When Paul wrote his second letter to the church of Thessalonica, he was extremely excited at the thought of Jesus’ soon return. In fact, he was so overjoyed about the prospect of Jesus’ coming again that he devoted the entire second chapter of 2nd Thessalonians to the events that would occur in the last days. When we think about the coming of the Lord, it should have a STRONG EFFECT ON OUR LIVES. It should affect the way we live, the way we think, the way we carry on in our relationships, and the way we invest our money into the Kingdom of God. It is simply a fact that JESUS IS COMING FOR HIS CHURCH, and we should continuously live in the light of His coming. When we live with the awareness that Jesus is coming again, it changes our conduct and behavior. By using the word beseech (erotao: to make a strong request), Paul is communicating to his readers that they have a responsibility to RESPOND TO HIS MESSAGE about Jesus’ soon return. They are to live in a GODLY, UPRIGHT, AND HOLY MANNER as they wait for “the coming of our Lord.”
“According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST. After that, we who are STILL ALIVE and are left will be CAUGHT UP TOGETHER (harpazō: catch away) with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18) For the word “harpazō” the Latin Vulgate (In 1546 the Council of Trent decreed that the Vulgate was the exclusive Latin authority for the Bible) uses the word “Rapturo.” Where we get the word “Rapture.“
The pressing question is “When will this happen?” In the book of Matthew, Jesus says, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree (Israel is the fig tree): As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, WHEN YOU SEE ALL THESE THINGS, you know that IT IS NEAR, RIGHT AT THE DOOR. Truly I tell you, THIS GENERATION WILL CERTAINLY NOT PASS AWAY UNTIL ALL THESE THINGS have happened.” (Matthew 24:32-34) May 14th, 1948, Isarael, for the second time, was officially recognized as a nation, this began the final countdown.
The last sign Jesus gives is, “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘THE ABOMINATION that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—then let those who are in Judea FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS (Jesus has a place there for the Jews to hide out for the last 3.5 years).” (Matthew 24:15-16) This is when the anti-christ, halfway thru the 7-year tribulation, stops the Jews from doing their sacrifices and tries to kill them, preventing them from saying what Jesus said He WOULD NOT COME FOR THEM until they declared, “Baruch Ha’ba B’Shem Adonai.”
It is important to remember this! “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the man of lawlessness is revealed…He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he SETS HIMSELF UP IN GOD’S TEMPLE, PROCLAIMING HIMSELF TO BE GOD. And now YOU KNOW WHAT IS HOLDING HIM BACK (some power is preventing the anti-christ from being revealed) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but THE ONE (the Holy Spirit empowering the Church) WHO NOW HOLDS IT BACK WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO TILL HE (Holy Spirit in the Church) IS TAKEN (caught up, raptured) OUT OF THE WAY.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-7) This is when the deceived Jews enter into a seven-year covenant with the anti-christ.
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham