I BEHELD SATAN FALL (BEFORE) THAT DAY

I BEHELD SATAN FALL (BEFORE) THAT DAY

By HERB EVANS, Ltt.D.

157 Patties Place, Portersville, PA 16051

Since we have been studying this portion of scripture for many years, we have been less and less confident of the explanations in the commentaries.

Since we are not one to entertain new doctrines nor easily bolt from long held traditional teaching of the scriptures, we have hesitated to present our view. However, we think our view can be no worse nor convoluted than the popular one that is held today.

In this study of 2 Thess. 2, we have become confident of three things:

1.Neither the Holy Spirit nor the church is the restrainer (2 Thess. 2).

2.The revealing of the antichrist is not before the rapture nor the rewarding seat of Christ nor the day of Christ nor the day of the Lord.

3. The falling away is not the rapture nor the great apostasy.

That Day

"Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance . . . When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe . . . IN THAT DAY." (2 Thess. 1:8-10)

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for THAT DAY shall not come, except there comes a FALLING AWAY FIRST, and that man of sin be REVEALED, the SON of PERDITION . . ." (2 Thess. 2:3)

"THAT DAY" is neither the day of Christ nor the day of the Lord (Bible correctors substitute the "day of the Lord" in 2 Thess. 2:2 instead of the "day of Christ"). Neither the "day of Christ" nor the "day of the Lord" is preceded by the "falling away" or the man of sin being revealed.

Simply, THAT DAY is the Lord's coming in power and glory and vengeance as was thoroughly discussed by Paul in chapter one. The antichrist must be revealed as the SON of PERDITION before the Lord comes to be admired and glorified in his saints.

He must be revealed as the SON OF PERDITION and not merely a world dictator that has come on the scene, before Christ comes to destroy him. The other things that must happen before the Lord's coming in glory is the "falling away," whatever that is.

Personally, we do not believe that he will be REVEALED as the wicked one or the son of perdition nor as the antichrist until he shows himself as God in the temple. Dictators are not revealed, so this fellow will be operating long before he is revealed.

So, the count down will probably not start at the beginning of the tribulation week but in the middle of that week.

In 2 Thessalonians, chapter one, all that is discussed is the second coming of the Lord in power and glory.

In First Thessalonians, chapter 4, all that is discussed is the rapture. In First Thessalonians, chapter 5, Paul discusses the "Day of the Lord" and how believers shall NOT be overtaken by it.

What Is The Day

Of Christ?

". . . waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ . . . that ye might be blameless in the DAY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST." (1 Cor. 1:8)

"To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the DAY OF THE LORD JESUS . . ." (1 Cor. 3:13-15 with 1 Cor. 5:5)

". . . he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the DAY OF JESUS CHRIST . . . That ye may be sincere and without offense till the DAY OF CHRIST . . . that I may rejoice in the DAY OF CHRIST." (Phil. 1:6, 10; 2:16)

Most prophetic students agree that the "day of Christ" refers to the judgment or rewarding of the saints and is always connected with the saved saints in heaven.

Most would include the rapture, the judgment seat, and also the wedding supper and the saddling up in that time frame. So, in short, the day of Christ seems to be that period of time spanning the seven year tribulation period, but the location is in Heaven and not the earth. If the day of Christ were meant by THAT DAY, the falling away and the antichrist would precede the rapture. Not so!

The Day Of The Lord

"But the day of the Lord will come as a THIEF in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10)

The day of the Lord seems to begin, when the tribulation starts (at or after the rapture) and ends with the destruction of both heaven and earth. It contains all the elements of the tribulation (Joel 2:2, 9-11, 28-31; Isa. 34:1-8; 3:12-16; Jer. 4:23-28; Zeph. 1:14,15; Zec. 14:1-7).

It relates to the lost and wicked on the earth at that time but does not overtake the New Testament saints, for they are gone in the rapture (1 Thess. 5:2-4). The day of the Lord refers to the punitive judgment of the enemies of Christ on earth. Modern Versions substitute the "day of the Lord" in 2 Thessalonians 2:2, realizing a potential problem, if the "day of Christ" comes after the antichrist.

Who Is The Restrainer?

"And now ye know WHAT (to be addressed next) withholdeth that HE (antichrist) may be REVEALED (as the SON of PERDITION) in HIS time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only HE (Satan) who now letteth will let, until HE (Satan with his angels) be TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY. And then shall that WICKED (antichrist) be REVEALED (as the SON of PERDITION, rather than being born or coming upon the scene) . . . Even HIM (antichrist) whose coming (as the SON of PERDITION) is after the WORKING OF SATAN (not the Holy Spirit) . . ." (2 Thess. 2:6-9)

We are told here that the mystery of iniquity doth already work so that cannot be the antichrist alive for 1900 years. Still, the spirit of antichrist and antichrists (plural) have been here since 1 John 1:18.

We are also told that something/someone takes someone else out of the way. Somehow, we cannot accept such inappropriate and irreverent language to be applied to the Holy Spirit, who has never had a restraining ministry but rather a ministry of COMFORT and illumination!

The Holy Spirit is not in the way of the antichrist in the first place nor the devil for that matter. Greater is He that is in you than is ALREADY IN THIS WORLD.

Also, He is not in the way of the antichrist, being revealed as the son of perdition (whose coming is after the working of Satan NOT the Holy Spirit). We have been told that it must be the Holy Spirit here, as it could not be anything or anybody else. What profound Bible exegesis that is!

