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1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18
THE RAPTURE
(v. 13) "Brothers we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope."
A) FELLOW BELIEVERS ARE BEING ADDRESSED
"Brothers" = fellow believers:
(v. 1) "To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace to you."
(v. 7) "And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia."
"we do not want you to be ignorant" =
Robert L Thomas states, (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol 11, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Mich., Frank E Gaebelin, Editor, 1978, p. 276):
"Paul's words 'we do not want you to be ignorant' as usual mark what follows for special attention. Here they introduce the correction of false impressions (cf Rom 11:25; 1 Cor 10:1; 12:1). The Thessalonians had concluded that 'those who sleep' would miss the victories and glory of the Lord's return [for them in the Rapture]."
Compare the next verse which affirms that all those believers who have died, God will raise up and bring them back to heaven in the Rapture with Jesus Christ.
"We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him [to heaven, (Jn 14:1-4)]."
At the particular time that Paul was writing to the Thessalonians, they were undergoing tremendous persecution such that many of them thought that this was the actual Tribulation Period that Paul taught them about and that the Rapture which he mentioned had already occurred and thus was already missed.
(v. 13) "Brothers we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope."
C) "THOSE WHO FALL ASLEEP" = BELIEVERS WHO HAVE DIED ARE IN VIEW
"about those who fall asleep" = Those believers who have physically died, which is confirmed by the context of verse 15:
"According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep [i.e., are not still alive]."
"still alive" is juxtaposed within the verse to "fallen asleep" as an opposite. Therefore "fallen asleep" or "those who sleep" refers to those who are not alive, i.e., physically dead.
(v. 11) "After He [Jesus, (v. 9)] said this, He went on to tell them [the disciples, (v. 12)], 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.'
(v. 12) His disciples replied, 'Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.'
(v. 13) Jesus had been speaking of his death, but His disciples thought He meant natural sleep.".
[Thomas, ibid.]:
" 'Those who sleep' ('Ton koimomenon') is an expression chosen in lieu of [those who are] 'dead', (v. 15) because of death's temporary nature for Christians (cf. 1 Cor 7:39; 11:30; 15:6, 18, 20, 51; cf. also John 11:11).
Though the pagans used 'sleep' as a metaphor for 'death,' it is especially appropriate for Christians because of their assured bodily resurrection."
"[Jesus said] 'For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.' "
[Thomas, cont.]:
"Paul had previously taught the Thessalonians about the resurrection [hence the reference to them of having a sure 'hope']. On the basis of the resurrection our Christian 'hope' has objective reality. That this death refers to the physical body and not to man's spirit is clear for several reasons. Death for Paul did not mean a state of unconscious repose, but a condition of being with Christ...."
(v. 22) " 'If I [Paul, (v. 1)] am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me
(v. 23) I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far
(v. 24) but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.' "
[Thomas, cont.]:
"....Note that the expression 'dead in Christ' (v. 16) would be meaningless in connection with the false doctrine of soul sleep, for a nonexistent sleeper could hardly be in union with Christ. On the contrary, Paul viewed 'those who sleep' as continuing their relationship with Christ in heaven with their spirits and souls while their physical bodies were in the grave, awaiting resurrection [into a perfect body finally joining with the soul and spirit, (ref: 1 Cor 15:51-54)]."
(v. 13) "Brothers we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope."
"to grieve like the rest of men" = The rest of men, i.e., the unsaved world have no hope of escaping God's wrath. But the believer - one who has trusted alone in Christ's sacrifice on the cross for ones sins - thus Christ subjecting Himself to all the wrath due that individual in his place - that believer can have a sure hope that he will escape God's wrath both on the earth in the final days and for all eternity; and in fact be with God for all eternity.
[Renald E. Showers states, 'MARANATHA, OUR LORD, COME!, Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Bellmawr, N.J., 1995, p. 198]:
"The word translated 'sorrow' [= grieve] means 'be sad, be distressed, grieve.' Paul's statement indicates that the Thessalonian believers were distressed over the fact that some of their fellow saints had died....
[and thereby they mistakenly thought they missed the victories and glory of the Lord's return for them in the Rapture].
***We should note two things concerning this distress and Paul's response to it.
First, if these church saints had been taught that the church must go through all or any part of the........Tribulation, with its intense outpouring of God's wrath, the logical reaction for them would have been to rejoice that these loved ones had escaped that great period of suffering' through death (cp. Job 3:11-26; Eccl. 4:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23). There is, however, no indication that they found any reason to rejoice over the deaths of their fellow saints. This at least implies that they had not been taught that the church must go through all or any part of the Tribulation and experience God's wrath.
Second, the only means Paul used to relieve their distress over the deaths of their fellow saints was the truth of the future Rapture of the church. If these distressed saints had been taught that the church must go through all or any part of the Tribulation, why didn't Paul comfort them further with the additional fact that through their deaths, their fellow saints had escaped that future time of God's wrath?"
"For they themselves [believers everywhere] report what kind of reception you gave us [Paul, Silas and Timothy, (v. 1)]. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
(v. 10) and to wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead - Jesus, Who rescues us from the coming wrath."
(v. 1) "Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
(v. 2) for you do need to write to you,
(v. 3) While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
[Notice that the Tribulation Period of God's wrath is in view]
(v. 4) But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
[And brothers, i.e., believers will thus NOT be surprised by this period of wrath]
(v. 5) You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
(v. 6) So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
(v. 7) For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
(v. 8) But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
(v. 9) For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
So the Church Age believer will not suffer the Tribulation wrath of God.
(v. 3) '''As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
(v. 4) Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you.
(v. 5) For many will come in My name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many.
(v. 6) You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
(v. 7) Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
(v. 8) All these are the beginning of birth pains." '''
And our Lord continues to describe these birth pangs leading up to His Second Coming, (vv., 30-31), throughout this passage summarizing them as follows below. Such summary clearly indicates a future series of unparalleled events over a very short period of time having no precedence in history so far!!!
(v. 21) "For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equaled again.
(v. 22) If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened."
The beginning of the seven year tribulation period is described in Mt 24:3-8 as the beginning of birth pangs. And these birth pangs are characterized as the wrath of God in judgment on mankind which the church will not be subjected to, (1 Thes 5:1-9).
[Showers, op. cit., p. 23]:
"The concept of birth pangs has played a significant role in the content of Scripture as well. The birth pangs (as described in these succeeding quotes from the Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament) are 'recurring spasms of pain which are not subject to conscious control, during which the woman in labor writhes - a process that can be accompanied by a sense of fear or anxiety, screams, and groans.'
The Scriptures have used this concept to refer to other situations that involve painful experiences comparable to the pains of childbirth. In this usage 'birth pangs' are a favorite metaphor for the tribulations God's judgment brings upon man.
The Bible includes several samples of this metaphoric use. Job declared, 'God distributeth sorrows [a translation of a Hebrew word for birth pangs] in his anger' (Job 21:17). The wicked peoples of Israel and Jerusalem (Isa. 26:17-18; Jer. 4:31; 6:24; 13:21; Hos. 13:12-13; Mic. 4:9-10), Babylon (Isa. 13:8; Jer. 50:43), Damascus (Jer. 49:24), Moab (Jer. 48:41), Edom (Jer. 49:22), and Nineveh (Hab. 2:10) all experienced birth pangs. (Some Hebrew words for birth pangs have been translated with the English words 'distress' and 'sorrows.') The contexts of these passages indicate that these birth pangs were associated with God's purposed judgment, wrath, and fierce anger on these peoples frequently through other nations warring against them.
The Scriptures describe the physical effects of being seized by birth pangs - the loins are filled with pain, the heart faints, the knees tremble, the face flushes with anxiety (Isa. 13:7-8; Nah 2:10), the hands become helpless (Jer 6:24), and the voice groans and cries (Isa. 26:17; Jer. 4:31; Mic. 4:9). Thus, birth pangs involve a state of 'involuntary and uncontrolled spasmodic movement, to which the body is surrendered, accompanied by a sense of weakness and heat.'
'Such a state can occur in the face of battle, in times of judgment, on the 'day of Yahweh.'
Not only for the judgment of events now past, but also for judgment in the future, the Bible makes metaphoric use of birth pangs. In the Old Testament they are associated with the future Time of Jacob's Trouble (Jer. 30:6-7)."
G) THE WRATH OF GOD IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IS FUTURE - NONE OF IT HAS OCCURRED YET
1) [Compare Matthew chapter 24]:
Let us now consider the text in Matthew chapter 24 with respect to our Lord's answer to the disciples' three questions about the end of the age. Keep in mind that Matthew's focus is on the future tribulation time and our Lord's Second Coming:
"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. 'Tell us,' they said, 'When will this happen [when Jerusalem will be destroyed, (v. 2)], and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?' "
It is also especially evident in Revelation chapter 11 that Jerusalem will again be trampled upon in the future tribulation period. This correlates with Luke's account of the temple's destruction in Lk 21:20-24 which states that Jerusalem will "be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled":
(v. 1) "I [The Apostle John] was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, 'Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshippers there.
(v. 2) But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the Holy City for 42 months.' "
This passage in Revelation speaks of a literal historical happening: the trampling on Jerusalem for 3 1/2 years beginning at the midpoint of the 7 year tribulation period - the middle of the 70th week as defined in Daniel chapter 9:24-27.
This seven year tribulation period, Daniel's 70th week, then completes the required seven years of the 490 year period of the Jewish Mosaic Law period and ushers in our Lord's Millennial Kingdom rule.
[Further
details of this 490 period and the 70th week of Daniel:
]
This 3 1/2 years or "42 months" will also mark the end of world domination by Gentiles, the end of the tribulation period and will mark the beginning of our Lord's Return and the ushering in of the kingdom which Matthew focuses in on in chapters 24 and 25. (Cp Rev 13:5; Dan 7:25; 12:11):
a) [Mt 24:3 cont.]:
"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. 'Tell us,' they said, 'When will this happen [when Jerusalem will be destroyed, (v. 2)], and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?'
Our Lord's answers to the disciples' last two questions focus historically on the period of the tribulation, (Mt 24:4-25:46). There are a least seven evidences in Scripture in this passage by Matthew pointing to a future period rather than 70 A.D. or any other period other than the future seven year tribulation period - a period of future birth pangs of God's wrath from which the saints of the Church Age will be raptured out beforehand, not to be subjected to such wrath:
(v. 3) "As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. 'Tell us,' they said, 'when will this happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the Age?'
(v. 4) Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you.
(v. 5) For many will come in My name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
(v. 6) You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
(v. 7) Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
[Compare v. 21 referring to the same events and time: "For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equaled again."]
(v. 8) All these are the beginning of birth pains.
(v. 9) Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me.
(v. 10) At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,
(v. 11) and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
(v. 12) Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
(v. 13) but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
(v. 14) And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come......
(v. 21) For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be equaled again."
i) THE BIRTH PAINS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD HAVE NOT OCCURRED YET
"All these are the beginning of birth pains" = refers to those events leading up to the Second Coming and as stipulated in Mt 24:4-25:46.
"Birth pains" such as these have not yet occurred in history as our Lord described them 'unequaled.... and never to be equaled again' - especially not all in the same period of time in the same sequence and with the same intensity:
John MacArthur states it this way,
[MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew 24-28; Moody Press; Chicago; 1989; p. 15]:
"...Labor pains do not occur at conception or throughout pregnancy but just before birth. The figure of birth pains therefore would not have been appropriate to represent either the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred very near the beginning of the church age, or the church age as a whole.....
.....labor pains do not begin until shortly before delivery time, and they occur with increasing frequency until the baby is born. In the same way, the events connected with the Lord's Return will not begin until just before His Return, and they will occur with increasing rapidity, building to an explosion of catastrophic events. The same epoch is pictured in the book of Revelation, as the seal judgments unfold over a period of perhaps years (See Rev 6:1-8:1-6), the trumpet judgments over a much shorter period of time, perhaps weeks (see Rev 8:7-9:21; 11:15-19) and the bowl judgments over a period of perhaps a few days or even hours (see Rev 16:1-21)."
(v. 12) "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
(v. 13) but he who endures until the end will be saved [from physical death].
(v. 14) And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
"endures until the end" - This phrase in Mt 24:13 sets the time of our Lord's answer to the future and another age. For the disciples [whom our Lord was addressing] did not live to the end of the age. Furthermore, all church age believers will be raptured before the end times begin...
[End times = the tribulation period. Ref. 1 Thes 4:13-18]
...So this phrase "endure until the end" can only apply to saints of the tribulation period whose faith in Christ as Savior and faithful walk with Him providentially secures their endurance and thereby preserves their physical lives to the end of the age so that they will be alive and able to enter into the kingdom as the first subjects of our Lord's earthly reign....
