Two Pivotal Events

Two events must occur before the Day of the Lord begins - The Apostasy and the unveiling of the Man of Lawlessness in God’s House.

Men spreading rumors in the church of Thessalonica were raising false expectations about the imminence of the “Day of the Lord” and the “arrival” of Jesus. The Apostle Paul warned the Thessalonians not to be alarmed or deceived by such rumors since two key events must occur before that day comes.

[Stopwatch - Photo by Agê Barros on Unsplash]

Paul’s warning not to be “deceived” parallels Christ’s opening exhortation of his ‘Olivet Discourse’ - “Let no man deceive you!” Paul issued this exhortation in a similar context of overheated prophetic expectations - (Matthew 24:4, Mark 13:5, Luke 21:8).

• (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) - “That no one may deceive you in any respect. Because that day will not set in, except the apostasy come first, and there be revealed the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself on high against everyone called God or any object of worship, so that he, within the sanctuary of God, will seat himself, showing himself that he is God.”

That final day will not begin until, “first,” the “Apostasy” occurs, and second, the “Man of Lawlessness” is revealed. The structure of the Greek clause could mean that the “Apostasy” precedes the unveiling of the “Man of Lawlessness” or both events occur concurrently. Regardless, the two events must transpire before the “Day of the Lord” arrives regardless of which one takes place first.

The “Apostasy” and the unveiling of the “Man of Lawlessness” are inextricably linked. This deceitful figure will propagate the deceptions that hoodwink believers and cause many to apostatize. He will be characterized by “lawlessness.”

The English term “apostasy” translates the Greek noun ‘apostasia’, meaning “falling away, apostasy, defection.” In both the New Testament and the Greek Septuagint, it is used for deserting the true faith - (Matthew 5:31, Acts 21:21, 1 Timothy 4:1, Hebrews 3:12).

The expectation of a final “Apostasy” is common in the New Testament and originated with Jesus who also linked “lawlessness” to a coming apostasy and disruption in the church:

• (Matthew 24:10-12) – “Then, many will be caused to stumble and will deliver up one another and will hate one another, and many false prophets will arise and deceive many. And because of lawlessness being brought to the full, the love of the many will grow c0ld” - (Compare 1 Timothy 4:1 – “ In later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons”).

THE LAWLESS ONE

This “lawless” figure is given two designations, “Man of Lawlessness” and “Son of Destruction.” The latter is used only once in the chapter. The image of a man who causes “lawlessness” and “destruction” is based on the “Little Horn” with the “mouth speaking great things” described in the Book of Daniel - (Daniel 7:24-25, 11:31-36, John 17:12, Revelation 13:1-6).

The phrase, “he opposes and exalts himself on high,” echoes the related passage from Chapter 11 of Daniel, and the interpretation of the vision of the Ram and Goat in Daniel Chapter 8: “And through his policy, he will cause craft to prosper in his hand, and he will magnify himself in his heart” - (Daniel 11:31-36, 8:25).

The passage from Daniel originally referred to Antiochus IV, the ruler of the Seleucid Empire who attempted to destroy the religion of Israel and caused many Israelites to compromise their faith, among other things, through “his flatteries.” He desecrated the Sanctuary in Jerusalem and caused the cessation of the daily burnt offerings for over three years - (Daniel 8:9-13, 8:21-26, 9:26-27 11:1-4, 11:31-36).

• “The Little Horn became great as far as the host of the heavens and caused some of the host to fall to the earth, and some of the stars he trampled underfoot. Because of him, the continual burnt offering was removed, and the place of the Sanctuary was cast down <…> The Transgression that Desolates” – (Daniel 8:10-12).

Paul applies the term “Sanctuary of God” or ‘ton naon tou theou’ elsewhere to the Church. This Master Deceiver’s goal is to cause the downfall of believers, which is why Paul warns of his future appearance in the “Sanctuary of God.” He will be active in the Body of Christ - (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 2:21).

The Apostle’s purpose in 1 Thessalonians is to keep believers safe from misinformation about Christ’s “arrival,” and to prepare them for the future onslaught by satanic forces hellbent on deceiving the followers of Jesus Christ and destroying the Church, presumably from within.

Rather than provide a list of “signs” by which we may determine the timing or nearness of the “Day of the Lord,” Paul points to missing events that prove it has not yet arrived. That day will not occur until the Apostasy and the unveiling of the “Lawless One” in the Church of Jesus Christ.

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SEE ALSO:

• Howling Imposters - (The New Testament warns repeatedly of coming deceivers and false prophets who will cause many to depart from the faith)

• The Apostasy - (Paul warned of the future Apostasy and linked it to the unveiling of the Man of Anarchy, the Son of Destruction)

• The Day of the Lord - (Jesus will arrive and gather his people on the Day of the Lord, and in the New Testament, this event becomes the Day of Christ)

• Just Judgment - (The arrival of Jesus will mean vindication and rest for the righteous, but everlasting loss for the wicked - 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10)