Week 19, Day 93 -- Don't Be Alarmed: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Every now and then a news story will pop up in the headlines that some minister or self-styled “prophet” has predicted that the end of the world will happen on such-and-such a date. Every one of them has been wrong, and every one of them will always be wrong. Only God knows the day and hour. Still, that doesn’t stop some people from trying to predict the world’s end. There are all kinds of false ideas about when the Last Day will take place and what it will be like, and there always has been. Even in the time of the Apostles false teachers were spreading misinformation about the end times and confusing Christians. Apparently at Thessalonica someone had convinced members of that church that Christ had already returned and that they had been left behind.
Paul writes to correct that false teaching and to remind the Thessalonians of what he had taught them while he was with them. He doesn’t want them to be “deceived” (v. 3). He reminds them of the basics: when Jesus comes again his followers will “gathered to/with him” (v.1). In other words, when He returns, you’ll know! Paul also gives us some other puzzle pieces about the End -- There will be some kind of “rebellion” and the appearance of the “man of lawlessness” (v. 3). The rebellion is ultimately Satanic and manifests as betrayal, falsehood, hatred, and lawlessness by misled Christians and non-Christian false teachers who pass themselves off as Christian teachers.
“The man of lawlessness” comes as the completion of the rebellion. In other parts of the Bible this incarnation of evil is called “the antichrist” and “the beast.” Luther wrote, “He not only is a sinner in his own right, but … through false doctrine causes others to sin with him.” He is satanic, perhaps even Satan possessing a person. He hasn’t come yet, but the powers that he embodies are already active: the “mystery of lawlessness” (v. 7). He will ultimately be destroyed himself by Christ at His Second Coming. (Taken from the Lutheran Study Bible notes on 2 Thessalonians 2:3)
So what does all of this mean for us today? Well, we already know the end of the story, that Jesus wins and is victorious over all of His enemies and ours. Do, don’t be alarmed, don’t be scared....be ready!
Week 19, Day 93 -- Don't Be Alarmed: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Every now and then a news story will pop up in the headlines that some minister or self-styled “prophet” has predicted that the end of the world will happen on such-and-such a date. Every one of them has been wrong, and every one of them will always be wrong. Only God knows the day and hour. Still, that doesn’t stop some people from trying to predict the world’s end. There are all kinds of false ideas about when the Last Day will take place and what it will be like, and there always has been. Even in the time of the Apostles false teachers were spreading misinformation about the end times and confusing Christians. Apparently at Thessalonica someone had convinced members of that church that Christ had already returned and that they had been left behind.
Paul writes to correct that false teaching and to remind the Thessalonians of what he had taught them while he was with them. He doesn’t want them to be “deceived” (v. 3). He reminds them of the basics: when Jesus comes again his followers will “gathered to/with him” (v.1). In other words, when He returns, you’ll know! Paul also gives us some other puzzle pieces about the End -- There will be some kind of “rebellion” and the appearance of the “man of lawlessness” (v. 3). The rebellion is ultimately Satanic and manifests as betrayal, falsehood, hatred, and lawlessness by misled Christians and non-Christian false teachers who pass themselves off as Christian teachers.
“The man of lawlessness” comes as the completion of the rebellion. In other parts of the Bible this incarnation of evil is called “the antichrist” and “the beast.” Luther wrote, “He not only is a sinner in his own right, but … through false doctrine causes others to sin with him.” He is satanic, perhaps even Satan possessing a person. He hasn’t come yet, but the powers that he embodies are already active: the “mystery of lawlessness” (v. 7). He will ultimately be destroyed himself by Christ at His Second Coming. (Taken from the Lutheran Study Bible notes on 2 Thessalonians 2:3)
So what does all of this mean for us today? Well, we already know the end of the story, that Jesus wins and is victorious over all of His enemies and ours. Do, don’t be alarmed, don’t be scared....be ready!