The Day of the Lord — 2 Thessalonians 2

0:00 Chapter two, first and second Thessalonians. It's kind of kinda awkward that after the day of thanksgiving, we have to touch such a subject, but God's word is always perfect for us in the right time and the right text. So it wasn't by accident that this happens to be the the the chapter that we are gonna be touching on today. I particularly am fond of first and second Thessalonians because these are the texts that God used in my own life to bring me to saving faith. So I appreciate these verses greatly, both both books.

0:42 So why don't we read first, and then we're going to explain the text. So let's start in verse one then. Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first And the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, or your verse... Your Bible might say perdition, son of perdition, opposes this man, this man of lawlessness, man of perdition, verse four, opposes and exhaust himself above every so called god or object object of worship so that he takes his seat in the temple of God displaying himself as being god.

1:54 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what is... What restrains him now so that in his time, he may be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then that lawless one, there he is again this lawless one, the the son of perdition, will be revealed whom the lord will slay with the breath of his mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of his coming.

2:35 That is the the coming of the lord Jesus. That is the one whose coming is in accord with the with the activity of Satan, the ant... This antichrist guy, with all power and signs and false wonders, and without deception of wickedness for those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason, God will send upon them a diluting influence so that they might believe what is false. In order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness.

3:17 This is all we're going to do for now. These 12 verses, I think you'll discover there's plenty to to cover. I would like to recommend two books for those of you who want more insight as to the end times and you want some systematic theology. You want it broken down and explained in detail. One is the the Millennial Kingdom by by Dwight, a man named Dwight, Pentecost, a fantastic book, but it's not a a a...

3:49 For fun book. It's a a textbook that you would get in in the bible college of theology classes. So that's a a super good book to read. There's another one that is called the things to come that is highly recommended. Again, it's a textbook.

4:07 It's a recommended reading for anybody who goes to theology school, and it's a must read. What it does, it it divide... It shows you the different schools of theology of interpretation, and then it shows you why a certain one is probably the best one to lean on. And so very highly recommended if you wanna touch these subjects and try to understand them more clearly. Okay.

5:05 And then Paul goes on to Berea. And from Berea, they came looking for him there. And then from there, he had to flee and go towards Ikea, which today would be Greece. And so they were suffering terrible persecution because of their faith. And Paul then had taught them in the first book about the about the rapture and and about the day of the lord and had explained it to them clearly that the rapture comes first, then the day of the lord that the the believers in Jesus are gonna be taken out, then comes the the wrath that is to come.

5:42 And so they understood that. They were pretty clear in that. But then someone comes in and says, oh, my word. You're you're having all these trials and all these tribulations, all these problems. You know what that is?

5:52 It's the day of the lord. And they started to panic. Wait a minute. Paul said we weren't gonna be in the day of the lord. And so they're they're getting all disturbed about it, and and so they they come and tell Paul or somebody did or somebody he got...

6:09 He was aware of the fact that someone was, if you will, in today's modern life, freaking them out because they they taught them wrong about the day of the lord. And so that's why he says in verse two that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure. So when when you say to somebody, you you need to to to to to regain your composure, What are you saying to them? They're panicking. Right?

6:37 And so they start to panicky... Panic in order to... Or to be disturbed either by spirit or message or letter. So someone came in and and... But Paul Paul says to them anyway, it doesn't matter if someone comes in with a letter falsifying saying that it was from us or if it's some messenger or some spirit.

6:59 You remember in Galatians chapter one, he says, even if an angel comes and changes the gospel, that angel is accursed. Right? And so he's saying, look, I don't know who who wrote this and who made you panic and lose your composure. Somebody did and they confused you. So...

7:18 And and the topic of course is the day of the Lord as you can see right here. So I thought that the first thing that we need to do to properly understand this chapter is to define the day of the Lord. What is the day of the Lord? Alright? Now just to give you a brief thing is right after the rapture, it begins.

7:38 But I wanna give you some biblical descriptions of it. And of course, you need to study the Old Testament in detail because there's a lot of detail about the day of the Lord in the Old Testament. Then what we do is we join the Old Testament teaching on it with the New Testament teaching and try to make sense out of it. Now there... For for those of you who want a chronological explanation of the bible in in order somewhere as to all the end times, the bible does not explain it that way.

8:08 You have to dig for it, and you have to work for it for years. And it's not easy to to to divide it all up, but you can't clump it all together. Alright? And so let's go, first of all, explaining well, before that, three things need to happen before the day of the Lord even begins. First of all, as we read in chapter two, first of all, the Antichrist has to be revealed.

