That Day

“Let not anyone deceive you by any means. For that Day shall not come unless there first comes a falling away, and the man of sin shall be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself forth, that he is God.” (2Thessalonians 2:3-4)

In this letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes about the last days. In this Scripture he writes to them letting them know not to be deceived because “that Day” will not come until there is a falling away and the Anti-Christ is revealed and defiles the temple. There is so much detail in these two Scriptures about the last days.

The Thessalonians were being told that the last days had already happened. But Paul writes to them warning them not to be deceived because some things have to happen in “that Day” that hadn’t happened yet. That “Day” refers to the day that the Anti-Christ is revealed for who he really is. In the first three and a half years of the seven years called the Tribulation, the Anti-Christ will deceive many with miracles and solutions to the world’s problems. He will be accepted and lauded for it. But in “that Day” which begins the second three and a half years of the Tribulation, he will be revealed as the Anti-Christ in all his wickedness and will cause great trouble on the earth. Jesus said, “...for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:21)

One of the signs will be that there will be a “falling away.” I’ve always heard that this falling away was a falling away of Christians, but now I hear that it refers to the falling away of civil authority and that it doesn’t necessarily refer to the faithful. I believe it may be both, but that this particular “falling away” refers to many Christians losing their faith. We get this from referencing other Scriptures. “But the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, being seared in their own conscience, forbidding to marry, saying to abstain from foods which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” (1Timothy 4:1-3) Here the faithful are deceived and have left the faith of grace for works.

Our salvation is a work of God through the suffering, sacrifice, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We are to believe it. It’s not something we can earn by any sacrifice such as not marrying or abstaining from certain foods. In those days, religiosity will return in great force in the churches. Works will not only be considered, but it will be demanded as a demonstration of faith. The minds of the faithful will be desensitized to the Truth of the Gospel. We can see this already happening. There are no longer Bible classes for the new believer so that they can be grounded in the Word of God. Few of the faithful read the Bible diligently. They depend on the preacher telling them what the Truth is. Even pastors are failing to read the Word of God and failing to hear a word from God to share with their congregations.

Many speak of the mark. But we have no idea what that mark is. The world was so easily deceived with the Covid pandemic and took the vaccines which now, after the fact, has been revealed to have not been necessary It has been revealed to have been actually a detriment to people’s health. But we see how easily nations were deceived. It will be something of this magnitude that will require people to have something added to their bodies that will make even Christians who take it lose their salvation. One theory is that whatever it is will make people think it will make them superior and place them above the dire circumstances of the tribulation of the time. “And it causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark on their right hand, or in their foreheads, even that not any might buy or sell except those having the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of its name.” (Revelation 13:16-17) It will be a visible sign of who is with the Anti-Christ and who is not. Whatever it is, many believe it will alter the person’s DNA so that they are no longer 100% human, because they cannot be redeemed. Salvation is for humans created in God’s image. And Christians who take the mark will lose their salvation. Salvation is for people, not altered humans.

The Anti-Christ will set himself up as God in the temple. It has always been taught that the temple was the Jerusalem temple. Some think it’s the church because the church is the temple of God. Scriptures will help us determine whether this is referring to the church or the Jerusalem temple. “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God shall destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which you are.” (1Corinthians 3:16-17) Yes, the Anti-Christ can defile us and sit on the throne of our hearts. But the words of Jesus seem to contradict that. “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand). Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains. Let him on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house; nor let him in the field turn back to take his clothes. And woe to those who are with child, and to those who give suck in those days!” (Matthew 24:15-19) The abomination of desolation happened in 167BC when Antiochus IV slew a pig in the temple. Antiochus IV is a type of Anti-Christ and it’s believed that the Anti-Christ will duplicate this act. This could be tied to the desecration of the church when they take the mark. Whether it’s the church or the Jerusalem temple, a desecration will happen. If the desecration is about the desecration of the church, then that means that the Rapture didn’t occur before the Tribulation. So, there is much to consider. There are many unknowns. Even the time of the Rapture is uncertain.

All in all, the Lord has given us what we need to keep in fellowship with Him and remain faithful to the end. Matthew writes Jesus’ message about the end times. “But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe.” (Matthew 24:13) We must read the Bible and reread the Word of God to keep it ever in our hearts to keep from being deceived. There will be a falling away of the faithful and/or civil authority. The Anti-Christ in the fullness of his wickedness will be revealed. And there will be a desecration in either the Jerusalem temple or in the church. The uncertainty of some of these things should not have an effect on our faithfulness if we continue in the fundamentals of Christianity, prayer, Bible reading and study, fellowship and attendance in worship services.

Let us pray:

Father God, thank You for revealing the things that are to come. My understanding of the immense suffering and hardship is overwhelming. I see that my desire to stay faithful is connected to the fundamentals that I must practice, continuing in prayer, Bible reading and study, fellowship and attendance in church. Lord help me to never abandon these. Help me to yearn more and more for Your presence. Help me to desire the nourishment my spirit needs from Your Word. May Your love burn in my spirit for the brethren and their good and their faithfulness. And Lord I pray for the church that it may remain faithful. I pray for pastors to remain faithful and true to Your Word. I pray that they will fellowship with You Lord and will hear directly from the Throne of Grace. Father, there are many unknowns, but I trust You Lord that these are things I don’t have to worry about. I trust that You will protect and keep me under Your shadow, covered by Your feathers under Your wings and shielded from all harm. A thousand shall fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand but the destruction will not come near me. No evil or plague will come near me because You have set angels around me. I thank You my Lord that You will deliver me. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.