Prerequisite Signs.2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.
Dear Pilgrims and Sojourners,
We have seen so far that the response of the Apostle Paul to the false teaching that the Lord has already come has been, No, if he had, we would be with him. Now he turns his attention to an important aspect of this expectation – what precedes the coming of the Lord.
Apostasy (v. 3a). There will be a rebellion in which people will turn away from God. Speaking of this to Timothy years later, Paul says “some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:2). One may well wonder whether the last days are not with us, seeing the extent of depravity in our society.
Antichrist (vv. 3b-4a).Paul talks of the revelation of a man, whom he describes as; Lawless. This most likely implies that the man will not respect the laws of God and will do whatever he sees fit, what is often referred to as a law unto himself. Limited. The man will be great and powerful, but his doom is already decreed. He is destined for destruction. We must never lose sight of the fact that evil will not triumph. Lifted. The man will exalt himself above all gods. He will make himself the final authority, with none above him.
Abomination (v. 4b).” He will take his seat,” another way of saying that the man will position himself – imagine someone sitting on a throne, in the temple. Most of the Thessalonians would not have fully comprehended what Paul was saying. But those who were Jewish would recall the history of Israel, how 200 years before, a gentile ruler had declared himself the manifestation of God and had desecrated the temple by forcing priests to sacrifice pigs in the temple. The Antichrist will proclaim himself God and will desecrate the temple by occupying the place of God, most likely the Holy of Holies.
It seems that there is a slight difference between what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and what he says here. In the earlier passage, the dead in Christ are raised and those still alive are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. There is no prerequisite event for this to happen. But for the Lord to come (to earth, it seems), the rebellion must take place and the man of lawlessness be revealed. It is quite possible that these are two different events. This has led many interpreters to separate Christ’s coming for his saints and his coming (return) to the earth. The first is called the rapture, the second, the Second Coming.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.