8:36 Secondly, the restrainer has to be removed. And thirdly, the apostasy has to occur. What what are these three things? We're gonna be looking at them in a moment. Okay?

9:03 Behold, the day of the Lord... I'm sorry. The Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface, and scatters its inhabitants. Let me just put it to you this way. If you think Hitler caused a lot of damage and killed a lot of people and Stalin too, These two guys are gonna look like nothing compared to the antichrist and the day of the lord.

9:27 So to such an extent that the the the bible says that the whole earth was laid waste. He never noticed what it says. It distorts its surface, scatters its inhabitants. The earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled. For the Lord has spoken.

9:44 The Lord... The earth mourns and withers. The world fades and withers. The exalted of the people of the earth fade away. The earth is polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed the laws, violate statues, broke the everlasting covenant.

9:59 Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men are left. Wow. That's one description. Joel puts it this way.

10:18 The day of the Lord is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty. So God, the Almighty, it's coming from him to destroy the earth. Joel two one b, the day of the lord is coming. Surely it is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness. There has never been anything like it, nor will there be any again after it.

10:42 So in other words, once the day of the Lord comes, that's it. It's the end of what we call the earth today and then becomes the the the millennial reign, the thousand year reign. Joel two eleven b, the day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome. Who can endure it? Zephaniah one eighteen, neither their silver nor gold will be able to deliver them on the day of the lord's wrath.

11:10 So this gives you a little bit of explanation that it's the day of the Lord's wrath, the day of the Lord's anger when he's going to come upon the earth to devour, to destroy it, and money is not going to help you. And all the earth will be devoured in the fire of his jealousy for he will make a complete end, indeed a terrifying one, and all the inhabit... Of all the inhabitants of the earth or the earth dwellers. As Revelation also explains, the earth dwellers are those who were not raptured but who stay on the earth. Alright?

11:43 So it's important to make that distinction, by the way. Okay. Now what is the purpose of the tribulation? Because the day of the Lord begins during this time. What is the purpose?

11:55 This is something you cannot confuse because if you miss it here, everything else gets distorted. And again, you must read those theological books I told you that'll help you put everything. But Jeremiah puts it this way. In Jeremiah 30 and verse seven, to prepare a nation, the nation Israel for the Messiah. In other words, the day of the Lord, the tribulation is mainly for the the Israelite people, mainly for them.

12:20 Secondly, of course, I can give you a lot more verses, but I want it to be brief in in this. If anybody wants this PowerPoint, by the way, I will send it to you through email if you want it. Revelation three ten, to pour out judgment on the unbelieving man, the unsaved person, the person who has not repented and turned to Jesus for salvation that will not be raptured. That's the whole point of the tribulation. The tribulation was never mentioned in the Old Testament, never mentioned during the tribulation in any part of the Bible, and so it has to do with the unbelievers.

13:09 Has to be removed, and the apostasy the apostasy. So let's explain all of these things. Okay? Now in order to, again, properly understand this, I I wanna take you to first Thessalonians quickly, chapter four, and we're gonna look at verse 17. Now be patient as I unfold the thoughts.

13:34 At the end, everything's gonna come together. Now let's just say that that Westlake is going to play Columbus in in a sport. Okay? Basketball. Alright?

13:44 So we're playing basketball. And let's just say that we beat them. For those of you in Columbus, sorry, but we won. Alright? So there's some Columbus people here today.

13:53 So let's just say we beat them 90 to 70. Alright? So would you say they won, or would you say we won? You would say we won. Right?

14:06 And you would say they lost. If you're from Westlake, you would say we because you're identifying you're from here. When you're saying they, you're talking about somebody else. Right? I want you to notice that Paul, when he's talking about the rapture, identifies himself with people raptured.

14:25 In other words, the believing people, the the the church age. Notice that it says, we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds with the dead in Christ and to meet to meet the lord in the air. Notice he only he only comes we're going to meet him in the air. He's not going to come and land on the Mount Of Olives. So, this is a separate thing, the rapture.

14:49 Meet him in the in the clouds, to meet him in the air, and thus, we we, notice again, we shall always be with the lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. So he's identifying himself with the raptured people. Alright? We.

15:05 Notice chapter five, now as to the times in the epics, brethren, you have no need for anyone, anything to be written to you. For yourselves know well, for well that the day of the lord. So, again, the subject of chapter five, he switches subject is the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord, notice what he says, verse two, for yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. K?

