2 THESSALONIANS 2:3-4 – CHRISTIAN FREEDOMS ABOUT TO END IN AMERICA?

There is evidence that Christian freedoms are about to end in this country very soon. This would fit perfectly with Paul's warning in the 2 Thessalonians passage (2:3-4). "The Day of the Lord" is the seven year period of the wrath of God upon the earth (v. 2). The church will have been raptured but events will build up before that day comes. In other words, the church will be taken up in order to avoid that awful coming of God's wrath upon the people of the world.    That we will escape is made clear by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10. Paul said "we" were waiting for "His Son from heaven", that is, Jesus "who will deliver us from the wrath that is one its way" (v. 10). Or it could read: "Jesus who is the Deliverer who will cause us to escape the coming wrath."    "To deliver" can be translated "drag, draw" us away. This is used of a soldier who "drags away the body of a slain hero." It is in the Middle Voice in Greek: "To draw to one's self, with the specification [from] evil or danger." The Present Participle could have the force of a Prophetic Future: "The One who will drag us [to Himself]."    He will drag us away from the "coming, approaching" tribulation. This wrath is not the divine wrath that hangs over the heads of mankind because of sin (Rom. 1:18), as in the final judgment, but it is the wrath of Daniel's Seventieth Week that purges Israel and also becomes a judgment upon the world (Rev. 6:12-17).    This wrath "is a title for the period just before Messiah's kingdom on earth, when God will afflict earth's inhabitants with an unparalleled series of physical torments because of their rejection of His will." (Barnes) Ellicott says "the Wrath absolutely, the Coming!"    Back to 2 Thessalonians 2. Paul says that the "Day of the Lord" will not arrive before the apostasy arrives! Then "the man of lawlessness" is revealed, the son of destruction (v. 3). "Lawlessness" means "without law." The anti-Christ will make up the laws himself (v. 3).    There will be no laws that give freedoms of worship, or of Christianity. Daniel says of the anti-Christ that he will "speak monstrous things against the God of gods" (Dan. 11:36). "He will magnify himself above all gods" (v. 37b). He will be willful "indicating deliberate, arrogant perversity and self-will."    Paul further says the anti-Christ will be known as "the son of destruction" (2 Thess. 2:3). "Destruction" means "to destroy" with the idea of to "waste, bring about annihilation." He will bring on "worldwide deception." He will thus remove all laws that could spare believers. This could happen be degree before the church is taken away in the rapture.    Remember, the seven year period of wrath only begins when the anti-Christ makes the peace agreement with Israel. So many things can happen, even with this personality, whereby even believers are fooled here on earth before they are removed heavenward.    When the church is removed then "the lawless one" may be revealed, that is, be revealed as to who he is! (v. 6). Temporarily, he is "restrained" by the Holy Spirit (v. 7). If you are not convinced that the Restrainer is the Spirit of God, you need my technical Greek nationally published commentary on Thessalonians (entitled: "The Hope of Christ's Return" [AMG]) that well explains 2:6-9. This will help you get it straight!    Conclusion: The anti-Christ and his administration could begin working on our culture to enslave believers and take away their rights even before we could imagine! You need to alert your church!    One other important point: I am convinced that most pastors are not warning their people as to what is now happening in our society, and in our political administration in Washington. Pastors are very ignorant as to what is happening. They are narrow-minded as to what is now going on. Our Christian freedoms could be gone in the next twelve months!    --Dr. Mal Couch   (7/10)