“Please don’t be upset and excited, dear brothers, by THE RUMOR that the day of the Lord HAS ALREADY BEGUN. If you hear of people having visions and special messages from God about this, or letters that are supposed to have come from me, DON’T BELIEVE THEM.” (2 Thess. 2:2) It appears the Thessalonians had become unsettled by a teaching (allegedly Paul’s) “that the day of the Lord has come”. Paul not only disavows the teaching, but reminds the Thessalonians what he had earlier taught them. The day of the Lord has NOT yet come, with all of the future blessing that believers in Christ eagerly await. Paul doesn’t want to frighten the Thessalonians; he wants to comfort them by reassuring them of their FUTURE HOPE that lies in the gospel.
Paul goes on to say, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the FALLING AWAY (apostasia: the rebellion) COMES FIRST, and the man of sin IS REVEALED, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that HE SITS AS GOD in the temple of God, SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD.” (2 Thess. 2:3-4) Will we as Christians, see this? “…you know what is HOLDING HIM BACK, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. 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.” (2 Thess. 2:6-7)
Who would have the power to “hold back” the antichrist? The Holy Spirit in Christ’s church! How will He “step out of the way”? “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP TOGETHER (harpazō: to snatch away, the Latin word is rapturo: where we get the word rapture) with them in the clouds TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore COMFORT ONE ANOTHER with these words.” (1 Thess. 4:16-18) After this is when the antichrist is revealed!!!
-Bill Stockham