The Day of Christ!
Let’s look at what Scripture says about Christ’s return.
> Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Whoa, it’s pretty hard to miss this!
>And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall **all the tribes of the earth** mourn, and **they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory**.
This tells us “all the tribes of the earth” will see Christ when He returns.
>Behold, he cometh with clouds; and **every eye shall see him**, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
This tells us every eye on earth shall see Christ when He returns.
These two passages (along with many others) make it clear that no one on earth will miss the Second Coming of Christ. There will be no doubt, it will be impossible to miss Christ at His return.
Okay, let’s look at 2 Thessalonians 2:
>1-2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
A closer look:
> Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and **our gathering together to Him**
This speaks of the Church, the Bride of Christ being gathered together to Him.
> we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us
It would seem this young Church is upset about something and Paul is writing to put them at ease.
> as though the day of Christ had come.
What? How could “the day of Christ had come” and they missed it, when we are told no one will miss it, that it will be impossible to miss?
The only reasonable explanation for this would be “the day of Christ” is not His second coming, but something else. But what could it be because it speaks of “our gathering together to Him.”
>3-4 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Looking closer:
> Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first
Why doesn’t Paul just say “chill out dudes” every eye will see Christ when He returns? You didn’t miss anything, Christ’s return will be impossible to miss. I explained all of this to you when I was there (verse 5, Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?).
It is quite clear that Paul is not speaking of Christ’s second coming and the Thessalonians are troubled that they missed the day of Christ not the second coming, but what is this day of Christ?
This “the falling away” is the falling away of the church from Christ.
> and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
So this “day of Christ” can’t happen until after the church falls away and the son of perdition (aka Antichrist) is revealed.
Hey, I know, maybe this “day of Christ” speaks of when Christ gathers His Bride together to Him right before God pours His wrath upon sinful man.
Revelation 3 tells us:
>10 "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
The Greek word translated “from” means: out of, away from.
This “hour of trial” is what we call the Great Tribulation.
Christ promises to keep His Church, His Bride from (out of) the wrath of God that will be poured upon the entire world.
Also in Luke 21:34-36:
> "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.”For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to **escape** all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
The Greek word translated “escape” means: to flee out of, flee away
So this says: pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape (flee away or flee out of) “the face of the whole earth.”