Today we are enjoying a wonderful Prophecy Conference at Christ Community Church in El Centro, CA, where Walt Colace is the Senior Pastor. The hospitality and warmth of this congregation is quite a blessing to our hearts. Dr. Tim LaHaye began the conference last night with a wonderful and powerful message on “WHY PROPHECY?” Today he will speak again along with Jacob Prasch from Moriel Ministries in England, Olivier Melnick of Chosen People Ministries, a French Jew, who will speak on “WHAT DOES THE WORLD HATE THE JEWS?” He has a wonderful book on Anti-Semitism.
Last night I spoke (David) on II Thessalonians 2 using the text statement “LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU.” Here are some of the notes from last night.
Subject: “LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU!”
Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:1-17
THE DAY OF THE LORD SHOULD NOT TROUBLE US!
II Thessalonians 2:1-2 cf. 5:1-9
1. The RAPTURE will come first!
2. The REPORTS of the day of the Lord should not affect us!
THE DEPARTURE OF CHURCH-AGE BELIEVERS WILL COME FIRST!
“a falling away first” - Greek: apostasia - used twice as a noun, 15 times as a verbs - translated 11 times with the simple word “depart.” This does not seem to be a departure from the faith, but rather the departure of believers from this world before the day of the Lord begins. This means that the coming world ruler we know as the “ANTICHRIST” (called the “Man of Sin” and the “Son of Perdition” in this passage - will not be revealed until after the church-age believers (both Jews and Gentiles) are “departed.”
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ANTICHRIST REVEALS HIS TRUE IDENTITY!
II Thessalonians 2:3-4
1. His DEPRAVITY will go unchecked!
2. His DESTINY is already settled!
3. His DETERMINATION to be honored above everyone and every thing!
4. His DECISION to sit in a coming temple of God - the final evidence of his real identity!
THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS MAN OF SIN WILL COME FROM THE LORD!
II Thessalonians 2:5-9
1. The REMINDER of these things needs to occur in the midns and hearts of all believers!
2. The REMOVAL of that which restrains will be necessary!
3. The RETURN of our Lord will destroy him! (at the Second Coming at the end of the tribulation)
4. The REALIZATION of how he will deceive people
THE DECEPTION WILL BE WIDESPREAD!
II Thessalonians 2:10-12
1. The RECOGNITION of those that will be deceived - “them that perish”
2. The REASON they will be deceived - “they received not the love of the truth”
3. The RESULT that God will bring - vv. 11-12
THE DELIVERANCE WHICH TRUE BELIEVERS WILL EXPERIENCE!
II Thessalonians 2:13-17
1. The CHOICE of God
2. The CALLING of God
3. The COMMITMENT we will demonstrate
4. The COMFORT of God
EDITOR’S NOTE: The conference continues today - the church facilities were packed last night, with many in the overflow room watching on a large screen. It is our prayer that those without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior may turn to Him as their only hope of salvation from sin, death, and Hell. We also pray that the believers will remain strong in the Lord and not be influenced by the continual barrage of deception from Satan and his demonic forces.
Tags: II Thessalonians 2:13-17
