2 Thessalonians 2:1-8

(2 Thessalonians 2:1-8)

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

 

The Thessalonian Church's interest is said to be ``by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,''. As such, they were very interested in the Lord's Second Coming and gathering before him. When the Lord descended, the Saints said that they would gather before him. Paul said that this should not be easily agitated. Those who are concentric are deceived. A person whose heart is shaken means that they have already left their normal religious life.『That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 』.

For the Lord's Second Coming, agitating the hearts of Christians is a delusion of evil spirits. Among them, "by spirit, by word, by letter ", etc., is said to stir people's minds and cause confusion in the church.

The word spirit means that you have been spiritually prophesied. The false revelation or prophecy of these people deceives many saints who know nothing about the Second Coming of the Lord. The delusion was said to be spoken. Words mean that you are deceived by preaching. These are usually a group of pastors. Their fearful declarations and alarms about the plagues and the time-honored "When the Lord comes again" fear many people, and will surely shake their hearts.

Next, the Bible was said to be deceiving by letter. For this letter, 『by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 』 The letters received from the apostles were accepted by the Word of God in the most authoritative words of the time. They do not hesitate to deceive, thus quoting the letters of the Lord's apostles incorrectly or falsely.

Paul said not to be afraid because of the Lord's Second Coming. The Lord's Second Coming is not to fear the Saints. Jesus is coming to give the Saints joy and the greatest blessings on earth. If the Lord's Second Coming strikes him in fear, then he must be the one who will be feared by the Lord. But if the Lord's Second Coming can be welcomed with joy, the Lord's Second Coming will bring joy and blessings.

That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

Paul said that there would be apostasy first. Paul's apostasy here refers to the power of the harlot in Revelation 17. Revelation chapter 17 shows the power of the great harlot and the identity of the antichrist to be judged by God. These words have the same apocalypse as Paul's words.

The great was called "the great whore that sitteth upon many waters". the great comes into the world before and after the advent of the beast, the enemy Christ. Regarding how the great hits the head, the third angel and the fourth angel's trumpet appear in Revelation 8, 『And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 』

Apostasy was the result of being deceived by Satan. This spiritual darkness is all over the world. In particular, it is said that the Bible falls into rivers and water fountains that symbolize the church of God. When this power emerges, the religious powers of the whole world will be one, with the antichrist as the center. And because these forces dominate and move religious institutions around the world, they will be able to form Babylon. This great is to intoxicate mankind all over the world with wine of fornication. The truth will disappear, and as the prophet Amos prophesied, an age without the word of God will come. This harlot in Revelation 17:3

 『So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 』 The emergence of the great reveals to all the awakened Saints. This terrifying force will work through the power of Satan to give divine authority to the enemy Christ and to worship him. Paul is telling us that this man must first appear in the world before the end of mankind, and that this will happen before and after the Second Coming of the Lord.

Paul was the second sign, ``Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 』 In the Bible, the name of the Antichrist appears in several ways. The beast, the red beast, the ten horns, the small horn, the adversary, the illegal person, and the antichrist, appear in many names, but the identity of the person is the antichrist. What the Bible says is an illegal person is a name given because this Antichrist will appear at the end of mankind and will oppose God. The Son of Perdition is so called because it is the one who will be destroyed by Christ, the Second Coming.

The Bible said he was against the Antichrist. The enemy, who manifested himself as the Savior of the world, received his mark and forbid those who did not receive it, and forbid all trade. And the Bible tells us to make their idols and to worship them to all mankind. However, regarding this enemy, 『Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 』
At the end of the human race, this enemy enters the newly built temple of God in Jerusalem, and establishes and worships his idols there, so he will show himself and be called God. Such beings must appear at the end of mankind.

Paul reveals to The Saints in Thessalonica Church a detailed revelation of the advent of the Antichrist and the history of delusion that will be carried out by the enemy after it appears in the world. Paul's image of the antichrist is the same as that of Daniel 7 and Revelation 13, so he must be able to look carefully.

Paul says that the secret of illegality has already worked. The secret of lawlessness is Satan's secret plan to bring forth the Antichrist. This man appeared in the world as soon as possible and was plotting a plot against God. However, God does not allow this person to appear. Even if Satan tries to act, he cannot act without God's permission. So, it is not possible that the Antichrist can manifest itself in the world at any time. Follow God's already established plan. His appearance does not appear until the end of mankind, at the time when the Lord will return. Then, when the work of God is over, this person is allowed to appear, 『For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 』

Paul says that the secret of illegality has already worked. The secret of lawlessness is Satan's secret plan to bring forth the Antichrist. This man appeared in the world as soon as possible and was plotting a plot against God. However, God does not allow this person to appear. Even if Satan tries to act, he cannot act without God's permission. So, it is not possible that the Antichrist can manifest itself in the world at any time. Follow God's already established plan. His appearance does not appear until the end of mankind, at the time when the Lord will return. Then, when the work of God is over, this person is allowed to appear, 『For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 』

Paul said, "This illegal man follows Satan's history." The antichrist is his messenger from Satan. This man in Revelation 17 said that this man was the lion of the abyss. Regarding the activity of this man, Revelation 13:3 says, “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 』

Thus, this unlawful character, delegated all authority from the red dragon, appears to "those who have authority and power and perish through Satan's history with all power and signs, false miracles, and all deceptions of injustice."

The Bible says that the antichrist comes to the perishing. Those who perish are originally those who will be destroyed with the devil. All humans are children of Satan. However, only those who repent and enter into Christ are freed from Satan.
As for the object of those who will be destroyed, 『And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 』
Those who have not been chosen by God are those who have rejected Christ's love. They are against the love of truth. Why does God make the enemy Christ appear and work as a spirit of delusion? Regarding this, in verse 12,『That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 』 This is to screen out grains and grainless guts.

Paul was always grateful when Thessalonica thought of the Saints in the Church. And Paul wishes Thessalonica to comfort the hearts of the saints in the Church and to strengthen all good works and words. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 』

Paul reveals several facts about God's call to the gospel. First, he said, "God chose you from the beginning." The word "from the beginning" means that it was as planned before the foundation of the world. It is not a person who chose a specific person, but a person who entered God's plan of salvation. He came to this world that had left the kingdom of God, but he realized that it was wrong to think that he could become like God on his own, and God gives the grace of salvation to those who repent and return.

God sanctifies the elect by the Holy Spirit. They are sanctified with water and the Holy Spirit. They die in the body of water and are reborn as spirit bodies in the water. Those who are born again with the Holy Spirit are born of God and become holy. So, they go into Christ. They put on Christ's clothes in Christ.

Second, they said that they believed in the truth and they were saved. God makes his chosen people believe the truth. The truth is Jesus Christ. So faith comes from God. This is grace. In Galatians 3:23-24『 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 』

Paul said that God called us with the Gospel "to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." Those who believe in Christ are those who are united with Christ, and he is God's heirs who will inherit the kingdom of God. They are partakers of the glory of Christ because they are clothed with righteousness, truth, and holiness. Glory is the revealing of Christ. Only Christ appears. So Jesus said, "Deny yourself."

Paul exhorted, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. "
Paul asked them to shine with all these words. Therefore, the saints must stand firm in the faith without being shaken by anyone's words or temptations. And Paul told them to keep the inheritance that they had been taught in the Word or taught by letter. Geneticity, taught by letter, refers to Paul's recommendation to live the lessons of Christ's instructions in the letter.