Second Thessalonians 2 corrected the thinking of the church with regard to the Day of the Lord, which someone had taught them was already occurring. Paul articulated reasons why the Day of the Lord had not begun, because he was concerned that their error in this regard would compromise their hope to experience the “gathering together” he had described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. It is because 2 Thessalonians 2 is such a pivotal chapter in teaching eschatological doctrines that this third and final part will review the primary teachings of this chapter.

The Coming of Christ and the Gathering Together
The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and gathering together to Him is referenced in verse 1. The Greek word for coming is parousia, which is a very common word. Some think it has a technical meaning, which would mean that anytime the word is used, it only refers to the second coming, but such a notion is incorrect. However, context always determines whether the reference is with regard to either the rapture or second coming. The “gathering together to Him” is parallel to the promise of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, with regard to the Lord coming, descending in the clouds and gathering His church from this world. Of course, the 1 Thessalonians passage is where the language is derived for the rapture, because the Greek was translated rapier (i.e. rapture) in the Latin Vulgate. The Western church uses the Latin term for the doctrine of the rapture, but the teaching is certainly taught in Scripture. The reference in 2 Thessalonians 2 with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, is to the rapture.
     According to verse 2, some were concerned with regard to teaching that the Day of the Lord had come. Only a pretribulational understanding of the text would make sense, because if Paul had taught the Thessalonians that they had to experience the tribulation, they would just be looking at the calendar and counting how much persecution they would have to endure until they would be delivered at the second coming. The perspective in 2 Thessalonians, however, is that they were in that period and some people were telling them that the Day of the Lord had occurred. The Day of the Lord is a prophesied time of intense judgment that God brings upon the wicked, and also against Israel, to bring them to salvation, to judge them for their sins, to prepare them for the receiving of Messiah, and for the establishment of His Kingdom.
     There are certainly some Christians who favor an idealist interpretation of this passage, which means that the text is simply addressing general troubles and difficulties that the church experiences. Therefore, the text is non-literal and spiritualized, and simply instructing the church with regard to the ultimate victory in Jesus Christ. In other words, the text is not chronological in any manner because the chapter must bear a direct relationship to the present day and age. In response to such assertions, it would be wise to consider the Old Testament prophecies of Messiah, and the kingdom. The generations that received those prophecies were thousands of years removed from fulfillment. Was it any less important or relevant to them? Certainly not! Simply because events may be future, it does not mean there is not an application or relevancy to the church in the present age. There are some that think conversely, and they attempt to spiritualize these things, or seek to find some first century fulfillment, which would mean we are reading historical fulfillment about these things.
     The problem is that when you read individuals that embraced these different views, such as preterists, idealists, and historicists, they all contradict one another regarding the fulfillment. They just cannot be unified regarding whether the events of
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 have already passed, or if the events are being fulfilled in the present age. Those who interpret the text literally have amazing agreement with each other, and generally only have minor points of disagreement.
     There may be many possible interpretations with regard to the best sense of the biblical text, but readers must always seek the best meaning of the text, which would be pretribulationism. Some had taught that the Day of the Lord had come and the church was experiencing this persecution, leading them to think they had missed the rapture, that is, the coming prior to that period. Therefore, Paul said not to be deceived, “for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.” He said two things have to occur: apostasy, and the man of lawlessness being revealed. Contextual examination of the Greek word that is translated apostasy would be better understood as a physical departure. If one were to examine the meaning of the word in Greek lexicons and grammars, it would seem that a physical departure is based upon the context of what Paul had written previously. The church was already experiencing lawlessness, which would hardly qualify as a sign. Lawlessness has been a continual force against the church since its inception. The spirit of Antichrist is ever with the church; therefore, a religious departure from the faith would hardly be a sign that one was not entering the Day of the Lord.
