The Rapture and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

A key verse to the time of the rapture (harpadzo) referred to in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is found in Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians in verse 2:1-3. I teach that this event, the removal of the church, will occur before the beginning of Daniel's last "week" or the seven year tribulation. Friends of mine who attend one of my Bible studies hold to the mid-tribulation rapture that occurs at the 3 1/2 year mark or the half-way point of the tribulation. Still many others believe the church will continue on the earth through the entire seven year tribulation. This is an interesting study that has drawn good, Bible-believing Christians to the defense of any of these three positions of interpretation.

In 2 Thessalonians Paul writes to correct a mistaken understanding and application of his previous teaching. He writes:

"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction."

Several key phrases need to be correctly identified to keep Paul's comments in context. Again, the views Bible teachers have here will vary. These are some of the phrases:

1. "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him"
2. "easily unsettled or alarmed"
3. "the day of the Lord"
4. "the day of the Lord has already come"
5. "that day will not come until: A) the rebellion occurs, B) the man of lawlessness is revealed

Number 1 - "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" is his appearing to take the church and "our being gathered to him" is the rapture itself.

Number 2 - "easily unsettled or alarmed" is from the Greek words "εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοὸς μηδὲ θροεῖσθαι" and is translated in the NAS as "that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed" (notice the NIV translates the thought of the Greek but the NAS translates the words) . The key words "unsettled" means "to shake, to cause to move to and fro, to cause to waiver like the shaking of a foundation." This word "unsettled" is used beside the word "mind" in the Greek meaning the shaking is being done in their mind, the faculty for reasoning or understanding. This is followed by the word "alarmed" which in the Greek means "to be disturbed, to be frightened, to be inwardly aroused." The report the Thessalonians had accepted had not changed their outward circumstances (there was no increase in persecutions, plagues, or marks of the beast, etc.) but the trouble was on the inside caused by unwarranted fear of something that had not yet manifested.

Number 3 - "day of the Lord" is an Old Testament term for God's Day, or period (Daniel's 70th week) of judgment on the earth and Israel's testing.

Number 4 - "day of the Lord has already come" tells us what they were so unsettled and alarmed about in the mind and inward being. They were anticipating the tribulation and its accompanying events.

Number 5 - Paul says that day worthy of fear will not come until "the rebellion occurs" and "the man of lawlessness is revealed".

The Thessalonian believers wrongfully feared they had missed the rapture that occurs with the appearing of the Lord before the tribulation begins. The tribulation is a seven year period that includes judgment on the nations, but also, a time of testing for Israel in order to bring them to a place of repentance when God pours out on them "a spirit of grace and supplication" mentioned in Zechariah 12:10 (12:10-14:21).

This is the order of events presented in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3:

1. Coming of the Lord to gather the church (rapture)
   
2. "The Rebellion" and "revealing" of the anti-Christ
3. The period of judgment known as the Day of the Lord, the seven year tribulation

Watch and listen to Galyn's teaching on End Time Basics in RealPlayer:

• End Time Basics 1
• Daniel's Prophecy
• Daniel's Weeks; Matthew 24; Luke 21
• Rapture
• The First Half of the Tribulation
• The Second Half of the Tribulation

Or, listen online to these entire audio sets:

• Verse by verse through the book of Revelation
• Overview of Eschatology
  

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Book Details

I began in January of 2008 attempting to write and organize notes, thoughts and general information that I taught in our Generation Word's 50 week Bible School. During the next five months I found myself too busy with work, teaching Bible classes, following my boy's activities, updating the websites, etc. to make any progress on the book that I wanted to call "Generation Word's Bible School Notes."

But, when summer came I spent every possible minute between June 9 and August 12 writing and drawing maps for 61 chapters. The editing process began right away with many people reading through sections of the book. Tim Vaniman edited the portions that were turned in until sometime in October when we handed the book over to Clint Hansen to set the book for printing and add his illustrations.

Then over Thanksgiving break Jennifer Ruisch, Tim Vaniman and myself read through what Clint had put together. Today the final copy of the book was sent to the printer. The final page count was 550 pages.

When I asked about the shipping cost of the final product I was amazed to find out that the 3,000 books that will be delivered to my house for distribution will weigh over 6,500 pounds. So, sometime in the next 2-3 weeks we will be unloading 3 1/4 ton of "Framework for Christian Faith."

It has been called extensive by Steve Deace of WHO, comprehensive by Joe McGee of Faith for Families, a useful tool by Chuck Grassley of the United States Senate and a valuable reference tool by Mike Swaim, a leader of the men's Cross Trainers group.

I have dedicated this book to people who have spent years sitting in church but have never had the privilege of hearing teaching from the Word of God.

We have already had request from Pakistan, Finland, England, Australila, Nigeria, South Africa for this book. A church in Birmingham, Alabama is planning on using the book for developing Bible teachers and general Christian faith for their people.

We will start another weekly class in Urbandale, Iowa early in January to go through each of the 550 pages of what I call a textbook.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Combat Correspondent, LCPL. Wiemers, Justin

My son Zachary, age 15, was writing a paper for school about the Marines and was searching the web for infomation. What he found accidently was this article from the Quantico Sentry, the corps oldest newspaper, from Quantico, Virgina by his brother, Pfc. Justin Wiemers (age 25 and as of yesterday promoted to Lance Corporal). Justin is a combat correspondent for the Marines. The below articles were written by Justin and the photos were also taken by him:

http://www.dcmilitary.com/stories/111308/quanticosentry_28164.shtml
http://www.dcmilitary.com/stories/112608/quanticosentry_28159.shtml
http://www.dcmilitary.com/stories/112008/quanticosentry_28175.shtml

Justin will be continuing his training after Christmas in broadcasting with the United States Marines.

LCPL. Wiemers, Justin, Combat Correspondent

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Grandfather's World War I Helmet

This weekend I was with my Dad out on his farm. We were doing some light work and looking through some things.
Ever since I was a young boy back in the 1960's I was always mesmerized by the World War I helmet my Grandfather had brought back from France after serving as a medic on the front lines. The helmet had a bullet hole dent on the right side. Even today my mind wonders about the story behind the dent. Did it result in a head injury? Was it picked up off the battle field? Was it Grandpa's? Did he get it from an injured or dead soldier who was picked up and brought in for treatment? I know very little but that my Grandpa served in France as a medic. I don't remember him talking about it much. My Dad says that as a medic Grandpa would say that no matter what the soldiers came in for, if it was a sore throat or a missing leg, they all were rubbed down with iodine.

Dad sent Grandpa's World War I helmet with me this weekend. It is now proudly displayed in my living room by some 100-150 year old Bibles and a couple of 400 year old pages from a King James Bible and a Geneva Bible.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com/