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2 THESSALONIANS 2:13-17 AND 3:1-5
LESSON #16
SALVATION IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD COMPARED TO TODAY
v MEMORY VERSE: 2 THESSALONIANS 3:3
v IN OUR LAST LESSON WE DISCUSSED THE STRONG DELUSIONTHAT CAUSES A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN THE BIG LIE DURING THETRIBULATION PERIOD: THE LIE THAT THEANTICHRIST IS THE TRUE CHRIST FROM GOD.
Ø HOW WILL THE ANTI-CHRIST ACCOMPLISH THISSTRONG DELUSION?
§ THE TRIBULATION PERIODBEGINS WITH A PEACE TREATY.
· READ DAN 9:27 HE SHALL CONFIRM THE COVENANT WITHMANY FOR ONE WEEK
· READ REV 6:2-8 THE RIDER AND THE WHITE HORSE
¨ ALL 4 HORSEMEN REPRESENT THE ANTI-CHRIST.THESE HORSES REPRESENT THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD BROUGHT TOTHIS EARTH BY THE ANTI-CHRIST.
Ø THE FIRST HORSE REPRESENTS PEACE.
§ THE TRIBULATION BEGINS WHENTHE ANTI-CHRIST CONFIRMS A SEVEN-YEAR PEACE TREATY.
· REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT THERAPTURE OF THE CHURCH THAT SETS THE TRIBULATION CLOCK TICKING. IT IS THIS PEACE TREATY.
· WE HAVE MANY PEACE TREATIES INTHE NEWS TODAY. THEY ARE AN ON-GOING DESIRE FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. NOTICE THESCRIPTURE SAYS THE ANTI-CHRIST CONFIRMS THE TREATY. HE DOES NOT INITIATE IT.HOWEVER, THIS SPECIFIC PEACE TREATY HAS SOME UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WILL PROBABLYBUILD ON THOSE ALREADY IN EXISTENCE:
¨ IT HAS A LIMITED TIME PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARSATTACHED TO IT. (THE ONE WEEK OF DAN 9:27)
¨ IT PERTAINS TO PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EASTINVOLVING ISRAEL.
¨ IT PROMISES ISRAEL SAFETY AND PROTECTION FORREBUILDING THE JEWISH TEMPLE ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT IN JERUSALEM.
¨ IT PERMITS THE JEWS TO BEGIN ANIMAL SACRIFICEIN THE JEWISH TEMPLE.
· THIS PEACE TREATY WILL SEEM TOSOLVE ALL THE TENSIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THIS IS ONE BIG EVENT THAT WILL GIVE THEANTI-CHRIST WORLD ADMIRATION AND ATTENTION. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE GREAT DELUSION.
¨ HOWEVER, THE PEACE WILL NOT LAST. NOTICE THERIDER OF THE WHITE HORSE IN REV 6:2 HAS A BOW IN HIS HANDS. THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL BREAK HISOWN PEACE TREATY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. (DAN 9:27) HE WILL TURN ON THEJEWS AND STOP THE ANIMAL SACRIFICE TO SET HIS OWN IMAGE IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE FOR WORSHIP.
¨ THE SECOND HORSE IN REV 6:3 REPRESENTS WARBROUGHT ON BY THE ANTI-CHRIST.
¨ THE THIRD HORSE IN REV 6:5 REPRESENTS FAMINEAS A RESULT OF WAR.
¨ THE FOURTH HORSE IN REV 6:8 REPRESENTS DEATHFROM PLAGUES, WAR, FAMINE, ETC.
Ø WITH SUCH A STRONG DELUSION, HOW WILL ANYONEBE SAVED IN THE TRIBULATION?
§ THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHOBELIEVE THAT IF A PERSON HEARD THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION BEFORE THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCHAND REJECTED IT, HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE SAVED DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
· THERE IS NO SCRIPTURE TO PROVETHIS VIEW.
· THERE ARE SEVERAL SCRIPTURES TOPROVE THAT A GREAT MULTITUDE WILL BE SAVED IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. (REV 7:9-14)
¨ HOWEVER, SALVATION IN THE TRIBULATION WILL BEBY FAITH AS IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THROUGH ALL OF HISTORY, BUT SALVATION WILL NOT BE EASY.
