(1) the coming of the Lord, and
(2)
our gathering together unto Him
2 Thes. 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren,
[1] by the coming [#3952] of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
[#3952, parousia, a being near, advent, return, coming, presence [from #3019, to privily bring in] (Matt. 24:3; Matt. 24:27; Matt. 24:37; Matt. 24:39; 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thes. 2:19; 1 Thes. 3:13; 1 Thes. 4:15; 1 Thes. 5:23; 2 Thes. 2:1, 2 Thes. 2:8; 2 Thes. 2:9; Jas. 5: 7, 8; 1 John 2:28:) The Rapture is a private affair between Jesus and His Church. The second coming is a public event between Jesus and the world.]
[2] [by] our gathering together [#1997] unto him [to meet the Lord in the air (1
Thes. 4:17)],
[#1997, episunagoge, a complete collection; spec., a Christian meeting (for worship)—assembling (gathering) together]
The Day of Christ
[the Anointed One] is the Rapture of the
Church
2:2 That ye be not
[1] soon shaken in mind,
[2] or be troubled,
[a.] neither
by spirit,
[b.] nor by
word,
[c.] nor by
letter as from us [don’t
receive any counterfeit communications],
[11.] as that the day of Christ [Strong’s #5547, khristos, anointed, i.e.
the Messiah, the Anointed One] is at hand [the day of Christ is always a reference to the Rapture…i.e.,
to our gathering together unto him (vs.
1). It is not a reference to the second
coming of Jesus to reign over the earth].
[c/p. the day of Christ (Phil. 1:6, 10; 2:16; 2 Thes. 2:2) has no references to judgment! See also the day of the Lord Jesus [Christ] (1 Cor. 1:8; 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:14).]
[c/p. the day of the Lord (Isa.
13:6-13; Jer. 46:10; Joel 1:15; Zeph. 1:14-18; Zech. 14:1-5; 1
Thes. 5:2) is always referred to as a time of judgment.]
There are two prerequisites
for the Rapture!!!
2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day (the day of…His coming and our gathering together unto
him [vs. 1]) shall not come], except
[1] there come a falling away [#646] first and
[#646, apostasia, apostasy (Acts. 21:21, only other New Testament where
this word is used); this is a reference to the great apostasy which occurs in the Ladocian church (Rev.
3:14-22), the church which is left on the earth after the Philadelphia church (Rev.
3:7-13) is raptured. The literal text of verse 3, above, reads: "Not anyone you should deceive
in any way, because [it will not be]
unless shall have come the apostasy first, and shall have been revealed the
man of sin, the son of perdition." (Note: there will be a second great apostasy at the end of
Jesus’ 1,000 year reign over the earth; c/p.
Rev. 20:1-3, Rev.
20:7-10; see also 1 Tim.
4:1.)]
[2] that man of
sin be revealed [#601], the son of perdition [destruction];
[#601, apokalupto, to take off the cover, disclose, reveal (Matt. 10:26; 16:17; Rom. 1:16, 17; 1 Cor. 2:10; Eph. 3:5; 2 Thes. 2:3; 2 Thes. 2:6; 2 Thes. 2:8; c/p 2 Thes. 1:7; see also How To Quickly Locate the Antichrist in Scripture]
The Antichrist shall be revealed in two stages
Daniel
9:27 And he [the Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [the signing of a
7-year covenant between the
Assyrian and Israel marks the
beginning of the
Antichrist Covenant week of years: the last 7 years of this age] and in the midst of the week he [the
Antichrist] shall cause the
sacrifice and the oblation to cease
[the restoration of animal sacrifices and temple worship under the restored Law
of Moses], and for the overspreading of abominations
he shall make [it] desolate [the
Antichrist will sacrifice a pig on the alter in Jerusalem (Dan.11:31)], even until the consummation, and that determined
shall be poured upon the desolate.
The
revelation of the Antichrist:
1. To the Church: when the Assyrian (Isa. 10:5) and little horn of Dan. 7:8; Dan. 7:11; Dan. 7:20; Dan. 7:24-25; Dan. 8:9) executes a 7-year peace treaty with Israel. This begins the Antichrist Covenant week of years (Dan. 9:27); and
2. To Israel and the world: at midweek, when this treaty is broken after 3 ˝ years, and the Antichrist enters and desecrates the temple in Jerusalem (Dan. 8:9-12).
2:4 [a.] Who opposeth and exalteth himself [the man of sin] above all
[11.] that is called God,
[12.] or that is worshipped; so that he as God
[aa.] sitteth in the temple of God
[the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem],
[bb.] showing himself [he has to convince himself] that he is God.
2:5 Remember ye
not, that,
[1] when I was yet with you,
[2] I told you these things?
© 1997-2009 Walter J. Taylor; Walter James Taylor
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