2 Thessalonians 2

2:1-17 II. Prophetical Explanation.

A. Day of the Lord. 2:1-12 b. Disciples of the Lord. 2:13-17

1. Crisis. 2:1-2
2. Correction. 2:3-12
3. Consolation. 2:13-17 In this chapter Paul Corrects and Challenges concerning the Day of the Lord. Paul deals with the Disturbed believers Prophetic view and Renews their Understanding.

The 4 steps preceding the Day of the Lord. v.1-12

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

A. Day of the Lord. 2:1-12 The Rise of the man of lawlessness. v.1-4 The Fall of the man of lawlessness. v.5-12The Confusion. v.1-2 The Clarification. v.3

V.1 a) Return of Christ -

I. The Coming of our Lord - Is referring to the 2nd Coming. II. Our gathering together to Him - Can be referring to the rapture.

V.2 b) Reaction to what they Read -

I. The Day of Christ in some Bibles should be the Day of the Lord. The Day of Christ is a period referring to the Millennium period. 1.Cor.1:8; 5:5; Phil.1:6 ,10; 2:16 The Day of the Lord is a period referring to the 7 year period of the Antichrist which includes the great tribulation.

II. The Thessalonians were shaken and troubled concerning rapture and the Coming of Christ, they needed clear understanding of their hope in Christ.

III. 3 ways they could be troubled:

A. By spirit.

1. Erroneous leading.

2. Erroneous revelation.

B. By word.

1. False prophesy.

2. False doctrine.

C. By letter.

1. The 3 stages of error. spirit - word - letter.

2. When a person has been under the influence of a spirit of error (spirit), they will begin to speak forth the error (word) and then they will conclude making it a doctrine (letter). His Titles v.3 His Throne v.4

V.3 c) Refuse Reports -

I. Rapture happens Suddenly. Christ’ s 2nd Coming has Significant Signs connected to it. II. Paul reveals 4 signs that will occur before Christ‘ s 2nd Coming. By understanding these 4 signs they would never be deceived again, these 4 signs would be sign post for them of how close they were to Christ’ s 2nd Coming. III. The 4 signs are:

A. Apostasy - The falling away of believers would occur first. v.3 B. Appearing - Antichrist will be revealed first on the world scene. v.3 C. Arising - Antichrist will first sit in the temple proclaiming to be God. v.4 D. Ascending - The Spirit and the Church will first be caught up. v.6-7

IV. 2 signs concerning the Church and 2 signs concerning the Antichrist.

V. 4 directional signs.

A. False believers in the Church falls Downward - Apostasy. B. Antichrist steps Forward - Appearing.

C. Antichrist thinks he is god as he looks Inward - Arising. D. The Spirit and the Church goes Upward - Ascending VI. The falling away, the great apostasy.

A. It is a departure from faith. Luke 8:13; 2.Tim.3:1-8;4:3-4; Heb.3:12 B. Is not “a” but “ the” departure from faith, the greatest departure ever.

C. The departure is not referring to the rapture, the Greek word is used twice in N.T. here and in Acts 21:21 where it is used as “ Forsaking Moses” . VII. The revelation of Antichrist.

A. The sin of man leads to the man of sin. B. He is a man of sin - Describes his lawlessness. He is a man of perdition - Describes his destiny. Rev.19:20; 20:10 It is not Judas who was also called the son of perdition. John 17:12 C. v.3 describes his character. v.4 describes his activity. v.6-7 describes his resistance. v.8 describes his destiny. v.9 describes his means and Methods.

D. The revelation of Antichrist. Dan.7:8; Rev.13:1-10 E. The Scriptures 2 most descriptive passages of the Antichrist we find here v.3-12 and in Rev.13:1-8 V.4 d) Ruthless Ruler -

I. He Exalts himself above God. Isaiah 14:12-15; Dan.11:36-37 He Enthrones the temple of God. Rev.13:6; Dan.9:26-27; 11:31; 12:11; Matt.24:15 He Express himself as God. Rev.13:5-8 II. The temple is referring to the upcoming temple that will be built in Jerusalem. A. There are numerous Scriptures referring to Antichrist’ s defiling a real temple in Jerusalem.

B. There are no places in the Bible referring to Antichrist reigning in the Church. Matt.16:18 Christ is the head over the Church.

V.5 e) Recall and Remember - They had already been taught about these things by the apostle, but they were misunderstanding certain facts concerning the Lord’ s Coming.

In v.6-7 the lawless one is restrained. In v.8 the lawless one is Revealed. In v.9 the lawless one is ruling. V.6 f) Restrainer is Resisting -

I. “ What” - Perhaps it is referring to the Body of Christ’ s restraining the revelation of the Antichrist. II. The Church restrains Antichrist by its: Presence, Power, Purity and Preaching. III. In v.6 the restrainer is what: Impersonal, something. In v.7 the restrainer is He: Personal, someone.

