(Note – I would like to acknowledge that a great portion of the content of this message series comes from a series by the same name as taught by Pastor Bob Yandian of Grace Church and Bob Yandian Ministries in Tulsa, OK.)
2 Peter 1:10-15 NKJV Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; (11) for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (12) For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. (13) Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, (14) knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. (15) Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
We will always be teaching “this present truth” even though there are things that we have heard before.
When you approach the Word of God, always make sure that you heart attitude is to hear it like you have never heard it before.
There is nothing that will stop the flow of revelation in our lives quicker than the attitude that says, “I have heard this before…”
Romans 11:25 NKJV For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Because of their rejection of Jesus, the Jews are blinded are in part during this dispensation, but after the Rapture of the Church, the Jews will readily accept the Lord Jesus.
Romans 16:25-27 NKJV Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began (26) but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith– (27) to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
The rapture of the Church is not taught in the Old Testament.
The Rapture of the Church is not taught in the four Gospels.
There might have been some vague references but no direct teaching in Jesus’ Ministry.
To see clear teaching on the Rapture of the Church, you must look at the New Testament Epistles.
There are two comings of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There will be the Rapture of the Church, the Tribulation Period, and then the Second Coming of the Lord. These two events are 7 years apart.
The Church at Thessalonica had a lot of confusion on the Rapture of the Church. They thought that the Rapture of the Church was so close by looking at events in the world at the time.
Someone wrote an epistle and put Paul’s name on it saying that everything in the first epistle to them was wrong and Paul had changed his mind.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 TPT Now, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we plead with you, beloved friends, (2) not to be easily confused or disturbed in your minds by any kind of spirit, rumor, or letter allegedly from us, claiming that the day of the Lord has already come.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 NKJV (1) Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, (2) not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
Differences between the Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming of the Lord:
- At the Rapture of the Church, Jesus will not physically come to the earth but will come in the clouds to catch us away.
- During the Second Coming, He will come and touch the earth and establish His Kingdom in the earth.
2 Thessalonians 2:8 NKJV (8) And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
Verse 1 is the Rapture of the Church
Verse 8 is the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus
Verses 2-7 is everything in between.
2 Thessalonians 2:2 NKJV (2) not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
There have been many times throughout history, that people have sought to establish that the Tribulation period had begun.
People don’t take the Word of God and then look at circumstances; people look at circumstances and try to make the Word of God fit the circumstances.
There have been people trying to guess who the antichrist is, but you will not know until he is revealed.
1 John 2:18 NKJV Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
There have been many with the spirit of antichrist that have come but that does not mean that they are THE antichrist.
Hitler may have been demon possessed, but THE antichrist will be Satanically possessed displaying evil on whole other level. He will even be able to perform supernatural signs and wonders to deceive the people. (Egyptian magicians could imitate the works of God to limited degree)
2 Thessalonians 2:3 NKJV (3) Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
“THAT DAY” – the Tribulation Period and the revealing of the antichrist
“Falling Away” – apostasia – means in the pure text of the Greek in the noun form – THE DEPARTURE.
2 Thessalonians 2:1 Wuest (1-4) Now, I am requesting you, brethren, with regard to the coming and personal presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, even our being assembled together to Him, not soon to become unsettled, the source of this unsettled state being your minds, neither be thrown into confusion, either by a spirit, or through a word as from us or through a letter falsely alleged to be written by us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come and is now present. Do not begin to allow anyone to lead you astray in any way, because that day shall not come except the aforementioned departure comes first and the man of the lawlessness is disclosed, the son of perdition, he who sets himself in opposition to and exalts himself above everyone and everything that is called a god or that is an object of worship, so that he seats himself in the inner sanctuary of God, proclaiming himself to be deity.
The Tribulation cannot come unless the Departure has taken place first.
As long as the Church is in the earth, the antichrist cannot be revealed. The “He” is not the Holy Spirit, it is the Church because the Holy Spirit will not be taken out of the way. Many people will be Born Again during the Tribulation and this can only happen if the Holy Spirit is here at work during that period.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 NKJV (7) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. (8) And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
2 Thessalonians 2:4 NKJV (4) 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, showing himself that he is God.
This is what will happen in the middle of the Tribulation Period.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 NKJV (9) The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, (10) and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11) And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, (12) that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
There will be seeds of the antichrist and seeds of rebellion in the earth beforehand.