15:33 Now why? Because suddenly the church is raptured. And then the day of the Lord began, and everybody who stayed there was like, man, what happened? Suddenly, they're in it. Just like a thief suddenly comes into your house.

15:46 It's like, wow. Where did he come from? And then he runs off. And so it's like a thief in a night. And I want you to notice, please, verse three.

15:55 While they are saying peace and safety, notice how he switches, and he's saying they. They. The people who remain. So he's not saying we because the church has been raptured. They are saying peace and safety, then destruction will come upon them suddenly.

16:13 Why? Because the day of the lord begins right after the rapture, and that's the wrath of God coming down on earth as we read in the previous verses. Right? It will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. Okay.

16:30 So let's continue then explaining. This is the... The tribulation is is another way of saying the the the day of the Lord, which is gonna culminate with that arrow in the end, and I'll make sense of it for you in a minute. Okay? So it's gonna it's gonna culminate at at the end over here, but this is a tribulation.

16:51 Over here in this part, the the church has been raptured because God's program for the church is separate from the program for Israel. Right? Yes. He's got one program for Israel, and then the the the the the church, the the age of grace, which we're in right now, is a separate program. You cannot mix them.

17:12 Okay? And he raptures... Because he's done with this program, he raptures them, gets them out of the way. Then he's gonna presume with his work with Israel, the nation Israel, because the Abrahamic covenant cannot be denied. Amen.

17:25 Okay? So that has to be fulfilled through Israel. Right? And also those who rejected Jesus, this is what the day of the Lord is for. Right now, I want you to follow the progression then.

18:05 First of all, the antichrist is revealed. Okay. Now he's called a bunch of different things in the Bible. You're gonna notice that he's gonna... He's called the man of sin, the man of perdition, the lawless one in second Thessalonians two two and verse eight also.

18:23 Alright? The lawless one, the man of sin. This is a unique man that... That's going to appear after the rapture when the day of the Lord begins. Okay?

18:33 Now I gave a bunch of people verses. When your verse shows up here, raise your hand because I forgot who I gave it to so you can read the verse I gave you. Alright? So secondly, in first John two eighteen, John, the apostle John says that there are many antichrist, but there's gonna be the antichrist coming. Now he says many.

18:52 There's a lot of people who reject Jesus Christ. That's what anti means. Right? Against. They're against the the lord Jesus Christ, so they're they're called antichrist.

19:01 In other words, whoever is not saved, who has not turned to him for salvation, they're antichrist until you turn to him. So he's he's called the antichrist. That's probably the most popular name most of you would know him by that. He's called the man of sin. He's called the prince who is to come in Daniel nine twenty six.

19:20 Did I give that verse to anyone? Nine... Daniel nine twenty six? No? Alright.

19:25 You can read it later. It'll be there. I promise you. Alright. And then he's called in the beast in Revelation thirteen two through ten and eighteen.

19:36 Who has Revelation 13? Okay. Would you stand up and read it nice and loud? Renee? Okay.

20:57 And verse 18.

20:58 Verse 18. Here is wisdom. Let him that have understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man, and his number is 603, four,

21:10 Okay. Thank you. So so he's also called the beast, and as you can see, a detailed explanation. I'm gonna give some meaning to that for you in a minute. And he's also called the little horn in Daniel seven eight.

21:21 In other words, he starts out small, but then he becomes great. By the way, when I was in bible college, there was this little Jewish girl. She stood about four eleven, little bitty thing like that, and she was totally Jewish. The lord saved her. And she was small, but, man, she would speak great things.

21:36 She would speak loud. You can hear from here to the parking lot when she would talk. So we nicknamed her the little horn. Because she was small, but she both spoke great things. So, anyway, that...

21:48 That's the... That's another name. He's got many other names, and you can do your own research to find... Discover the other names for him. But here's the interesting thing.

21:57 When the when the when the day of the Lord starts, the first thing that the the the antichrist is gonna do is he's gonna have a covenant of peace. Alright? He's gonna do the covenant of peace with Israel. What what is it that has never been able to be accomplished right now? A covenant of peace with Israel.

22:15 That's a continuing issue. What do we read in in in first Thessalonians five and verse three? Watch this. While they say peace and safety, the very first thing that that the antichrist is gonna be a a political figure. He's gonna be a religious figure.

