GW:
The action in 2 Thess 2:4-7 is ALREADY TAKING PLACE at the time Paul is writing
I personally don't believe that the end-time great tribulation has started yet, as I don't believe passages such as 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and Revelation 13 and Revelation 11 and Revelation 16, etc., have been fulfilled yet.
Never has any man ever been worshipped by all the inhabitants of the earth (Revelation 13:8), or had a False Prophet who called fire down from heaven in the sight of men (Revelation 13:13) and made a speaking image of him that must be worshipped on the pain of death (Revelation 13:14-15), and caused a mark to be put on their hand "or" forehead that they might not buy or sell without it (Revelation 13:16-17), which mark may be the name of the man or the number of his name, which is 666 (Revelation 13:17-18). None of this has been fulfilled.
Justin Martyr (100-165) spoke of the coming of the Antichrist as an event yet in the future: "He whom Daniel foretells would have dominion for a time, and times, and an half, is even already at the door, about to speak blasphemous and daring things against the Most High" (Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter 32).
As did Irenaeus of Lyons (130-202): "But, knowing the sure number declared by Scripture, that is, six hundred sixty and six, let them await, in the first place, the division of the kingdom into ten; then, in the next place, when these kings are reigning, and beginning to set their affairs in order, and advance their kingdom, [let them learn] to acknowledge that he who shall come claiming the kingdom for himself, and shall terrify those men of whom we have been speaking, having a name containing the aforesaid number, is truly the abomination of desolation" (Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, Book 5, Chapter 30).
As did Hippolytus: "It is proper that we take the Holy Scriptures themselves in hand, and find out from them what, and of what manner, the coming of Antichrist is; on what occasion and at what time that implores one shall be revealed; and whence and from what tribe (he shall come); and what his name is, which is indicated by the number in the Scripture; and how he shall work error among the people, gathering them from the ends of the earth; and (how) he shall stir up tribulation and persecution against the saints; and how he shall glorify himself as God; and what his end shall be" (Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, 5).
As did Cyprian (about 250 A.D.): "Nor let it disturb you, dearest brethren, if with some, in these last times, either an uncertain faith is wavering, or a fear of God without religion is vacillating, or a peaceable concord does not continue. These things have been foretold as about to happen in the end of the world; and it was predicted by the voice of the Lord, and by the testimony of the apostles, that now that the world is failing, and the Antichrist is drawing near, everything good shall fail, but evil and adverse things shall prosper" (Cyprian, Epistles 67.7). "Even Antichrist, when he shall begin to come, shall not enter into the Church because he threatens
They endeavour to imitate the coming of Antichrist, who is now approaching" (Cyprian, Epistles 54.19).
Christ's 2nd coming will be "immediately" after the tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31), will be seen by every eye (Revelation 1:7), will bring the resurrection and rapture of the entire church (1 Corinthians 15:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), and will destroy the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
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sarkazma:
we are all called up to heaven in the rapture
I believe we will be caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds on his way down to set his feet on the earth. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 doesn't show Jesus returning to heaven.
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niwde
I don't believe the Bible anywhere says that Jesus can come to gather us together at any time, but says the opposite (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, compare Matthew 24:29-31).
that is y jesus ask us to be prepared
Note that in the Bible, "watching" doesn't mean staring up in the sky waiting for something to happen at any moment; it means to stay awake (Matthew 26:38-41). Christ will come like a thief for us only IF we fall asleep spiritually (Revelation 3:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6).
Jesus made clear we must stay spiritually awake for his coming (Matthew 24:42-48, 25:13; Mark 13:35-36), and that his coming to gather us would not be until immediately after the tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27). There's no 3rd coming of Christ.
even he doesn't know when is the time
only his father know
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:36-37).
Here I believe Jesus is referring to the same "coming of the Son of man" as when he said "immediately after the tribulation of those days... they shall see the Son of man coming" (Matthew 24:29-30). I don't believe he taught a 3rd coming.
Note that Jesus didn't say "no one will know the day" (future tense) but "no one knows the day" (present tense).
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parousia70
Peter says that on the day of the Lord that comes as a thief in the night, the Heavens and earth pass away without any "thousand year" reign first. (2 Peter 3:10)
Note that Peter refers to the "day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men" as the day the heavens and earth will vanish (2 Peter 3:7-10), just as Revelation 20:11-21:1 says will happen after the millenium at the great white throne judgment of all unbelievers. So he is not referring to only the 2nd coming itself, which is the day of the Lord we are told to wait for (1 Corinthians 1:7-8), but to what will happen at the end of the "thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8).
We know that Peter wasnt referring to only the 2nd coming itself because only the current world system will end at the 2nd coming (1 Corinthians 7:31). The earth itself wont be destroyed, but instead renewed into Edenic perfection during the millenium (Matthew 19:28; Isaiah 51:3, 30:23-25).
The end of the world will bring the restoration of the earth, for Christ will come to "destroy those who destroy the earth" (Revelation 11:18), and to bring us back into right relation with it (Micah 4:4, Isaiah 32:14-20).
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