Friday 10th October
Read 2 Thessalonians 2:8
“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of his coming.” (NIVUK)
Paul is clearly summarising teaching that was plain to the original recipients of his letter. He is also summarising teaching that was common in the early church. Compare Paul’s brief description with what John saw when describing the coming of the Lord in glory and power.
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations... 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.” (Revelation 19:11-15; 19-20) (NIVUK)
John describes a sequence of events in which Jesus returns in splendour and strikes down the lawless one, or beast, with His mouth. His word is so effective that there is no battle to speak of. They gather, they are judged, and they are defeated. It is not even a contest. But just as Paul speaks of a unified uprising of evil against God before Jesus returns and an assault on His people – John describes it in vision.
There should be no surprises for us. We have everything we need to know provided.
