# 24 2019 Devotion, 2 Th.2. Lawlessness! Read all of chapter two. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw Gremar and I closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”
This chapter is unique in that we do not find the description of Satan as “the man of lawlessness” anywhere else in scripture. Furthermore, this section, reflected in Rev. 20:1-3, is central in the debate about the meaning of Christ’s reign of a thousand years. The a-mill, pre-mill, post-mill discussion is beyond the scope of this devotional but comes to bear in this passage because Paul is correcting a heretical perception in the Thessalonian church, namely, “the day of the Lord has already come”.
That final day will not happen until Satan is released from the restrictions imposed on him by the victory of Christ on the cross and subsequent resurrection. The antichrist has been raising his head throughout history; The Pharaohs, the Caesars, the concept of the divine right to be king and Hitler to mention a few, but there will be a time in history when the antichrist will not be in doubt. Paul had already enlightened the church about that day (see I Th. 5:1-11, or Devotional # 18. 2019).
“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.” Paul, writing this in 51 AD, confirms what John writes in early 90’s AD. (Rev. 20:1-3). For the followers of Jesus there should be no confusion if we read the Word, practice our faith and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.
God, who is not constrained by time, tells those of us in time “I am making everything new” (Rev. 21:5). As far as God is concerned it’s done, as far as we are concerned it is ongoing. The day of the Lord and Christ’s 1000 yr. reign began when Christ won the victory on the cross and over death. The great tribulation began when Cain killed Abel. Will tribulation increase? Yes, when Satan is unrestricted for a short time, only God the Father knows that time, but in the Spirit that time will be revealed to believers.
What to do in the mean time? “Stand firm” Paul tells us. Stand firm is an action. How do we do that? By God’s grace: “brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel (God’s Word), that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We share in Christ’s glory by believing and promoting the gospel of Jesus by living our faith! Paul ends with a blessing, “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” Amen.
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