Defenders of Biblical Dispensational Premillennialism in the 21st Century - THE “DEPARTURE” IN 2 THESSALONIANS 2:3 Toms Perspectives by Thomas Ice Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy [departure] comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, —2 Thessalonians 2:3 In March 2004 I wrote a Pre-Trib Perspectives1 about why I believe the Greek word apostasia was mistranslated in the King James Version as “a falling away” and the New American Standard Bible as “the apostasy.” Instead, the most accurate and therefore the best translation should be “the departure.” Greek scholar and theologian H. Wayne House says, “I have sought to demonstrate that the departure of the church may be the proper understanding found in the Greek word apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.”2 My colleague at the Pre-Trib Research Center, Tim LaHaye says, “I have come to the conclusion that the weight of evidence favors ‘departing’ as the proper translation of apostasia in the original text, not ‘apostasy’ or ‘falling away’ or ‘rebellion.’”3 I will be revisiting this issue in this article. I now want to revisit this matter and provide further information that has strengthened my belief that this passage is teaching a pre-trib rapture. REVIEW: It was noted in my previous article that the best translation for the Greek word apostasia is “depart” or “departure.” Gordon Lewis summarizes the usage as follows: The verb is used fifteen times in the New Testament. Of these fifteen, only three have anything to do with a departure from the faith (Luke 8:13; 1 Tim. 4:1; Heb 3:12). The word is used for departing from iniquity (2 Tim. 2:19), from ungodly men (1 Tim. 6:5), from the temple (Luke 2:27), from the body (2 Cor. 12:8), and from persons (Acts 12:10; Luke 4:13).4 The mother of all Greek lexicons, Liddell and Scott, defines apostasia first as “defection, revolt;” then secondly as “departure, disappearance.”5 Paul Lee Tan notes, “The definite article ‘the’ denotes that this will be a definite event, . . . Paul refers here to a definite event which he calls ‘the departure,’ and which will occur just before the start of the tribulation. This is the rapture of the church.”6 The use of the article in this context is meant to denote a one-time event, which the rapture fits into. It is hard to think of how the process of apostasy at the end of the church age could be viewed by believers around the world as an identifiable, one-time event. However, this would not be a problem if that event were the rapture. Further, how could an apostasy be a sign to the church since many New Testament Epistles warn about apostasy in the first century and Jude said it has arrived in his day (Jude 3–4). Apostasy is a moving target while the Rapture will be a clear event. TRANSLATION HISTORY The first seven English translations of apostasia all rendered the noun as either “departure” or “departing.” They are as follows: Wycliffe Bible (1384); Tyndale Bible (1526); Coverdale Bible (1535); Cranmer Bible (1539); Breeches Bible (1576); Beza Bible (1583); Geneva Bible (1608).7 This supports the notion that the word truly means “departure.” In fact, Jerome’s Latin translation known as the Vulgate from around the time of A.D. 400 renders apostasia with the “word discessio, meaning ‘departure.’”8 Why was the King James Version the first to depart from the established translation of “departure”? Most scholars say that no one knows the reason for the translation shift. However, a plausible theory has been put forth by Martin Butalla in his Master of Theology thesis produced at Dallas Theology Seminary in 1998.9 It appears that the Catholic translation into English from Jerome’s Latin Vulgate known as the Rheims Bible (1576) was the first to break the translation trend. “Apostasia was revised from ‘the departure’ to ‘the Protestant Revolt,’” explains Butalla. “Revolution is the terminology still in use today when Catholicism teaches the history of the Protestant Reformation. Under this guise, apostasia would refer to a departure of Protestants from the Catholic Church.”10 The Catholic translators appear eager to engage in polemics against the Reformation by even allowing it to impact Bible translation. By 1611, when then original version of the King James Bible came out, the translators changed the English translation tradition from “departure” to “falling away,” which implied “apostasy.” Such a change was a theological response to the Catholic notion that the Reformation was a revolt against the true church; instead, Protestants saw Catholic beliefs as “the falling away” or “the great apostasy. This would mean that the shift in translation was not based upon research of the meaning of the original language but as a theological polemic against the false teachings of Romanism. It is well established that E. Schuyler English is thought to be the first pretribulationist to propose that “the departure” in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 