2Th 2:3-8 | KingComments | STEP | As it is already said in the introduction, the emphasis in this second letter lies on correction. That was needed because the enemy was trying to paralyze the lives of the believers. In order to succeed, he makes use of false teachings. He wants to create the right climate through the persecutions and tribulations so that he can introduce those false teachings. You have seen the tribulations in chapter 1. Paul made clear there how to confront them and he encouraged the believers on that by his teaching. In this chapter the false teachings will be dealt with how the tempter and deceiver wants to deceive the believers with a false message on the future. Paul clarifies how you should approach it. Besides, in both chapters you see the two forms of appearance of the enemy: in chapter 1 the ‘roaring lion’ ( ) and in chapter 2 the ‘angel of light’ ( ). The false teaching consisted of the guile of the enemy to fool the Thessalonians that the day of the Lord had already come. The enemy had even spread the rumor that Paul himself believes and teaches that. Now you should pay careful attention that Paul fights and reproofs this false teaching by placing the truth opposite it. . He does not issue an order. He even less blames them to be so stupid for giving room to the enemy for his false teachings. No, he starts with “requesting” them. In that way he wants to make them ponder on what he was going to say and what the main theme of his letter will be. Then he places himself in their midst, and not above them, by addressing them again with the familiar and confidential word “brethren”. His starting point for reproof the false teaching and the presentation of the truth is the coming of the Lord Jesus for His own. That’s what he means by “with regard to”. With that he says: ‘In order to make clear to you what the day of the Lord consists of, I want to remind you for a moment of the rapture of the believers.’ He is saying as it were to them: ‘Haven’t I told you that the Lord Jesus will come for His own first and that we will meet Him in the air, so that we are gathered together to Him ( )? You, who belong to Him, are still on earth. How could it be that the day of the Lord has come already, while the church is still on the earth? The coming of the Lord Jesus for those who are His is still to take place. Therefore there is no reason to accept that the day of the Lord has already come.’ . Don’t let yourself be fooled about anything. It is the intention of the enemy to keep you, and every child of God, away from focusing your eyes surely and firmly on the personal coming of the Lord Jesus in the air to take up His own to be with Him. He uses all kinds of deceptions and tricks to succeed. He attacks you in your thinking, your mind, your capability to judge things. You should not be so easily led astray. Think about everything that you hear or see and judge the things according to the Word of God. Then you will not be shocked easily by certain events that are explained by false teachers as God’s actions. Neither will you be easily confused and excited by their fine statements. They claim to have received a message by inspiration. But it is impossible that God’s Spirit is at work here. God’s Spirit is always in accordance with God’s Word. Therefore the spirits are to be tested according to God’s Word ( ). Therefore, don’t let yourself be surprised by their so-called ‘spiritual’ contacts. Don’t let yourself be deprived by their convincing-sounding reasoning. You must examine what they say on the basis of God’s Word. Even if they would come to you with a letter, a document of which they claim to be coming from an authority in religious matters, don’t let yourself be confused by it. Satan doesn’t care about which means he should use, as long as it is effective, as long as it results in having the Thessalonians think that the day of the Lord has come. A wrong translation of this phrase is: ‘As the day of Christ is at hand ’ (KJV). That wouldn’t be an error, for that day is indeed at hand . But the error that had found entrance was precisely that it had come now already . The proof of that, claimed by the deceivers, are the persecutions which the Thessalonians have to endure. That day is accompanied by tribulation after all, is it not? The suffering which they are enduring seem to be a confirmation to the deceivers. Is it not written that that day would be a day of fear and terror? . There are two arguments to reproof the error that the day of the Lord has come already. You just got the first argument: the believers have not been united with the Lord yet, for only after that He will come together with them to the earth. The second argument is that the “lawless one” ( ) has not been revealed yet and therefore the judgment cannot be executed yet. This second argument Paul now explains. If you understand that and hold on to it, the enemy will in no way be able to confuse you anymore about it. The first that Paul points to is “the apostasy”, which is the spiritual climate that will prevail after the rapture of the believers. That apostasy is the public denial of something that was formerly professed. Here it is about the apostasy of Christendom as the only religion in which God has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is the radical denial that there is a supreme Being beyond man, to Whom man should subject himself. The apostasy means that man arrogates to himself the absolute authority in the world and in the universe. To prevent a misconception, it is good for you to know that ‘the apostasy’ is not the apostasy of the believer, the born again Christian. The believer cannot become an apostate. The Lord Jesus has given the assurance of that ( ). It is true that in the time in which we live, the “later times”, “some will fall away from the faith” ( ). That regards people who hold to a form of godliness, which means people who are not born again Christians ( ). That is not the same as the general apostasy of the whole that calls itself Christian. Apostasy does not mean that the love of certain people is growing cold or the introduction of evil things in the church, but it is fully giving up the truth of God. Apostasy means that man dethrones God and puts himself on the throne. The stage in which all Christians will apostatize is still to come. The apostasy only starts when the rapture of the church has happened and when only nominal Christians are left on earth. That what will then be called Christianity will completely fall away. In the spiritual climate that will then prevail, a person will emerge who is the embodiment of the rebellion against God. This person is the concentration of all lawlessness. He is called “the man of sin” and “the son of destruction”. Sin has absolute authority over this man. Sin has the unlimited and unrestrained disposal over this man. There is in no way any connection with God or something that comes from God. This person has surrender himself to sin as a willing instrument, so that sin can reveal itself in all its horror in him. Such a person cannot possibly be any one else than ‘the son of destruction’. This is how Judas is also called by the Lord Jesus ( ). This name is an indicator of the character. You also read for instance about “a son of peace” ( ) as someone who is characterized by peace, who, as it were, has peace as his father, which his character shows. ‘The son of destruction’ finds its origin in destruction, his actions are characterized by destruction and his end is in destruction. . However, before he reaches his end, he will draw all spiritual leadership to himself. The person of the antichrist will be revealed. This is the person who is indicated in Daniel 11 as “the king” who “will do as he pleases” ( ). Paul quotes that verse here. From that verse it also appears that the antichrist is a Jew. In the New Testament you see him as the apostate leader of Christendom – he denies the Father and the Son – and of Judaism – he denies that Jesus is the Christ ( ). In Revelation 13 you see him as the beast coming up out of the earth ( ). The description shows similarity with Christ as the Lamb. The antichrist is imitating Him, He pretends to be the Christ, but is in all views the opponent of Christ. When he will be reigning, he will prohibit every form of religion. In that way he will open the way for an unprecedented blasphemous performance: he will oblige all Jews and nominal Christians to honor him as God (cf. ). Therefore he will take his seat in the temple of God, which is the temple in Jerusalem, the religious center of the Jews. The antichrist will take care that the dictator of the restored Roman Empire will be worshiped. Therefore he will make an image of that dictator and will place it in the temple where it can be worshiped ( ). That he takes his seat in the temple, proves once again that the antichrist is a Jew. The (apostate) Jews would otherwise never accept him as christ or messiah and also not allow him to take possession of the temple of God. The Lord Jesus has said of him that he will come in his own name and that the Jews will accept him ( ). Now read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 again. Reflection: Which proofs do you find in this portion that the day of the Lord has not come yet?

