II Thessalonians chapter 2 begins with Paul, Silas and Timothy pleading with the bretheren (Christians) at Thessalonica to pay attention to what they were going to say about the Second Coming of Jesus and the gathering together (Rapture) of the church (verse 1).

They thought they needed to address these two issues because a false teacher had been circulating an inaccurate report in their name that was upsetting the church.

This unscrupulous person was not identified, but he or she was saying orally and in writing that Paul, Silas and Timothy were teaching that the day of the Lord or the Tribulation period (some texts say day of Christ, but they have a footnote that says day of the Lord) was about to start or that it had already started (verse 2).

Paul, Silas and Timothy were not teaching that the Tribulation period was near or that it had already started. But that is what a false teacher was wrongly telling others that they were saying.

Paul said, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (the day of the Lord or the Tribulation period) shall not come, except there come a falling away (Apostasia) first, and that man of sin (the Antichrist) be revealed, the son of perdition” (Verse 3).

Two things must happen before the Tribulation period can begin: 1) The Apostasia must start, and 2) The Antichrist must be revealed.

The Greek word (Apostasia) can mean “departure.” The first sevenEnglish translations of the Bible say a “departure” must come first. The eighth English translation (the King James Version) says a “falling away” must come first. Other translations say a “rebellion” must come first.

Here is the problem: Did Paul, Silas and Timothy say: 1) A “departure” from the earth (the Rapture) must come before the Tribulation period or 2) Did they say a “departure” from the faith (the falling away) must come before the Tribulation period or 3) or did they say a “rebellion” (against God) must come before the Tribulation period? Some writers have strongly held views on one or more of these interpretations, but this writer believes that all three could be true.

The Bible teaches that there will be the “departure” from the earth at the end of the age (the Rapture; I Thess. 4:13-18).

It teaches that there will be a “departure” from the faith at the end of the age (The falling away; I Tim. 4:1-3; II Tim. 3:1-5; II Tim. 4:3-4; Rev. 3:16). It teaches that there will be a rebellion against God at the end of the age (Matt. 24:37; Gen. 6:5).

And many will disagree, but this writer believes the Bible teaches that all of these things will take place before the Tribulation period (I Thess. 1:10; I Thess. 5:9; Rev. 3:10; Luke 21:36).

Jesus’ Parable of the Mustard Seed teaches that the kingdom of heaven will start out small, but it will become a monstrosity by the end of the age (Matt. 13:31-32). As the kingdom grows, God will add true believers and Satan will add make-believers.

God’s true believers will teach sound Bible doctrine and Satan’s false believers will teach unsound false doctrine. By the time the Tribulation Period is near the massive organized church will be a perch for multitudes of lost people.

Jesus’ Parable of the Leaven teaches that false doctrines (leaven or yeast) will be brought into the kingdom of heaven by Satan’s false church members (the woman, false bride) and it will be totally corrupted by the end of the Tribulation period (Matt. 13:33).

In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus warned the world about deception four times (Matt. 24:4-5, 11 and 24). He kept talking about the danger of deception because the falling away, departure from the faith, rebellion, false teaching, lukewarm spirit and corruption will be very strong by the time the Tribulation period arrives.

The president of the U.S. says America is no longer a Christian nation, and only a few religious leaders mention revival. The convergence of all the Second Coming signs is taking place but most of the Church doesn’t want to know about it. Christians are the most persecuted group on earth, but many church leaders and pastors are more concerned about not offending the Muslims than they are about the brutal slaughter of Christians in Muslim countries.

Wickedness (abortion, boiling and selling baby body parts, same-sex marriage, ordaining gays and divorce) is rampant. Christians are losing their rights every day (can’t pray at school, can’t say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag or have a Christmas program, etc.)

And the silence in the seminaries is deafening. The Pope appears to be more eager to push climate change, world government and a false world religion than he is to push repentance, salvation and right living.

This is the bottom line: The rebellion against God is great. It looks like the departure from the faith has arrived and the departure from the earth is drawing near. Let no one deceive you by any means. These are things that must happen before the arrival of the Antichrist.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck

According to the Bible there will be an increase in wickedness and violence on earth at the end of the age and that is exactly what is happening with abortion, school shootings, cop killings, Islamic terrorism and more (Matt. 24:31; Gen. 6:5; II Tim. 3:1-5).

The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the U.S. guarantees the right of American citizens to keep and bear arms. America’s founding fathers included that right in the Constitution. They did this so U.S. citizens could protect themselves from future corrupt governments, gangs, criminals and invaders who would harm them.

