be lost. No true believer is to be left behind!
The Apostle Paul calls out to them—and to all of us, as well—stand fast, my brothers! Be confident, my sisters! You’ve heard the words of life. Now stand upon them. You know the everlasting truth. So be confident in what you now know. This is no time to forget who you are—or Who you belong to.
You are a soldier, armed for battle. And this is no time to forsake your post, or to be entangled with the distractions and deceptions of this world.
Stand your ground!
Ground fought for you, and bought for you. Ground that has been paid for, with Christ’s own precious blood.
As the world becomes more terrifying, this is no time to give in to fear. We must be courageous, and stand strong. As we do, we are consoled with the everlasting hope of God’s grace for us. And we are comforted by His great love.
We are established—our foundation is sure—in every good word given to us, by God.
And in every good work that we now must do—through the power of the good work being done within us.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”
Phillippians 1:6
And what a day that will be!!!!