Prophecy

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by Clive Campbell
08/29/22
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3. The Second Thessalonians Problem

I won't spend too much time on this "problem," as I have already dealt with it in my arguments against the 1st "problem," The Precursor Problem. As I wrote there, I am not a Pre-Tribber who believes that there are no precursor signs to the "day of the Lord," which I view as the literal day of the Second Coming, though perhaps it could figuratively mean the very last year of the last 7 years or even the last 7 years in their entirety or some other portion thereof. In my view it doesn't matter as long as it is within that time frame, especially since the 2 precursor signs to the "day of the Lord" in 2 Thessalonians 2 must occur before these 7 years. For example, the "day of the Lord" can not figuratively refer to the entire 6th millennial "day," 1030/31 AD to 2030/31 AD, though the Lord will come invisibly at the Resurrection/Rapture and visibly at the Second Coming at the very end of this millennium.

Let me just comment on the first 12 verses of 2 Thessalonians 2 (NASB1995) to refute this "problem."

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,

Note that the 1st verse may be referring to "our gathering together to Him" at the invisible "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" at the Resurrection/Rapture and at the visible "coming" at Armageddon and the Second Coming, 7 years later. Saints will be gathered to Jesus at both times, but of course way more at the Resurrection/Rapture than at the Second Coming. As the Resurrection/Rapture comes first, it is possible that Paul was only referring to it, as that is the one that had it occurred would have included the Thessalonian saints.

2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

Here Paul brings up the "day of the Lord" term or phrase that obviously relates to "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" and "our gathering together to Him." As I wrote above, I consider it the literal "day" of the Second Coming or perhaps figuratively the last year of the last 7 years but, again, it could refer to the entire 7 years or some other portion thereof. The term appears 29 times in the NASB1995. It is certainly associated with the time of wrath upon the reprobate and final salvation of the elect.

3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first,

This is very clear. A time of "apostasy" must come before the "day of the Lord," however you interpret that "day," be it a literal day or up to the entire last 7 years. Any Pre-Tribbers that interpret the word as a spatial departure to heaven, rather than a departure from the faith or from sound doctrine are completely wrong. It does not mean the rapture. In my view, it means the increasing apostasy in the worldwide visible Christian Church since 1903/4, when Satan and the demons not active in the 120 years before Noah's 600th year were released from hell to "deceive the nations." You can study for yourself the amount of Christian apostasy there has been since that time. There has been a huge "falling away" in many places. If Pre-Wrathers see the apostasy only in the last 7 years, and I don't know if they do, they are obviously wrong. Yes, most will worship the Jewish Antichrist in the last 7 years, but I don't believe that this is the apostasy to which Paul refers. As well, it seems to come even before the Jewish Antichrist is revealed, which I believe will occur immediately after the Resurrection/Rapture at the start of the last 7 years. That leads us to the next verses and the 2nd precursor sign before the "day of the Lord."

and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?

As with the apostasy, I fully agree with Pre-Wrathers that the revelation of the "man of lawlessness," the Jewish Antichrist, must occur before the "day of the Lord," however that "day" is interpreted, as long as it is no more than the last 7-year period. However, I don't agree with them as to when he will be "revealed." They make the revelation be when "he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God," what's called the Abomination of Desolation (because it brings the next 42 months of desolation). Thus, the Pre-Wrathers say that the Jewish Antichrist will not be revealed until halfway through the last 7 years. I completely disagree, because I believe that it will be completely obvious who he is when he assassinates Vladimir Putin and 2 other leaders of the 10-nation Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the daughter of the 15-nation USSR, perhaps the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as he comes with his army against Israel at the very beginning of the last 7 years. He is going to make some kind of firm covenant with Israel after this first attack and somehow gain control in Israel "by intrigue" and with a small number (Daniel 11:21-23). Also, in these first 1260 days, he is going to be engaged with the Jewish False Prophet (Jewish High Priest?) against the preaching of Jesus by Moses and Elijah in Jerusalem. My point is that he is going to be revealed as the Jewish Antichrist right after the Resurrection/Rapture, 1260 days before he commits the Abomination of Desolation.

See my article, "IS THE ASSASSINATION OF VLADIMIR PUTIN INTIMATED IN THE BIBLE?" for more on this.

6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed

In my view, here Paul equates Satan (the dragon) with the "man of lawlessness," whom Satan will literally possess (as he did the serpent--some kind of dinosaur?--in Eden, as he did perhaps with King Saul, as he did with Judas Iscariot). I believe that it is the Holy Spirit in the invisible Church which restrains Satan and the demons not active in the 120 years before Noah's 600th year, when the Spirit was striving with man (Genesis 6:3). Similarly, since Satan and these demons were released from hell in 1903/4, after being bound by Jesus in 70 AD, the Holy Spirit in the invisible Church has been restraining them, but not without lots of apostasy in the visible Church. When Jesus descends invisibly with Moses (who died and was resurrected at 120 years of age) and Elijah (who was raptured) at the Resurrection/Rapture in 2023/24, the Holy Spirit in the invisible Church will have restrained Satan and these demons for 120 years. The words "taken out of the way" certainly jive with the Resurrection/Rapture. "Then" the Jewish Antichrist "will be revealed." So, in my view, he is revealed right after the Resurrection/Rapture in 2023/4, 7 years before the Second Coming, not halfway through the 7 years.

whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

"His coming" here is obviously the Second Coming.

9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

Not only will Satan literally possess the Jewish Antichrist but it appears that he will even resurrect him from the dead, because it appears from Revelation that he will receive a fatal wound. It may be at this time that Satan literally possesses his body and resurrects him, a far lesser "sign" than Jesus Christ raised by the Holy Spirit. This may be the sign that the "deluding influence" uses to cause the whole world to follow after the "beast from the sea," the Jewish Antichrist from the Gentile "sea."

In summary, nothing from 2 Thessalonians 2 opposes the Pre-Trib Resurrection/Rapture.

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