In response to http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/oct2009/kevinh1027-2.htm

 

Hi, Kevin
 

I’ll try to explain my views.
 

Point # 1: Apostasia 

I understand “apostasia” as a “separation”, a departure from something. Could be from a doctrine, could be a physical separation. It’s like an abandonment. I could abandon a belief or I could abandon a place. I don’t speak Greek but as a Portuguese speaking person I often see many words that have a certain form when it’s a noun and another slightly different form or derivation when it’s used as a verb. When all these are considered, it many times mean “physical separation” in Scriptures. That’s why I believe it could mean that AC is revealed as such after THE departure. (the word apostasia is preceded by a definite article in that passage).

 

Point # 2: Day of the Lord 

You said that the term “Day of the Lord” used in that passage really means “Day of Christ”. In reality, the original term is “Day of Kurios”. (Strong’s number 2962). The manuscripts don’t say explicitly “Day of Christ” in this passage. The term Kurios (a title meaning Lord, Sir) is adequate for both the Father and the Son. That’s why other passages simply use the term “Lord” for “Kurios”. That’s a more accurate translation. 

If we read as “Day of the Lord” and understand it like a period taking place DURING the Tribulation period, that would explain why the Thessalonians were so worried by supposing they were already in the Tribulation period (“at hand”  = “already happening”). Someone had written a letter to them saying that they were already in the Tribulation. Maybe someone had told them that they had missed the Rapture OR that that there would be no rapture at all before the terrible Day of the Lord.  I don’t know what they had heard or read. It was a false letter and it troubled them. So Paul answered (paraphrasing): “Don’t be troubled! Be comforted! The Tribulation hasn’t come yet. First, there will be the apostasia (= the departure). Then, the AC will be revealed. And only after that comes the terrible Day of The Lord (= judgment) during the Tribulation.” In other words, the Tribulation comes after the revealing of the AC. 

For me, that understanding seems clear. Paul isn’t detailing here what kind of apostasia (departure) that will be. I’m not adding anything to the word “apostasia”, just translating as “departure”, as some English translations render. In Portuguese, it just uses the term “apostasia” and the reader understands what they want to understand. Let the word speak for itself. But it can be understood just the way it is. No need to add words that aren’t there.
 

The Day of the Lord takes place during the Tribulation and is much discussed in the Old Testament. That day isn’t talking about the Rapture of the Bride of Christ. We also have a New Testament brief description of the “Day of the Lord” in 2 Peter 3.10. “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night in the which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burnt up’. This is the only actual New Testament description that we have of the day of the Lord, it is coherent with all Old Testament passages and it also has the original term “Kurios” for the term translated as “Lord”. Nobody understands this day as the day of the Rapture of the Bride. And it’s the same “day” it’s referring to. The “Day of Kurios”. The Day of the Lord.
 

To make this point more clear, let’s see what verses 5-8 say:
 

“5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth {will let}, until he be taken out of the way.

8  And THEN shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.”
 

In the above verses we see that something will be taken out of the way an only THEN (=AFTERWARDS) will the Wicked be revealed. That corroborates the idea of a “departure” of something and afterwards the revealing of the AC. There are no contradictions here.

 

Point # 3: Comfort 

I see no contradiction that the above message is a comfort. Paul was comforting them that the Tribulations hadn’t come yet, that they had not missed the Rapture or that any message from other people (falsely signed as Paul) possibly saying that there would be no Rapture at all was incorrect. Again, what I believe he meant was: “Don’t be troubled! Be comforted! The Tribulation hasn’t come yet. First, there will be the apostasia (= the departure). Then, the AC will be revealed. And only after that comes the Day of The Lord (= judgment) during the Tribulation.”

 

Point # 4: The sign of the Rapture 

I believe there is no “sign” of the Rapture. We have to watch (= be spiritually prepared and not living in unrepentance or deliberate sin) and be ready all the time. I understand the ONLY sign will be the dead in Christ rising first, and maybe this happens only hours or minutes before the Rapture of the Bride takes place. Paul wasn’t giving a “sign” for the Thessalonians to identify the Rapture. In my understanding, Paul was explaining to them that, as the Wicked one hadn’t even appeared in the scene, the Rapture couldn’t have taken place, because that “departure” will take place first.

 

Point # 5: To whom the book of Revelation was written to 

I agree that the book of Revelation was written to Christians, but that book (and others books in the Bible) were also written to people that TODAY aren’t Christians yet (either because they never heard the Gospel or because they are only nominal Christians and were never truly born again) but that will be saved in the future. Many passages in the Bible will be read by THEM after the Rapture of the Bride and will be extremely useful for THEM during the Tribulation. Many will become real Christians at that time and those will be the Tribulation Saints.  

For example, many of us have talked with other people about the Rapture and they don’t believe and even mock us. After the Rapture (if I’m considered worthy to escape like Jesus told us to pray for, and I think we should all follow His advice) these people (foolish virgins) will be looking for Bibles and they will probably find not only the book of Revelation but the entire New Testament, including 2 Thessalonians.  They will see the order of events and conclude that that Bible is true. Many will even probably read this very page and line after searching for that subject on search engines. It’s not my intention to discuss the “left behind” theory here, but EVEN if ALL true believers are taken in the Rapture, many people will still BECOME Christians after the Rapture, otherwise there would be no Tribulation Saints. The entire Bible is for them too! We cannot read the Bible and suppose that everything there was written for our own benefit. Some passages will be simply GOLD to future Tribulation Saints and those passages will be important instruction to them, so that they are eternally saved by our Lord Jesus Christ. 

If you disagree with me, that’ ok, I could even be wrong. It’s not my intention to keep discussing with anyone till I convince them. I just wanted to explain the reasons for my views.

 

Many blessings to you, 

Eliane