‏ 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8

How to Recognize the Day of the Lord

As it is already said in the introduction, the emphasis in this second letter lies on correction. That was needed because the enemy was trying to paralyze the lives of the believers. In order to succeed, he makes use of false teachings. He wants to create the right climate through the persecutions and tribulations so that he can introduce those false teachings.

You have seen the tribulations in chapter 1. Paul made clear there how to confront them and he encouraged the believers on that by his teaching. In this chapter the false teachings will be dealt with how the tempter and deceiver wants to deceive the believers with a false message on the future. Paul clarifies how you should approach it. Besides, in both chapters you see the two forms of appearance of the enemy: in chapter 1 the ‘roaring lion’ (1Pet 5:8) and in chapter 2 the ‘angel of light’ (2Cor 11:14).

The false teaching consisted of the guile of the enemy to fool the Thessalonians that the day of the Lord had already come. The enemy had even spread the rumor that Paul himself believes and teaches that. Now you should pay careful attention that Paul fights and reproofs this false teaching by placing the truth opposite it.

2Thes 2:1. He does not issue an order. He even less blames them to be so stupid for giving room to the enemy for his false teachings. No, he starts with “requesting” them. In that way he wants to make them ponder on what he was going to say and what the main theme of his letter will be. Then he places himself in their midst, and not above them, by addressing them again with the familiar and confidential word “brethren”.

