Paul moves on to another reason for writing the second letter to the Thessalonians – to correct wrong thinking about future things (end times). He writes “now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter…as though the day of Christ had come.” (2:1-2) Even in his first letter to the church at Thessalonica, it seems as if the believers were struggling with the timing of future events regarding Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Paul had instructed them that the Lord would return before God’s wrath was poured out on those who did not believe in Him; however, the Thessalonians feared they had missed the Lord’s return because they were now experiencing persecution. False teachers were also playing a part in the church doubting the timing of Christ’s return and someone may have even been forging letters from Paul with improper doctrine (see the phrase “as if from us”). For this reason Paul writes “let no one deceive you…for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” (2:3) The “falling away” refers to the midway point of the tribulation period (7 years following the rapture of the church) when the anti-christ openly exposes his hatred for God and Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 tells us that the anti-christ “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2:4) During the first three and a half years of the tribulation the anti-christ will appear to love God, but then he will reveal who he really is and demand the world to worship him. It is during these last three and a half years that God pours His wrath out upon the earth. The Thessalonians were worried that they were now in this time, but Paul assured them that the anti-christ had not been revealed and Christ had not returned. In verses 6-7 Paul reminds his readers that the supernatural power of God is restraining the anti-christ and when the time is right He will remove that restraint. God is in control of things which are clearly seen and those things which are not seen!
Dear God, I look forward to Your return for those who love You and until that time help me to remember that You are in control.
