2Thessalonians 3 Lesson #17

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
2 THESSALONIANS 2:13-17 AND 3:1-5
LESSON #17
SALVATION IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD COMPARED TO TODAY

 

• MEMORY VERSE: 2 THESSALONIANS 3:3
• IN OUR LAST LESSON WE DISCUSSED THE STRONG DELUSION THAT CAUSES A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN THE “BIG LIE” DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD: THE LIE THAT THE ANTICHRIST IS THE TRUE CHRIST FROM GOD.
  • HOW WILL THE ANTI-CHRIST ACCOMPLISH THIS STRONG DELUSION?
    • THE TRIBULATION PERIOD BEGINS WITH A PEACE TREATY.
      • READ DAN 9:27 “…HE SHALL CONFIRM THE COVENANT WITH MANY 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 TO THIS EARTH BY THE ANTI-CHRIST.
          • THE FIRST HORSE REPRESENTS PEACE.
            • THE TRIBULATION BEGINS WHEN THE ANTI-CHRIST CONFIRMS A SEVEN-YEAR PEACE TREATY.
              • REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH THAT SETS THE TRIBULATION CLOCK TICKING. IT IS THIS PEACE TREATY.
              • WE HAVE MANY PEACE TREATIES IN THE NEWS TODAY. THEY ARE AN ON-GOING DESIRE FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. NOTICE THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THE ANTI-CHRIST “CONFIRMS” THE TREATY. HE DOES NOT INITIATE IT. HOWEVER, THIS SPECIFIC PEACE TREATY HAS SOME UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WILL PROBABLY BUILD ON THOSE ALREADY IN EXISTENCE:
                • IT HAS A LIMITED TIME PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS ATTACHED TO IT. (THE “ONE WEEK” OF DAN 9:27)
                • IT PERTAINS TO PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST INVOLVING ISRAEL.
                • IT PROMISES ISRAEL SAFETY AND PROTECTION FOR REBUILDING THE JEWISH TEMPLE ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT IN JERUSALEM.
                • IT PERMITS THE JEWS TO BEGIN ANIMAL SACRIFICE IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE.
              • THIS PEACE TREATY WILL SEEM TO SOLVE ALL THE TENSIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THIS IS ONE BIG EVENT THAT WILL GIVE THE ANTI-CHRIST WORLD ADMIRATION AND ATTENTION. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE GREAT DELUSION.
                • HOWEVER, THE PEACE WILL NOT LAST. NOTICE THE RIDER OF THE WHITE HORSE IN REV 6:2 HAS A BOW IN HIS HANDS. THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL BREAK HIS OWN PEACE TREATY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. (DAN 9:27) HE WILL TURN ON THE JEWS AND STOP THE ANIMAL SACRIFICE TO SET HIS OWN IMAGE IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE FOR WORSHIP.

• THE SECOND HORSE IN REV 6:3 REPRESENTS WAR BROUGHT ON BY THE ANTI-CHRIST.
• THE THIRD HORSE IN REV 6:5 REPRESENTS FAMINE AS A RESULT OF WAR.
• THE FOURTH HORSE IN REV 6:8 REPRESENTS DEATH FROM PLAGUES, WAR, FAMINE, ETC.

• WITH SUCH A STRONG DELUSION, HOW WILL ANYONE BE SAVED IN THE TRIBULATION?
  • THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT IF A PERSON HEARD THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION BEFORE THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH AND REJECTED IT, HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE SAVED DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
    • THERE IS NO SCRIPTURE TO PROVE THIS VIEW.
    • THERE ARE SEVERAL SCRIPTURES TO PROVE THAT A GREAT MULTITUDE WILL BE SAVED IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. (REV 7:9-14)
      • HOWEVER, SALVATION IN THE TRIBULATION WILL BE BY FAITH AS IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THROUGH ALL OF HISTORY, BUT SALVATION WILL NOT BE EASY.
        • READ REV 20:4
          • THE MAJORITY OF THOSE PEOPLE SAVED IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WILL HAVE TO DIE FOR THEIR FAITH. THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL KILL ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST.
            • CAN A PERSON BE SAVED AFTER HE HAS RECEIVED THE MARK OF THE BEAST? THE ANSWER IS NO. THE DECISION TO ACCEPT THE MARK OF THE BEAST IS A FINAL DECISION TO REJECT CHRIST. (REV 14:9-10)
  • THE TRIBULATION WILL BE A TIME OF RAMPANT EVIL AND DANGER. IT WILL BE A TIME OF GREAT EXTREMES UNLIKE TODAY.
    • THERE WILL BE MARVELOUS MIRACLES BY GOD AND AN ABUNDANT GRACE.
      • GOD WILL STILL OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPENT EVEN THOUGH A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WILL NOT.
        • READ REV 9:20-21
        • READ REV 16:9, 11
    • THERE WILL BE DECEPTIVE MIRACLES BY SATAN AND AN ABUNDANCE OF EVIL AND LUST.
      • THE ANTI-CHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET WILL DECEIVE 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 THIS RHETORICAL QUESTION IS “PROBABLY NO”.
      • WHEN CHRIST RETURNS AT THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING, THERE WILL NOT BE MANY LEFT WHO HAVE FAITH TO BELIEVE.
        • MOST TRIBULATION BELIEVERS WILL HAVE ALREADY DIED FOR THEIR FAITH.
          • THOSE FEW BELIEVERS WHO MANAGE TO LIVE THROUGH THE TRIBULATION WILL BE:
            • JEWISH BELIEVERS SUPERNATURALLY PROTECTED BY GOD IN THE CITY OF PETRA.
            • JEWISH NON-BELIEVERS, WHO DID NOT TAKE THE MARK, BUT WERE IMPRISONED IN EGYPT BY THE ANTI-CHRIST. THEY COME TO CHRIST AT THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING.
            • A FEW GENTILE BELIEVERS WHO HAVE AVOIDED THE MARK AND THE GUILLOTINE.
        • THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE LIVING AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION WILL HAVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST AND BELIEVE IN THE ANTI-CHRIST. THEY WILL ALL BE DESTROYED AT THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.