was a physical departure and thus a reference to the pre-trib rapture. However, history records that at least a couple of men thought of this idea before English’s series of article in 1950.11 J. S. Mabie is said to have presented the view that “the departure” refers to the rapture as early as 1859 during a prophecy conference in Los Angeles.12 He later wrote his view in an article published in November 1895 in a periodical called Morning Star.13 Another pre-English proponent of “the departure” as the rapture was John R. Rice in a book in 1945.14 LITERARY STRUCTURE In addition to the many reasons already cited for why apostasia should be translated as “the departure” and understood as a reference to the rapture of the Church before the day of the Lord, I should not forget to mention that the literary structure of the passage also supports the rapture view. It appears that Paul later in 2 Thessalonians 2:6–8 repeats the same two events mentioned in 2:3, thus supporting the rapture view for verse 3. Both events are stated twice in the passage: first, “the departure” (rapture) and “the revelation of the man of sin” (verse 3), and second, the restrainer (Holy Spirit) “is taken out of the way” (rapture) and “that lawless one will be revealed” (verses 7–8). If “the departure” is some form of apostasy then the parallelism is broken. Whatever Paul was saying in verse 3 is reiterated in verses 6–8. This literary construction is another factor that tips the scale in favor of seeing “departure” in verse 3 as the pre-trib rapture event. The apparent reason why these two events are repeated twice is for the purpose of expounding in verses 7–8 upon the introductory statement in verse 3. Gordon Lewis notes: In this passage we have this progression of thought. Before the outpouring of divine wrath will be “the departure” and then the revelation of the antichrist (2 Thess 2:3–4). But before the antichrist will be revealed the restrainer must be removed (2 Thess 2:6–12). With this understanding, then, the departure (2 Thess 2:3) is synonymous with the removal of the restrainer (2 Thess 2:7).15 We see the paralleling of “the departure” with the departure of the restrainer (Holy Spirit). Since most pretribulationists believe the departure of the restrainer is the Holy Spirit and is an argument for pretribulationism, it would make sense that they should be more open to “the departure” as a reference to the pre-trib rapture. CONCLUSION Critics of pretribulationism contend that if the rapture before the tribulation is taught in the New Testament, then where is it clearly taught. I believe that other passages teach it as well, however, 2 Thessalonians 2 teaches that the rapture must occur before the day of the Lord (i.e., the tribulation). The purpose of Paul’s writing to the Thessalonian believers in his second epistle was to comfort them in light of a false teaching that they were in the tribulation (2 Thess 2:2). If apostasia refers to a departure from the faith before the tribulation, then how is that a comfort? However, if the departure is the rapture, then there is a comfort since they will be rescued and taken to heaven to be with the Lord before the coming wrath of the tribulation. Also, if this passage does not refer apostasia to the rapture, then imminency is lost because they would be looking for a great apostasy rather (than) Christ. Maranatha! READ MORE: http://www.pre-trib.org/data/pdf/Ice-TheDeparturein2Thess.pdf From Pre-Trib Articles: http://www.pre-trib.org/articles/ ~~~~~~~ Dr. Thomas Ice refers to this article in the one above: The Rapture in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Dr. Thomas Ice http://www.pre-trib.org/articles/view/rapture-in-2-thessalonians-23 ~~~~~~~ Is the Rapture Found in 2 Thessalonians 2:3? H. Wayne House, M.A., Th.D., J.D. Distinguished Research Professor of Theology, Law and Culture Faith Evangelical Seminary The letters of Paul to the Thessalonian church were written early in his ministry (ca A.D. 51-52) to the new believers of Macedonia. These Christians eagerly accepted the teaching that Paul gave to them in the short time he was with them, but no sooner had Paul left than persons came into their midst who perverted the apostle’s teaching. In regards to the coming of Christ for Christians, Paul apparently taught that they should be diligent in looking for Christ to come (1 Thess 4-5). Unfortunately, however, someone argued that Jesus had already returned. This puzzled the believers due to the fact that they had not been taken in the “rapture” (1 Thess 4:13). Now Paul wanted to provide additional evidence to assure them that Jesus had not returned and proof that this was so. I. How Biblical Scholars Have Understood Apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Biblical scholars have understood the word Greek word apostasia (translated “falling away” in the KJV) in four different ways. How one understands this Greek word may impact how one sees the return of Jesus. Let us examine the different interpretations below. Apostasia Refers to the Man of Sin This interpretation says that the word apostasy refers to the “man of sin” in verse three (what scholars call apposition). This was a common understanding in the first few centuries of the church, but few hold it today. The church father Augustine said, “No one can doubt that he [Paul] wrote this of Antichrist and of the day of judgment, which he here calls the day of the Lord, nor that he declared that this day should not come unless he first came who is called the apostate —apostate, to wit, from the Lord God.”1 Apostasia Refers to “Falling Away” from the Faith A second view is that adopted by the King James Version (Authorized Version) of the Bible, namely, “falling away.” Under this view, apostasy speaks of a falling away or defection from the faith. 2 When this occurs, the Antichrist (man of sin) will arise, showing signs and wonders. This view seems to originate with the translation of the King James Version in 1611, but it is popular today. However, there is not a consistency regarding who will actually fall away. Does it refer to the church, to Jews during the Tribulation, or to non-Christians? Let us look at examples of those who hold to each view. Professing Church Theologian Charles Ryrie believes that the “apostasy” in 2 Thess 2:3 speaks of a future falling away of those within the professing church who never truly believed in Jesus, and believes that this view is found in Rev 17 and 2 Tim 3:1.3 Jews during the Tribulation The second interpretation asserts that Jews who reject God during the tribulation are in view in the passage. Martin Rosenthal has argued that even as the word is used in the New Testament when Paul was opposed by Jews (e.g. Acts 21:21), so this will be how Jews will act during the tribulation. He says that they will “totally abandon the God of their fathers and their messianic hope in favor of a false religion (humanism) and a false messiah (the Antichrist, 2 Thess. 2:2-12).”4 Non-Christians Some have also viewed the “falling away” as referring to non-Christians as a whole. Hogg and Vine, as well as Chafer, believed that the term referred to the way in which unsaved humanity failed to embrace the truth of God found in the Gospel after the Church has been removed from the earth.5 Apostasia Refers to a Revolt or Rebellion Against God Understanding apostasia as revolt or rebellion stands in strong contrast to the former “falling away.” The latter implies a defection from the faith or from God, while the former speaks of a forceful or violent rejection of God. A. L. Moore explains this view: [T]he rebellion comes first: here Paul uses imagery drawn probably from Daniel 11:36 (and cf. Isa. 14:13ff; Ezek. 28:2). Rebellion, apostasia, could refer to political apostasy or military revolt in classical Greek, but in the LXX [Greek OT] it denotes religious rebellion against God (cf. Jos. 22:22; Jer. 2:19). . . . The thought is, we suggest, that when the moment comes for Christ to appear in glory and for all that rebels against God to be unmasked and cast out, the forces of evil will arise as never before in a last desperate effort against God.6 Rather than a defection from the faith, or failure to embrace the Gospel, the majority of scholars probably hold to this option, believing the word expresses deliberate opposition against God and/or His people,7 and even may be a revolt against public order or government.8 This disorder would set the stage for the rise of a person who would bring back order, known as the Antichrist. Apostasia as the Rapture The final view is certainly held by a minority today but that apostasy may refer to the departure of the church has been embraced by a number of scholars, including E. Schuyler English, Stanley Ellisen, Gordon Lewis, and Kenneth Wuest. Since the view is rarely considered an option by commentators, it becomes incumbent upon those who hold such a view to make a vigorous defense. Whether or not apostasia may mean rapture does not rely only upon the meaning of the term in Greek, but whether the idea of defection or revolt in the end times is found as an event in Paul’s teaching, as well as the likely meaning of the word in the immediate context of the letter to the Thessalonians. Regarding this first consideration, the nature of the idea of defection or revolt in Paul’s teaching, Ellisen captures the likely scenario: At the risk of being out of step with most commentaries on the subject, may we suggest the greater acceptability of an alternate view: the evidence for a great singular defection from the faith, occurring just prior to the rapture or to the day of the Lord, is really based on questionable ground. In the first reference generally appealed to (1 Tim. 4), Paul does speak of an apostasy from the faith, but not as a unique end-time event. Rather, he described it as a trend or movement that was already present. This he characterized as erroneous doctrine, hypocritical living, and improper legalism. In using the term here, he qualified it with the phrase ‘from the faith.’ By itself it meant simply ‘departure.’ In the second reference to defection, 2 Timothy 3:1ff., Paul does not use the term apostasy, but merely speaks of evil men in general in the latter times. His point here is that evil men will become more and more depraved as the age wears on (2 Timothy 3:13). Thus this passage has no real relation to apostasy from the faith and certain does not warn of some specific final defection that will precede the rapture or introduce the day of the Lord.9 The remainder of the chapter will be given to the meaning of the technical term apostasy and what best meaning fits its usage in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. READ MORE: Is the Rapture Found in 2 Thessalonians 2:3? http://www.pre-trib.org/data/pdf/House-ADefenseoftheRapture.pdf ~~~~~~~ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 2:3 falling away. The “falling away” (Greek apostasia) has commonly been transliterated as “the apostasy” (the definite article in the Greek indicates Paul had already told them about it), and then assumed to apply to the final great religious apostasy at the end of the age. The context, however, as well as the etymology of the word itself, makes this interpretation unlikely. In this precise form it is used nowhere else in the New Testament, so its meaning must be defined by its context here. It is derived from two Greek words, apo (meaning “away from”) and stasis (meaning “standing”). It thus could properly be rendered “standing away” instead of “falling away.” In Paul’s previous letter, he had made no reference whatever to a coming departure from the faith, but he had discussed at length a coming departure from the earth by all believers, when Christ returns to meet them in the air (I Thessalonians 4:13-18). Thus this “standing away from,” in context, seems to refer to all the raptured believers standing away from the earth, as they stand before their returning Lord when they meet Him in the heavens. Paul here is simply reminding them that the “sudden destruction” that would come upon unbelievers when “the day of the Lord” begins could not happen until the rapture—“the standing-away” from the earth before Christ (note Romans 14:10)—had taken place. The entire context, before and after, fits this understanding of the text better than the idea of the apostasy from the faith. Over the 1950 years since Paul wrote these lines, there have been numerous great apostasies form the faith, and none of these introduced the day of the Lord, although persecuted believers in each case might easily have so interpreted them. http://www.icr.org/books/defenders/8028 ~~~~~~~ 4. Clarifying the confusion of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 (passages used by post-tribulationists): Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Dont let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 2 Thess. 2:1-3 Post-tribulationists argue that Paul said in those verses that the coming of the Lord and our being gathered to him would not happen until after the man of lawlessness was revealed. That disqualifies the verse to mean a pre-tribulation rapture, so the passage must be about the Second Coming. Did Paul really say that? Not according to the text. Remember, there are already many believers in heaven from times past, since we know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Keeping the verses in context, notice Paul emphasizes at the onset (verse 1) that he is speaking of the Coming of Jesus and our gathering (Greek: episynagoge; also 1 Cor. 14:26, Hebrews 10:25 — a convergence, coming together, assembling) to Him. A close examination of the passages immediately following verse 2 is very important so the intended meaning is not taken out of context, exactly what post-tribulationists have done. Paul is simply stating the order of events. We must first depart before we are gathered to Him! For example, take a look at the word rebellion in the verses above, ...until the rebellion occurs. The word rebellion (or falling away) is an English translation of the Greek word apostasia. What if the word rebellion was not the most correct English translation of that word? The Greek translation of the word apostasia here is a reference to a physical departure or removal, not a falling away or rebellion. Lets look at the word apostasia as departure in the entire context of verses 3-8 that now make sense together: 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the departure comes first and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed, the son of destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, and as a result he takes his seat in Gods temple, displaying himself as God. 5 Surely you recall that I used to tell you these things while I was still with you. 6 And so you know what holds him back, so that he will be revealed in his own time. 7 For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work. However, the one who holds him back will do so until he is taken out of the way, 8 and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy by the breath of his mouth and wipe out by the manifestation of his arrival. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8 Verses 3-5 above provide a description of the order of events: 1. The departure (removal) of the Church 2. The revealing of the Antichrist 3. The Antichrist presents himself as God And then again in verses 6-8: 1. The Holy Spirit (via the Church) is holding the Antichrist back, though he is still at work now 2. He is to be revealed in the right time 3. The One who holds him back (the Holy Spirit/Church) is taken out of the way (departure) 4. The lawless one (Antichrist) is revealed 5. The Lord returns to destroy the Antichrist (Second Coming) When using the word departure or removal in verse 3 above, the subsequent verses coincide and restate the same events. We have three similar statements on the removal of the Church first, and then the revealing of the Antichrist. Even so, we can turn to modern Greek scholars who can give us a clearer understanding as new advances in language and etymology studies often reveal: We should be intrigued by those Greek scholars who have looked at the etymology of the word apostasia as it relates to the Greeks and the Jews. The recent English translation of the word has generally been accepted as a falling away. Apostasia is most theologically debated when referring to 2 Thess 2:3, specifically noting events that must precede the Day of the Lord (Second Coming). In that passage there are at least four views on the meaning of apostasia: (1) a designation for the Man of Sin (Chrysostom, Theophylact, Augustine, Alford, Moffatt); (2) the religious apostasy that will precede the Second Coming of Christ (Calvin, Chafer, Walvoord, Ryrie, Gundry); (3) the religious-political rebellion against Christ that will culminate in the Battle of Armageddon (Hogg, Vine, Moore, Morris, Bruce); and (4) the rapture of the Church, in the sense of physical departure from the earth (English, Wuest, House, Ice). What is important to know is who were Pauls listeners and what they understood by the term apostasia. Acts 17 says that Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica where there was a synagogue of the Jews. We know Paul reasoned with them from the Scriptures, and some of them believed and joined themselves to Paul and Silas, and there were a great multitude of the devout Greeks. These Thessalonians, both Jews and Greeks who went to the synagogue, were well exposed to the Old Testament which they would be familiar, and would have regarded apostasia to mean Jewish religious departure, defection, abandonment, forsaking, or a complete exit from the faith (not just a falling away). The expression or meaning of the word was more than a falling away; rather it was a removal or departure. According to Dr. Thomas Ice, that meaning is correctly given in the first seven English translations of the Bible where apostasia is translated as either departure or departing. They are as follows: Wycliffe Bible (1384); Tyndale Bible (1526); Coverdale Bible (1535); Cranmer Bible (1539); Breeches Bible (1576); Beza Bible (1583); Geneva Bible (1608). Dr. Ice notes apostasia appears just twice in the New Testament. In addition to 2 Thess. 2:3, it occurs in Acts 21:21, where, speaking of Paul, it is said that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake (apostasia) Moses. The core meaning of the word in that verse is defection or departure. The Lidell and Scott Greek Lexicon defines apostasia first as a defection or revolt, then secondly as departure or disappearance. When considering the context of the surrounding passages of 2 Thess. 2:3-8, we can see the word apostasia truly means departure or disappearance. More evidence is given by Jeromes Latin Vulgate from around the time of 400 A.D. which renders apostasia as discessio, meaning departure. Why was the King James Version the first to change the established translation of departure? There is no reason, other than reformation scholars of the time were attempting to transliterate (applying a certain meaning), which unfortunately continued in all following English translations. Dr. Allan A. MacRae, Ph.D., a noted Greek scholar and translator, and former president of theology schools, speaks of the striking parallel between verse 3 of 2 Thess 2, and verses 7-8. Verse 3 mentions the departure of the Church as coming first, and then tells of the revealing of the man of lawlessness. In verses 7 and 8 we find the identical sequence. Verse 7 tells of the removal of the Church; verse 8 says: And then shall that lawless one be revealed. Thus close examination of the passage shows an inner unity and coherence, if we take the word apostasia in its general sense of departure, while a superficial examination would easily lead to an erroneous interpretation as falling away because of the proximity of the mention of the man of sin. Dr. Kenneth S. Wuest, LL. D., (Doctor of Laws), also a noted Greek scholar, New Testament translator, Greek word-study author and professor, adds further contextual support for taking apostasia as a physical departure. He notes apostasia of which Paul is speaking (verse 3), precedes the revelation of Antichrist in his true identity, and that which holds him back (verse 6) also precedes his revelation. The apostasia, therefore, cannot be either a general apostasy in Christendom, nor can it be the particular apostasy which is the result of his activities in making himself the alone object of worship. Furthermore, that which holds back his revelation (verse 3) is vitally connected with verse 7, He who holds back the same event. Dr. Wuest is driven to the inescapable conclusion that the apostasia in verse 3 refers to the removal of the Church which precedes the Day of the Lord (Second Coming), and holds back the revelation of the Man of Sin who ushers in the world-aspect of that period. The English word departure certainly fits the conext (or coherency) of 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8. Most post-tribulationist theologians refuse to address the entire context as it is given, and thus insist the lexical evidence does not suggest a physical departure. But that is exactly what the lexical evidence does suggest. Dismissing the obvious coherence in those passages would be simple ignorance or a stubborn refusal to consider the Scriptural evidence. Remember, if we take a word out of context and apply a dissimilar meaning, we have then created a new pre-text. Likely that happened in the translation in the King James and later versions. http://www.soundchristian.com/prophecy/ ~~~~~~~ The Greek term rendered “falling away” is the noun ἀποστασία [apostasia] rendered by more recent translations as “falling away” (KJV, NKJV), “rebellion” (ESV, NIV, NET), and “apostasy” (NASU, HCSB). Some early translations, however, rendered it as “departure,” although a physical departure was not necessarily in view. But, a physical departure could be the meaning Paul intended within this passage. This is what Thomas Ice, and others, have argued: The first seven English translations of apostasia all rendered the noun as either “departure” or “departing.” They are as follows: Wycliffe Bible (1384); Tyndale Bible (1526); Coverdale Bible (1535); Cranmer Bible (1539); Breeches Bible (1576); Beza Bible (1583); Geneva Bible (1608). This supports the notion that the word truly means “departure.” In fact, Jeromes Latin translation, known as the Vulgate from around the time of A.D. 400, renders apostasia with the word discessia, meaning ‘departure.’ Why was the King James Version the first to depart from the established translation of “departure”? Theodore Beza, the Swiss reformer was the first to translate apostasia and create a new word, rather than translate it as others had done. The translators of the King James Version were the first to introduce the new rendering of apostasia as “falling away.” Most English translators have followed the KJV and Beza in departing from translating apostasia as “departure.” No good reason was ever given. . . . Kenneth Wuest, a Greek scholar from Moody Bible Institute, added the following contextual support to taking apostasia as a physical departure: “But the hee apostasia of which Paul is speaking precedes the revelation of Antichrist in his true identity, and is to katechon—that which holds back his revelation (2Th. 2:6). The hee apostasia, therefore, cannot be either a general apostasy in Christendom which does precede the coming of Antichrist, nor can it be the particular apostasy which is the result of his activities in making himself the alone object of worship. Furthermore, that which holds back his revelation (2Th. 2:3) is vitally connected with hoo katechoon (2Th. 2:7), He who holds back the same event. The latter is, in my opinion, the Holy Spirit and His activities in the Church. All of which means that I am driven to the inescapable conclusion that the hee apostasia (2Th. 2:3) refers to the Rapture of the Church which precedes the Day of the Lord, and holds back the revelation of the Man of Sin who ushers in the world-aspect of that period.”7 For additional background on why Dr. Ice and others believe this to be a better understanding of what Paul intended than spiritual apostasy, see his article, The “Departure” in 2 Thessalonians 2:3a. My own view is that Paul may have had the physical departure of the Church in view. Most arguments Ive seen against this possibility seem to be motivated more by an opposition to the concept of a pretribulational Rapture than convincing analysis of the Greek term or context. READ MORE: http://www.spiritandtruth.org/questions/262.htm?x=x ~~~~~~~ The Return: Understanding Christs Second Coming and the End Times edited