The root cause of America’s problem is sin. But Pres. Obama, many politicians, many celebrities, many in the mainstream media and many preachers choose to be willfully ignorant of this fundamental biblical truth.

Many respond to the increase in wickedness and violence by trying to disarm everyone except themselves.

These same anti-gun critics are very often protected by their gun-toting bodyguards. But other Americans should not be allowed to protect themselves and their families? This double-standard is part and parcel of the disconnected liberal mind. Gun control laws haven’t worked in Chicago, Ill. They didn’t work in San Bernardino, Cal. and they will never work. Sincere faith in Jesus is the only cure for the sin problem.

Many of America’s citizens know that there is widespread corruption in Washington. Many of America’s citizens are afraid of their dishonest government that has already used the IRS to target Christians and conservatives, used lawyers to explain away Islamic terrorism and refused to go to the aid of besieged American troops when they were under attack by Muslims in Benghazi.

Many of America’s citizens know that Islamic State leaders have promised more terrorist attacks in the U.S. The FBI says they are here and our pro-Muslim president wants to fly tens of thousands of other Muslims into this country without adequate background checks and without the ability to keep tabs on them. They know that he absolutely refuses to call someone a Muslim terrorist even though that person grows a beard, attends a Mosque and shouts Allahu Akbar when they kill.

Many of America’s citizens know that seriously religious Muslims go by the Koran. They know that the Koran teaches violence against non-Muslims (Sura 5:33, 8:59 and 9:5).

Many of America’s citizens have heard people like the disgraced ACLU leader in Colorado who said those who plan to vote for presidential candidate Donald Trump should be shot before they can vote (Google it).

Many of America’s citizens know that Pres. Obama is releasing Islamic terrorists at GITMO and some of them are returning to the battlefield to continue their bloodbath against non-Muslims.

Many of America’s citizens know that it is dangerous for them to be disarmed and to become totally dependent upon a corrupt, politically correct, pro-Islamic government to protect them. They know that Muslims are raping and killing Christians all over the Middle East including very young children, and President Barack Hussein Obama won’t lift a finger to help these innocent victims. They know that the saying “If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns” is a true.

Many of America’s citizens know that responsible citizens such as Judge Jeanine on Fox; Jerry Falwell, Jr. at Liberty University; Police Chief, James E. Craig at Detroit, Mich.; Sheriff Wayne Ivey at Brevard County, Fla.; Sheriff David Clarke, Jr. at Milwaukee, Wis., Sheriff Joe Arpaio at Maricopa County, Ariz. and many others are urging citizens to legally purchase guns, get training on how to use them and get a concealed carry permit.

Gun sales are going through the roof and this has been taking place on for a long time. Every speech that our pathetic, deceptive White House apologist for Islamic terrorism makes spreads fear and causes people to arm themselves.

This president and the sleazy front-running, politically correct female Democrat that wants to take his place have called upon Congress to approve legislation to deny citizens on the no-fly list the right to purchase guns.

What is wrong with that? Simply put, it is the nose of the camel under the edge of the tent. It places honest citizens in even greater danger. Unarmed citizens will be helpless against those who break the law. And if Hillary wins, our nation will have another unscrupulous president for many more years. God help us!

Even worse, since Pres. Obama took office the first time the number of names on the no-fly list has increased from 48,000 to more than 700,000. This number could be in the millions with one swipe of his famous law-breaking pen.

All Obama needs to do is to put good people who disagree with his warped ideology and agenda on the no-fly list (along with the dangerous suspected terrorists). In his mind, those who oppose him are the problem. This could include those who buy a pressure cooker, those who post something on facebook that is not politically correct, those who visit certain websites, those who purchase a cell phone, those who refuse to take a certain mark, and any others he wants to silence or attack

Our deceptive president has Muslims in the White House. He wants to take over the local police. He has troops practicing ways to eliminate local militants. He has a list of “Potential Domestic Terrorists” which includes evangelical Christians; members of the TEA Party; veterans; gun owners; people who oppose abortion, gay marriage, illegal immigration, Islamic terrorism, world government and more.

Should Christians be allowed to have guns to defend themselves?

No one can honestly deny that the Bible says that Jesus told His disciples to buy a sword and they bought two swords (Luke 22:36-38). No one can honestly deny that it says Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant when Jesus was arrested (Matt. 26:51). Jesus could have protected His disciples, but He was teaching them that honest people sometimes have to go armed to defend their selves and others.

Wake up America! The satanic government of Antichrist and his False Prophet will kill multitudes of disarmed citizens during the Tribulation period. What we do now could be paving the way for that and it could be some of our loved ones that get beheaded.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck