An Overview of Prophecy
Chad Johnson
November 13, 2009

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. II Thessalonians 2:3

In this letter, the apostle Paul is writing to the Baptist church at Thessalonica. These believers had been told by some false teachers that they had missed the coming of Jesus Christ. Paul writes them to encourage and educate them on the coming of the Lord. The phrase “that day” is referring to the catching away of the church and the beginning of the tribulation period. We are living in the last days before Christ. There has never been a time when more books have been written on Bible prophecy than in our present day. Most of them need to be burned because they are scripturally inaccurate. We as the people of God need to stay with our KJV Bible and see what the word of God says. Paul tells us in this verse that there are two main things that will preceded “that day.”

First, there must come a falling away. Falling away comes from a Greek word meaning “apostate” or “a departure from truth.” God only knows how much untruth is preached from pulpits across our land. Our churches are weaker now than they have ever been. Instead of sticking with God’s plan of preaching the word, we now try man’s way of doing God’s work. Our schools of higher learning in Biblical studies are now teaching preachers that there are errors in the Bible. Church has become a place of entertainment instead of Biblical instruction. There has been a definite departure from truth in most churches. I have purposed in my heart, by the grace of God, to stay with the grand old doctrines of the word of God.

Secondly, this verse tells us the wicked one will be revealed. This is the Antichrist. He will be revealed in public eye before the catching away of the Church. I do not believe he will be revealed for who he is until the church is called away. This wicked man will be very smart, eloquent and powerful. He will be looked up to as Jesus Christ. This man will make a covenant with Israel and allow them to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. They will be free to worship for three and a half years. However, in the middle of the seven-year tribulation period, he will break that covenant and sit on the altar of the temple and demand to be worshipped.

I rejoice in my soul that the Church will not be here for the seven-year tribulation period. There are seven main events in the coming future concerning Bible prophecy.

1. The rapture of the Church
2. The beginning of the tribulation period
3. The revealing of the antichrist
4. The battle of Armageddon
5. The second coming of Christ/1000 year reign of Christ on Earth
6. The great white throne judgment
7. The redeemed spending eternity with Christ

Amen.