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NASB | 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed], [Dan 7:25; 8:25; 1 Tim 4:1] |
Subject: anti-christ revealed before rapture? |
Bible Note: Nolan: I couldn't disagree with you more. Number one, the church is the most persecuted entity the world has ever seen. We have been through much suffering throughout history: We have been sawn in two, we have been burned in hot oil, thrown to the lions, jailed, burned in stakes, beheaded, persecuted, beaten and killed. Even as we speak there are thousand of faithful believers locked up in China just because they bear the name Jesus on their hearts. I have not seen in history the Lord delivering His people from suffering, even though He does. Ro. 8:36 is an example; In Phil. 3:10 Paul desires to be one with the communion of His sufferings. The church of Jesus Christ has always suffered (2 Cor. 1:3-10), and we must fill what is lacking in Christ's sufferings (Col. 1:24) until His church is complete. This is not because our Lord is a masochist but rather because in weakness we are truly strong (2 Cor. 12:9) Moreover, I believe the 2nd coming of the Lord occurs at the Parusia (the caught up of the believers), that which you call the rapture. I say that because even though the saints are caught up with Him, it also says that the Lord Jesus will be revealed with His mighty angels in flaming fire (2 Thes. 1:7) Nowhere did the Lord or any of His disciples ever even suggested that His coming will be a secret one. The Jehovah Witnesses proclaim He came in 1914; today's fiction writers have filled the bookstores with the "Left Behind Series" that has brought much confusion and sensationalism to the body of Christ. Now, let me paint a picture of what I understand it's going to happen. Of course no one has this locked up and ultimately the Lord will reveal the truth, because He is truth Himself! We have the Lord returning with glory and His mighty angels, the dead in Christ and those who are alive and remain are caught up with Him (1 Thes. 3:13 and 4:14-17) Every eye sees Him (Rev. 1:7) even those who pierced Him (indicating there is world kind of event), then the Lord and His complete church will come down and judge those who have not obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 21:2 (the church is the New Jerusalem 21:9-10) and we shall ever be with the Lord...(1 Thes. 4:17) In His grace, Jluna |