Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 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. 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; 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. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5)
The gathering together unto Jesus refers to the rapture of the church when believers will be gathered together to Christ before the time of the Tribulation.
Paul said that the rise of the antichrist wouldn’t happen until there is a great falling away.
The word falling away in Greek is apostasia, where we get our English word apostasy. Paul said there will be a widespread departure from Christians believing in the truth of God’s Word. They will do what they want to do without considering God. Christians will call themselves believers but not hold to Biblical standards. We are already beginning to see the first fruits of this lifestyle in our world today. One group of believers think God’s mercy is so great that they can do anything and get away with it by asking for forgiveness later in life.
That’s not Christianity; that’s practical atheism. When you don’t expect consequences for sin, your practical position says God exists, but you don’t expect Him to live up to His Word. The falling away has begun.
After this falling away, the man of sin, the antichrist, rises to power. His administration is explicitly noted as opposing God. The antichrist will fight against anything Biblical. With his powerful position against God, he brings seven years of woe. It will be a tribulation for all those on earth that Jesus described as unparalleled in severity from any other time in human history. In fact, if these seven years were not cut short, no human would survive.
Practical Application
We continually see the signs of the times, and this should encourage us to be vigilant, pay attention, and stay grounded in God’s Word so that false teachings or charlatans do not sway us.
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