His starting point for reproof the false teaching and the presentation of the truth is the coming of the Lord Jesus for His own. That’s what he means by “with regard to”. With that he says: ‘In order to make clear to you what the day of the Lord consists of, I want to remind you for a moment of the rapture of the believers.’ He is saying as it were to them: ‘Haven’t I told you that the Lord Jesus will come for His own first and that we will meet Him in the air, so that we are gathered together to Him (1Thes 4:15-17)? You, who belong to Him, are still on earth. How could it be that the day of the Lord has come already, while the church is still on the earth? The coming of the Lord Jesus for those who are His is still to take place. Therefore there is no reason to accept that the day of the Lord has already come.’

2Thes 2:2. Don’t let yourself be fooled about anything. It is the intention of the enemy to keep you, and every child of God, away from focusing your eyes surely and firmly on the personal coming of the Lord Jesus in the air to take up His own to be with Him. He uses all kinds of deceptions and tricks to succeed. He attacks you in your thinking, your mind, your capability to judge things. You should not be so easily led astray.

Think about everything that you hear or see and judge the things according to the Word of God. Then you will not be shocked easily by certain events that are explained by false teachers as God’s actions. Neither will you be easily confused and excited by their fine statements.

They claim to have received a message by inspiration. But it is impossible that God’s Spirit is at work here. God’s Spirit is always in accordance with God’s Word. Therefore the spirits are to be tested according to God’s Word (1Jn 4:1). Therefore, don’t let yourself be surprised by their so-called ‘spiritual’ contacts. Don’t let yourself be deprived by their convincing-sounding reasoning. You must examine what they say on the basis of God’s Word.

Even if they would come to you with a letter, a document of which they claim to be coming from an authority in religious matters, don’t let yourself be confused by it. Satan doesn’t care about which means he should use, as long as it is effective, as long as it results in having the Thessalonians think that the day of the Lord has come.

A wrong translation of this phrase is: ‘As the day of Christ is at hand’ (KJV). That wouldn’t be an error, for that day is indeed at hand. But the error that had found entrance was precisely that it had come now already. The proof of that, claimed by the deceivers, are the persecutions which the Thessalonians have to endure. That day is accompanied by tribulation after all, is it not? The suffering which they are enduring seem to be a confirmation to the deceivers. Is it not written that that day would be a day of fear and terror?

2Thes 2:3. There are two arguments to reproof the error that the day of the Lord has come already. You just got the first argument: the believers have not been united with the Lord yet, for only after that He will come together with them to the earth. The second argument is that the “lawless one” (2Thes 2:8) has not been revealed yet and therefore the judgment cannot be executed yet.

This second argument Paul now explains. If you understand that and hold on to it, the enemy will in no way be able to confuse you anymore about it. The first that Paul points to is “the apostasy”, which is the spiritual climate that will prevail after the rapture of the believers. That apostasy is the public denial of something that was formerly professed. Here it is about the apostasy of Christendom as the only religion in which God has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is the radical denial that there is a supreme Being beyond man, to Whom man should subject himself. The apostasy means that man arrogates to himself the absolute authority in the world and in the universe.

To prevent a misconception, it is good for you to know that ‘the apostasy’ is not the apostasy of the believer, the born again Christian. The believer cannot become an apostate. The Lord Jesus has given the assurance of that (Jn 10:27-29). It is true that in the time in which we live, the “later times”, “some will fall away from the faith” (1Tim 4:1). That regards people who hold to a form of godliness, which means people who are not born again Christians (2Tim 3:5). That is not the same as the general apostasy of the whole that calls itself Christian. Apostasy does not mean that the love of certain people is growing cold or the introduction of evil things in the church, but it is fully giving up the truth of God. Apostasy means that man dethrones God and puts himself on the throne.

The stage in which all Christians will apostatize is still to come. The apostasy only starts when the rapture of the church has happened and when only nominal Christians are left on earth. That what will then be called Christianity will completely fall away. In the spiritual climate that will then prevail, a person will emerge who is the embodiment of the rebellion against God. This person is the concentration of all lawlessness. He is called “the man of sin” and “the son of destruction”.