We have also been told that this restrainer is the church, but the church is not a HE; it is a SHE. The church is not even hinted at here, and it is gone before the antichrist is revealed and the day of the Lord and the second coming in glory. Then, who is taken out of the way, and who takes him out of the way? The mystery of iniquity must be revealed in a flesh and blood body or person.

What Is The Falling Away?

"And there was a war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought AND HIS ANGELS, and prevailed not; neither was THERE PLACE FOUND ANYMORE IN HEAVEN. And the great dragon was CASE OUT . . . he was CAST OUT into the earth, and HIS ANGELS WERE CAST OUT WITH HIM . . . and when the dragon saw that he was CAST UNTO THE EARTH, he persecuted the woman (Israel) which brought forth the man child (Christ) . . . she is nourished for A TIME, and TIMES, and a HALF TIME, from the face of the serpent." (Revelation 12:7-14)

". . . now SHALL the prince of this world be CAST OUT." (John 12:31)

"And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning FALL from heaven." (Luke 10:18)

We have listened to various theories over the years, regarding the "falling away." Some say the rapture; others say the apostasy, and yet others say the great apostasy. We have been skeptical of all such views and have looked for something more within the context or more comparable with other scripture, something connected with Satan or the antichrist. Could the one taken out of the way and the falling away be somehow connected?

For WHAT withholdeth that HE be revealed? The falling away is the "WHAT" that withholdeth. Who is revealed? The antichrist, as the SON OF PERDITION. Who is hindering or restraining the antichrist from being revealed? The one, who is responsible for his coming and working as the SON OF PERDITION, SATAN.

Why would Satan want to hinder or restrain the antichrist? He doesn't. Then why would Satan not want the antichrist revealed as the son of perdition? It is not that Satan wants or does not want him revealed; it is something that Satan must do out of desperation, because something else has happened to his power and influence and PLAN A.

The antichrist being revealed is Satan's PLAN B. So, when does Satan start plan B and put the antichrist to work and be revealed? When Satan is tossed out of heaven. This is why it is both a WHAT and a HE that gets the antichrist revealed.

We submit that Michael throws the devil and his angels out of heaven. The devil then gives the antichrist HIS SEAT, HIS POWER, and HIS AUTHORITY. It is there that he reveals himself as the antichrist, sitting in the temple as God, and he then breaks the covenant with Israel and begins to persecute her. But God hides and nourishes Israel for 3 and 1/2 years or 42 months or 1260 days.

It is this future "falling away" of the devil (that Jesus foretold) and his angels from heaven that prevents the antichrist from being revealed, even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders (2 Thess. 2:9). And both of these things must take place before the Lord Jesus Christ's coming in power and glory and vengeance.

What Were

The Thessalonians Troubled About?

"So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith IN ALL YOUR PERSECUTIONS and TRIBULATIONS that ye endure . . . And to you who are TROUBLED rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance . . . When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe . . . IN THAT DAY." (2 Thess. 1:4,7,8,10)

The Thessalonians, no doubt, were troubled by their persecutions and tribulations. Why were they going through all this? They were not supposed to go through the tribulation. We are told by some that they thought that they were going through the tribulation, but there is nothing here that hints of that.

They were comforted in their troubles in 2 Thess. 1, being admonished to rest with Paul and that the Lord was going to take care of all this. Paul calls attention to the second coming here, when Christ punishes both His and their enemies as well as being glorified in His saints.

This was expected to comfort them or cause them to REST. They may have not been altogether sure, as we, of the time frame, but they were being assured that their enemies would be punished. They were also assured that they would be among those, who Christ glorifies in the future and that the Lord was coming in power and glory to take vengeance on the persecutors of God's people.

Certainly, they were not troubled about the rapture. Paul had discussed that with them in 1 Thess. 4. Moreover, they could not be disturbed at the Day of Christ or rewarding time. They could be disturbed at the Lord's coming in power and vengeance, but that was what Paul seems to be appealing to them about to REST with him in 2 Thessalonians, chapter one.

We Beseech You BY . . .

"Now we beseech you, brethren, BY (1) the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (in power and glory after the rapture and tribulation), and BY (2) OUR gathering together unto him (rapture before the tribulation and second coming), That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, not by letter as from us, for the day of Christ is at hand." (2 Thess. 2:1-2)

But What About the first two verses of 2 Thessalonians 2? Was Paul dismissing their troubles, due to their thinking that the day of Christ was at hand, or was he telling them not to be troubled, because the day of Christ was and is at hand?

We think the latter. We think that he is beseeching and assuring them and allaying their fears by the rapture and the rewarding "day of Christ." Why should they be troubled at the rapture or even at the rewarding or at the other events that take place in heaven?

Paul appeals, to the troubled Thessalonians, by OUR gathering unto Him at the rapture. It is the same form and style of comfort that he used in 1 Thessalonians 4, in regard to the relatives of those saints that had died. He also comforts them on the basis of the second coming in glory as he does in 2 Thessalonians, chapter one, when he says REST WITH US, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming tire TAKING VENGEANCE on them. (2 Thess. 1:7-8)

The suffering and persecuted Thessalonians were admonished not to be shaken in mind or be troubled. Paul admonishes them not to be depressed or worried by feelings, rumors, or even letters that Paul had previously wrote them (perhaps 1 Thess. 5, involving the day of the Lord).

Conclusion

We would be surprised if we obtained many converts to our view, but we are comfortable in challenging the traditional view from the standpoint of the scriptures, realizing that this difference of opinion does not impact salvation nor sound doctrine.

We invite any comments or suggestions.