"That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
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;
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
And then shall the Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming."
Paul is telling the early saints that they are not to be troubled if someone says the day of Christ is at hand. First, there would be a falling away. This is the great apostasy that came upon the earth after the death of all the early apostles. I do believe that the heavens are once again opened and His church has been restored again on the earth. That He talks to living prophets and apostles. There are temples dedicated as the house of the Lord now upon the earth. But before Christ's coming his house and people will be cleansed. Satan will appear in his temple to deceive and the wicked will bow down and worship him. Thinking he is God. Then Christ will come suddenly to his temple and all those that bowed down to a false God will be destroyed. This all happens before the world as a whole knows it.
This is why we read the scriptures. We must know the order of events and what the prophesies are. We must have our own witness of who Christ is to be able to recognize him when he comes again to his temple. I cannot look to my brother or sister and think their actions will tell me what is right. For they may be lost sheep following the wrong master. I alone must know how to recognize Christ and then have courage to not worship a being I do not recognize, even if everyone else I know is doing that. Years ago when I read this verse it struck my heart and sent me on my quest to have my own witness of who the Savior is.
Day 107 Tami Fitzgerald Harris
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