22:31 He's gonna be a a man of great words that that people look up to and admire, and the whole world's gonna be captivated by him. And mainly because he's able to accomplish what no one's been able to accomplish yet is to make some kind of a peace treaty that actually lasts for about three years or so with Israel. So the Arab nations and Israel are gonna have a a peace treaty that this guy is going to be able to somehow accomplish. It's gonna allow them to have their temple and to do their worship. So the first thing that happens when he's revealed is that he does a peace treaty and he begins to to to become great in the eyes of the people.

23:13 Now notice verse seven second Thessalonians real quick. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only he... Not he who restrains him will do something to take him out of the way. Now, the mystery of lawlessness basically means the disorder that we see today, all the murders, all the killings, all the the the stuff that we see, right, that really bothers us, all the injustice, all that that goes on, that... That's that's been happening since the beginning, the mystery of lawlessness.

23:44 But but at this time at this time, it's gonna be unleashed in a different kind of way, which takes us to the second point. So everybody got it clear then. The first thing that happens... Three things have to happen. The anarchist has to be revealed.

23:59 And when he is revealed, the first thing he does is he does a covenant of peace. And it's very clear in Daniel nine twenty seven that he does it. And then he's gonna break that peace treaty at at the three and a half year mark, which is right there. K. Next.

24:28 The Antichrist, the man of lawlessness. You know what restrains him now? So that in his time, he may be revealed. So something's not allowing him to be revealed. Alright?

24:38 And for the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Right now, you can read all kinds of ideas of who the restrainer is, and I'm not gonna bore you with all those details. But the conclusion... My conclusion is the only thing powerful enough to hold back sin and lawlessness from from from having no restraint from unleashing itself. The only thing that's holding it back is the holy spirit.

25:09 No one else is more powerful that could actually hold back Satan and his plan to reveal this man of lawlessness, this antichrist, and with all of the evil that he's going to do. Right? So I want you to notice several things that I believe that the holy spirit who indwells the church. Right? Amen?

25:30 Yes. We are the the temple of the holy spirit, first Corinthians six nineteen. So so the holy spirit indwells the the the church and think about the influence, the worldwide influence that the Christians have been. First of all, local churches throughout the world. It's even so that that even in the New Testament in Acts, they say these men have changed the whole world.

25:57 Right? They've affected the whole world with their message. The parachurch organizations all over the world. Right? Feeding the hungry, sharing the gospel.

26:07 Think about the radio ministry, missionaries, the translators that are all over the place translating the Bible and and leading people to Christ. The influence of the church is powerful. It's powerful even today with all the wickedness that we see. If it weren't for the church, the unraptured church, this this world will go crazy with evil. So when Jesus Christ comes for his church and all of these powerful influences, the the the the church which have held down evil since it's the inception of the church is removed, then I like to quote Walbert and Zach right here.

26:47 After the removal of the restraint, the world will plunge plunge headlong into lawlessness, and the man of sin will be revealed. Alright? Which leads me to the next point. The abomination. Now the abomination isn't in there.

27:05 I know. I know, but you need to know about it. Alright? Because this this makes sense. Alright?

27:10 The abomination is spoken of quite a bit in the Bible. In Daniel, in Matthew, and you can read it in the gospels. It's there. Matthew 24. Alright.

27:20 I'll show you the verses. Okay. Now the antichrist that this peacemaking guy that's getting popular, that's growing, all of a sudden, there's a big shift. And Jesus said, watch out. When the abomination happens, you better run.

27:35 He's telling the Jewish people, don't get that out of context. Matthew twenty four and twenty five, speaking to Jewish people. Because they're gonna be here for them. This tribulation mainly, the antichrist declares himself to be god. Now we read it right there in verse four.

27:51 Second Thessalonians two four, who opposes and exalts himself above every so called god or object of worship so that he takes his seat in the temple of god, displaying himself as being god. Can you imagine? So at the middle of the tribulation, three and a half years into it, Daniel nine twenty seven and eleven thirty one, who's got that? Who's who's got that diverse? Okay.

28:14 Nice and loud, please, Jacob.

28:16 Daniel nine twenty seven. Then he shall confirm it. Confirm a covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of the week, he shall bring and then to sacrifice an offering. And on the wing of abomination shall he want to make desolate.

28:38 Even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.

28:45 Okay. And then eleven thirty one.

28:51 And forces shall be mustered by them,

29:06 Thank you very much. So you can read also Matthew twenty four fifteen. I don't think I get that verse 21. I I did. Okay.

29:13 Go ahead, Daniel.