[Note that salvation unto eternal life is not in view here - but being saved from loss of physical life is. Unfaithful believers and divinely appointed martyrs will have already physically perished and will have already entered into the Lord's presence in heaven]
(v. 14) "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
i) THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL TO THE WHOLE WORLD IS STILL A FUTURE HAPPENING
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all nations...." = This phrase in Mt 24:14 rules out any period of time in history heretofore. The gospel has yet to reach billions of people even today with mass media technology.
Therefore as our Lord implied in verse 14 and as verified in Rev 14:6-7, there will be a future worldwide instantaneous and miraculous declaration of the gospel of the kingdom to every individual on the face of the earth. This has never happened before as it is described in the following passage:
(v. 6) "Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth - to every nation, tribe, language and people.
(v. 7) He said in a loud voice, 'Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him Who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.' "
[Note that the contexts within this passage and other passages indicate that God will continuously provide the complete gospel of salvation to the whole world via His angels and man during this period of tribulation]
(v. 15) "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel - let the reader understand
(v. 16) then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.' "
i) THE 'ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION' OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IS FUTURE NOT PAST
"The abomination of desolation: (v.15) - is future, and is predicted to occur just before our Lord returns. This rules out what happened in 70 A.D. or before since the sequence of events and details in Scripture of this particular event have not occurred yet in history and certainly do not perfectly match up with anything that has happened in the past in every detail.
Detailed Explanation:
(Dan 9:27 ),
The fifth indicator is the conditions of the world which our Lord describes as leading up to the end of the age. These conditions of tribulation are to be the worst ever in human history - never to be equaled again - all taking place in sequence and within a very short period of time:
"For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equaled again."
[Compare Rev 6:12-14; 8:7-12; 9:all; Rev 11-13, 15-18]
Number six indicator is future:
(v. 29) " 'Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'
(v. 30) At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory."
And finally, indicator #7: verses 32-35 of Matthew 24 in which our Lord speaks of a fig tree:
(v. 32) " 'Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
(v. 33) Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
(v. 34) I tell you the truth, this generation [the generation that is living during the time of these end time events] will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
(v. 35) Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.' "
MacArthur comments, (op. cit. p. 16):
'''Just as the budding leaves of a fig tree signal that summer is near, so the occurring of these events Jesus mentions here will signal His imminent return. "This generation", that is the generation living during the time of those end time events, "will not pass away until all these things take place." The signs of Matthew 24-25 will be fully experienced within one generation, a generation that could be no other than the generation living when Christ returns.'''
The events of Matthew 24-25 are "unique to the end times in detail, in sequence, in scale and in extent. Some of the events such as the disruption of the physical universe (24:29 quoted above), will be completely unique." (MacArthur, op. cit., p. 16).
Many have focused on our Lord's use of the word "you" (2nd person) and state that this applies exclusively and only to the disciples - to their generation. However, it is standard procedure for prophetic statements to be made in such a way that it is pictured as happening in the present times - that those actually hearing the prophecy from the lips of our Lord or a prophet is pictured as living in the end times. Those who would actually be addressed as living through whatever is prophesied are not even born yet but the statement addresses them as if they were.
MacArthur puts it this way, (op. cit., p. 17):
'''The Old Testament prophets frequently addressed messages to people yet unborn, some of whom would live hundreds of years in the future. God picked up the prophet as it were, and transported him to the time of which he was to prophecy, and he spoke as if he were standing directly before those future generations...............
Jesus was saying, in effect, "You who are alive at that time....."
Compare the following prophecy:
[Zech 9:9 was written in the 6th century B.C. - BEFORE CHRIST, yet the author writes as if people of his time are observing something 600 years in the future!]:
"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion [Israel]! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
Cp Isa 33:17-24; 66:10-14
So, since many generations have passed over the period of this age without experiencing all of the signs our Lord spoke of, then it is evident that these events are future and the generation to experience them is likewise.
2) CONCLUSION: THE SEVEN YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD IS FUTURE & THE CHURCH WILL NOT EXPERIENCE IT
So since the Tribulation period is future and will commence with the beginnings of birth pangs, i.e., the wrath of God,
and since the Church will not be "appoint[ed]... to suffer wrath", (1 Thes 5:9)
then the Church will not experience any part of the tribulation period at all.
Thus it is evident that the Rapture will catch up the Church saints into the heavens for further transportation to heaven with our Lord before the seven year Tribulation period begins.
(v. 13) "Brothers we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope."
(v. 3) "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
(v. 4) and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you."
[Notice that the inheritance of the new birth, i.e., eternal life is a "living hope" - "that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you"]
"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
[Notice that one can be assured, i.e., have a sure hope of ones eternal destiny simply by affirming what John has written in the bible i.e., those "who believe in the name of the Son of God" may have a sure hope that they have eternal life]
(v. 11) "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
(v. 12) It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
(v. 13) while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ."
"The blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" = So the glorious appearing of our Lord for the believer is a blessed hope - no eternal wrath to befall God's child.
"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
So the believer's hope is assuredly one of salvation and never one of falling into eternal wrath.
(v. 9) "I [Jesus, (v. 7)] will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars - I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.....
[and continuing
the thought]:
(v. 10a) since you have kept My command to endure patiently.
[Then a new thought begins which refers to the church saints not being subject to the wrath of the Tribulation period]:
(v. 10b) I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth."
Notice that the believer will be kept from the hour of trial giving him a blessed and sure hope for the future and not a fearful one.
Since 1 Thes 5:9 and Rev 3:10 both state that believers of the church age will not be subject to wrath. (And these passages do state that church age believers will not be subject to wrath)
and since Titus 2:13 says:
"While we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (And it does)
then the doctrine that the church has to go through the tribulation and be decimated by the catastrophes and judgments that occur leaving only a fraction of the world's population surviving with many church age believers martyred is false.
