II Thessalonians 2, The Second Coming

Paul has mentioned the returning Messiah in his first letter to the Thessalonians and again briefly in the first part of his second letter.  Now he describes this Second Coming in more detail.

2 Thessalonians 2: 1-4, The second coming of the Messiah

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.

Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

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2 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, regarding the [i]coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your [j]composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a [k]message, or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the [l]apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above [m]every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only [n]He who now restrains will do so until [o]He is [p]removed. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His [q]coming; 9 that is, the one whose [r]coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false [s]signs and wonders, 10 and with [t]all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God [u]will send upon them [v]a deluding influence so that they will believe [w]what is false, 12 in order that they all may be [x]judged who did not believe the truth, but [y]took pleasure in wickedness.

Stand Firm

13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you [z]from the beginning for salvation [aa]through sanctification [ab]by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 It was for this He called you through our gospel, [ac]that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter [ad]from us.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, 17 comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

Request for Prayer

A "man of lawlessness" will apparently appear prior to the Messiah's return.  It is possible the Paul is responding to rumors that Jesus has already returned a second time.  

2 Thessalonians 2: 5, We talked about this!

Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?

Paul is continuing a conversation begun in Thessalonica when he was with the church.

2 Thessalonians 2: 6-12, The Man of Lawlessness

And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Paul expects a "man of lawlessness" who will dramatically attack the believers (and possibly Israel?) This "man" will be deceptive, with even counterfeit miracles.  

We will try to look more closely at these ideas when we get to the book of Revelation.

2 Thessalonians 2: 13-14, But you share in Glory

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As he has done in other places, Paul is quick to remind the believers that they have a better alternative, for they are part of the growing eternal kingdom.

2 Thessalonians 2: 15-17, and so you should be stable and faithful
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

The fundamental response to all of this is simple: Live faithful lives.  Paul will elaborate on this in the next chapter, as he closes out this short letter.