Don't be Shaken

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 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. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (II Thessalonians 2:1-11)

We must first thrust away the Western and self centered  approach to interpretation and understanding of scripture concerning the current events of the world  before we can receive the true revelation of things said and done in a distant place and time with respect to true historical events and prophecy.   We must close the doors of speculation,  supposition and opinion to make room for inspiration. Galileo was persecuted and excommunicated from the Catholics because he deducted that the earth was not the center of the universe and that the earth revolved around the sun as the Greeks knew centuries earlier juxtapose to the Catholic’s  teachings .  And so Americans should not believe that they are the gift of YHWH to mankind and that there is what is perceived as American exceptionalism.   All things happen not by happenstance but by the will of YHWH.  Those who don’t believe and don’t walk according to the will of YHWH are subject to the prince of the power of the air and the spirits that exercise control over the disobedient.  We understand by the writings of Daniel  the Hebrew Prophet of the 6th century BC that there are regional spiritual powers and dominions.  Paul the Apostle simply says there are not only principalities but powers in high places, stating that we wrestle not with flesh and blood but spiritual wickedness.  There have been many demagogues  tyrants and wicked people who have been in leadership positions across the face of the world stage throughout the centuries since the beginning  of disobedience.  Politics, fame (as in populism) and the super wealthy are the most vulnerable, easily accessible and strongly used by the devil.   Each one had his own special kind of wickedness but all of them bare the same traits of cruelties because underneath the flesh and blood they are are guided by the same demons.  Just as when plagues occur and severe weather wreaks havoc on the populace of the planet many scream that it’s the end of the world,  tyrants arise on a global scale they scream he is the Antichrist.  Many think that #47 is the Antichrist, the son of perdition.   He has the same traits lacking one, he is a type of Antichrist.  He is an Antichrist but not The Antichrist. The Antichrist will have power, not as the carnal mind thinks,  political, economic or psychological influence, but as the text above says, “ Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (II Thessalonians 2:9) “.   The Antichrist will have power from the Devil to perform miracles. What is happening today is precursor for the end of days, the end of the times of the gentiles.  The Lord always warns his people, we have seen this show several times.  I am not saying relax, there is nothing to fear here but to be even more vigilant, prayerful and  preaching the word.  Yeshua could make his return at any time and we are to be happily prepared looking for his arrival.  We won’t be subject to the things that will happen when the son of perdition has his reign although it will be for a short period of time.

The events of those days and the days to come with the persistent continual existential presence of evil, lying and deceiving people who are in control of the government can cause mental stress and anguish.  It causes some people to fear and causes some people to lash out and fight back to name two responses.  In the text above Paul wrote to the Thessalonians encouraging them that YHWH will avenge the elect from their persecutors, exhorting them to not listen to fables, rumors,  false teachings and speculation. We should be careful about what we allow into our spirits through the mediums of our eyes and ears by filtering them with the spirit of truth and the word of Yeshua.  The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John says “  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (I John 4:1-3)”.   We ultimately want to keep our spirits fresh and untainted by what is going on around us by focusing on the word of truth.   In the context of the passage above, there was a rumor that  was spread that the rapture had already come while the Church was enduring hard trials, persecution and temptations.  Reading the text as it was transliterated from the Greek it reads “we ask  And you, brothers, by the presence of the Lord of us, Jesus Christ, and of us gathering together to Him, for not quickly to be shaken you from the mind, not be troubled, neither through spirit, nor through speech, not through epistle,as through us, as that is come the day of the Christ.  He then enlightens them of the events and the signs that will occur before the last days the man of perdition will appear although that there were several that have already appeared who had persecuted the Jews.

The Holy Spirit through Paul wants us to know that YHWH is with us, He knows our trouble.  That the righteous needn’t worry about the troubles of the day.  Where #47 or whoever the Antichrist is or what is going on in the world, YHWH will take care of the righteous. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. (Psalms 121:1-3)”.  We should keep in mind thesewords of David also and in the valley of the shadows of death  you should not fear. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (Psalms 23:4-6)”.