Part IV of Identifying the False Prophet; the Predecessor of the Antichrist

Clarification of The Events Before and After the Revealing of the False Prophet

2 Thess 2:1  was the first verse of Part III Identifying the False Prophet; the Predecessor of the Antichrist.; Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him, WEB

Coming is the Greek word Parousia and there are many aspects of this Coming:

The 1st aspect of the Parousia is our gathering together to him. These 2 words are the one word episunagoge. Look at this word for a minute and you can see epi as in epicenter center and synagogue. Episunagoge means a complete collection, especially a Christian meeting. When Christians come together for a meeting it is usually called a Church, which is the equivalent of the synagogue for the Jewish meetings. Episunagoge comes from the word episunago, which means to gather together besides and in one place. 

The suffix of  these 2 Greek words is agoo, which means to lead by accompanying to or into a place or destination; to attach oneself to as an attendant.

Verse 3 tells us that the day of the LORD will not come until the “Departure” comes first! 2 Thess 2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the departure comes first, WEB. The word for departure is apostasia, apo, away from and stasia, to stand.

Apo NT:575 is used of local separation, after verbs of motion from a place (of departing, fleeing, removing, expelling, throwing, etc. Luke 22:41 2. used of the separation of apart from the whole; where of a whole some part is taken.* (Translating apostasia into apostasy is not translating at all, but is transliterating it into a similar English word. It is fraudulent and deceptive, as well as lazy).

The verb of motion in this verse that apostasia is used after is erchomai, “except there come.” This seals the deal. It means to come from one place into another! Metaphorically, of Christ’s invisible return from heaven.*

After the Gathering Together of the saints to Heaven (the Rapture) the 2nd aspect of the Parousia is the revealing, unveiling, or uncovering, apokalupto, of the False Prophet.

The 3rd aspect of the Parousia is the Great Tribulation.

The 4th is The Bema, the Judgement Seat of Christ, where all Christians will be either rewarded for what we did with what we had on earth: 2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. KJV

The 5th is the 2nd Coming of Christ with us, 2 Thess 1:7-10 when the Lord Jesus is revealed, apokalupto,  from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, giving vengeance to those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus, who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes to be glorified with his saints, and to be admired among all those who have believed (because our testimony to you was believed) in that day.WEB 1 Thess 3:13 at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. 

When Christ gathers us together, there is no apokalupto, no angels in flaming fire and none of God’s vengeance. At the Gathering Together no one sees Jesus coming in the clouds. Just look at the contrast here:

1 Thess 4:16-17
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. KJV Caught up is the word harpazoo which means to snatch out or away; proverbial, to rescue from the danger of destruction. You will also see that we meet Jesus in the air. It is customary in Eastern cultures that a host who is expecting company, go out to the edge of town to escort them back to their home. This is the same concept. Jesus does not come to earth.