⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of his coming. 그 때에 불법한 자가 나타나리니 주 예수께서 그 입의 기운으로 저를 죽이시고 강림하여 나타나심으로 폐하시리라

When the Antichrist finally appears and is identified, his time will only be short because Christ will quickly return and destroy him for good.[1]  

⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 악한 자의 임함은 사단의 역사를 따라 모든 능력과 표적과 거짓 기적과

‘Coming (parousia)’, literally meaning ‘personal presence’, usually refers to the second coming of Christ in the NT. 20 out of all 24 occurrences are related to Christ’s return. This is the only place where parousia is used in conjunction with the evil one. This is in contrasted to the ‘coming’ of the Christ in the previous verse. But also to emphasise the deceiving nature of the evil one (v.9,10) and its acting as if it is God (v.4). The counterfeit trinity’s mimicking of God is well depicted in Revelation 12, 13.

¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 불의의 모든 속임으로 멸망하는 자들에게 임하리니 이는 저희가 진리의 사랑을 받지 아니하여 구원함을 얻지 못함이니라

‘The love of the truth’ and ‘signs and wonders that serve the lie’ (v.9) are in contrast. Those who reject the truth do not end there but go on to choose the lie. Think of the previous argument that salvation is not the result of choosing the truth, but the other way round: our sticking to what is right is the manifestation of God confirming us that we are his children worthy of him and his kingdom (1:4,5). Then in line with this, the fact that the perishing ones choose the lie has to be a manifestation that they will not be proven worthy of God in the last day!

¹¹ For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 이러므로 하나님이 유혹을 저의 가운데 역사하게 하사 거짓 것을 믿게 하심은

Then we have to think carefully here. What would be the purpose of writing this out? To make the Thessalonians feel superior to those who will be doomed in the end? Possible. But it is most likely that Paul is cheering them to stay in faith despite the seeming discrepancy between the state of their life now and what is promised in the future.

¹² and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. 진리를 믿지 않고 불의를 좋아하는 모든 자로 심판을 받게 하려 하심이니라

Then, Paul’s argument for the other side should serve the same purpose. To reaffirm that they, the Thessalonian believers, do not belong to that side! With those who are not considered worthy by the Father in the end. Who they are is none of our business now, but do not act or think as if you belong with them! Those who perish, whoever they are, will not only reject truth but delight in wickedness. Do not envy their delight in wickedness therefore! It might look more fun but it is only the manifestation of their perishing, to which you do not belong! Paul almost makes the voice of God audible, “Come out of her, my people!” (Rev 18:4; Jer 51:45).

Lord sometimes we do not want to think about the future but only live for today, for what’s immediately before our eyes. What is the use or the benefit of thinking about the future or even in Christ’s coming back when things right before us are heaped so high like a mountain? We have no time or room to think of your revisiting us. We are not interested in your parousia to be honest Lord. Nevertheless, despite our shortsightedness, let us acknowledge our living in faith, scarcely surviving in it, is all owed to your coming back, and your announcing us as your children. Let us know even at least that. Lord you are great and we are small. Even if we live in this world you look at us separately. Let us lean on your sight and decision, because you are good, you are mighty, and you love us. In your unchanging name. Amen.    

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[1] Blomberg, Craig L., and Darlene M. Seal. From Pentecost to Patmos, New Testament Introduction and Survey Volume 2,. London: APOLLOS, 2021, 228

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Image: The Ascension, Philips Wouwerman [public domain]