by Thomas Ice, Timothy J. Demy Pages 154-155: https://books.google.com/books?id=GzD0lnwncsYCpg=PA154lpg=PA154dq=apostasia%202%20thessalonians%202%203%20departure%20rapturesource=blots=yJZc4AQ91isig=uUdHqxzVIPRIFp5RorNaOMHoaD4hl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwj_2r_529rTAhXqy4MKHdY-DCY4MhDoAQgkMAE#v=onepageq=apostasia%202%20thessalonians%202%203%20departure%20rapturef=false ~~~~~~~ The great and the terrible day of the Lord (Joel 2:31) will not come prior to the rapture and the subsequent revelation of Antichrist. That awful period of judgement will be preceded by a great falling away (2 Thes. 2:3). This Greek term (apostasia) literally means to depart. When the truth departs, the lie prevails. When Christians depart at the rapture, spiritual darkness will prevail on earth. READ MORE: The Rapture Prof. Johan S. Malan http://www.ltradio.org/articles/?admin=linktolink=35 (or) http://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engarticles/Rapture.htm ~~~~~~~ [When you personally sit down and go through the entire study in context, and the related usage of the noun and verb forms of the word in question, in scripture, you own your understanding. Jim McClarty was the first one to help me take a good look at this. It is well worth listening to this!] Video playlist: Apostasia vs Departure Jim McClarty of GCA [3of5] Jim McClarty https://youtu.be/XeHPMil-o_w?list=PL17131FEBAB71BBC3 ~~~~~~~ Is the Rapture in 2 Thessalonians 2:3? Dr. J. B. Hixson http://www.bibleprophecyblog.com/2014/11/is-rapture-in-2-thessalonians-23.html ~~~~~~~ Departure (Greek apostasia): Rapture or Leaving The Faith? 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Complied By Dr. Gary M. Gulan, ©1986, (rev. 07) http://www.beyondthepulpit.org/articles/bible-book-of-2-thessalonians/73-2-thessalonians-2-3-falling-away/file (or) http://docplayer.net/39190395-Departure-greek-apostasia-rapture-or-leaving-the-faith-2-thessalonians-2-3-complied-by-dr-gary-m-gulan-1986-rev-07.html ~~~~~~~ Not Apostasy, but Rapture! Dr. Steven Hayes http://www.bibleprophecyblog.com/2017/05/not-apostasy-but-rapture.html ~~~~~~~ 2 Thessalonians 2:3: Can the Rapture be found in this passage? By Dr. David R. Reagan http://christinprophecy.org/articles/2-thessalonians-2-3/ ~~~~~~~ QUESTION: What does except there come a falling away first in 2 Thess. 2:3 mean? http://www.biblefood.com/apostasia.html ~~~~~~~ The Use of Apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 by G. Harry Leafe, Th.M., D.Min. http://www.scriptel.org/theological%20essays/apostasia%20in%202%20thessalonians%202.pdf ~~~~~~~ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 - apostasia: falling away (KJV) or departure? https://www.baptistboard.com/threads/2-thessalonians-2-3-apostasia-falling-away-kjv-or-departure.98738/ ~~~~~~~ The Rapture In 2 Thessalonians 2:1–10 MYRON J. HOUGHTON, PH.D. https://www.faith.edu/2002/04/the-rapture-in-2-thessalonians-21-10/ ~~~~~~~ The Promise of the Rapture in Thessalonians Prof. Johan Malan, Mossel Bay, South Africa (August 2011) http://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engarticles/Thessal.htm See also: Great Falling Away after the Departure of the Church Johan Malan, University of the North, South Africa http://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engarticles/Departure.htm EXCERPT: Dogmatic prejudice rather than ignorance can account for the conflicting views that still persist on the true meaning of apostasia in this verse. In blind loyalty to the theologians of their church, many people simply refuse to believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. To them, it is more acceptable to stick to the narrow, secondary meaning of apostasia by interpreting it merely as spiritual decline during the last days, followed by the revelation of the Antichrist. If the context of 2 Thes. 2:3 is considered, it is obvious that apostasia is here meant in the full width of its meaning – both as departing and as a spiritual falling away. In the first instance Paul, by using this word, refers to the physical departure of the true believers who are not destined for God’s judgements. One of the major implications of this departure will be that great spiritual darkness will prevail on earth – the light of the world having been taken away. This situation will allow the Antichrist the opportunity to be revealed. Sin and wickedness will proliferate during his reign, leading to the greatest falling away of biblical norms and Christian standards in the entire history of humankind. - Johan Malan ~~~~~~~ See also: ~~~~~~~ Video (Excellent!): Rapture or Apostasy in 2 Thess. 2:3? Andy Woods https://youtu.be/UOa8m7hOaXs ~~~~~~~ Video: Apostasia Can Refer To A Physical Departure - Andy Woods Gary Stearman https://youtu.be/Fo6S0bllAmo ~~~~~~~ PHOTO: http://images.slideplayer.com/24/7445655/slides/slide_9.jpg From the slide presentation: The Restrainer: 2 Thes 2:1-8 http://slideplayer.com/slide/7445655/ | Facebook