Things were rough in Thessalonica back then. They were freaking out because they thought that the great tribulation was happening. Just like what we’re going through today. Folks, we are NOT in the great tribulation. That’s going to happen in the future. There are a few things that have to happen first before the antichrist appears, makes a peace treaty with Israel, which starts the great tribulation, then the final judgement of God.
2 Thessalonians 2
Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. 2 Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. 3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. 4 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.
5 Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? 6 And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. 7 For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. 8 Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.
9 This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11 So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12 Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 NLT
What Needs to Happen Before the Antichrist is Revealed
- The Rapture — v. 1: “we will be gathered to meet him.”
- False teachers — v. 2-3 “Don’t be fooled.”
- A 3rd temple in Jerusalem must be built — v. 4: “He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.” If there’s no Jewish temple, there’s nothing for him to defile. What’s interesting is that Jews in Jerusalem have all the materials ready to build the 3rd temple. They believe that that will usher in the Messiah. Unfortunately, the Islamic mosques are where the temple needs to be built. Something needs to happen to the Dome of the Rock to destroy it.
Right now, the Holy Spirit living in the hearts of the born-again believers is holding back the antichrist. The antichrist or the man of lawlessness cannot be revealed until after the rapture of the Christian believers.
However, the spirit of lawlessness is at work already in the world. It was back then and it is so now even more. We see it in the burning of our cities, in the persecution of Christians, in the evil of abortion and sex slavery, as well as other lawless acts around the world.
The Good News is that though the lawless one will rule the world for a short time after the rapture and during the great tribulation, Jesus wins in the end! We know that because we can read the last chapters!
Believers Should Stand Firm
13 As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 14 He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, 17 comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 NLT
What We Need to do Today
We need to stop worrying about who the antichrist could be. If you’re a believer, like me, we’ll be gone to heaven with Jesus at the rapture. Nevertheless, I do believe that the antichrist is alive somewhere in Europe. The signs of the times are all around us. We are being primed and prepped for a one-world government, a one-world currency, the mark of the beast. No, it’s not the COVID-19 vaccine, but the technology exists to make it happen. Furthermore, we’re being conditioned for a man of lawlessness — the antichrist — to come and save the world after a major crisis. A crisis like, oh, the disappearing of millions of Christian believers.
Believe me, you don’t want to be left behind! I think it will be worse than what was depicted in the Left Behind novels and movie.
Biblical Events Timeline
Search the web for “end times timeline” and you get dozens of images. This one from Landmarks of Prophetic Truths is simple and to the point. You can check out my other Bible Prophecy Links for other folks that I’ve vetted and what they say makes sense and coincides with scripture. Like I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’ve been studying eschatology — end times prophecies — for a while. With the help of the Holy Spirit, this is what makes the most sense to me.
We are in the church age. Then comes the rapture, then the 7 years of tribulation, followed by the second coming of Christ. Next, the millennial reign, finally eternal life with Jesus in the New Heaven and the New Earth.
I did a whole study on the Book of Revelation.
You can access it here.
You can drive yourselves crazy trying to figure out what all the symbolism means. IT DOESN’T MATTER! What matters is your SALVATION! If you are saved, you’ll be raptured and you’ll be saved from God’s wrath and final judgement!
Stand Firm on the Truth
People, Jesus is the ONLY WAY! Only through the salvation of Jesus Christ can we be guaranteed a one-way, non-stop, ticket to heaven! Being born again is the only way you’re going to participate in the rapture and you won’t be left behind! I know there will be A LOT of people who THINK that they are “Christians” because they attend a church every Sunday or they were “raised in the church”. Those “halfway Christians” are going to be shocked when they’re left behind!
Folks, sitting in a church doesn’t make you a Christian, just like sitting in a bank won’t make you rich. Salvation is THROUGH JESUS ONLY! A church can’t save you. Sacraments can’t save you. Mary and the saints — dead people — certainly can’t save you. Only JESUS can!
It’s Your Choice
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