Ø READ REV 20:4
§ THE MAJORITY OF THOSEPEOPLE SAVED IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WILL HAVE TO DIE FOR THEIR FAITH. THE ANTI-CHRISTWILL KILL ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST.
· CAN A PERSON BE SAVED AFTER HEHAS RECEIVED THE MARK OF THE BEAST? THE ANSWER IS NO. THE DECISION TO ACCEPT THE MARK OFTHE BEAST IS A FINAL DECISION TO REJECT CHRIST. (REV 14:9-10)
§ THE TRIBULATION WILL BE ATIME OF RAMPANT EVIL AND DANGER. IT WILL BE A TIME OF GREAT EXTREMES UNLIKE TODAY.
· THERE WILL BE MARVELOUS MIRACLESBY GOD AND AN ABUNDANT GRACE.
¨ GOD WILL STILL OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPENTEVEN THOUGH A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WILL NOT.
Ø READ REV 9:20-21
Ø READ REV 16:9, 11
· THERE WILL BE DECEPTIVE MIRACLESBY SATAN AND AN ABUNDANCE OF EVIL AND LUST.
¨ THE ANTI-CHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET WILLDECEIVE PEOPLE INTO THINKING BLACK IS WHITE, EVIL IS GOOD.
§ READ LUK 18:8 WILL CHRIST FIND FAITH ON EARTH WHEN HE COMES?
· THE EXPECTED ANSWER TO THISRHETORICAL QUESTION IS PROBABLY NO.
¨ WHEN CHRIST RETURNS AT THE EVENT OFTHE SECOND COMING, THERE WILL NOT BE MANY LEFT WHO HAVE FAITH TO BELIEVE.
Ø MOST TRIBULATION BELIEVERS WILL HAVE ALREADYDIED FOR THEIR FAITH.
§ THOSE FEW BELIEVERS WHOMANAGE TO LIVE THROUGH THE TRIBULATION WILL BE:
· JEWISH BELIEVERS SUPERNATURALLYPROTECTED BY GOD IN THE CITY OF PETRA.
· JEWISH NON-BELIEVERS, WHO DID NOTTAKE THE MARK, BUT WERE IMPRISONED IN EGYPT BY THE ANTI-CHRIST. THEY COME TO CHRIST AT THEEVENT OF THE SECOND COMING.
· A FEW GENTILE BELIEVERS WHO HAVEAVOIDED THE MARK AND THE GUILLOTINE.
Ø THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE LIVING AT THE END OFTHE TRIBULATION WILL HAVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST AND BELIEVE IN THE ANTI-CHRIST. THEY WILLALL BE DESTROYED AT THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BATTLE OFARMAGEDDON.
v READ 2THE 2:13-17 WHAT YOU MUST DO WHILE YOU WAIT!
Ø SALVATION IS MUCH EASIER TODAY THAN IT WILLBE DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. SINCE THAT IS TRUE, WE MUST BE BUSY FOR THE KINGDOM OFGOD TODAY WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME.
Ø IN A VERY PRACTICAL MANNER, PAUL TELLS THOSEWHO WAIT FOR THE RAPTURE WHAT THEIR ATTITUDES MUST BE WHILE THEY WAIT.
§ AN ATTITUDE OFTHANKSGIVING.
· GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR CHOOSINGYOU TO BE SAVED IN THIS AGE OF GRACE WHEN IT IS RELATIVELY EASY TO COME TO CHRIST.
§ AN ATTITUDE OF LEARNING ANDMATURING.
· GROW IN CHRIST, BECOMING MORE ANDMORE LIKE CHRIST. (SANCTIFICATION)
· AS YOU MATURE IN CHRIST, YOU AREBETTER ABLE TO WITHSTAND MORE DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD.
· AS YOU MATURE IN CHRIST, YOURLIFE WILL BE A BETTER WITNESS TO THOSE NON-BELIEVERS AROUND YOU.
§ AN ATTITUDE OF FAITH.
· HAVE A BELIEF IN THE TRUTH.
· YOU INCREASE YOUR FAITH BYSTUDYING THE WORD OF GOD.
§ AN ATTITUDE OF FAITHFULNESSAND PERSEVERANCE.
