Good morning dear friends,
I’m sure you’ve noticed the date. . .6 June.
May I invite us all to take a moment and reflect…
On this early morning, 1944, thousands of Allied military folks… on sea, land and in the air, were launching operation “Overlord”; the desperate D-Day invasion of France on the beaches of Normandy. The objective was clear. . .liberation of France, and other nations which had been conquered by Hitler and his Nazi war machine. The risk of failure was the freedom of millions of people and the likely extermination of Jews from the face of the earth.
You’ve seen the pictures, read accounts, or watched movies about those bloody days. Perhaps you’ve even visited the landing beaches, or walked the rows of white crosses at the huge military cemetery on the bluff overlooking the beaches.
Let’s just pause a moment in reflection, and consider how different our world would be today if operation “Overlord” had failed.
Perhaps you know the greatest wave of missionaries followed WWII, and many felt called of God to return to the places they fought… Europe & the Pacific. Today, thousands of Christ followers and hundreds of churches in those places, are the spiritual fruit of those who responded to God’s call, and went with the Gospel to the very places devastated by war.
It’s a picture my friends, of what God wants to do in every place in the world, today, including your community. And I suggest you and me, each of us reading this today, should see ourselves as God’s strategically positioned missionary, right where we each live.
Now let’s turn our attention to 2 Thessalonians 2. You’ll see Paul is concerned about the confusion stirring the Thessalonica Christians regarding “the day of the Lord” and the return of Jesus Christ which he had written about in his first letter. So Paul makes it clear…they have not missed it! Those two future events had not yet occurred…then…, nor yet today, June 2019.
Do you see Paul explains that there will be an increase of evil world-wide, and even the rise of a particularly wicked leader whom Paul calls ‘the man of lawlessness’ in vs. 3? Down through history, in almost every generation, there have been one or more such men. Clearly Hitler was such a man. These have been deeply wicked, ruthless, lawless men determined to eliminate the Jews and or followers of Jesus, and in some cases eliminate any form of worship, or acknowledgment of God, and have elevated themselves as the one to be revered, even worshiped.
John the Apostle uses the term “anti-Christ”, when referring to this ‘man of lawlessness’, because everything about this person will be opposed to Jesus Christ. (1 John 2:18; 4:9; 2 John 1:7). You’ll note John says “many such anti-Christs have appeared…“.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4 Paul gives us several specific characteristics of this ‘man of lawlessness’, and each of them has occurred in history. Yet, since Jesus has not yet returned, and the “day of the Lord” has not yet happened, the final ‘anti-Christ’ is yet in the future.
Paul says in vs. 6&7 that “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.” Wow, that’s very interesting isn’t it? What do you suppose Paul is talking about here?
Do you remember when the 1 million or so Hebrew slaves were escaping Egypt, there was an “angel of God” who stood between Pharaoh’s army and the fleeing Hebrews (Ex. 14:19)? Another time in Israel’s history, as King Jehoshaphat and the people prayed, God set ambushes against the enemy army, invading Judah ,and they destroyed each other, (2 Chronicles 20). Another time, again in response to the prayers of His people and King Hezekiah, God sent an angel who slaughtered the enemy army of 185,000 soldiers poised to destroy Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 32).
So could it be Paul is speaking of one or more mighty angels, perhaps even led by Michael the warrior Arch Angel?
Or could it be Paul is speaking of the Holy Spirit of God, who battles Satan continually?
Or could it be Paul is referring to the Church, God’s people all around the world, redeemed by the blood of Jesus and filled by the Holy Spirit in all His power?
But notice Paul writes “…will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way.” in vs. 7. So that suggests God will, at some point in the future, remove whatever source of His power it is, that currently, here on earth, is restraining evil, from overtaking our world. Do you see how, if it were one or more Angels, that could be accomplished simply by God calling them back to heaven? If it is the Holy Spirit, the same is true, for as God sent the Spirit at Pentecost, He could call the Spirit back. . .but please remember the Spirit resides in us, God’s people. So could this mean, that as Jesus comes to earth and removes His people, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; then the Holy Spirit goes with us, and that leaves unbridled, unrestrained evil to reign all over the earth?
But then in verse 8 please note this ‘man of lawlessness’ will eventually be destroyed by King Jesus.
Please note in vs. 9-12 Paul makes it clear Satan himself is behind all this evil, wickedness and the ‘man of lawlessness’. Paul says deceit, even with miraculous signs of power, will be part of this great deception drawing many away from Jesus. It’s a very dark picture of a future time when evil and wickedness reign in our world. It’s the horror of Nazi domination only worse.
Aren’t you glad Paul doesn’t leave us there…but vs. 13-17 are so encouraging and re-affirming of the certainty of God’s saving and sanctifying work in those who receive and trust the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, and His atonement death and victorious resurrection.
This my friends is why I’m leading us on this daily journey… so we can continue to deepen our understanding of the great work of God in our lives, and strengthen our relationship with Jesus through the life transforming work of the Holy Spirit in us.
I hope you’ll take time to thank Jesus today, for the powerful truths of this chapter, and the certainty that you are eternally secure and safe in HIM, regardless of the schemes of Satan, IF Jesus is your Savior and Lord.
Have a memorable June 6th my friends, walking with Jesus. . .
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)