After commending the Thessalonians for their loyalty and assuring them that God will deal justly with their persecutors, Paul proceeds to the main point of the letter. Although the coming Day of the Lord is near, it is not as close as some people think. Concerning a report that had circulated among the people stating that the day had already come, Paul tells the Thessalonians not to be deceived on this matter, for the Day of the Lord will not arrive until after certain events have taken place, and these events have not occurred yet. The specific events to which Paul refers concern the coming of an Antichrist, someone in whom the power of Satan has become incarnate and who will establish himself in the Temple at Jerusalem, working with signs and wonders to deceive people. The basis for Paul's statement along this line is found in the Jewish apocalyptic writings, which were fairly well known to him. Concerning the coming of this lawless Antichrist, Paul says that the Antichrist's activities are already in operation and would be carried out more fully except that he is now being restrained. (Presumably, Paul means that the Roman government is restraining the Antichrist.) In due time, the Antichrist will be revealed, and "the Lord Jesus will overthrow [the Antichrist] with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming." The letter closes with an admonition to the Thessalonians to continue their regular lines of work and not to wait in idleness for the return of Jesus.
Connect with CliffsNotes
