Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians were among his first epistles. During the time he wrote these letters, Paul's ministry was based on the New Covenant as he offered the Kingdom to the Jews and the grace of God to the Gentiles. Paul knew from Daniel’s prophecies that there would be a period of great tribulation before the kingdom was established, and He assured the Thessalonian believers that their tribulation did not escape the notice of God. He taught that Jesus Christ would return to earth with great vengeance on those who were causing their suffering.

II Th 1:5-8
5 (Your persecution and tribulation are) 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,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

However, Paul instructed these believers that the antichrist would have to be revealed before Christ’s return.

II Th 2:3-4
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,
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. (NKJ)

Paul indicated that the antichrist would rise to power during a time of great religious apostasy which he called “the falling away”. In the book of the Revelation, the Apostle John described the murderous religion of the antichrist.

Rev 17:5-6
5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. (NKJ)

Paul said that, during the tribulation period, the forces which restrain this murderous religion will be taken out of the way, and the antichrist will be revealed.

II Th 2:7-8
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. (NKJ)

The devil has such great opportunity within the realm of religion because he can hide his sinister deeds behind a veil of piety and self-righteous works. From an historical perspective, human government has often protected God’s people from religious tyranny. Martin Luther was protected by a German chancellor while the Catholic Church sought to kill him for preaching the grace of God. The Constitution of the United States was written to ensure, among other things, that no injustice such as the Salem witch trials would ever again take place in our country. It is likely that society’s commitment to the rule of law is what will hinder the devil in the early years of the tribulation period.

Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians while he was in a Roman prison after Israel’s promise of the New Covenant Kingdom was set aside. In these prison epistles, there is no discussion of the antichrist or the return of the Lord to the earth to punish the ungodly and exalt the righteous. Our present dispensation will end with the rapture of the Church which is the Body of Christ, and then God will once again offer the New Covenant Kingdom to Israel. When that happens, the scenario of the tribulation period will become very real to the believers of that time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

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