Second Thessalonians 2 Part 2 Distinguishing Between Rapture Of Church And Final Judgment

Paul previously explained the rapture of the church that also coincides with the resurrection of life (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

He made it clear that the return of Christ "in the air" to resurrect the dead in Christ and to transform those who are living, is a separate and distinct event from the return of Christ in flaming fire to judge the wicked.

The return of Christ to mete out fiery judgment upon a Christ rejecting world will not occur until after the marriage supper of the Lamb when Christ receives His bride, the church, in heaven.

Marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven happens after the Church is caught up. 

Revelation 19:6-9  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 7)  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8)  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9)  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 

Paul corrected many sin issues at the church in Corinth because sin defiles individuals and the church of Jesus Christ. 

The apostle is teaching all Christians how to live a godly life so that the Church can be presented as a pure virgin to the Lord (See Second Corinthians 11:1-2).

A husband & wife relationship pictures Christ and His Church.

Ephesians 5:22-32  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23)  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body. 24)  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25)  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26)  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27)  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28)  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29)  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30)  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31)  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32)  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 

In writing to the Ephesians, Paul compares the relationship of the Church and Christ to a husband and wife in a marriage. 

The "Church" is composed of all believers everywhere, who have been born again, regenerated by the Spirit of God and placed "in Christ" (See Titus 3:4-6; 1 Peter 1:15-25).

His teaching is intended to cleanse and sanctify the Church so that Christ's bride is like a spotless, pure virgin, ready to be presented to Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom. 

Read the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) and the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 21:1-14). 

These are pictures of the marriage supper of the Lamb that will take place in heaven, before Christ comes to judge the world. 

Again, study the scriptures because a lot of confused teaching has been propagated. 

Many fail to distinguish between Christ returning in the air at the rapture, and Christ coming to judge by physically being on earth to judge the wicked.

Jesus physically coming to earth as Judge.

Zechariah 14:1-4  Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2)  For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3)  Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4)  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 

This is but one of many texts that speak about the "Day of the LORD" final judgment. 

This connects with Ezekiel 38-39; Daniel's prophecy and the book of Revelation. This connects with the battle of Armageddon where all nations will seek to exterminate the remaining Jewish population. 

All prophets speak to this day of righteous judgment where God's wrath will be poured out on all the wicked. 

The day of the LORD is the day that the antichrist, the beast and the false prophet will be utterly overthrown and cast into the lake of fire. 

Wicked sinners will not stand in judgment with the children of God.

Psalm 1:4-6  The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5)  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6)  For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. 

Psalm 1 is like an overview of the entire Psalter. The blessed man is one who delights in the holy law of God, a man whose life's purpose is loving and serving God.

The godly man is like a well watered tree that flourishes and produces fruit for God's kingdom. 

The wicked are not like the godly. They are like the worthless chaff driven away by the wind. Their lives revolve around self promotion, self indulgence and the pursuit of sinful pleasures.

Notice the inspired Word states very clearly that the ungodly wicked will not stand in judgment with the righteous saints of God.

This is why the return of Christ for His Church and the final, overwhelming judgment are separated from each other by at least 7 years. 

We are saved from wrath through faith in Christ Jesus. 

Romans 5:8-11  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9)  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10)  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11)  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Romans 5:8-11 makes it clear that Jesus Christ bore the wrath of God for our sins by taking our place on the cross. 

We are now justified by Christ's blood and saved from wrath through Him. 

God has not appointed us to fiery wrath and judgment.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10)  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.  

Furthermore, Paul specifically told the Thessalonians that "God hath not appointed us to wrath" but to receive the fullness of our salvation through repentant faith in Christ.

Paul now turns to the final day of the LORD judgment. 

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4)  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

The apostle urges us to know the Bible so that we are not deceived about the rapture of the church and the coming of Christ to judge the wicked.   

Two main things will characterize the impending day of the LORD judgment.

First, there will be a falling away. The Greek word refers to a global apostasy, falling away from the truth of the gospel of Christ or from the Holy Scriptures in general. 

Since the church will be in heaven when this falling away occurs, it means mostly Jewish people will abandon their scriptures. 

They will fall away from God's truth and believe a lie. The antichrist will fool all the nations including Israel, into signing a 7 year peace treaty (See Daniel 7). 

This event will mark the start of the 7 years of tribulation, composed of 3 1/2 peaceful years followed by 3 1/2 years of Hell on earth. 

When they push peace and safety, sudden destruction is on the way. 

1 Thessalonians 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Previously, Paul instructed the Thessalonians that those who sign the 7 year peace treaty will not escape sudden destruction. 

The second major event that will occur after the falling away, is that the antichrist will claim to be God. 

He will demand to be worshipped as God and will desecrate the temple of God by sitting and showing himself as "God."

A faithful remnant of Jews and some Gentiles will flee antichrist. 

Revelation 13:4-7  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5)  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6)  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7)  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 

John's vision corresponds with Daniel and Ezekiel's. The antichrist will receive a fatal wound and then seem to be "resurrected" and claim to be Jesus Christ.

This is why Jesus warned that there will be many who claim to be Christ but are not (See Matthew 24:5; 24).

At this point, a faithful remnant of Jews will see that they were deceived and they will flee from the antichrist. John, Daniel and Ezekiel describe these events. 

John tells us that God has a place prepared for the faithful remnant's safety during that time. 

Let us rejoice that Christ will first come in the air and the dead in Christ shall rise followed by living Christians being caught up in the air to be with Christ forever.

Let us be faithful witnesses, warning the world about final judgment and that all who die in their sins will receive eternal condemnation in Hell.

Let us share the gospel with as many people as we can, and trust the Lord to add souls to His church.

Bob