“He is coming back, are you ready?”

Article for November 9, 2025

2 Thessalonians 2:1–2 1Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

We do not know when Jesus will appear again.  We should know that we must prepare ourselves for when Jesus does appear again.  There are many thinking they can make the coming of our Lord happen like the Promise Keepers thought over twenty years ago.  They thought if they made everyone know about Jesus that this would quicken Jesus’s timeline to come back.  Good that they spread God’s word, but wrong that they thought they could have some control of the when.

However, When Jesus comes again, we should not be alarmed by it.  Rather, those prepared through God’s word and teaching received from God’s word will celebrate in joy because Jesus will take us up to Him.  Jesus says we will not know the time or the day so let us put our faith to work learning God’s will for us through the salvation He has prepared for us.  So, in saying this, we should act as if the Lord’s second coming is now or tomorrow.  (Matthew 24:36-44)

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 3Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Lawlessness is approaching us fast and maybe has already come upon us.  Defund the police, declare war on ICE, stop the National Guard from coming into our cities, and declare war on true democracy.  Don’t take my word for it, listen to all the news stations, and decern for yourself what is truth, what is being reported and what is not being reported. 

Truly let no one deceive you, let us watch and prepare, maybe the rebellion is already upon us. Don’t like what I said?  Then find the truth and let the truth set you free.  Paul is writing to the followers of the way in Thessalonia.  He is telling them of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul tells those who follow the way to prepare. 

Rumors will fly and rumors will deceive; it is very important that we turn to the truth, for the truth will set us free.  That is the truth which is Jesus Christ our Lord who asks us to believe.  As Paul tells the Thessalonians to believe we too should believe in the inspired word of God.  Truth is that we do need to prepare as if this rebellion is happening now and Jesus Christ will appear in our life span here on earth.

2 Thessalonians 2:5–7a 5Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? 6And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.

Our cities all over the world are being overthrown by lawless people.  Many but not all are rebelling against what is right.  I’m not just talking about the rioters in our cities.  I’m talking about the attack on the word of God, the way of those thinking they are idols, and those who cheer on the idols they hope they, too, one day become to their selfish glory.

The mystery is staring us in the face.  How could people want to fall in line with these leaders of lawlessness.  What is causing this increase of lawlessness, and the declining of common sense?  Why are our churches being attacked, and why do some of our churches reject the word of God? 

The answer to the above paragraph lies within those being deceived, those who are turning their back on God.  Many have turned away from God and God’s word for a lie that tells them that sin is now acceptable.  The world listens to what it wants to hear rather than the truth of what we should listen to and hear for our learning and preparation.

2 Thessalonians 2:7b–8 Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming…

This should be comforting.  Jesus will kill the lawless one by His breath during if not on the day of His, (Jesus Christ), coming.  But how long will we have to endure the times until Jesus Christ returns, we do not know.  So, this is not the time to think it won’t happen in our lifetime.  Rather, this is the time when we should all prepare our spiritual armor so that we can endure and are ready when the lawless one comes.

2 Thessalonians 2:13–15 13But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

I suppose that we skipped ahead in this reading to make sure you receive the Gospel of salvation. (2 Thessalonians 2:8 to 2:13).  Sin is upon us and has been from the time of Adam and Eve, showing itself in the Garden of Eden and more so when Cain murdered his brother Able.  Jesus seems to us as if He is biding His time to save us.  Nonetheless, Jesus has saved at the time when they crucified Him on the cross. 

With the gospel in hand, we of faith in Jesus Christ will, by the help of God, stand firm.  With Jesus at our side and the Holy Spirit in our breath we will hold on to the tradition of worship, praise and thanks to our God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  We also should keep the tradition of studying God’s word as we read it and hear it.  (2 Timothy 3:16).  Or maybe start the tradition of studying God’s word.

2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 16Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Jesus died to give us mercy and rose from the dead to give us grace.  It is called forgiveness from the Most-High who gives us eternal life with Him so that we have the privilege to praise, thank, and worship our Savior whose glory comes from saving us from our sin.

Written by Pastor Curtis A. May.