• READ 2THE 2:13-17 WHAT YOU MUST DO WHILE YOU WAIT!
  • SALVATION IS MUCH EASIER TODAY THAN IT WILL BE DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. SINCE THAT IS TRUE, WE MUST BE BUSY FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD TODAY WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME.
  • IN A VERY PRACTICAL MANNER, PAUL TELLS THOSE WHO WAIT FOR THE RAPTURE WHAT THEIR ATTITUDES MUST BE WHILE THEY WAIT.
    • AN ATTITUDE OF THANKSGIVING.
      • GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR CHOOSING YOU TO BE SAVED IN THIS AGE OF GRACE WHEN IT IS RELATIVELY EASY TO COME TO CHRIST.
    • AN ATTITUDE OF LEARNING AND MATURING.
      • GROW IN CHRIST, BECOMING MORE AND MORE LIKE CHRIST. (SANCTIFICATION)
      • AS YOU MATURE IN CHRIST, YOU ARE BETTER ABLE TO WITHSTAND MORE DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD.
      • AS YOU MATURE IN CHRIST, YOUR LIFE 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 BY STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD.
    • AN ATTITUDE OF FAITHFULNESS AND PERSEVERANCE.
      • STAND FAST IN WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY LEARNED.
        • DON’T LET EXTERNAL SITUATIONS AND PROBLEMS CAUSE YOU TO FALL AWAY.
        • DON’T LET THE TESTIMONY OF YOUR LIFE FAIL TO BE A GOOD EXAMPLE TO NON-BELIEVERS.
    • AN ATTITUDE OF INTEREST AND EXCITEMENT IN CHRIST’S KINGDOM.
      • BE ESTABLISHED IN EVERY GOOD WORK.
        • THE MORE YOU SEE GOD WORK IN PEOPLE’S LIVES AND THE MORE YOU LET GOD WORK IN YOUR LIFE, THE MORE YOU WILL WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN WORKING FOR CHRIST. IT IS AN EXCITING LIFE!
        • FIND THE WORK THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO TO USE YOUR GIFTS AND TALENTS. THEN PUT YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND ALL YOUR EFFORT INTO DOING IT.

• READ 2THE 3:1-5 THE THINGS THAT SHOULD OCCUPY US
  • PAUL TELLS US VERY PRACTICALLY WHAT THE BELIEVER SHOULD DO WHILE HE WAITS FOR THE LORD TO COME IN THE RAPTURE.
    • THINGS OF IMPORTANCE:
      • THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORD OF GOD. (1-2)
        • “…THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD MAY HAVE FREE COURSE…” (1)
          • PAUL TELLS US THAT WE SHOULD OCCUPY OURSELVES WITH THE WORD OF GOD. IT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY IN OUR LIVES. WHY?
            • WHEN YOU KNOW THE BIBLE WELL, IT INCREASES YOUR FAITH AND MAKES YOU STRONG ENOUGH TO WALK THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES. (2)
            • WHEN YOU KNOW THE BIBLE WELL, IT HELPS YOU TO BE A BETTER WITNESS TO OTHERS. (2)
      • THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER. (1)
        • PAUL ASKS FOR PRAYER. PAUL IS IN HEAVEN WITH CHRIST. HE DOES NOT NEED OUR PRAYERS NOW.
          • HOWEVER, WE SHOULD PRAY FOR OUR PASTORS AND TEACHERS. WE SHOULD PRAY THAT THEIR MINISTRY WOULD NOT BE HINDERED IN ANY WAY.
        • THROUGH PRAYER AND THE WORD OF GOD, THE BELIEVER’S LIFE WILL BE ESTABLISHED FIRMLY IN CHRIST. (3)
          • PAUL IS CONFIDENT THAT THIS WILL RESULT IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST. (4)
      • THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING IN LOVE. (5)
        • IF WE WALK IN THE LOVE OF GOD, WE CAN LOVE OTHERS WITH GOD’S LOVE.
          • THIS LOVE MEANS WE WILL NOT ARGUE OVER THE LITTLE DETAILS ABOUT THE COMING OF THE LORD. WE WILL NOT ARGUE WHETHER HE WILL COME IN THE RAPTURE BEFORE THE TRIBULATION, DURING THE TRIBULATION OR AFTER THE TRIBULATION.
            • SUCH ARGUMENTS DO NOT PROMOTE UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
            • SUCH ARGUMENTS DISTRACT US FROM WORKING EARNESTLY FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

 

• HOMEWORK
  2THESALONIANS 3:6-18
  This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher for correction.

 

• APPLICATION FOR 2THE 2: 13-17 AND 3:1-5
  • AS YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDES TOWARD THE RAPTURE AND THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, ARE YOU AS EXCITED AS YOU SHOULD BE ABOUT YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?

• ABOUT STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD?

• ABOUT WITNESSING TO NON-BELIEVERS?

• IF YOUR ANSWER IS “NO” TO ANY OF THE ABOVE QUESTIONS, EXPLAIN WHY.

• PREPARATION FOR 2THE 3:6-18
  • READ 2THES 3:6-18
    • WHAT COMMANDS DOES PAUL GIVE TO THE CHRISTIANS?

• WHAT DO YOU THINK VERSE 6 MEANS?

• MEMORY VERSE: 2THESALONIANS 3:13