It is difficult to support the concept that the CHURCH AGE believer's "blessed hope" is that of being subject to God's wrath while waiting for the Lord's return, thus having to go through the tribulation until He comes at the end. Believers of the church age await the Lord's return for them when He will meet them in the air BEFORE the tribulation begins, (1 Thes 4:13-18; 2 Thes 2:1-4; 5:1-9). This is what Paul refers to as the "blessed hope" of the church age believer, (Titus 2:13).
a) THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DAY OF THE LORD IN GENERAL
[Showers, op. cit., pp. 30-39]:
"The Scriptures teach that God created the universe for His own purposes (Rev 4:11). As a result, the heavenly and earthly realms are owned and ruled by God (1 Chr 29:11-12; 2 Chr 20:6; Ps 47:2; 103:19; 135:6; Isa 40:12-26; Jer 10:1, 10; Dan 4:17, 34-35, 37; Acts 17:24; 1 Tim 1:17; Rev 5:13). As the owner and ruler of the earth, God has His own sovereign purpose for world history and, therefore, for specific events within that history (Isa 14:24-27; 19:12; 23:9; 46:8-11; Jer 4:28; 23:20; 26:3; 30:24; 36:3; 49:20; 50:45; 51:29; Lam 2:8; Rom 8:28; 9:11, 17; Eph 1:9-11; 3:10-11; 2 Tim 1:9; 1 Jn 3:8).
In the Scriptures the expression 'the Day of the LORD' (together with other synonymous expressions, such as 'that day,' 'the day of God,' etc.) is strongly related to God's rule of the earth and, therefore, to His sovereign purpose for world history and specific events within that history. The Day of the LORD refers to God's special interventions into the course of world events to judge His enemies, accomplish His purpose for history, and thereby demonstrate who He is - the sovereign God of the universe (Isa 2:10-22; Ezek 13:5, 9, 14, 21, 23; 30:3, 8, 19, 25-26)....
Evidence for this significance of the Day of the LORD is found in past Days of the Lord referred to in the Scriptures. The Bible indicates that there have been several Days of the Lord in the past in which God demonstrated His sovereign rule by raising up several nations to execute His judgment on other nations. He raised up Assyria to judge the northern kingdom of Israel during the 700s B.C. (Amos 5:18, 20), Babylon to judge the southern kingdom of Judah during the 600s and 500s B.C. (Lam 1:12; 2:1, 21-22; Ezek 7:19; 13:5; Zeph 2:2-3), Babylon to judge Egypt and its allies during the 500s B.C. (Jer 46:10; Ezek 30:3), and Medo-Persia to judge Babylon during the 500s B.C. (Isa 13:6, 9)...
In these past Days of the Lord, God used human instruments and activity through war to execute His sovereign purpose against His enemies.
b) THE DAY OF THE LORD IN THE FUTURE
(v. 1) "Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers,
["the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him" = the coming of the Lord to gather His church up to Him in the heavens in the Rapture which event precedes the Day of the LORD, the Tribulation period]
(v. 2) not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us saying that the Day of the LORD has already come."
"the Day of the LORD" = refers to that particular part of the Day of the LORD beginning with the birth pangs of the Tribulation period.
[Showers, cont.]:
"The Scriptures indicated that the concept of the Day of the LORD is applicable, not only to the past intervention of God in history, but also to the future. Several things in the Bible make this very obvious. First, Isaiah 2:10-22 describes a Day of the LORD that will involve the sixth seal described by the Apostle John in Revelation 6:12-17. Because this sixth seal will take place during the 70th week of Daniel 9, the Day of the LORD that will involve that seal must also take place during that future time period.
Second, Isaiah 34:1-8 and Obadiah 15 describe a Day of the LORD when God will judge all nations or Gentiles of the world. None of the past Days of the Lord involved divine judgment of all the nations. Up to this point in history, there has not been a judgment of all nations during the same time period. In light of this, we can conclude that the Day of the LORD of Isaiah 34 and Obadiah must be future.
Third, Joel 3:1-13 and Zechariah 14:1-3, 12-15 refer to a Day of the LORD that will involve God's judgment of the armies of all the nations of the world, when those armies gather in Israel to wage war against that nation and the city of Jerusalem and when the Messiah comes to war against them. According to Revelation 16:12-16, those armies will not begin to gather until the sixth bowl is poured out during the 70th week of Daniel 9. In addition, Revelation 19:11-21 indicates that Christ will wage war against them when He comes from heaven to earth. This, too, forces the conclusion that the Day of the LORD of Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 is future.
Fourth, in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 the Apostle Paul referred to a Day of the LORD that was future beyond the time when he wrote his epistle and that would bring sudden, inescapable destruction upon the unsaved of the world. That Day of the LORD had not taken place before Paul wrote his Thessalonian epistle, and it seems evident that nothing of its nature has transpired since. Thus, the Day of the LORD of 1 Thessalonians 5 is also future."
ii) THE FUTURE DAY OF THE LORD: WRATH THEN BLESSING
[Showers, cont.]:
"The Scriptures indicate that the future Day of the LORD will have at least a twofold nature. First, it will be characterized by darkness and a tremendous outpouring of divine wrath upon the world....
(v. 1) "Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand -
(v. 2) a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come."
(v. 18) "Woe to you who long for the Day of the LORD! Why do you long for the Day of the LORD? That Day will be darkness, not light.
(v. 19) It will be as though
a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear, as though he entered his house
and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him.
(v. 20) Will not the Day of the LORD be darkness, not light - pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?"
(v. 14) "Then the angel who was speaking to me said, 'Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion,
(v. 15) but I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they added to the calamity.' "
(v. 1) "Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
(v. 2) for you know very well that the Day of the LORD will come like a thief in the night.
(v. 3) While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
(v. 4) But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
(v. 5) You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
(v. 6) So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
(v. 7) For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
(v. 8) But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
(v. 9) For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(v. 10) He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.
(v. 11) Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
Amos 5:18-20 emphasizes that this will be the total nature of the Day of the LORD for God's enemies. It will bring no divine light or blessing to them. This will be the nature of the Day of the LORD during the 70th week of Daniel.
Second, the Day of the LORD will also be characterized by light, an outpouring of divine blessing, and the administration of God's rule. The Prophet Joel, after talking about the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars and God's Day of the LORD judgment of the armies of the nations gathered in Israel (3:9-16), foretold great divine blessing 'in that day' (vv. 17-21)......
(v. 9) "Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
(v. 10) Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, 'I am strong!'
(v. 11) Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, O LORD!
(v. 12) Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.
(v. 13) Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow - so great is their wickedness!
(v. 14) Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
(v. 15) The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
(v. 16) The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.
(v. 17) Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, My holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.
[Then final restoration. Full kingdom blessing]:
(v. 18) In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD's house and will water the valley of acacias.
(v. 19) But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood.
