Doctrine of Last Things
Doctrine of Last Things
Maintaining the doctrines concerning the Study of Last Things-- Eschatology-- is particularly important for End time Christians, who are "looking for that Blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13), as the age waxes worse.
We, who understand that we are living in the "Last Days" (2Peter 3:3) and that the "Coming of the LORD draweth nigh" (James 5:8), can appreciate the fact that the "Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the Latter Times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1Timothy 4:1).
For this reason, we must be eternally vigilant that we do not believe the Lie or Deception that already the "Day of Christ [the Rapture] is at hand [Greek, enestaken, is present, i.e., has already taken place]" (2Thessalonians 2:2) and that we were left behind. "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie [literally, the Lie]" (2Thessalonians 2:11). Why would God send any Endtime Dwellers delusion?
Because: (1) "They received not the love of the Truth" (2Thessalonians 2:10), and (2) They "had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2Thessalonians 2:12). The Apostle Paul wrote this second epistle to the Thessalonians for the express purpose of assuring them that the Great Event of the Second Coming of Christ, which John the Beloved affirmed that "He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him" (Revelation 1:7), and its attendant worldwide Rapture of the Saints, i.e.,
"by the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him" (2Thessalonians 2:1), had not yet taken place. He was necessitated by the Holy Spirit to correct the unsettling misunderstanding of the Thessalonian Christians, i.e.,
"That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the Day of Christ is at hand" (2Thessalonians 2:2), that they had already entered into the events of the Tribulation Week or Seventieth Week of Daniel.
[See our article, "The Seventy Weeks of Daniel", where this author explained the Seventy Weeks, and at that time, held forth the erroneous hope of a 1998 Rapture.] Paul understood that doctrine believed is doctrine lived, i.e., "be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22); and therefore, he could not allow to stand their newly received and incorrect doctrine that the "Day of Christ [the Rapture] is at hand [i.e., has already taken place]" (2Thessalonians 2:2).
For, if they could be made to believe such an error, it would weaken their walk, taking away their hope and certainty of future deliverance from their current sufferings.
"4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the LORD Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels" (2Thessalonians 1:4-7).
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