2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 - Revealing His will

Scripture:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
NASU


Thoughts:

The Lord is so good to not leave us ignorant of His will.  Here He provided for us a rough timeline of events, so that the Thessalonians and we too, will not be deceived by any who falsely claim that Jesus has already returned to the earth for His second coming, and that the day of judgment -- "the day of the Lord" (verse 2) -- is upon us.

Some things that will occur before this final judgment are that apostasy will enter the Christian faith (verse 3a), the antichrist will be revealed (verse 3b), and he will demand that he be worshiped in the Jerusalem temple (verse 4).  There are differing opinions amongst the various viewpoints of prophecy as to precisely when these occur, but all can agree that until they do, the final day of judgment will not take place.  Not to mention that Jesus must also return physically from heaven as He had ascended, previously:

Acts 1:9-11
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."
NASU

How wonderful is our God, who does not want to leave us in fear and confusion!  On the grander scheme of prophecy, but also in the details of our lives.  He desires for us to know His will for us!  It is true that He may not reveal everything that we would wish to know as soon as we might want, but in His time and as we are ready, I've found He does make it known as He has said:

Psalm 32:8
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
NASU

Prayer:

I thank You Lord, that you want me to know Your will for me.  That You desire to lead me in the way that You have for me to go.

Help me to be attentive to Your voice, and patient as I wait for You to reveal Your direction for my life.  Thank You that You should have any concern whatsoever, for me -- what an amazing thought!

Amen

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.