(v. 20 Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations.
(v. 21) Their blood guilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon. The LORD dwells in Zion!"
In addition, the Prophet Zechariah, after discussing the future Day of the LORD, when all nations will war against Jerusalem and the Messiah will come to the earth part of 'that day' will be characterized by darkness, the latter part will be characterized by light (vv. 6-7), great blessing (v. 8), and God's rule over all the earth (v. 9). This will be the nature of the Day of the LORD during the Millennium....
Thus, the Day of the LORD in the future will be at least twofold in nature. Just as each day of creation and the Jewish day consisted of two phases - a time of darkness ('evening') followed by a time of light ('day') [Gen 1:4-6] - so the future Day of the LORD will consist of two phases, a period of darkness (judgment) followed by a period of light (divine rule and blessing).
Since, as noted earlier, the Day of the LORD will demonstrate Who God is, it would seem strange for the God Who is light and in Whom there is no darkness at all (1 Jn 1:5) to have His day consist totally of darkness with no period of light, especially since the present day of Satan and rebellious mankind is characterized by a rule of darkness (Eph 6:12; Col 1:13).
In addition, since, as shall be seen later, the present day of Satan and rebellious mankind involves their rule of the world system, the future Day of the LORD would not truly be His day if it did not involve His rule of the world system during the Millennium. How could the Day of the LORD fully demonstrate Who He is - the sovereign God of the universe - without the sovereign exercise of His rule in visible form over the entire world?"
iii) THE BACKGROUND OF THE FUTURE DAY OF THE LORD
[Showers, cont.]:
"Why has the Holy Spirit chosen to use the expression 'the Day of the LORD' for God's divine interventions into the course of world events to judge His enemies, accomplish His purpose for world history, and demonstrate Who He is - the sovereign God of the universe? Some background is necessary to understand the reason.
After God created mankind, He gave them dominion over everything on planet earth (Gen 1:26, 28; Ps 8:3-9). This indicates that God intended mankind to serve as His representative, administering His rule over the earthly province of His universal domain. In other words, God designed the government of the earth to be a theocracy, a form of government in which He is the sovereign Ruler of the earth; but His rule is administered through an Adam, a human representative.
As a result of Satan's convincing the first Adam to rebel against God and His rule, God's theocratic kingdom rule over the world system was lost (Gen 3). Through Adam's rebellion, Satan usurped the rule of the world system away from God (Lk 4:5-6; Jn 14:30; 1 Jn 5:19). Since that time, Satan and rebellious mankind have been dominating the world system according to their own thoughts and ways (Isa 55:7-9). They have been having their day in the world during which they try to establish and assert their own sovereignty and deity.
In light of what has happened, God's purpose for world history is to glorify Himself by demonstrating that He alone is the sovereign God. To accomplish this purpose, He has determined to have His day in the end times of world history (Isa 2:10-22).
Several times in the past, God has broken into the day of Satan and mankind with the interventions of Days of the Lord that were noted earlier. He did this to accomplish an immediate divine purpose (namely, the disruption, frustration, or destruction of some plan, purpose, or accomplishment of Satan and rebellious mankind), to graphically remind them that God is still the ultimate sovereign over the earth and universe, and to give them a foretaste or forewarning of the ultimate Day of the LORD that will come at the end of world history.
The future Day of the LORD will be far more significant that those days of the past. Its first phase will be a period of unprecedented, concentrated judgment involving the 70th week of Daniel and the coming of Christ after that week. In this phase God, Who throughout most of history has permitted Satan and rebellious mankind to have their day, will suddenly intervene to destroy their rule over the world system, evict them from the earth, and thereby end their day in the world (Isa 42:13-14; Rev 6-19). This phase will be characterized by darkness and an intense outpouring of God's wrath.
The second phase will be a period of divine dominion over the world system. God will intervene to restore and exercise His theocratic-kingdom rule over the world through the last Adam, Jesus Christ (Zech 14:1-9; 1 Cor 15:45, 47; Rev 20:1-6). This phase will be characterized by light and an outpouring of God's blessing.
iv) THE BROAD AND NARROW SENSE OF THE DAY OF THE LORD
[Showers, cont.]:
"We have seen that the Day of the LORD will have a twofold nature and, therefore, two phases [a wrath then a blessing phase]. In addition, we should note that the biblical expression 'the Day of the LORD' has a double sense (broad and narrow) in relationship to the future....
...Just as the word 'day' in Genesis 1:5 has both a broad sense (a 24-hour day)....
"And the evening and the morning were the first day
[...and a narrow sense (the light part of a 24-hour day in contrast with the darkness part]
And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night."
...so the expression 'the Day of the LORD' has both a broad and a narrow sense in relationship to the future...
The broad sense refers to an extended period of time involving divine interventions related at least to the 70th week of Daniel [of 7 years of God's wrath] and the thousand-year Millennium [of God's blessing].... [A total of 1,007 years from the Rapture point of it's then beginning to the end of the 1,000 year millennial rule and the beginning of Eternity Future]
...The narrow sense refers to one specific day - the day on which Christ will return to the earth from heaven with His angels...."
(v. 29) "Immediately after the distress of those days 'the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'
(v. 30) At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory."
(v. 14) "The great day of the LORD is near - near and coming quickly.
Listen! The cry on the day of the LORD will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there.
(v. 15) That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,
(v. 16) a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers.
(v. 17) I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth.
(v. 18) "Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD's wrath. In the fire of His jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for He will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth."
(v. 1) A day of the LORD is coming when our plunder will be divided among you.
(v. 2) I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captures, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.
(v. 3) Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.
(v. 4) On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.
(v. 5) You will flee by My mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Usaiah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and the holy ones with Him.
(v. 6) In that day there
will be no light, no cold or frost,
(v. 7) It will be a unique day, without daytime or night time - a day
known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.
(v. 8) On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter.
(v. 9) The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and His name the only name."
v) EVIDENCE FOR THE NARROW SENSE OF THE DAY OF THE LORD
[Showers, cont.]:
"The fact that the Scriptures present a future Day of the LORD that will be narrowed or limited to one specific day is evident from the following combination of facts.
(v. 12) "The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.
(v. 13) Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
(v. 14) They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great Day of God Almighty.
(v. 15) 'Behold, I come like a thief! [=the Lord's Second Coming, (1 Thes 5:2)] Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.'
(v. 16) Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon."
