The Omen
2 Thessalonians

Kurt Jones
June 11, 2006

Introduction

“The Omen” Movie opened on June 6, 2006 = 06 + 06 + 06

“Omen” …a happening that is regarded as a sign of how somebody or something will fare in the future.

People are fascinated with “end times”. Google the number 666 and see what you get…

Revelation 13:18: "This calls for wisdom: Let him who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty-six."

• In 1993, when the late former President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan moved to Los Angeles' Bel-Air section, they had the address of their new home changed from 666 St. Cloud Road to 668.
• In 1999, when Intel introduced its new 666-megaherz computer processor, the company called it the Pentium III 667, contrary to previous marketing schemes.
• In 2003, the old western highway U.S. 666 was renamed to become Route 491. That was partly because driving a road nicknamed "The Devil's Highway" or "The Highway of the Beast" made some motorists uncomfortable and partly because highway signs were notorious targets for theft. On May 31, 2003, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved a new number for the remaining segments of U.S. 666 in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. At the request of State transportation officials, the route became U.S. 491, a spur of U.S. 191.
  A couple of years ago when people would ask us how old our kids were we’d say “eight, and six, six, six…”
  

Last week Dave showed us this group of believers at the little church in Thessalonica. Paul encouraged them to “Look UP” because Jesus was coming back… Learning how to live expectantly… I’ve used the idea of “just camping” several times this week…

Paul gave encouraging words as to the spiritual stamina of the Thessalonian converts in the face of fierce opposition. Dave also pointed out that there is a serious warning for us to “Look OUT” as we live our lives in light of eternity - looking out for others and ourselves in areas of life that needed improvement.

Second Thessalonians was apparently prompted by three main developments:

1. Persecution of the Christians had grown worse and was leaving victims at the point of despair. Paul provided an incentive for the Thessalonians to persevere a little longer by describing the reward and retribution issuing from the future judgment of God (1:3-10).
2. Confusion about the day of the Lord and people wondering if they had missed it.
3. People were shirking responsibilities because of this confusion.
   

History of persecution of Christians here…

1. The Evidence of God’s Justice

A. Preparation for heaven – 1:4,5

They had proven their faithfulness – God’s work in their lives was preparation for heaven.

2 Thess 1:4 - we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

2 Cor. 4:8,9 – afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down…

2 Cor 4:17 - …this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.

B. Payback for wicked – 1:6

The other group on whom God's righteous judgment and the revelation of the Lord Jesus will make their impact are "those who trouble you" (v. 6). The consequences for these will be prolonged and painful.

Flaming fire
Dealing out retribution
The penalty of eternal destruction

The Lord Jesus will be revealed personally to culminate this vengeance with "everlasting destruction" and exclusion from the Lord's presence and glory (v. 9). Paul's concept of what the future holds for the lost is bleak. It is a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Rom 2:5; 1Thess 1:10; 2:16; 5:9) just before the revelation of Christ's glory in the world (Oepke, TDNT, 3:583).

Who is it? - 2:13 they did not believe the truth and took pleasure in wickedness…

C. Relief for the persecuted – 1:7

He will appear to those who are “in Christ”. It will be an appearance that means rest (1:7a) when he comes "from heaven" (cf. 1Thess 4:16) to meet the dead and living in Christ in the air (1Thess 4:17) and gather them to himself (2Thess 2:1). This begins their unending fellowship with him (1Thess 4:17; 5:10) and participation in his glory (2Thess 1:10, 12). Paul hoped to be alive at this time ("and to us as well;" cf. "we who are still alive, who are left," 1Thess 4:15, 17).

MEANING “…All of this is evidence that God’s judgment is right…” God IS just. V. 6

2. The Conditions for Christ’s Return

The second development in Thessalonica was that a false letter from Paul and other false documents were circulating, convincing believers that the end time was already present because of their increased suffering. He clarified prominent events belonging to the day of the Lord to prove that the day had already had NOT arrived (2:1-12). Paul responds - it doesn't matter where this thought came from -- a forged letter, a spoken sermon, a supernatural prophecy -- it is wrong. The day of the Lord -- the time of his glorious second coming -- has not come.

