What has to happen before Christ Returns?
Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.
What has to happen before Christ Returns?
The “Apostasy” has to come first. Only unbelievers and so-called “Christians” will be deceived into believing the dazzling displays and doctrines of demons of the Antichrist in the last days. It’s impossible for God’s elect to defect to the enemy.
Second, the “Restrainer” has to be removed and that will happen when government collapses. Not just the U.S. government, but all human governments. Isn’t that what the “United Nations” is all about—a global “one-world” government?
“Then,” don’t miss this sequential/chronological element in the first part of 2 Thess. 2:8a, “Then [viz., after the apostasy comes first and the restrainer is removed] “Then that lawless one will be revealed.”
What has to happen before Christ Returns?
Finally, the antichrist has to be revealed.
What does this passage reveal about the “antichrist”?
It’s always unwise to label any person as the “antichrist” and then try to predict Christ’s Return based on that assumption.
For example, some thought Adolf Hitler was the antichrist. Others that Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden were the antichrist. Some, like Martin Luther (1483–1546) and John Calvin (1509–1564) predicted the Pope was the antichrist in their day and time.
The Life Application Study Bible notes, “Throughout history there have been individuals who epitomized evil and who were hostile to everything Christ stands for. These ‘antichrists’ have lived in every generation and will continue to work their evil. Then just before Christ’s Second Coming, ‘The Man of Lawlessness’— a completely evil man, will arise. He will be Satan’s tool, equipped with Satan’s power. This Lawless Man will be The Antichrist.” Again, it’s always unwise to label any person the “antichrist” and then try to predict Christ’s Return based on that assumption.
Jesus warns repeatedly in Matthew 24:4–5, 11, 23– 25 (NLT), “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in My Name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. . . . And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. ... Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.”
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Jessie J. Charpentier Sr. is pastor of Jenkins Memorial Baptist Church in St. Martinville.