Revelation 16:12-16 [as quoted above] indicates that the armies of all the nations of the world will not begin to gather in Israel for Armageddon until the sixth bowl is poured out. We should note that the pouring out of the sixth bowl and the resultant gathering of the armies will take place after a significant part of the broad Day of the LORD has already run it course.
(v. 9) "Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
(v. 10) Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, 'I am strong!'
(v. 11) Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, O LORD!
(v. 12) Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.
(v. 13) Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and vats overflow - so great is their wickedness!
(v. 14) Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.
(v. 15) The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
(v. 16) The LORD will roar from Zion and the thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel."
(v. 1) "A Day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you.
(v. 2) I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.
(v. 3) Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of the battle.
[Notice: 'day of the battle']
(v. 4) On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.
(v. 5) You will flee by My mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him."
Second, both Joel 3:9-16 and Zechariah 14:1-5 [quoted above] indicate that after the armies of the nations have gathered in Israel, 'the Day of the LORD cometh' and is 'near.' It is obvious from the language that this Day of the LORD will not take place until after the armies have gathered in Israel.
Since the Day of the LORD of Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 will not take place until after the armies have gathered in Israel, and since the armies will not begin to gather until after a significant part of the broad Day has run its course, another Day of the LORD will be yet to come.
This other Day will be one part of the broad Day of the LORD, but there is a genuine sense in which it will be a complete Day of the LORD on its own, different from the broad Day of the LORD. One difference will be its duration. As noted earlier, the broad Day will cover an extended period of time. By contrast, the Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 Day will be narrow or limited in time. Thus, there will be two future Days of the LORD.
Third, both Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 indicate that their Day of the LORD will be the specific time when the Messiah comes to fight against and destroy the armies gathered in Israel. Revelation 19:11-21 says that time will be when Christ comes from heaven to the earth. Thus, the narrow Day of Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 will be the day on which Christ comes to the earth."
vi) THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD = THE NARROW DAY OF THE LORD
[Showers, op. cit., pp. 36-37]:
"We should note that Joel 3:14-15 indicates that the sun, moon, and stars will be darkened when the narrow Day of the LORD is near. Those heavenly bodies will be darkened before the narrow Day comes. Joel 2:31 declares that the heavenly bodies will be darkened before 'the great and terrible day of the LORD come.' It is obvious from this that Joel 3 and 2 are referring to the same Day of the LORD. We can conclude, then, that the narrow Day of Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 is to be identified with the great and terrible Day of the LORD - the day on which Christ will come to the earth.....
In light of what we have seen, we should not that the Scriptures apply the expression 'the great and terrible day of the LORD' to the narrow Day, not the broad Day. The implication is that the narrow Day will differ from the rest of the broad Day, not only in duration, but also in significance. Although the earlier part of the judgment phase of the broad Day will involve a great outpouring of divine wrath upon the domain of Satan and mankind, the narrow Day will be the grand climax of that judgment phase. Thus, E. W. Bullinger, when referring to the Day of the LORD of Joel 2:31, said, 'It is called '''the great and terrible day of the LORD,' as though it were the climax of the whole period known as '''the day of the LORD.''' '
Along similar lines, C. F. Keil, when referring to the judgment of the narrow Day of Joel 3, declared, 'It is the last decisive judgment, in which all the single judgments find their end.'
The narrow Day will be the great and terrible Day of the LORD because, in contrast with the earlier part of the judgment phase of the broad Day, the narrow Day will involve the coming of Christ from heaven to the earth. It therefore will do several things. It will expose God's enemies to the actual presence of Christ and the fullness of His divine power and glory, judgment and warfare (Mt 24:29-30; 25:31; Rev 19:11-12, 15). It will bring the angelic armies of heaven against these enemies (Mt 13:40-42, 49-50; 25:31; Rev 19:14). It will end the rule of Satan and rebellious mankind over the world system and evict them from the earth (Mt 13:40-42, 49-50; 25:41, 46; Lk 17:26-37; Rev 19:17-20:3), thus ending their day on earth forever.
Because the narrow Day of the LORD will bring such a decisive, permanent change to the world, the Prophet Joel called the place where the grand climax of God's judgment will fall on Satan and rebellious mankind 'the valley of decision' (3:14).....
vii) SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NARROW VS THE BROAD DAY OF THE LORD
[Showers, cont.]:
"There are at least two significant implications of the fact that there will be both a broad Day of the LORD and a narrow Day of the LORD.
Since, as noted earlier, the narrow Day of Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 will take place after a significant part of the broad Day has already run its course, and since that narrow Day will be the day on which Christ comes to the earth, we can conclude that Christ will come to the earth after a significant part of the broad Day has already run its course, after a major part of God's wrath has been poured out upon the world. It will not take place before or at the beginning of the outpouring of God's wrath upon the world.
Second... the expression 'the great and terrible day of the LORD' of Joel 2:31 refers to the narrow Day when Christ will come to the earth....
The Prophet Malachi (4:5) referred to the same great and terrible Day of the LORD as Joel (Malachi used identically the same Hebrew words and constructions that Joel used for the great and terrible Day of the LORD in 2:31)....
[So] Malachi's great and terrible Day of the LORD is also the narrow Day, the day on which Christ will come after the 70th week [has transpired]....
Malachi declared that God will send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible Day of the LORD (4:5).
Since Malachi was referring to the narrow Day, we can conclude that he was indicating that God will send Elijah before the narrow Day, not before the broad Day when God begins to pour out His wrath upon the world. In light of the meaning of the great and terrible Day of the LORD, Malachi's declaration leaves room for Elijah to come and minister after the broad Day has begun and, therefore, while the wrath of God is being poured out upon the world."
b) THE DAY OF THE LORD IN THE FUTURE, cont.
(v. 1) "Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him [in the Rapture], we ask you, brothers,
(v. 2) not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report of letter supposed to have come from us saying that the Day of the LORD has already come.
