The Day Of Judgment

16. Rebellion, Captivity, The Lord's Day

Based on 2 Thessalonians 2, a letter of Paul to his brothers during the first century AD.

About the coming (parousia in Greek which the more accurate translation is presence) of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering with him, we ask you, dear brothers, to be not easily unsettled or troubled in your mind if a spirit, prophecy, or a letter that seems to have come from us saying "the Day of the Lord has come!"

Do not be deceived by anyone or by anything for the Day of the Lord will not come until the rebellion occured and the man of lawlessness is revealed (or exposed).

(Paul foretold that the time will come when the people will completely turn away from the truth. This must take place first before the Lord's Day comes. Not only that; the man of sin must be exposed also. Who is this?)

He will oppose and will exalt himself above all that are called gods or holy, so that he sets up himself in God's temple (the church) proclaiming himself to be the God (or the Holy Father).

(When the people have reached their peak of rebellion, God let them to be ruled by the enemy as punishment but at the same time, to test the faithfulness of his saints so that they will rightfully rule and judge the world at their appointed time.)

Don't you remember that I used to tell you these things when I was still with you? And you know what hinders so that he may be revealed at the appointed time.

(Something or someone was hindering or keeping the man of sin unexposed. I believe it is the power of darkness, Satan himself, the deceiver of the nations.)

For this power of lawlessness (the man of sin) is already at work but he is a mystery (in secret, hidden, or covered) and the one who hinders its revelation will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

(If Satan, the power of darkness, is taken out, his power of lawlessness will then be revealed.)

Then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will overthrow by the spirit of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of His presence. (verses 1-8)

(On the Day of the Lord, this man of sin will be overpowered and will be broken in pieces. In light of this, Paul was not talking about a literal man but a power or a spirit who was already present and working evil works even during the first century AD but hidden because Satan was covering him or hindering him from being exposed.)

His works are in accordance with the works of Satan accompanied by all kinds of counterfeit wonders and miracles to deceive those who are perishing. They will perish because they rejected the love of the truth and instead they delighted with the lie. This is why God will let the spirit of strong delusion to reign over them so that they will continue to believe the lie which they love.

But Paul was thanking God through our Lord Jesus Christ because we are chosen in the very beginning to be saved and so he will always be with us at all times, even during bad times. He is faithful and will not let us to be tempted or tried more than we can bear. In times of trials, he will prepare a way for us to overcome it.