2 THESSALONIANS LESSON 2
We will begin this lesson in II Thessalonians 2:1 "Now we beseech
you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our
gathering together unto him,"
Paul, in this first verse, is recognizing the fact that these
things are valid to believe. He is not telling them not to believe in
these things. He is saying, they might not be coming in just a few
days. This was the stir in Thessalonica. They had decided that the
second coming of Christ was to be immediately. Paul says, I believe it
too, but let us look clearer to when this shall take place. All
Christians should believe in the coming again of the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is coming for those who are looking for Him. Our "gathering
together unto Him", is the same as the time when the trump of God
blows in the sky, and we go to meet our Lord in the sky. The silver
trumpet of redemption {the trump of the gathering} will blow, and we
shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye to an incorruptible being.
II Thessalonians 2:2 "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be
troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as
that the day of Christ is at hand."
This is the purpose of the letter. They had decided that His
coming would be in the next few days or weeks, and they had been
shaken in their spirit because of this. We do know that for each
person there is no more than a 100 years to wait, because if they go
the way of the grave, they die within 100 years. This really is not
speaking of that. This is the fact that they were expecting Him to
come while they were alive, and were setting a time schedule on this.
They were overly excited thinking the time was really soon. It is
dangerous to set times.
II Thessalonians 2:3 "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;"
This "apostasy", spoken of here, as a falling away from the
church was not evident then, but is certainly going on today in the
church. Before the coming of the Lord, there will be a great falling
away from the church. The son of perdition, here, is speaking of the
devil spirit in the antichrist. This is speaking of the man of
perdition bringing sin in the church. Judas Iscariot was spoken of as
son of perdition. This does not mean that it is Judas. It means
someone who has sold out to Satan. He is totally controlled by Satan.
The reason people will listen to, and follow this man of sin, is that
he will do wonders. The Bible says he will even be able to call down
fire from heaven. You may read about this in the 13th chapter of
Revelation. I personally believe this man of sin has already begun his
nasty work.
II Thessalonians 2:4 "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all
that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth
in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."
If he is not for Christ, he is antichrist. This has been the old
devil's trick ever since Lucifer was thrown out of heaven. He wanted
to be greater than God. He always appeals to the ego of man. His trick
with Eve was telling her the fruit of the tree would make her wise
like God. He lied then, and he has lied to the antichrist as well. He
uses people vulnerable to believe his lies. The antichrist is not
satisfied with being opposed to Christ, but actually wants to sit in
the place of God in the temple. He appears as an angel of light. II
Corinthians 11:14 "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light." There are several opinions of where he will
be seated; some believe in the temple in Jerusalem, others believe
that he will take his place as the authority in the church of the
Christians. Paul many times spoke of the believers in Christ as the
temple of God. We do know that a Moslem temple presently sits over the
location of the temple in Jerusalem. One, or all of these things,
perhaps, will happen. It really does not matter. Our job is to be so
full of the Word of God that we will not be deceived into believing
the antichrist. It is a dangerous thing to want to be God.
II Thessalonians 2:5 " Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with
you, I told you these things?"
Paul is reminding them that he had preached about these very
things, when he was with them. It is a wonderful thing to be looking
for the soon coming of the Lord, but it is a bad thing to let it
trouble you. Paul is saying, shame on you for not realizing that God
will see you through whatever situation you find yourself in, if you
will put your trust in Him.
II Thessalonians 2:6 "And now ye know what withholdeth that he
might be revealed in his time."
God has a time schedule when all of these things will happen. The
man of sin cannot appear and do these things, until the Lord gives him
permission to go ahead. Satan cannot do anything without permission
from God to do it. Satan is not in control, the Lord is. The
antichrist will appear on the scene, when God gets ready for him to
and not one minute earlier.
II Thessalonians 2:7 "For the mystery of iniquity doth already
work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the
way."
We know this to be true, because we know that the spirit of the
devil entered into Judas Iscariot, and he betrayed Jesus. There has
always been a battle going on with good and evil ever since the garden
of Eden. Man has a free will. He can follow Jesus, or he can follow
Satan. The antichrist would not have to be the antichrist, if he would
follow Jesus. The antichrist has chosen to be an instrument of Satan.
The flesh of mankind has always been opposed to the spirit of mankind.
The temptations of the flesh are what causes mankind to sin. The free
will of mankind chooses to follow the flesh, or the spirit. Mystery is
many times veiled around evil. We know that even Babylon is called,
mystery Babylon. It is definitely a mystery why anyone would follow
evil instead of good. The only answer to that, is they have fallen for
a deception. All who oppose Christ are antichrist, but there is a
person who personifies this in the end time, and he is the antichrist.
When the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit as teacher and guide
is removed, then the antichrist will bring lawlessness and sin like
the world has never known. Even now this influence is working in the
children of disobedience.
II Thessalonians 2:8 "And then shall that Wicked be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall
destroy with the brightness of his coming:"
The workings of the evil one are in the world even now, but the
teaching by the Holy Spirit of God is keeping him from having the
influence he would over the people. When that wicked day comes, the
antichrist will have great power. He will no longer be working in
secret and in a subtle way. "The Spirit of the Lord's mouth" is the
Word of God. Truth does away with deception. The Word of God is Truth.
His brightness is above all other brightness in the world. He is the
source of all Light. His Light completely destroys darkness in the
world. Darkness can not remain where the Light is. This Light reveals
all. We have spoken over and over how evil is the darkness of this
world. We, also, know that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world.
When these two meet, Jesus' Light does away with all darkness.
2 Thessalonians 2 Questions
1. What is Paul recognizing in verse 1?
2. What was the stir in Thessalonica?
3. What is meant by "gathering together unto Him"?
4. What is the trump of gathering?
5. What will the Christians who are alive be turned into at His
coming?
6. Be not soon shaken in ______, or be ____________, neither by
_______, nor by ______, nor by ________ as from us.
7. What is the purpose of this letter?
8. That day shall not come, except there be a ________ away first.
9. What is this "apostasy"?
10. Who is the son of perdition?
11. Where does this son of perdition bring the sin?
12. Who was spoken of as son of perdition in one instance in the New
Testament?
13. Why will people listen to this man?
14. What is one specific miracle he will do?
15. How high does this man of sin exhalt himself?
16. Those who are not for Christ are ____________.
17. The devil always appeals to the ______ of man.
18. Where do we find the Scripture that says, Satan is transformed
into an angel of light?
19. What can we do to not be deceived by the antichrist?
20. What did Paul remind them of in verse 5?
21. Why can the man of sin not appear, when he wants to?
22. The _____ of man has always been opposed to the ______ of man.
23. What causes man to sin?
24. We know that Babylon is called _________ Babylon.
25. What is the restraining influence?
26. What will happen when He is removed?
27. How shall the Lord consume that wicked one?
28. What is "the Spirit of the Lord's mouth"?
29. Who is the source of all Light?
30. Light does away with all __________.
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