Day of Christ or Tribulation?

 

Text: 2 Thes. 2:1-3

Intro: Pretribbers can’t make up their minds between themselves whether the problem bothering the Thessalonians was that some were teaching that the “resurrection” had already came and gone OR that the tribulation had come. 

 

I. Resurrection Fantasy?

 

A. Paul had taught them already that the day of resurrection and the day of rapture

     were one and the same (I Thes. 4:14-17)

 

B. Therefore if the “day of Christ” (v. 2) refers to the “resurrection/rapture” day

     then He is clearly telling them that the resurrection/rapture day will not come

     until AFTER the apostasy and revelation of the man of sin occurs first.

 

 

II. Tribulation Fantasy?

 

A. Paul just told them in 2 Thes. 1:6-7 that they would not have rest from

     tribulation until the “apocalypse” (“revelation” – v. 7) when He appears in the

     heavens in flaming fire

 

     1. The inspired grammar makes the “rest” from tribulation to occur

          simultaneous with the apocalypse (v. 7)

     2. This apocalypse is Posttrib as it is a revelation in fire with angels (v. 8)

 

B. The words “day of Christ” are used only by Paul in the New Testament and all

     previous five times it refers to the rapture day (I Cor. 1:7-10; 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:14;

     Philip. 1:6, 10;

 

C. The words “day of the Lord” are not found in the Textus Receptus but in the

     Critical Westscott and Hort Text.

     1. Joel says that certain celestial phenomena occur BEFORE the day of the Lord – Joel 2:31

     2. Matthew 24:29 says these same celestial phenomena occur AFTER the tribulation with only His

         Posttrib coming described as the next event (vv. 30-31) – hence the day of the Lord is His Posttrib

         coming

     3. Revelation 6:12-13 says that the same celestial phenomena occur BEFORE the day of the Lord

          (Rev. 6:15-17)

     4. The “day of the Lord” is synonymous with “day of Christ” as Paul laces them together by

         saying “the day of our LORD Jesus CHRIST”

 

 

III. The Contextual Facts

 

A. No rest from tribulation until Posttrib coming – 2 Thes. 1:7-10

     1. Rest comes AT revelation – v. 7

     2. Rest comes BY pouring out wrath upon ungodly – vv. 8-9

     3. Rest comes BY glorification of their bodies at revelation – v. 10

         a. “when” of verse 10 grammatically is simultaneous with “when” of verse 7

         b. verses 7-10 are one sentence in Greek text

 

B. Subject  is the day of “our gathering together” unto Him – 2 Thes. 2:1

     a. Grandville Sharpe rule applies to verse one – making “coming” and

      “gathering” one and the same.

     b. “day of Christ” in verse 2 always refers to the rapture coming

     c. The “trouble” was that some had stopped working (2 Thes. 3:1-5) and were living off of other

       members  on the pretense that “the day of Christ” had come. Like the group in Arkansas that quit

       their jobs and all met on a mountain top each day expecting to be raptured at the next second.

 

D. The Corrective was that before the rapture (v. 1) day of Christ (v. 2) could occur, there must

      come first “the apostasy” and revelation of the man of sin (v. 3)

 

      1. The Greek term “apostasy” is never used in any Greek writings to refer to anything other than a

          political or religious schism.

      2. The etymological root for “apostasia” is never used in the New Testament for a spatial departure

           but always a departure from the truth.

      3. Although Paul used the root word many times, he did not so here. He chose to use “apostasia” instead here.

      4. Our English term “apostasy” comes directly from this Greek term “apostasia”

 

E. The “restrainer” is not identified by name in this text. However, it is identified in Daniel 10.

     1. Paul is referring to what is restraining the antichrist kingdom from arising

     2. In Daniel God lays out the rise and fall of gentile kingdoms ending with the Antichrist kingdom

     3. The restraining force that allows and restrains these kingdoms to arise is identified as angelic with Michael at the head in

          chapter 10 of Daniel.

     4. Angelic forces are used throughout the book of Revelation and Michael casts Satan into the pit.

     5. The restraining force is not the Holy Spirit but Michael and God’s angels under him.

 

F. 2 Thes. 2:4-12 goes on to further describe the revealed man of sin (vv. 4-8) and the great apostasy

     (vv. 9-12)

 

 

Conclusion: Paul introduces the subject as the rapture coming (2 Thes. 2:1) and continues in verse 2 to use a phrase that has always described the rapture coming “the day of Christ” (v. 2) in order to warn us against anyone teaching a PRE-trib coming. Pretribbers throw out honesty when dealing with this text as it is the strongest text in the Bible against Pretribbism.