The Thessalonian Epistles

Events Before the Day of the Lord

2 Thessalonians 2:3

Lesson XXI

Written: July 7, 2005

We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:5, “Remember ye not, that, when I was with you I told you these things?” Therefore Paul is not setting forth anything new in this chapter. He is reiterating what he already had taught them. That fact has in it important instruction.

Acts 17:2

(2) And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

Paul had been with the Thessalonians for two weeks reasoning out of the Scriptures (Acts 17:2). During that time, to young believers in the faith, he had taught them Bible prophecy. How strange that today so many preachers shy away from the subject and also advise others to do the same. Is not Bible prophecy inspired?

Before looking at details, notice the prophetic subjects to which the Apostle makes reference:

Ø The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ

Ø The day of the Lord

Ø The revealing of the man of sin

Ø The judgment of God on those who believe not the truth as revealed in Jesus Christ

So Paul begins with a warning about deception, and we do well to take heed.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

(3) 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;

Colossians 2:4

(4) And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

Colossians 2:8

(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Colossians 2:16

(16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]:

Colossians 2:18

(18) Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

1 John 3:7

(7) Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

2 John 7

(7) For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no man deceive you by any means…”

Colossians 2:4 “and this I say lest any man should beguile you with enticing words”

Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit…”

Colossians 2:16 “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of ..”

Colossians 2:18 “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and…”

1 John 3:7 “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is…”

2 John 7 “For many deceivers are entered into the world…”

These are but a few of the warnings in Scripture. Notice that they are warnings as to what men may do. But remember being inspired, they are all warnings of the Holy Spirit. They are needed as much now as when written almost 2000 years ago. Elsewhere there are warnings about the deception that will mark the days at the end of this age.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2

(1) But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

(2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

The Thessalonians were being deceived by a letter teaching them that the day of the Lord had already come. When Paul wrote the first letter he said, “But of the times and seasons brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2).

Paul had taught them and thought they “knew perfectly” about the day of the Lord. But now some, evidently, did not know and their faith in what he had taught was being shaken.

So he teaches them again. Assuring them that “that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and the man of sin be revealed….”

Most modern translations have changed the words “falling away first” to the words “apostasy first”. The more we read and study, the less - not the more - do we think of modern translations. In a sense it is like reading old medical books. The more one reads the less one thinks of medical science. Now, the doctors give blood transfusions to patients, not too long ago, they were bleeding patients and that was then scientific!

In like manner we are learning that most modern translations have been the work of modernist thinkers translating for modernist minds!

Our friend Norman Prescott wrote in his book, of those who translated the first revision of the King James Bible: “… many with theological bias in favour of Rome.”

He also wrote: “How very sad it is to see that critical scholars have robbed God of His Wonderful Name and substituted a meaningless ‘Yahweh’ for the meaningful ‘Jehovah’. This is a crime of the first magnitude. Who steals my purse steals trash, but who steals my good name steals my most precious treasure. Let us not be guilty of this.”

We have quoted at length to illustrate why we have little time for modern translations. At best they must be considered to be but the commentaries of men, and in my opinion, “some of good will…others not sincerely…” (Philippians 1:15-16).

Philippians 1:15-16

(15) Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

(16) The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

Because of modern translations the translation “apostasy” for “falling away” has been the commonly accepted word. We held this view but were not dogmatic because of a book written in 1954 by E. Schuyler English, entitled “Rethinking the Rapture.” He introduced (at least to us) the suggestion that the words “falling away first” could have been translated “disappearance” or “departure”, suggesting that the words had to do with the Rapture. Although he did not write dogmatically, he was ridiculed by many for such a suggestion.

Although we lean towards his view, we will be charged for doing so because it would be a strong case for a pre-tribulation Rapture. However, we do not need such a translation to support that doctrine, as we find that doctrine elsewhere in Scripture. Nor do we lean to this suggested translation to deny a great end-times apostasy. That is clearly taught in 2 Timothy 3:1-8.

2 Timothy 3:1-8

(1) This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

(2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

(3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

(4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

(5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

(6) For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

(7) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

(8) Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

2 Thessalonians 2:6

(6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

Another event must take place before the coming of the day of the Lord. The man of sin must be revealed. We notice in verse 6 this man will be revealed in his time. So we learn that there is a definite time of his revealing. Until he is revealed no one knows who he is.

One of the sad facts about prophetic preachers and teachers is that for years they have endeavoured to reveal him. Read prophetic teaching-history and see how many men have been ‘revealed’ by men to have been the anti-Christ. It has been harmful to the cause of Bible prophecy because it has ignored the statement by Paul: “revealed in his time….”

1 John 3:18

(18) My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1 John 4:3

(3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

We are fully persuaded that this man of sin is none other than the antichrist of whom John writes in 1 John 3:18. “antichrist shall come..” He had not come when John wrote. John did say at that time there were many antichrists already in the world. But there is a distinction in the text between “antichrist” and the ‘many antichrists.’ Then in 1 John 4:3, he wrote about “the spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come and even now already is it in the world.”

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“The word means more than a ‘false Christ’. It conveys the idea of a counterfeit Christ, a rival or usurper.” So wrote Prof. E. M. Blaiklock.

In our next article we shall look more closely at this one who is yet to come, a coming world dictator.