Sin has absolute authority over this man. Sin has the unlimited and unrestrained disposal over this man. There is in no way any connection with God or something that comes from God. This person has surrender himself to sin as a willing instrument, so that sin can reveal itself in all its horror in him.

Such a person cannot possibly be any one else than ‘the son of destruction’. This is how Judas is also called by the Lord Jesus (Jn 17:12). This name is an indicator of the character. You also read for instance about “a son of peace” (Lk 10:6) as someone who is characterized by peace, who, as it were, has peace as his father, which his character shows. ‘The son of destruction’ finds its origin in destruction, his actions are characterized by destruction and his end is in destruction.

2Thes 2:4. However, before he reaches his end, he will draw all spiritual leadership to himself. The person of the antichrist will be revealed. This is the person who is indicated in Daniel 11 as “the king” who “will do as he pleases” (Dan 11:36). Paul quotes that verse here. From that verse it also appears that the antichrist is a Jew.

In the New Testament you see him as the apostate leader of Christendom – he denies the Father and the Son – and of Judaism – he denies that Jesus is the Christ (1Jn 2:22-23). In Revelation 13 you see him as the beast coming up out of the earth (Rev 13:11-18). The description shows similarity with Christ as the Lamb. The antichrist is imitating Him, He pretends to be the Christ, but is in all views the opponent of Christ.

When he will be reigning, he will prohibit every form of religion. In that way he will open the way for an unprecedented blasphemous performance: he will oblige all Jews and nominal Christians to honor him as God (cf. Eze 28:2). Therefore he will take his seat in the temple of God, which is the temple in Jerusalem, the religious center of the Jews. The antichrist will take care that the dictator of the restored Roman Empire will be worshiped. Therefore he will make an image of that dictator and will place it in the temple where it can be worshiped (Rev 13:14-15).

That he takes his seat in the temple, proves once again that the antichrist is a Jew. The (apostate) Jews would otherwise never accept him as christ or messiah and also not allow him to take possession of the temple of God. The Lord Jesus has said of him that he will come in his own name and that the Jews will accept him (Jn 5:43).

Now read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 again.

Reflection: Which proofs do you find in this portion that the day of the Lord has not come yet?

That Lawless One

2Thes 2:5. In the previous verses Paul actually did not do much more than remind the believers in Thessalonica of what he had told them earlier. Apparently this subject belongs to the basic equipment of each believer. He will not have gone deeper into that, for he only stayed with them for a short time. Nevertheless he points out to them what he had then said and in that way wants to refresh their memory.

It is surely not the case that Paul has mentioned this subject just in passing. You cannot see it in this translation, but he says that he has repeatedly mentioned this subject. Therefore it includes an undertone of reprimand. If they had understood what he had said, they would not have had the difficulties that they now have in the circumstances they found themselves. Due to the ‘forgetfulness’ of the Thessalonians we may now profit from the teaching on the future.

2Thes 2:6-7. Paul continues with his teaching. He thereby connects to the knowledge he assumed they had. They knew that the revelation of the antichrist was being restrained. This being restrained happens by a “what” (2Thes 2:6) and a “who” (2Thes 2:7). There is ‘something’ that restrains and ‘someone’, a person, who restrains. The question is to ‘what’ and ‘whom’ we should think of, what is meant by it. Several interpreters put forward several solutions. I would like to tell you which one appeals the most to me and why.

“What restrains him” is the church. Paul has said that as long as the church is on earth, the day of the Lord could not possibly have already come. He has also said that, before the day of the Lord comes, the apostasy, which is in relation with the public revelation of the antichrist, must come first. But the presence of the church on earth means that there is still no general denial of God and Christ.

“He who now restrains”, is the Holy Spirit. That it is a reference to the Holy Spirit, is clear to me because following that is written “until he is taken out of the way”. When the church will be taken out of the way, the Holy Spirit also will be taken out of the way. Will He then be no more on earth? He surely will, but not in the same way as when the church was on the earth. Then He dwelled in the church. On the day of Pentecost, at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, He came to dwell in the believers.

Before that time He worked on earth. You can already read about that in the first verses of the Bible (Gen 1:2). Each work of God on earth happened, and is still happening, by the Holy Spirit. But only after the Lord Jesus had ascended to heaven after the accomplishment of the work on the cross, the Spirit came to dwell (Jn 7:39) on earth. How that has happened you can read in Acts 2 (Acts 2:1-4). His coming to the earth was the beginning of the church. His dwelling place is the church (1Cor 3:16; Eph 2:22). You see how much the church and the Holy Spirit are related with each other.

