The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet #4613

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
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.
My highlighted verses: 2 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;
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.

2 Thes. 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;
Remember, the subject being addressed here is the return of Jesus Christ and when it is we gather back to Him!
That is certainly easy enough for anyone to understand.
But the really hard part of this verse for people to come to grips with is the "Let no man deceive you by any means" part!
Perhaps your minister or pastor is a really nice man with a lovely family and you know him to be sincere and conscientious and one who would not purposely lead you astray.
And that may all be true but will you consider that perhaps he has blindly followed after the traditional teachings of the church, which have the appearance of being good, just as you have followed after him?
Think about it!
The point Paul is making is "PLEASE, DO NOT let anyone tell you in any way, shape, or form that the day of Christ is at hand, i.e. that Jesus Christ can return at any moment!"
They are "in the dark", void of accurate Biblical knowledge, and they will be caught off guard, caught sleeping, when the true Messiah returns.
You see, whether a man is pope, bishop, elder, preacher, teacher, pastor, minister, deacon, usher, author, televangelist, or the paperboy, we have been instructed to check out what that man says in the Word of God.
Remember Paul said to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good (1 Thes. 5:21)."
Well, Paul was not, neither did he believe he was, nor did he attempt to, exempt himself from the "proving and the testing".
It is written in Acts 17 that those rascally Bereans checked him and Silas out real good, every day!
Acts 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. [11] These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Imagine that!
They had the NERVE to check out what the apostle Paul himself taught them.
The question one should then ask is, "Is there anyone greater than the apostle Paul today that we should exempt from accountability to the Word of God?"
Forget whether they are nice guys or good folks or popular among the people or followed by millions.
Do your homework and believe the scriptures!
If a teacher does not encourage you to study on your own (2 Tim. 2;15) or if that teacher is offended that you document whether his words fully align with the scriptures, then find another teacher.
No true servant of God will ever ask you to believe him or her apart from documentation in the Word of God.
[12] Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
They SAW for themselves that it was so in the Word of God and for that reason many of them "believed"... not because Paul or Silas said so... but the Word of God said so.
So Paul has now specifically told us in verse 3 that TWO THINGS must happen BEFORE we gather back to Jesus Christ.
(I would say that if those two things have not happened yet then you are NOT going to be plucked out of your seat, are you?)
What are those two things?
There must first come a falling away and the "man of sin", who is the "son of perdition", must be revealed.
Who is this "man of sin", this "son of perdition"?
The word Greek word for "perdition" is a derivative of "apollumi" which means to fully destroy, i.e. die, perish: apollumi, ap-ol'-loo-mee, Greek 622; from Greek 575 (apo) and the base of Greek 3639 (olethros); todestroy fully (reflexive to perish, or lose), literal or figurative :- destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.
The active participle of "apollumi" is "Appollyon" which is Satan's name in Rev. 9:11.
You see, there has only ever been one son who has been sentenced to "perish" in the lake of fire and that one son is the man of sin himself, Satan, the Devil, the Great Red Dragon, the soon coming false-christ.
Judgment for everyone else, unless you are part of the First Resurrection, has been scheduled for the time following the Millennium known as the Great White Throne Judgment.
Here is some more info on the son of perdition: 2 Thes. 2:4Who 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.
Have you read about that one who exalted himself above God in the first* earth age?
* Note: If you are not familiar with the first earth age, the "world that then was" spoken of by Peter in 2 Pet. 3:6, or the over all plan of God log unto our study of "God's Plan"
Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations![13] For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:[14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
This same abominable one will be cast from heaven to this earth (Rev. 12:7-9) at the sound of the 6th Trump, which comes before our gathering back at the 7th Trump (the last one).
The 6th Trump is when Michael stands up (Dan. 12:1) and the time of trouble (spiritual trouble) begins such as never was since a nation was born nor ever shall be again.
Satan as antichrist, the false messiah, will once again exalt himself above God and he will sit in the temple, just as Paul explained in verse 4, and claim that he is God, i.e. the Messiah who has come to rapture you away.
Jesus Christ also told us in Mat. 24 and Mark 13 about this abominable one who shall come before He returns, and when he does, stay away from him.
Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) [16] Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Students of the book of Daniel (i.e. those who read it with understanding) know that this is the "desolator", the little horn, the vile person, which are ALL names of Satan.
We will find out in our next study exactly why it is and what it is that will cause most people to believe that he truly is Jesus Christ.
He will not only deceive the whole world with a display of power and signs and lying wonders but he causes the great falling away, the great apostasy, when the majority of Christians begin to worship him as Jesus.
That my friend is a "great fall" indeed!

 2 Thessalonians 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
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
2 Thessalonians 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders
10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

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