29:17 When you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, let the reader understand.

29:25 K. Thank you. So the abomination is right here, second two four, when when the antichrist all of a sudden shows his true colors, and he breaks this covenant of peace, and he turns all of his wrath against the Israelite people. And whoever is still surviving on the land who who has not worshiped the the beast, okay, or the antichrist himself. So so right there, he says, look.

29:52 Enough of this peace treaty. From now on, I am God, and I'm gonna be worshiped. And me alone and whoever doesn't worship me will be killed. Right? That's the abomination.

30:04 And he's going to desecrate the temple in Jerusalem. Right? And some say that he's gonna kill a pig and just the ultimate insult to God in the temple and say, I'm God, and that's it. There's no other God. He's gonna demand worship.

30:31 The apostasy. Right now, it's important that you realize what what the apostasy means. It's the rebellion, the falling away. This is a revolt, a departure, an abandoning of a position once held. This is specific, distinguishable position.

30:49 It is not a general apostasy which exists now and will continue. So in other words, I I know a lot of people that grew up with me that have apostatized. In other words, they say, I once believed in Jesus, but not anymore. They walk away from the faith. You might know people who did that.

31:05 I know some, right, that did that. That's a general apostasy, but this is different. There's not anything general. This is the ultimate act of rebellion. It's an event of final magnitude.

31:19 Alright? And so Revelation 13, what we read right there seems to be what fits the apostasy. Now as it seems to be, so don't throw stones at me if you wanna move it a little bit over somewhere else, but it's gonna be somewhere within this time when all of a sudden... And we go to Revelation together real quick. Revelation 13.

31:43 I want you to notice a couple of things that are gonna cause the abomination to be true. Okay. Now let's start with verse four. Oh, verse three. I'm sorry.

31:57 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, as if... And his fatal wound was healed, and the earth was amazed and followed after the beast. Notice, and they worshiped the dragon, that's Satan, by the way, Because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worship the beast saying, who is like the beast and who is able to wage war against him? And this is exactly what Satan wanted. Satan has always wanted to be worshiped and to be exalted, and so he gets his his man, this antichrist, this beast, and and he he pretends to kill him, a fatal wound, and then he pretends to raise him up from the dead.

32:41 So he's imitating Jesus Christ, in other words. You see what he's doing? And then the... And then he tells the world, it wasn't Jesus. This is the true God, the Sinai Christ, who had a fatal wound, and then he comes back to life.

32:57 Notice verse 15 verse five. I'm sorry. Revelation thirteen five. And there was given to him a mouth which speaks arrogant words and blasphemies, and authorities to act for forty two months was was given to him. So in other words, the three and a half years remaining in a seven year tribulation.

33:18 Okay? Now I want you to notice 13 and verse 13. Thirteen thirteen. And he performs great signs so that even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast and who had the wound of the sword and has come back to life.

33:50 And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. To be killed. And so what is the abomination? When Satan brings this Antichrist wounds him and and and somehow makes everybody think that he actually died and then supposed resurrected him, everybody's gonna freak out. Oh my word.

34:20 He died. He came back to life. And then there's gonna be the second beast, which is like his prophet saying to everybody, you see, he is God. Worship him. And everybody's gonna be, like, blown away, and then he's gonna be able to bring fire down from heaven.

34:35 Can you imagine that? Satan has power, by the way, can do miracles. He can do miracles. So look at our look at our text. Look at our text then in verse verse nine.

34:53 Okay. Verse eight, the first part, then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay. Keep that in your backburners. Let's go to verse nine. That is the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan with all power, notice, and signs and false wonders, and with all deception of wickedness for those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

35:17 So in other words, this this this the day of the Lord and the tribulation where where this antichrist is revealed is gonna be... This man is gonna be so wicked and so powerful that he can... There's gonna be all kinds of miracles that he can do. And then the apostasy then at that time happens. The whole world throws himself at him with very few, very few not taking the mark.

35:44 I believe that up to this point, there's a lot of salvation and tribulation to this point. At this point, the 144 are taken away. The two witnesses are taken away, and there's nothing left right there but but this antichrist and unleashing his wrath against Israel and and those remaining who have not taken the mark of the beast. So that's the abomination, him declaring himself to be God and wanting to be worshiped by anybody. The apostasy is when everybody stops believing in...

36:18 At all in in in the true god and they start to worship this beast. That's what the apostasy is, and it's a a terrible turning away and going to him. And you notice in verse 10, it's with all deception, without deception. Okay. So he's able to do miracles, and that's why the apostasy happens.