     Even today, church members discuss the apostasy of the church and how it is increasing progressively. It is amazing what people thought was sinful ten or twenty years ago, now looking at what is being taught and embraced as truth. The point is that apostasy can always get worse. During the time of the Protestant Reformation, it was a time when it did not seem that things could worsen, and then God appointed individuals to proclaim the truth of Scripture, such as justification by faith alone, and tremendous revival occurred, of which all Christians are recipients. Apostasy or religious departure is not truly a sign, but is something that is always present with the church. The history of Israel and the church is one of frequent apostasies, even among themselves, and would not be a noteworthy sign.
     Paul’s exhortation not to be deceived would relate best to Daniel 9, where it prophesies with regard to the prince who will come and make a covenant with the Jewish nation and promise them peace for a seven-year period of time. Second Thessalonians 2 prophesies apostasy, and then the man of lawlessness is revealed, the person who makes the covenant with the Jewish nation. Verse 4 gives further explanation with regard to the man of lawlessness, the one “who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” Approximately AD 40, the Roman emperor Caligula entered the Holy of Holies and established an image of himself, and declared himself as God. Paul did not say that was fulfillment; rather, he said that the event was still future when writing Thessalonians (probably in the early 50s of the first century). Even the First Epistle of John prophesies that there will be a future Antichrist.
     Second Thessalonians 2 is prophesying with regard to events that have not yet occurred, and predicting a man of lawlessness who will proclaim himself as God in the Temple. The Romans destroyed the Jewish Temple in AD 70, and there is also mention of a Temple in the Book of Revelation, which was written in AD 95. If those things were fulfilled in the first century, then Paul could have cited the case of Caligula, or John, in the Book of Revelation, which was written twenty-five years after the destruction of the Temple, could have referred to that event as fulfillment. The correct understanding is that the prophecies are with regard to a third Temple, a rebuilt Temple, which is not there today.
     It is certainly easy to understand—given situations currently in the Middle East—that if an individual can promise peace, and find a way that the Muslims can worship Allah and the Jews can rebuild their Temple, that the world would hail this individual as a great leader. We have already seen here in America—without addressing the merits or demerits of the current presidency—how someone can achieve a celebrity status as president, and how amazingly that people—through use of media—could proclaim an individual to have a Messiah-like character. Combine that with the actual sense of accomplishments, achieving peace in the Middle East, and then it is easy to understand how all the world will worship an individual as a great leader. Therefore, verse 5 reads, “Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?” Paul was reminding the church that he had been with them a few weeks, and he had taught them all these things. The Apostle taught them all manner of chronological events with regard to the coming of the Lord, the rapture, the man of sin, a Temple, etc., which demonstrates that he considered these things to be important. Verse 5 is instructive to believers not to neglect the teaching of any aspect of God’s Word. Paul was obviously saying that it was important for the Thessalonians to understand these things, and it is important for the church also, to understand prophetic truth. Such teaching is essential to victorious Christian living.

Prior to the Day of the Lord
In verses 6-12, Paul continued his instruction regarding events that must occur before the beginning of the Day of the Lord, and he did that by placing emphasis upon the lawlessness of that period. In these verses, Paul explained more clearly to the church why the rapture had not occurred and why they had not missed it; therefore, they were not experiencing the Day of the Lord, the time of God’s judgment and the time of God’s wrath.
     Verse 7 mentions he who now restrains, and in the Greek, the word is in the masculine tense. The church is never referenced in that manner; the Greek New Testament always uses a feminine gender for the church. Therefore, the question is with regard to the masculine gender in verse 7. The reference is to the Holy Spirit, which is why it uses the masculine gender, to give emphasis upon the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is removed only as He indwells the church. The Holy Spirit is not taken from the earth because He is God, and therefore omnipresent. The removal must involve the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian at the moment of baptism into the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13). The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is unique for the church; a permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit never occurred in the Old Testament.
