The eschatological event Andy Nagahara
A. We are living in the End Time (1, 2)
1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers,
2 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.
1. End time has already started
2. End time has not yet completed
B. The lawless one (3-12)
1. The lawless one has been working behind the back of people (3-7)
3 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.
4 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.
5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
7 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.
2. The lawless one will be overthrown by Jesus (8-12)
8 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.
9 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,
10 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.
11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie
12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Summary
When you think about the end time, you must imagine the aspect of God not the human aspect. In addition, you must avoid mixing those two aspects. Otherwise, you will build up a selfish eschatology that is different from the Biblical eschatology.
For Discussion
1) What have you learned about the day of the Lord from this letter？
2) Who is the lawless one？