December 18 - Stand Firm!

December 18 – Stand firm!

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

If you have your Bible close to you, read the first couple of verses. You can also hover over the verse above if you are reading this on the blog, or click through to the link if you are reading this in email.

There was teaching going around at that time that the day of the Lord had already come! What do you know about that? We deal with the same false teaching today. As I spent time studying the Revelation, this was one of the many disagreements between scholars as they approached the timeline for the Second Coming of Christ. Paul is quick to set this teaching aside.

His letter is written to give the church in Thessalonica confidence in what they knew to be truth. Don’t let anyone deceive you with false teaching, don’t be unsettled or alarmed.

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that there will be signs preceding the coming of the Lord. A man of lawlessness will arrive on the scene. He will set himself up in God’s temple, he will oppose God and His teaching, He will exalt himself over the things of God, requiring worship of himself over God. We are introduced to the antichrist, a figure whom we will see more of when as we read through the Revelation.

Now, as you read through the next portion of this passage, Paul goes on to say that the man of lawlessness is being held back until the proper time of his revealing. His power is already at work. We see this power every day, things drawing us away from the worship of God, setting activities, material things, other people, our lives above God. Though his power is growing, the man of lawlessness will be revealed when it is time.

Then, Paul says, the Lord Jesus will overthrow him and we will see Him coming in splendor.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10, Paul gets a little more specific about the signs of the lawless one, works of Satan will be seen in counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders. Evil will deceive those who are perishing – those who are already far from God.

While this portion is frightening and maybe a little disheartening, Paul finishes the passage with encouraging words. Stand firm!

We have been called to be saved through the sanctification of the Spirit. Stand firm.

He finishes with, “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”

The day of the Lord is coming. Stand firm!