(Just-the-facts;50678)
I don't know where you got that information. And I don't trust anyones "revelation" from God that contradicts the Bible's account of the last days. Paul, because he was a former pharisee was no doubt well versed in the Old Testament Prophets. But that does not mean that he received any more revelation than did any of the other apostles. I think it was John that wrote the book of Revelations. That fact alone disputes your assumptions.
Paul got his salvation message, i.e. salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor 15:1-4)through direct revelation. He did not go up to Jerusalem and confer with those "who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me." Same with his knowledge of the gifts of the Spirit, and much of what he writes in much of the New Testament. The rapture was not written in the Old. He got it from revelations from God.
I Thes. 4 and II Thes 2 are taken directly from the words of Christ and a small amount taken from Daniel in which Jesus told all of us to look. That of course being the abomination of desolation and Pauls description of that event as being when the man of sin sets in the temple calling himself God. (II THes 2:4)Paul got this from Jesus in Mk 13 or Mt 24 and imparted it in II Thes 2.Chronology of events from Jesus and then Paul.
Sorry, but these books of Paul were written BEFORE any of the Gospels were written. I know we believe in miracles, but this miracle was that Paul recieved what he wrote, from direct revelations from heaven. After all, Jesus said that He would use revelation knowledge to build His church.
Of course Paul confuses the matter in II Thess 2:9 as he often does in his writing when puts the miracles of the false prophet (Mt 24:24) in later verses in this chapter when they belonged just before the rapture of Mt 24:31.2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
Was Paul "confused" or are you confused? Personally, I would believe Paul. How could the "rapture" of the church, be in Matthew 24:31? Who was Jesus speaking to? What was He speaking about? He was speaking to Hebrew men, about the end of their age, i.e. the 70th week of Daniel (it is not called the 70th week of Paul). The subject is NOT the church. Paul's chronology is perfect, and agrees with Revelation. The rapture is the "departure" or the "taking out of the way" of the church. Then, and only then, is the leopard beast revealed.
But thank God Paul made clear what it is so often distorted by so-called "Christians" to match the heresy of a pre-trib rapture. Many say that the "even him" in verse II Thes 2:9 is talking about the antichrist. That is absurd. First of all verse 9 is not a sentence. It is a continuation of the verse before. And the words "even him" are not in the original Greek text. It was added during the translation. The punctuation and verse numbers were also not in the original text, it was added later in the translation. So lets take a look at the way it should read.2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
Let's read it in some other translations, and see what the intent of the author was:American Standard Version2:8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;2:9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,Darby's English Translation2:8 and then the lawless one shall be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus shall consume with the breath of his mouth, and shall annul by the appearing of his coming;2:9 whose coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and wonders of falsehoodDouay Rheims2:8 And then that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth; and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, him,2:9 Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders,Weymouth New Testament2:8 and then the Lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will sweep away with the tempest of His anger, and utterly overwhelm by the awful splendour of His Coming.2:9 The appearing of the Lawless one will be attended by various miracles and tokens and delusive marvels--for so Satan works--Young's Literal Translation2:8 and then shall be revealed the Lawless One, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the manifestation of his presence,2:9 him, whose presence is according to the working of the Adversary, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders,We see that the KJV did a pretty good job, which they usually did. Adding the "Even him" did not take away the meaning meant by the Holy Spirit when He caused Paul to write. Jesus did NOT come according to thw workings of satan. That is just silly: a classic case of reading with preconceived glasses.
Now it is obvious that the "even him" is speaking of Christ and his coming being after the signs and lying wonders. Jesus is the one who is "coming" and the man of sin is the one that is "revealed" before Christ's coming just as it says in the first four verses of this chapter.
It is "obvious" only when read with preconceived glasses. I will agree that Jesus is coming, but the leopard beast of Revelation is coming also. However, the church will not be here to see him, as we have no appointment with the wrath of God. No appointment means we won't show up.
Another direct contradiction of scripture that falsifies the interpretation of "even him" as being the anti-christ is the fact the Rev 13 has the antichrsit or first beast coming to power first and then the false prophet or second beast showing the signs and wonders just as Jesus said in Mt 24. And all of this happening before the catching away of the Christians.
To be factual, "all this happening before the" elect are gathered by angels. There is no scriptural proof that this "gathering" of the elect is speaking of the church. In fact, it does not fit the church at all. Coop