36:55 Satan tries to imitate Jesus Christ in every way. So the revelation of Jesus, one seven and and two three, the revelation of the Antichrist, the coming of Jesus with the coming of the Antichrist, the message, Jesus the truth, and that's the lie. Two eleven, Jesus is God, and he claims to be God in... That the Antichrist does. Jesus did signs when he came to prove that he was god.

37:24 And so Satan says, look. My man can do miracles too. And then he... He's empowered by by god. Jesus was.

37:31 There's your text. And so Satan empowers this antichrist so he can do powerful things. Then Jesus died. Of course, he pretends to die in Revelation. Because remember, Satan's a big liar.

37:45 Everything he does is false. That's all deception. Jesus resurrected, and he pretends to resurrect them. So you can see then how Satan's plan is to imitate the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Okay.

38:00 Now the appearance of his coming when he slays the beast. Notice. Then the sign of the son of man will appear in the sky, then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, those who are still alive right when he comes at the end of tribulation, and they will see the son of man coming in the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. Of course, we know by looking at other texts that he's gonna land on the Mount Of Olives in Jerusalem. Matthew 25, then the son of man will appear in the sky, then all the tribes of the earth will mourn.

38:30 Okay. 1913, and his name is called the word of God and the armies which are in heaven, the raptured church coming down with them, clothed in fine linen and white and clean, were following him on white horses. And on his robe and on his thigh and the thigh of Jesus, it is written, king of kings and lord of lords. Amen. And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against him who sat upon a horse and against his army, and the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence by which he deceived those who worshiped the image, and these were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone.

39:18 Listen. Jesus is gonna win at the end. Jesus is gonna declare himself, I'm the true God, and he's gonna take this beast who said he was God and demanded worship, and he's gonna just throw him right into the pit of hell. And he's gonna win. Now I wanna close out with this.

39:37 Those who perish, notice. Why? And this is true even today, and I pray that you will repent even today. They did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And it's even true today.

39:52 We're saying to you, receive the love of the truth. Who's the truth? Jesus said, I am the truth, period. There's no other truth. So when you don't receive the love of the truth, you're rejecting Jesus Christ.

40:02 And until you turn to him, you're still rejecting him. You don't love the truth. And so the Bible says, these people, this happened to them because they didn't receive the love of the truth. Notice, to be saved, to be saved from this. Notice also, verse 12, this is second Thessalonians.

40:24 Right? Those who do not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness. So we see that they didn't receive the love of the truth. They didn't love truth, and they didn't believe the truth. The truth is Jesus Christ.

40:38 Jesus Christ. Notice, two eleven, a diluting influence. We can't ignore this. God will send judgement so that they continue to believe what is false. God uses Satan and the Antichrist as instruments of judgement.

41:17 Notice by the spirit and faith in the truth. What is it that saves you? Faith in the truth. Who's the truth? Jesus Christ.

41:26 Jesus Christ. So, what what a beautiful way to end if even today, even right now, you would say in your heart, you know what? I need to be saved. I wanna put my faith in the truth in Jesus and and not have to worry about this day of the lord that's coming where god is gonna unleash his anger for the... On those who who rejected Jesus.

41:49 But you can be saved even today. Would you trust him today if you haven't? Maybe you've been putting it off, but I implore you in the name of Jesus, be saved. Be saved. Put your faith in the truth today.

42:03 There's no need to wait and to put it off because a rapture can happen in any moment. And this is a plea from God saying, believe in the truth and believe it now. Believe it now. Let's pray. Everybody bow your heads.

42:20 You know, if you never trusted the lord and and you would like to trust him today, maybe you've never believed the truth. You you know about him, but you never have told him to save you and say, lord, you you are now my god. I I trust you. Would you would you do so by probably raising your hand and say, today, I wanna trust the Lord. Is there anyone here that would like to trust him today?

42:41 Amen. I see your hand. Anyone else? And I would say, look. I I know I'm not saved.

42:46 I haven't put my faith in him in the truth. Would anyone else today? Well, praise god. Let's pray. Dear god, thank you for Jesus.

43:00 Thank you that he died on the cross to pay for our sins and resurrected on the third day so that we don't have to worry about the day of the Lord. Thank you for this man who has trusted you this morning. And I know there's others who still haven't, and I pray that today they would do so. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.

43:24 Hey, listen. If you wanna know more, please come to the front.