Due to the presence on earth of both the church and the Holy Spirit, the full revelation of the evil is still being restrained. An example of that restraining is the failure of spiritualistic manifestations due to the presence of a praying believer. What also can happen is that an ungodly or nasty conversation stops when a committed believer joins the talkers of whom they know that he is a committed believer.

This ‘restraining’ stops when the church has been caught up to heaven. And when the church is caught up, it cannot be otherwise than that the Holy Spirit leaves the earth. The church is His dwelling place forever. A proof of that is to be found in what the Lord Jesus has said of the Holy Spirit, that He abides with and will be in the believers forever (Jn 14:15-17). When the church has been caught up into heaven, the Holy Spirit will not dwell on earth anymore. As far as His work is concerned, it will be again as it was in the time before the church was on earth.

The full revelation of evil is therefore being restrained. But “the mystery of lawlessness” is already at work. To those who are blind to it, the unbelievers, it is still a ‘mystery’. The unbelievers even cooperate massively with the lawlessness. To you it doesn’t have to be a mystery. You may take to heart what Paul says here about this phenomenon. The reason that it unfortunately is still a mystery to many believers is because they do not read the Scripture. If you do read the Scripture, then this increasing lawlessness doesn’t have to be surprising to you.

With lawlessness you must not think just of breaking the law. Lawlessness goes far beyond that. Lawlessness is the essence of sin, for “sin is lawlessness” (1Jn 3:4). It is the complete denial of any form of authority. Is that not what you observe around you? Do you not notice that man wants to be autonomous, independent, self-reliant more and more? He is less and less willing to subject himself to authority and certainly not to God’s authority.

2Thes 2:8. This work of ‘the mystery of lawlessness’ goes on until the man of sin, the lawless one, can fully reveal himself. Therefore, don’t let yourself be deceived by voices who want to make you believe that the world will be won for Christ through the gospel. That is a great error. You read here what the future of the world looks like.

That doesn’t mean that you should not proclaim the gospel. On the contrary, it is exactly an exhortation to do that. However, the gospel is for the individual and not for the mass. As it is said, the mass will fall away, will turn its back on God and worship the antichrist. “Then”, this is how 2Thes 2:8 begins. That means: at that moment and not earlier, the lawless one will be revealed. The lawlessness which is already at work mysteriously, will at that moment take shape in a person. It is the same as John writes about the many antichrists, while there is just only one who is the antichrist (1Jn 2:18). Everything happens according to God’s plan. Satan and his demons can in no way change anything about that. No, the fact is even that they cooperate against their will to the fulfillment of it.

Once the lawless one has been revealed, it will be the beginning of a time of unprecedented terror on earth. You don’t read anything about his rule of terror here. You can read it in the book of Revelation. Here you read briefly, and therefore impressive, about his inglorious, humiliating and horrible end. He does not come to an end by being defeated in a fight of life and death. The Lord Jesus will personally slay him by nothing more than the breath of His mouth (cf. Isa 11:4). You can also think of His Word, a word of power (Psa 33:6; Rev 1:16).

Imagine: There you have the lawless man who exalts himself above everything and has made himself God instead of being subjected to God. This puffed-up, bragging blasphemer will be slain by a simple – but oh, how full of power! – act. And by Whom? By the Man Who has first humbled Himself on earth and became obedient until death and Who afterward was glorified by God and became Lord of lords. His appearance, so when He comes visible on earth, means the end of the lawless one.

“To slay” and “bring to an end” do not mean the end of his existence. These words indicate that it is finished with his position and the exertion of his power. In Revelation 19 you see how that will happen (Rev 19:20). There the lawless one is called “the false prophet”. Together with the beast, that is the dictator of the restored Roman Empire (the united Europe), he is thrown into the lake of fire without trial. These two monstrous persons will come into hell as the first ones. They will also be the only ones there during the thousand years of peace that will follow on earth after their condemnation. When the thousand years will be over, then the devil will be thrown into it (Rev 20:10) and ultimately all the unbelievers (Rev 20:11-12 ; 15).

Now read 2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 again.

Reflection: Mention situations wherein the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.