· STAND FAST IN WHAT YOU HAVEALREADY LEARNED.
¨ DONT LET EXTERNAL SITUATIONS ANDPROBLEMS CAUSE YOU TO FALL AWAY.
¨ DONT LET THE TESTIMONY OF YOUR LIFEFAIL TO BE A GOOD EXAMPLE TO NON-BELIEVERS.
§ AN ATTITUDE OF INTEREST ANDEXCITEMENT IN CHRISTS KINGDOM.
· BE ESTABLISHED IN EVERY GOODWORK.
¨ THE MORE YOU SEE GOD WORK IN PEOPLESLIVES AND THE MORE YOU LET GOD WORK IN YOUR LIFE, THE MORE YOU WILL WANT TO PARTICIPATE INWORKING FOR CHRIST. IT IS AN EXCITING LIFE!
¨ FIND THE WORK THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO TO USEYOUR GIFTS AND TALENTS. THEN PUT YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND ALL YOUR EFFORT INTO DOING IT.
v READ 2THE 3:1-5 THE THINGS THAT SHOULD OCCUPY US
Ø PAUL TELLS US VERY PRACTICALLY WHAT THEBELIEVER SHOULD DO WHILE HE WAITS FOR THE LORD TO COME IN THE RAPTURE.
§ THINGS OF IMPORTANCE:
· THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORD OFGOD. (1-2)
¨ THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD MAYHAVE FREE COURSE (1)
Ø PAUL TELLS US THAT WE SHOULD OCCUPY OURSELVESWITH THE WORD OF GOD. IT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY IN OUR LIVES. WHY?
§ WHEN YOU KNOW THE BIBLEWELL, IT INCREASES YOUR FAITH AND MAKES YOU STRONG ENOUGH TO WALK THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES.(2)
§ WHEN YOU KNOW THE BIBLEWELL, IT HELPS YOU TO BE A BETTER WITNESS TO OTHERS. (2)
· THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER. (1)
¨ PAUL ASKS FOR PRAYER. PAUL IS IN HEAVEN WITHCHRIST. HE DOES NOT NEED OUR PRAYERS NOW.
Ø HOWEVER, WE SHOULD PRAY FOR OUR PASTORS ANDTEACHERS. WE SHOULD PRAY THAT THEIR MINISTRY WOULD NOT BE HINDERED IN ANY WAY.
¨ THROUGH PRAYER AND THE WORD OF GOD, THEBELIEVERS LIFE WILL BE ESTABLISHED FIRMLY IN CHRIST. (3)
Ø PAUL IS CONFIDENT THAT THIS WILL RESULT INOBEDIENCE TO CHRIST. (4)
· THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING INLOVE. (5)
¨ IF WE WALK IN THE LOVE OF GOD, WE CAN LOVEOTHERS WITH GODS LOVE.
Ø THIS LOVE MEANS WE WILL NOT ARGUE OVER THELITTLE DETAILS ABOUT THE COMING OF THE LORD. WE WILL NOT ARGUE WHETHER HE WILL COME IN THERAPTURE BEFORE THE TRIBULATION, DURING THE TRIBULATION OR AFTER THE TRIBULATION.
§ SUCH ARGUMENTS DO NOTPROMOTE UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
§ SUCH ARGUMENTS DISTRACT USFROM WORKING EARNESTLY FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
v HOMEWORK
v 2THESALONIANS 3:6-18
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
v APPLICATION FOR 2THE 2: 13-17 AND 3:1-5
Ø AS YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDES TOWARD THERAPTURE AND THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, ARE YOU AS EXCITED AS YOUSHOULD BE ABOUT YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?
§ ABOUT STUDYING THE WORD OFGOD?
§ ABOUT WITNESSING TONON-BELIEVERS?
§ IF YOUR ANSWER ISNO TO ANY OF THE ABOVE QUESTIONS, EXPLAIN WHY.
v PREPARATION FOR 2THE 3:6-18
Ø READ 2THES 3:6-18
§ WHAT COMMANDS DOES PAULGIVE TO THE CHRISTIANS?
§ WHAT DO YOU THINK VERSE 6MEANS?
v MEMORY VERSE: 2THESALONIANS 3:13