Their suffering had already been so severe that someone tried to convince them that the period was already in progress, even though the Lord had not yet come to gather them to heaven. Paul is determined to prove that his readers were not in the day of the Lord.

"Coming" or "presence" (parousia) is the most frequent term, sometimes referring to an examination of Christians before the Father and Christ (1Thess 2:19; 3:13; 5:23), sometimes to the moment of the Lord's meeting Christians in the air (1Thess 4:15; 2Thess 2:1), and sometimes to Christ's triumphant conquest of "the lawless one" (2Thess 2:8).

There is a large wing of the evangelical church today that believes the second coming of Christ is going to happen in two stages. First, Christ will come for the church; they will rise to meet him in the air, return with him to heaven for a period of seven years, and then after the great tribulation is over, return to the earth in judgment. This view of the second coming is called the "pre-tribulational" view because it says that Christ comes for the church before the tribulation.

Others believe that the coming of Christ takes place all at once. The church will go through the tribulation and that the rapture will take place afterwards, called “post-tribulational” view.

Here in 2 Thessalonians 2 Paul is not discussing the timing of the rapture. He is simply reassuring his readers that "the day of the Lord" had not come. He specifically mentions two events that must take place…

A. Widespread Rebellion

“The apostasy” NASB, “The rebellion” NIV. “a falling away” KJV.
Dan 12:1 - …And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time;
Read Matt. 24:4-14 (Keep your finger in Matt 24!)

B. The Man of Lawlessness

Who is it? Domitian, Nero, Gorbachev, Yassar Arafat, Prince Charles, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Barney, Damien, Carpathian…?
Was this fulfilled when Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the temple in Jerusalem just before the Maccabean revolt?
Matt. 24: 15ff
Dan. 7:25ff, 8:25; 11:36
Rev. 13, 17… and others…
Paul had already taught them about him… v. 5

1. He will be “lawless” v.3 – “Son of destruction” (only used of Judas elsewhere.) He will embody this rebellion.
2. He will oppose God and worship himself v.4. He takes his seat in the temple of God, which may mean the church, since Paul calls the church the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16)-- that is, he may become some kind of world-church leader. Or the temple here may refer to the temple in Jerusalem.
3. He is being restrained by the power of God. V. 6. God is in control here, not evil.
4. He will be destroyed by Jesus soon after he appears. V. 8 "the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by his appearing and his coming." (Rev 19 – from His mouth comes a sharp sword…)
5. He is not Satan, but Satan “powers” him. V. 9 “…powers, wonders, and false signs”.

Mark 13:5-7 Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed.

Same word “alarmed” as in 2 Thess 2:2 “…not shaken or disturbed”.

Meaning of SIGN #2 - Paul's aim is very practical in this passage: he wants to help Christians experience peace and calm and stability and clarity of mind -- Christians who don't get all "shook up" and agitated and anxious and fretful and confused and off-balance when crises come to the world.

EX: “Thief in the Night” movie…

88 Reasons Jesus will return in 1988.

Y2K bug…. People running off to Oregon…

3. The Application of the Omens

The third development in Thessalonica was that the nearness of Christ's return had been misused as a basis for shirking vocational responsibilities even more than at the time of 1 Thessalonians. This problem had become quite severe. He issued detailed instructions covering disciplinary steps the church was to take in correcting those who refused to work (3:6-15).

Stand Firm in the faith – 2:15

Hold on to good teaching – v. 15

Be encouraged with hope – v.16

Be strengthened in word and deed – v. 17

Pray for the Gospel to Spread – 3:1

Labor for the Lord – 3:8’

v. 6 leading an “unruly life”

v. 7 act in an “undisciplined manner”

v. 10- Idle…

Look UP

Look OUT

For yourself

For others…