The Next Big Thing? Pt. 9

Imagine coming upon someone at a railroad crossing slumped over the steering wheel in his stalled car. In the distance you see the headlight of an approaching freight train. What is the only response that makes sense? Spring into action to rescue the stranger from imminent peril! Forget the car, get the driver to safety! For many, the approaching Day of the Lord will arrive like that oncoming train. They are oblivious to their peril - but are at profound risk.

What can we discern from 1st and 2nd Thessalonians about this Day and the events surrounding its arrival? By the way, none of these predicted events (here's the list from a previous post) answer to events in history since the first century. This means that the chronological perspective of the Thessalonians is identical to ours. Whatever was "in the present" for them is relevant to our day. Whatever was "in the future" for the Thessalonians is still in our future. This could change at any moment. In fact, I suspect we are very near the in-breaking of these future events. But AT THE MOMENT, we are looking forward from the same chronological vantage point as the original recipients of these epistles.

Remember that there are two perspectives on the Day of the Lord (see yesterday's post) and sorting out the many references to eschatological events in the Thessalonian Epistles is made simpler by observing this distinction. The opponents of the Gospel will experience the coming of the Day of the Lord in a VERY DIFFERENT way than the saints. Both will encounter an eschatological 180. For saints it will mean going from persecution to comfort. For Jesus' detractors it will mean going from peace and safety to wrath.

What does the approaching train look like? To keep this short, I have attached a very useful list which you can download. This has key verses grouped by terms. If you will print a copy and keep it handy, I can summarize what the coming train looks like without bulking up this post with full quotes. We will work backwards from our fixed reference point, the parousia (coming) of the Lord.

Okay, here is what lies ahead FOR GROUP ONE - Those who hinder the gospel (1 Thess. 2:14-16) and who persecute the saints (2 Thess. 1:6-8). They have an appointment with wrath (1 Thess. 1:10; 2:16). It is an irrevocable future certainty established in the past (1 Thess. 2:16). Jesus will return to earth in force to effect the eschatological 180 by which these afflictors become the afflicted (2 Thess. 1:6-8). Those who do not know God and those who have not responded to the gospel with the actions of faith will be dealt retribution by Jesus and His fiery host (2 Thess. 1:6-8).

This day of wrath will be TOTALLY unexpected. Prior to its arrival, men will consider themselves to be living in a time of peace and security (1 Thess. 5:1-4). They will have no more clue to what's coming than the unsuspecting victims of a cat burglar (1 Thess. 5:1-4). This doesn't mean Jesus will return without warning. Alas, the recipients of this wrath will be deceived about the times in which they live and oblivious to the warning lights flashing around them. Here are two of those warnings: (1) Society will have embarked on a grand (sic) experiment. Everywhere apostasy will be in vogue; life with God factored out of the equation will have become the accepted and celebrated norm (2 Thess. 2:1-3). (2) This trend will be capped by the appointment of a leader, "the man of lawlessness" who has become the poster child and dynamic public cheer leader for "living my way, not God's way" (2 Thess. 2:1-3). In reality, the philosophy he espouses is a sure path to self-destruction but NO ONE GETS IT. The majority will view his rise to prominence as an event of near Messianic significance (2 Thess. 2:3). He, for his part, will gladly assume the mantle of deity (2 Thess. 2:4). Empowered by Satan himself, this one will be equipped to deceive the masses (2 Thess. 9-10) who will blindly follow him in the pursuit of pleasure-driven living (2 Thess. 2:11-12).

For the present, several forces are at work. (1) Lawlessness, this philosophy of living in defiance of God, is clearly at work, but not openly (2 Thess. 2:7). It is held in check, for the time, and forced to work behind the scenes (2 Thess. 2:7). There will come a time when the restraints come off and "lawlessness" comes out of the closet. But not yet. (2) God has not yet released the great delusion. For the time, it is possible for men to appreciate the merits of the truth, to get it. But when "the apostacy" is in full swing, men's hatred of the truth will reap a universal delusion. Men will find lies and fabrications to be thoroughly convincing (2 Thess. 2:11-12). They will find it impossible for "any reasonable man" to embrace anything other then their "live for pleasure" approach to life (2 Thess. 2:12).

All of this is not a pretty picture. But there is still time to rescue some. Lawlessness has not yet become the dominating philosophy it will. Men are not yet beyond seeing the appeal of the truth. Yes, some may refuse rescue, insisting instead to straddle the tracks before the wrath, daring it to oppose them. But there will be some, like the Thessalonians, who will listen.

For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come (1 Thess 1:9-10).

Comments

[Jeff]

A couple questions:
Who is "he who now restrains"? Is that the "man of lawlessness" or God?
You mentioned that God has not yet released the great delusion. When he does, are the sides chosen? Is outreach at that point futile?

[Jim Fleming]

Jeff,
"He who now restrains" has been identified as Rome, God, the Holy Spirit, and the church. Although Paul says the identity of the restrainer is familiar to the Thessalonians, it is lost to us. It is perhaps unnecessary for us to know whom (or what) it is. Clearly it is NOT the "man of lawlessness" whose agenda would be "anti-restraint."

Once the great delusion has been unleashed, receptivity to the Gospel will plummet. Outreach is always in order, but the ground will be hard and declaring oneself for Christ will prove costly.

[Jeff]

Yeah, that was one thing I read and wasn't sure if there was a clear answer, about who restrains. When I read it, it read like Job, where he went from restraining Satan to allowing him to work on Job. But I understand that it doesn't matter who it is. It just matters that it's coming.

I like hard ground. It's easier to get past any offense I might feel by people bashing Christ if it's all I hear.

[DE]

Jim,
I've just read all "The Next Big Thing" articles. Excellent. It sounds like you and my dad have the same view point. I grew up hearing about this topic. I'm looking forward to future postings. My dad passed away several years ago, but he would be so delighted to think that someone saw it the way he did. He believed that the church will endure the end times ("tribulation") and will only be taken out when the lawless one is revealed. He was not afraid of what this meant for believers - pursecution, suffering, hiding away, etc. He was never one to look for a way out. I'll bet you and he have collected many of the same books.

[ms]

Now I'm confused. My understanding was that the lawless one would be revealed when he signed the covenant with Israel, which would be at the beginning of the tribulation. Surely we would have a clue whenever a 7-year treaty is signed between Israel and her enemies. Wouldn't we? I thought "end times" began with a ramping up of events leading to the tribulation.