     Revelation does not mention any kind of indwelling of the Holy Spirit either. It mentions an indwelling, but it is the indwelling of the man of sin by Satan. The restraining influence in 2 Thessalonians 2 is the Holy Spirit as He indwells the church. The restraining influence is the church, which will be removed from the earth at the rapture, which is the removal of the restrainer. The rapture and the restrainer being removed are equal in meaning. Subsequent to the removal of the restrainer, the man of lawlessness is revealed by what he does according to Daniel 9, and then that would be the beginning of the Day of the Lord.
     In 2 Thessalonians 2:8, there is good indication of the wrath of God being mentioned when it addresses the Lord coming and slaying with the breath of His mouth this man of lawlessness. Such teaching very much correlates with Revelation 19; it is the same picture of Christ descending from heaven, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and by the words from His mouth, His destroying the wicked. The very next chapter in Revelation prophesies concerning the millennial kingdom, which seems to be sequential. The judgment associated with the second coming of Christ to earth, and then the establishing of the kingdom, is paralleled. Consequently, the judgment mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:8 is parallel to the teaching of Revelation 19, and the fact that Christ himself will destroy the man of sin, the lawless one. The only indication of a future wrath in the two epistles to the Thessalonians is 1 Thessalonians 1:10, where it notes that the church was “to wait for [God’s] Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues [the church] from the wrath to come.”
The wrath mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 is in reference to a coming of Jesus and how this coming is going to prevent the church from experiencing a future period of wrath. The scenario is of a coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, which provides deliverance from future wrath. One could certainly think that this deliverance is from the wrath of the tribulation, and it is referencing the second coming. Such a notion, however, would be incorrect because at the second coming, the wrath is completed and it will be time for establishing the kingdom, so it could not be the second coming mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, nor in 2 Thessalonians 2. The coming has to be a delivering, a coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that coming results in one being delivered and not experiencing a future period of wrath, which would be the tribulation. Such statements are indications of a rapture, a gathering of the church, prior to the beginning of the seven years of tribulation.
     Expounding upon verse 3, where it referenced the apostasy, Paul addressed all these texts with regard to what restrains the man of lawlessness. Part II of this article series indicated that the best manner to understand the restrainer is that this is dealing with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within the church, and that when the church is removed from this earth in the rapture, that restraining influence is taken so that then the man of lawlessness is revealed. The church is the pillar and the support of the truth (1 Tim 3:15); therefore, it is necessary to remove the pillar and support of the truth, and then the man of lawlessness can be revealed. It is impossible currently for such an event to occur because the church is still present on this earth. As bad as things may be or seem, it is comforting to know that the church has a restraining influence. Anytime society goes bad, the church should always look at self first and ask what is the church doing or not doing that is contributing to the fall. Sometimes religious individuals may persecute the church; sometimes difficulties are the righteous judgment of God; and sometimes the responsibility lies with those who should be more obedient.
     Second Thessalonians 2 is saying that the restraining influence has to be removed before the man of lawlessness can be revealed. It is stated in verse 7 that this mystery of lawlessness is already at work. It was already at work in the first century, which is why it cannot be the Roman Empire or something similar. It cannot be human government, because this is something that existed in the first century and continues even today, and will culminate in one specific individual, a lawless one that the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of His mouth. Verse 9 indicates the power that this individual will possess, a power from Satan to deceive many people into following him through signs and false wonders. Of course, this is something that the second beast of Revelation is also able to do; he is able to perform counterfeit miracles—signs and wonders—that deceive people. People are deceived by the so-called miraculous displays because it seems that the individuals possess the power of God.

God’s Glory in Salvation and Judgment
Verses 10-12 mention those who are deceived and are perishing. The text indicates that those who did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved received a deluding influence from God. There have been some that have taught that if the lost hear the gospel prior to the rapture and do not believe it, they will receive a deluding influence so that they will never have another chance to believe. In other words, anybody who heard the gospel and rejected it prior to the rapture cannot be saved after the rapture, but this is not the correct interpretation. The motivation of these teachers is sincere: to cause individuals to think seriously with regard to faith in Jesus Christ. The biblical text, however, is just simply indicating the type of people (i.e. unbelievers) who do not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved, and who take pleasure in wickedness. They willingly reject the gospel before the rapture and after the rapture, which is an accurate description of all unbelievers who do not receive the truth and willingly reject it; they will be given a deluding influence so as to believe what is false. The conscience is seared.
