2 Thessalonians 2:1-17
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,a
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdethb that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
The apostle now stated clearly the order of events connected with the Second Advent of Jesus. He first announced the distinction between the two things that they were evidently confusing: ''the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" and "the Day of the Lord." For the first they are to wait, for it is to be the occasion of the gathering together of the saints to Himself. The second cannot come until certain other matters have been accomplished. He earnestly warns them against confusing the hope of the coming of Jesus with the fact of His manifestation to the world, in which "the Day of the Lord" will be ushered in. The signs of that Day will be a falling away, and, finally, the manifestation of evil in a person whom he now describes.
Having thus referred to that manifestation of the man of sin the apostle described the then present condition of affairs, which condition, by the way, remains until this time. Two forces are in confliict. The one he described as "the mystery of lawlessness," and the other as "One that restraineth." The first is the essential spirit of evil. It is described as a mystery on account of the secret and subtle method of its working. The other force is referred to as a Person. That Person is holding the mystery of lawlessness in check. Clearly, the reference is to the work of the Holy Spirit. This will continue until the Spirit is "taken out of the way." That will be the occasion for the heading up of evil in a person, and so also the occasion of the revelation of Jesus, and the destruction of the man of sin. The apostle charged the Thessalonians to "stand fast, and hold the traditions."