Can the Lord Jesus the Messiah return at any moment? Many Christians believe this to be true because they have been taught about the pre-tribulation secret rapture. This is a fair question to ask in the light of current events in the Middle-East today. Ever since the idea of a pre-tribulation rapture sprang up in the 19th Century Biblical scholars and teachers have ‘hotly’ contested the issue of the timing of the rapture.
For me it is not a matter for dividing fellowship between brothers and sisters in the Messiah but sadly it has divided many in the Body of the Messiah and has become the hotly contested issue for some. Can the Lord Jesus come at any moment? Well if you or I as a believer fall asleep in the Messiah (we physically die) then the Lord Jesus has come for us that is for sure. This is ‘immanency’. But can the Lord Jesus come back at any moment to earth? No He cannot until certain things take place.
The Jews are back
Before the Lord Jesus comes back there are certain things that must occur first. Some have already happened and are in the process of happening. The Jews have to be back in the Land of Israel for the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. In 1948 this process started with the rebirth of the nation of Israel which was indeed “a nation born in a day” (Isaiah 66:7-9) at this time the LORD started to bring His people home to Israel. Many Jews are yet to come back to Israel. Many are living quite comfortably in the nations of the world especially in America and Europe. In 1967 Jerusalem became totally under Israeli control.
I am persuaded that Anti-Semitism in America, but more so in Europe and even in Russia, will force Jews in those countries to return to Israel. God has a pre-ordained appointment for them to encounter their Messiah His dear Son the Lord Jesus in Israel and especially in Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:10-13) When Paul wrote his second letter to the Thessalonians there were those around teaching that the rapture had already taken place and that they had been left behind. (Vss.1-2) and so he proceeded to tell them what would happen before the Lord Jesus raptures and resurrects His Body, the faithful Church, at His Second Coming.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Now in 2 Thessalonians chapter two the Apostle Paul refers to the Day of the LORD and specifically that aspect of that Day related to the rapture and resurrection of the faithful Body of the Messiah (Vss.1-2) He clearly tells us that the rapture and resurrection of the faithful believers cannot occur until at least three things happen. Let’s look at what they are.
1. The Apostasy
Firstly; Paul mentions “the Apostasy” or “the falling away” of Christians from the faith. (Vs.3) this is not referring primarily to apostasy in general, as this has been going on since the time of the apostles, but refers to the last great falling away from the faith that the Lord Jesus mentioned would happen in the last days. (Matthew 24:9-12) This ‘apostasy’ describes ‘a deliberate decision by many professing Christians to step out of their secure position in the Messiah and to walk away from it.’ It also implies turning away from the truth, embracing doctrinal error and teaching others to embrace it as well and turn them away from the truth of God’s Word. Today we have many false teachers and prophets infesting the Body of the Messiah that have turned away from the truth and are teaching others to do the same thing. Those with “itching ears” follow their heretical doctrines.
As with all false teaching it mixes truth with error much like a beautiful gourmet sandwich with all kinds of healthy ingredients in it but also laced with arsenic, a slow acting poison that ultimately brings on death. Peter speaks about this and calls them “destructive heresies” namely “laying truth and error side by side.” (2 Peter 2:1-3) As it has been said; “There is always cheese in the rat trap,” This is why we are to “test all things” and be like “the Bereans who were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings (from Paul) were true.” (Acts 17:11)
2. The man of Sin.
Secondly; Paul mentions the coming of “the lawless one” “the man of sin” “the son of perdition.” (Vs.4) He must appear on the scene before the Lord Jesus comes again and before the rapture and resurrection of the faithful Body of the Messiah. I am persuaded that he is alive already and as yet has not been manifested to the faithful Body of the Messiah as to who he is. At this time we need to be diligent students of God’s Word and especially concerning Biblical Prophecy which is being fulfilled in our generation before our eyes. Today there are many in Christendom who actually don’t really bother about what the Bible says concerning the Second Coming of Jesus the Messiah and about what will precede it and have a rather ‘cavalier’ attitude concerning it.
The apostle Peter writes about those with this kind of attitude; “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:3-9)
3. Counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders.
Thirdly; Paul mentions that preceding the coming of the man of sin there will be an infestation and explosion of the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders. (Vs.9) and that those who want to go with this stuff will be sent a strong delusion from the LORD to believe the lies of Satan because they have refused to love the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (Vss.10-12) As the Lord Jesus Himself said “It is a wicked generation that seeks for a sign.” The spirit of antichrist is already at work in Christendom and in Israel and in the world at large. Satan already has the world and he is not worried about the pagans. The ones he is worried about are believers in the Lord Jesus and the Jewish people, both who are spiritually connected, separate and distinct ethnically, yet one in God’s sight.
False prophets and teachers with their counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders have always been around but just before the man of sin appears they will intensify and multiply one upon another much like a woman’s labour pains just prior to the birth. These counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders are already a conspicuous mark in Christendom and are preparing the way for the coming of the man of sin himself. Also the falling away (The Apostasy in Vs.3) has already started in earnest. There is more spiritual deception around today than at any other time in the long history of the Church and it is coming through the Television into our living rooms and via the internet daily. The only thing left to happen is the revelation of the man of sin, the son of perdition, namely the incarnation of Satan himself on earth.
Can the Lord Jesus come at any moment?
Something to consider; if the faithful Body of the Messiah (the true Church) was to be removed (raptured and resurrected) before the revealing of the man of sin then why would have Paul told the believers at Thessalonica about the man of sin to be revealed to the faithful Church if they were no longer around? Obviously Paul had did not have access to the Left-Behind Series of books and DVD’s of that money making franchise neither did he or the other apostles for that matter teach a pre-tribulation rapture. Paul had “the blessed hope” as we should all have as believers, but it was not a secret pre-tribulation rapture but the Second appearing of our Great God and Saviour the Lord Jesus the Messiah that was his hope and that of the resurrection and rapture at the Second Coming of the Messiah.
Paul undoubtedly had “the blessed hope” but lost his head in the process. Did he escape persecution or tribulation in this life? Did he harbour in his deep mind an escapist mentality from tribulation and persecution and even martyrdom itself? No such theology or doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture existed in his thinking neither did it exist in the minds of the apostles and the early church. So then can the Lord Jesus come back at any moment? No He cannot until these three things mentioned have occurred.
The love of the truth
All of us, and I include myself, must love the truth to be ultimately saved. We are saved now and are being saved out of this present eveil age, but in order to stay saved we must continue to love the truth of God’s Word. If we refuse to do this either wilfully, or by neglect or indifference to it, then we are in danger of delighting in wickedness and of God Himself sending us a strong delusion that will lead us to believe the lie of the antichrist spirit instead of the truth. Why will God do this? because we have refused to love the truth, as it is revealed in His Word the Bible, and so be ultimately lost and not saved.
The Lord Jesus Himself said that the apostasy in the last days will be due to the increase wickedness or lawlessness and that the love of most Christians will grow cold and that we must remain firmly established in the truth if we are to stay saved. (Matthew 24:12-13) May he blessed Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth and not doctrinal error who leads us into all the truth, empower us to delight in the truth and to love and obey the Word of God. Selah.