     According to Romans, all humanity possesses knowledge of God’s existence. All humanity is without excuse; all have natural revelation (creation); all have a conscience; consequently, all humanity is accountable to God and without excuse for not living in a manner consistent with such knowledge. Romans 1:18-20 teaches that humanity does not rebel because there is insufficient knowledge of God’s existence; it is not that the conscience fails to convict; rather, fallen humanity suppresses the truth of God in unrighteousness.
Probably everyone reading this article is able to recollect someone who heard the gospel proclaimed, and did not even want to hear the truth or think regarding the demands of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They would rather pretend that God does not exist, or that the gospel is unclear or untruthful, which is the same as what is expressed in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. God sears the conscience and gives the unbeliever a deluding influence, which leads to eternal punishment. There is a somber application to this text for when the church proclaims the gospel. It is to say that if the lost hear the gospel and reject it, there cannot be any confidence that God will not send a deluding influence so that there is not opportunity to trust again. For those who do not love the truth and reject it, God will give a deluding influence and help them to believe what is false.
     The text clearly demonstrates that God not only is glorified in the salvation of the righteous, but He is also glorified in His judgment of the wicked. It is a humbling teaching that God is glorified in the judgment of the wicked, which is something that all humanity deserves. God would be tremendously glorified if there were no saved people, not a soul—if Adam and Eve, and all their children after them, if none of them ever entered heaven, God would be glorified, God would be praised for all of eternity by the angels. The thought is sobering. Why are any saved? It is because God is gracious and merciful. He is glorified in the salvation of the righteous; He is also glorified in demonstrating His justice against those who persist in wickedness, which according to Romans 3 and Ephesians 2 included all humanity. The only difference in believers as the church is that God in His grace drew them to Christ, and He is to be praised for His grace and mercy. But the individuals in 2 Thessalonians 2 are those with whom He does not demonstrate His grace and mercy, and He is glorified for His actions.

Grace and Mercy from God
In the closing verses of 2 Thessalonians 2, the emphasis is upon God’s calling. Paul gave thanks for his readers’ salvation, praise for their perseverance, and hoped that they appreciated the secure position they had in holding to apostolic teaching. In contrast to the wicked unbelievers that were referenced in verse 12, Paul expressed his gratitude for his readers, those who are part of the church. The reason for his joy, he said in verse 13, is the result of God’s choice of them for salvation before He created the world. Consistently throughout the New Testament, “from the beginning” indicates a time prior to the world being created, before the foundation of the world, before creation itself; the emphasis is upon God’s choice of individuals for salvation. The initiative for salvation comes from God; it is His choosing; it does not come from man; rather, God accomplishes His salvation through the work of the Holy Spirit, which is the reason for Paul’s joy (i.e. the fact of God choosing for salvation). Paul gave thanks for those that have received God’s salvation.
In verse 14, Paul gave thanks that God called the Thessalonians so they could share splendor with the Lord: “that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The experience of being made holy (sanctification) occurs in three different realms. Positional sanctification is equivalent to justification. Experiential sanctification is the believer becoming being more and more Christ-like. Ultimate sanctification is the glorification of the body when believers are confirmed in holiness. Paul was addressing the latter when he referenced believers receiving splendor and honor, the ultimate glorification of the body.
     Praise God for His revelation regarding the present times and what the future entails for believers. God is gracious in calling sinners unto salvation. What longing there should be for the day when believers will be with God and experience all the splendor and honor of their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture gives a hope unlike any other. Praise God for His grace and salvation. The grace of the Lord will continue to enable His people to stand firm, to hold to the traditions that are taught in Scripture, and do all things as to His glory and by His grace.

(411)