IV. The Son of God was revealed in the fullness of time. Gal.4:4 The man of sin will also be revealed in his time.

V.7 g) Restrainer Removed -

I. The mystery of lawlessness was already at work in the days of Paul, lawlessness is an evil movement that prepares and raise up a world that would be ready to receive the Antichrist. II. Lawlessness is a mystery (hidden evil) and is counteracting the mystery of godliness. 1.Tim.3:16 III. Lawlessness is hiding in darkness from the Spirit of light, when He is removed then lawlessness will come and show its true face of darkness. IV. “ He” - Perhaps the Holy Spirit is the restrainer. 1 John 4:4; John 16:8-11; Gen.6:3 V. The restrainer the Holy Spirit empowers the body of Christ. When the Church is caught up into heaven, then the restrainer, the present outpouring of the Holy Spirit that began at Pentecost, is removed from the earth and then Antichrist reveals himself. Note Matt.16:18 VI. The Church is also restraining together with the Spirit, as the Spirit is removed from the earth before the revelation of the Antichrist so is the Church removed by rapture.

V.8 h) Ruler Revealed - I. After rapture then the lawless Antichrist will be allowed by God to be revealed. II. At Christ’ s 2nd Coming He will destroy the Antichrist by:Rev.19:20-21 A. His Breath. Isaiah 11:4; 2.Sam.22:16; Psalms 33:6 B. His Brightness. III. The rapture results in Antichrist’ s revelation. The 2nd Coming results in Antichrist’ s destruction.

V.9 i) Rise of the Ruler - I. Antichrist is working in companionship with Satan.

II. Satan will work through the Antichrist with: Rev.13:2, 12-14 A. All power available to Satan. Ex.7:9-12, 20-22; 8:5-7; Matt.24:24 B. Signs available to Satan. (Meaningful miracles) C. Lying wonders available to Satan. (Miracles that cause amazement)

D. All unrighteous deception of Satan. 2.Tim.3:13

V.10 j) Reception Resisted -

I. The deceived are:

A. The Lost.

B. Those that did not love the Truth.

II. The pleasure-seekers will be deceived, the truth-seekers will be saved.

V.11 k) Result of God’ s Resolved Reason -

I. Because man did not love the Truth, then God sends them strong delusion. Psalms 81:12 II. The strong delusion is the lie, not a lie.

III. The strong delusion is so deceptive that man does not repent even after the evidence of a rapture of the believers. IV. He who refuses to receive the truth will at last believe lies.

V. God’ s grace will still be drawing man to Christ during this period. Rev.6:9-11; 7:4, 9-17

V.12 l) Revoke Results in Ruin - The reason why man did not love Truth and repent:

. I. They did not believe the Truth. “ Hates the light” John 3:20 II. They had pleasure in unrighteousness. “ Loved darkness” John 3:19 III. In v.11 they are spiritually judged. In v.12 they are eternally judged.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

B. Disciples of the Lord. 2:13-17

The source, method and means of salvation. v.13 The goal of salvation. v.14 The responsibilities of this salvation. v.15

V.13 a) Salvation through Sanctification by the Spirit -

I. Paul gave thanks for the Thessalonians because they were not like those that did not believe the Truth, they believed it and they did not have pleasure in unrighteousness but allowed the sanctification of the Spirit.

II. When - He chose us. “from the beginning” Eph.1:4 Why - He chose us. “to salvation” How - He chose us “through sanctification” V.14 b) Selected to Shine forth the Son -

I. They were called by the Gospel.

II. They were called to obtain the Glory of Christ.

V.15 c) Solid Standing in Scripture -

Because of such call:

I. Stand fast. (Appeals to steadfastness) 1.Cor.15:58 II. Hold the traditions that came to them by: (Appeals to faithfulness) 1.Cor.11:2,13 A. Word. (Orally)

B. Epistle (Written)

V.16 a) Consolation through His Work -

I. Paul’ s 2nd prayer for the Thessalonians in this epistle.

II. Christ and the Father have given us Consolation and Comfort. v.17

III. By God’ s grace we have consolation that last forever and good hope.

IV. The comfort:

A. Comfort Explained. “ He loved us” Why?

B. Comforts Extent. “ Everlasting consolation” How long?

C. Comforts Essence “ By grace” How is it possible?

D. Comforts Effect “ Establish v.17”

V.17 b) Comfort and being Well-grounded -

I. He is the God of all comfort, He knows how to comfort all hearts. 2.Cor.1:3 II. God wants to establish in:

A. Good Word. (Preaching, Doctrine)

B. Good Work. (Practice, Duty)