What events does 2 Thessalonians say must happen before the day of the Lord?

Paul says that day will not come unless “the rebellion comes first” and “the man of lawlessness is revealed” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). He describes this figure as opposing and exalting himself against every so-called god, even taking his seat in the temple of God and proclaiming himself to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

Passage context

Paul warns the Thessalonians not to be misled about the Lord’s coming. These lines sit inside Paul’s correction of confusion and agitation about end-time timing in chapter 2. Just before this, he asks them not to be quickly shaken by claims that the day has already arrived (2 Thessalonians 2:1–2).

Why it matters

Paul’s main point is sequence. Whatever the Thessalonians fear has already arrived (the “day” connected with the Lord’s coming in 2:1–2), Paul says it will not be the case until certain things happen first. He names two: (1) “the falling away,” and (2) the “man of sin” being “revealed,” a figure he also calls the “son of destruction” (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4).

Read carefully

A careful answer keeps the immediate passage, the book's argument, and the whole-Bible storyline together, so the question is answered in context instead of as a detached idea.

Keep reading

Start with 2 Thessalonians 2:3, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.