Stephen Averitt Eschatology Responses

In 2 Thessalonians, there is much mentioned pertaining to eschatology. The foremost important idea is that Jesus will come back one day (1:7,10). Accompanying this day will be judgement “on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (1:. Their punishment is eternal separation from God, called ‘eternal destruction’ (1:9). On the day that Jesus comes, He will be glorified in his saints. This is the reason for which Paul so fervently prays for the Thessalonians: “so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in [them], and [them] in him” (1:12), and that they would be prepared for ‘the day of the Lord’ (2:2).

The other focal point for Paul in this epistle concerns when the day of the Lord will come. He states that it “will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed ... [who proclaims] himself to be God (2:3-4). There surely is debate over what the ‘rebellion’ is, as well as the identity of ‘the man of lawlessness’. I have always heard him called the antichrist. Regardless of identity, we know that he comes “by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders” (2:9). The end of the story, however, is that Jesus will kill this worker of the enemy “with the breath of his mouth and … by the appearance of his coming” (2:.


What view of the millennium do you find the most persuasive and why?

I find the premillennial view most persuasive. First, this is the view that I was raised with, so it is easier to see the validity of this view and the holes in other views. I do not believe that we are currently living in the millennial reign of Christ. I find it difficult to interpret how those who did not receive the mark of the beast “came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years the mark of the beast in Revelation 20:4. Since I do not see this around me, it is difficult to believe anything different.
On the affirming side, I believe Revelation 20 is very clear about a clear order of events. I think it would be easy to read it literally (including a millennium being 1000 years). As such, the premillennial view is the one that lines up the most. I need to do further study to decide what I believe about the tribulation, but I do believe that Jesus will come back before the Millennium, and He will reign on earth for 1000 years.

I enjoyed reading your post! I liked what you quoted in 2 Thessalonians where it talks about the day of the Lord. It gives me a better understanding of what the day of the Lord will look like when it comes specifically in the area of judgement. It is consistent with the Gospel, specifically in John 15 and Matthew 7 with the separation of those who are near and apart from God. To me, this helps me understand the mission and heart of God better. That it is His will and desire to reconcile His people to Himself. But that He is also a righteous and just God who is a King that will judge and reign supremely in the coming age. It is a humbling and powerful message to grasp and understand.