(v. 3) Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the "apostasia" [= standing away] occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
(v. 4) He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God"
Paul is answering in this passage whether or not the Tribulation period had already begun. Notice the mention of the deceptive teaching referred to in vv. 2-3 which was falsely attributed to Paul. Paul's answer is 'No, the Tribulation has not yet begun', and he gives two reasons for this in verse 3 - the first being that the "apostasia" has not yet occurred and the second: the man of lawlessness, i.e., the Antichrist has not yet been revealed to the world:
"The day [of God's wrath in the Tribulation period] will not come until 'he apostasia' occurs" =
viii_1) THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE 'APOSTASIA' OCCURS
viii_1_a) DERIVATION & AVAILABLE MEANINGS OF APOSTASIA, APOSTASION
The noun "he apostasia" = in this precise form is a feminine noun. It is used nowhere else in the New Testament, so its meaning must be defined by its context here. It is derived from two Greek words, apo (meaning "away from" ) and stasis (meaning "standing"). It could properly be rendered "standing away" in the sense of a physical departure, rather than falling away from religious convictions in the sense of the English word apostasy.
The noun "he apostasia" comes from the verb aphistemi meaning to go away, depart. It can mean "the falling away" = as in "the apostasy" or "the rebellion", or it can mean "the standing away" as in the Rapture. This word "apostasia" is used in only one other place in the Bible, Acts 21:21. The meaning there is to turn away from, depart from. "He apostasia" has commonly been transliterated as "the apostasy".
"Apostasion" = neuter of a (presumed) adjective from a derivative of afisthmi = something separative, i.e. (specially) divorce:--(writing of) divorcement.
[http://www.zianet.com/maxey/Down7.htm#Apostasion]:
"Apostasion is a compound formed by the joining of two separate Greek words. The preposition apo (from, away from) is added as a prefix to stasis, which means “a standing, a state, existence.” It imparts to the reader the idea of “standing off from” someone or something. When used with reference to the state of marriage, it bespeaks a state of existence in which there is a “standing away from” one another. The “one flesh” state of being between a man and woman is severed; their lives are no longer intertwined; they have parted company, and each stands separately and apart from the other. Generally, apostasion is used in conjunction with the word biblion (scroll, document, certificate), and the resultant phrase is most often translated “certificate of divorce.” It was, thus, an official document signifying the termination of a covenant of marriage between a husband and wife. From a legal perspective, they would thereafter be recognized as existing in a state separate and apart from one another; a state of union was no longer regarded as existing. This particular word appears only 3 times within the pages of the New Testament documents [Matthew 5:31; 19:7; Mark 10:4]. In the Septuagint it can be found in Deuteronomy 24:3,5; Isaiah 50:1; and Jeremiah 3:8."
viii_1_b) BIBLICAL USAGE OF APOSTASIA, APOSTASION
[William W. Combs, "Is Apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 a reference to the Rapture",http://www.dbts.edu/media/journals/1998/combs.pdf]:
"The translation [of "apostasia" is some versions which is] 'departing' does not give any more credence to the Rapture view since the English word departing can be used in both a spatial and nonspatial sense. In Hebrews 3:12 the KJV says: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Obviously, this “departing” is not a spatial one....
In the LXX apostasia is found five times: Joshua 22:22; 2 Chronicles 29:19; 33:19; Jeremiah 2:19; 1 Maccabees 2:15. 76 It also occurs seven times in Aquila (Deut 15:9; Judges 19:22; 1 Kgdms 2:12; 10:27; 25:17; Prov 16:27; Nah 1:11), once in Theodotion (3 Kgdms 21:13), and twice in Symmachus (1 Kgdms 1:16; 2:12).77 In every one of these instances from the OT and Apocrypha, the meaning is religious or political defection....
"Apostasia" is only used one other time in the New Testament, in Acts 21:21 ["apostasian"] to describe "forsaking", or "going away from" the teachings of Moses."
"They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away ["apostasian"] from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs"
.….Here it is agreed that "apostasian" refers to religious apostasy....
The cognate verb of apostasia, afisthmi, is found fourteen times in the NT. It is used in both a spatial and nonspatial sense. Only three times is it used of religious apostasy (Luke 8:13; 1 Tim 4:1; Heb 3:12). No one questions the fact that the word most often designates a spatial departure. It is found with that meaning throughout all periods of Greek literature....
...As was noted earlier, a major part of the case for understanding apostasia as a spatial departure is its relationship to its cognate verb afisthmi. The argument suggests that the meaning of the verb can also be applied to the noun. .... It is evident, then that the verb aphisteemi [ sic] does have the meaning to depart in the New Testament, in a very general sense which is not specialized as being related to rebellion against God or forsaking the faith. And, since a noun takes it meaning from the verb, the noun, too, may have such a broad connotation."
"Apostasion", another closely related noun appears in Matt 5:31, & 19:7, and Mark 10:4 where it describes a "writing of divorcement", or "papers that separate". Thus we have a spatial departure in view:
(v. 5:31) "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' "
"certificate of divorce" = "apostasion"
(v. 19:7) "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
"They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."
Apostasia" was used in extra Biblical Greek literature to describe political revolt, or a "going away from the establishment" and in the Septuagint (LXX) when the Jews would "go away from God" to worship other gods.
[Combs, Ibid]:
'''Apostasia itself, apparently, first occurs in Greek literature outside the Bible in the first century B.C. Lampe’s lexicon of the patristic period also lists “revolt, defection as the primary meaning of apostasia; however, there is one example given of spatial departure...
This reference to a spatial departure is found in a NT apocryphal work entitled The Assumption of the Virgin. In sections 31–32 we read:
"But the Holy Ghost said to the apostles and the mother of the Lord, 'Behold, the governor has sent a captain of a thousand against you, because the Jews have made a tumult. Go out therefore from Bethlehem, and fear not; for behold, I will bring you by a cloud to Jerusalem…."
The apostles therefore rose up straightaway and went out of the house, bearing the bed of their lady the mother of God, and went forward towards Jerusalem: and immediately, just as the Holy Ghost said, they were lifted up by a cloud and were found at Jerusalem in the house of their lady.'''
Here we clearly have the description of a “rapture” of the apostles and mother of the Lord. The story continues in section 33:
"But when the captain came to Bethlehem and did not find there the mother of the Lord, nor the apostles, he laid hold upon the Bethlehemites… For the captain did not know of the departure of the apostles and the mother of the Lord to Jerusalem."
This “rapture” is now described as a “departure,” the Greek word being apostasia. Here is clear evidence that apostasia can refer to a “rapture”; however, 'The Assumption of the Virgin' can be dated no earlier than the fifth century A.D.'''
"In the LXX apostasia is found five times: Joshua 22:22; 2 Chronicles 29:19; 33:19; Jeremiah 2:19; 1 Maccabees 2:15. 76 It also occurs seven times in Aquila (Deut 15:9; Judges 19:22; 1 Kgdms 2:12; 10:27; 25:17; Prov 16:27; Nah 1:11), once in Theodotion (3 Kgdms 21:13), and twice in Symmachus (1 Kgdms 1:16; 2:12).77 In every one of these instances from the OT and Apocrypha, the meaning is religious or political defection....
...This is probably why this meaning is not found in the standard NT lexicon by Bauer, nor by its predecessor Thayer. The same is true for the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, and the more recent Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament....
...because of the evidence for such a meaning possibly before the koine period but clearly after it, it cannot be entirely ruled out."
Consider that NT lexicons are limited to the interpretations of theologians relative to particular bible versions. They do not provide all possibilities for each particular word. So it cannot be concluded that apostasia cannot mean spatial departure in the Bible because of it's absence in certain NT lexicons. General koine Greek lexicons which reflect all usages of the word "apostasia" and it's family of words which are available for that word; and the context of each passage must be carefully considered to determine which usage most fits the context.
viii_1_d) CONTEXT IN 2 THES CHAPTER 2 POINTS TO THE RAPTURE
The Greek word "apostasia" in 2 Thess. 2:3 also has the Greek article "the" in front of it in the Greek text, which makes it not a general "going away", or "departure", but "The Departure", a specialevent that the reader is expected to already know about.
In other words, the use of the article "the" with "apostasia" in 2 Thess. 2:3 indicates that Paul expects the Thessalonian Christians to already understand that this is the title of an event, and to already know what it means. Had the Apostle Paul already taught the Thessalonians about an "EVENT" that could be described as a "departure", or "going away"? Absolutely, yes. Paul had already taught the Thessalonian Church about the Catching Away and "departure" of the Church in 1 Thess 4:13-18.
In 2 Thess 2:5, Paul says don’t you remember when I was with you I taught you about these things? I don't see where Paul taught them at all about "a falling away from the truth" in his first letter, but he taught them about the Rapture of the church in five passages in 1st Thessalonians:
Furthermore, Paul refers to the last days as a time when there will be a forsaking of fundamental truths, i.e., an apostasy in other letters; but he has not mentioned that idea in either of the letters to the Thessalonians and these are the first that he wrote to them. Hence, if this specific great worldwide doctrinal defection is what he meant, it is doubtful if the Thessalonians would have understood him.
On the other hand in Paul's previous letter to the Thessalonians he had discussed, at length, a coming physical departure from the earth by all believers when Christ returns to meet them in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). This standing away from, in context, seems to refer to all the raptured believers standing away from the earth, as they stand before their returning Lord when they meet Him in the heavens. Here, Paul is simply reminding them that the "sudden destruction" that would come upon unbelievers when the Day of the LORD begins could not happen until the rapture - the standing away - from the earth before Christ (Romans 14:10) - had taken place. The entire context, before and after, fits this understanding of the text better than the idea of the apostasy from the faith.
"And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."
"For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? [Are] not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"
"To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints."
(v. 13) "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
(v. 14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
(v. 15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
(v. 16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
(v. 17) Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(v. 18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
(v. 5:1) But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
(v. 2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
(v. 3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
(v. 4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
(v. 5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
(v. 6) Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.
(v. 7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
(v. 8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
(v. 9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
(v. 10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
" And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
viii_1_e) APOSTASY = DEPARTURE FROM A RELIGIOUS FAITH IS NOT IN VIEW
Paul refers to the last days as a time when there will be a forsaking of fundamental truths, i.e., an apostasy in other letters; but he has not mentioned that idea as a particular event to precede the revelation of the man of lawlessness in either of the letters to the Thessalonians; and these are the first letters that he wrote to them. Hence, if this specific great worldwide doctrinal defection is what he meant in 2 Thes 2:3 as a one time historical event after which the man of lawlessness is revealed, it is doubtful if the Thessalonians would have understood him.
Notice below that Paul refers to a general defection of the faith but no particular historical benchmark event:
(v. 1) "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
(v. 2) Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
(v. 3) They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
(v. 4) For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
(v. 5) because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."
(v. 1) "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
(v. 2) People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
(v. 3) without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
(v. 4) treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God -
(v. 5) having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
(v. 6) They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,
(v. 7) always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.
(v. 8) Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth--men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.
(v. 9) But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone."
Furthermore, "he apostasia" could not be a single historical benchmark event of apostasy of true believers from the Christian faith because the Rapture evacuates all believers before the "day of the Lord", i.e., the wrath of the Tribulation period. Only believers can apostasize, i.e., depart from the Christian faith. Unbelievers do not have a true Christian faith to depart from until they become believers.
The definite article is significant in that it indicates something that Paul had already told them about. If it is to be then assumed to apply to the final, great religious apostasy at the end of the age we must take into perspective that there has transpired over 1950 years since Paul wrote these lines, numerous great apostasies from the faith; and none of these introduced the Day of the LORD, although persecuted believers in each case might easily have so interpreted them.
Furthermore, there is no passage by Paul that points to a specific, historical, benchmark apostasy from the Christian faith or any faith.
Since a one time event of apostasy is not evident in Scripture that meets the qualifications in 1 Thessalonians and since the definite article is also used to describe the man of sin, the Antichrist, and is in OT passages for the Thessalonians to be aware of and since Paul spoke of the rapture in 1 Thes 4:13-18 then the definite article leans toward the rapture rather than a one time apostasy from the Christian faith.
If Paul had been referring to a "general falling away from the truth", it would have "proved" nothing to the Church at Thessalonica, because there were at the time, and have been and will continue to be, great periods of falling away from the truth throughout the Church Age.
Paul refers to the last days as a time when there will be a forsaking of fundamental truths, i.e., an apostasy in other letters; but he has not mentioned that idea as a particular event to precede the revelation of the man of lawlessness in either of the letters to the Thessalonians; and these are the first letters that he wrote to them. Hence, if this specific great worldwide doctrinal defection is what he meant in 2 Thes 2:3 as a one time historical event after which the man of lawlessness is revealed, it is doubtful if the Thessalonians would have understood him.
Notice below that Paul refers to a general defection of the faith but no particular historical benchmark event:
(v. 1) "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
(v. 2) Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
(v. 3) They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
(v. 4) For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
(v. 5) because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."
(v. 1) "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
(v. 2) People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
(v. 3) without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
(v. 4) treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God -
(v. 5) having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
(v. 6) They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,
(v. 7) always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.
]