What could cause the apostasy of 2 Thessalonians 2:3?

Ted's Response:

Initially, before addressing the apostasy issue, I have to say that I disagree with some of your presumptions and assumptions. For instance, I adamantly reject the Pre-tribulation view of the Rapture. (You may wish to read my response to another email: Is the Pre-tribulation view of the Rapture the correct view?) Although I do believe that the main Rapture event will occur just prior to the Day of the Lord period, I definitely do not equate the Day of the Lord with the final seven years of this age, the so-called "tribulation period" or 70th Week, nor with the "Great Tribulation" period to begin in the middle of the 70th Week.

I am convinced that the principal Rapture event will take place after the opening of the Sixth Seal. Then the Seventh Seal: the Day of the Lord will ensue, during the initial phase of which (the "day of vengeance") God's wrath will be dispensed upon the earth. This will be God's righteous vengeance (Isaiah 34:8, 61:2, 63:4)—a direct, specific response to the slaying and spilling of blood, during the Fifth Seal period, of slain believers whose souls will have cried out for God to avenge their blood (Revelation 6:9,10). No longer will the blood from these slain believers be concealed (Isaiah 26:21). It is from this wrath that true believers will be protected (1 Thessalonians 5:9), via the Rapture.

Now, pertaining to your question, many feel that the decline of morals and values in society, along with increased anxiety from the threat of terrorism, growing inflation, the escalating conflict in the Middle East, and other instability, are resulting in a growing apathy and indifference among Christians. This may be interpreted, by some, as an increasing "apostasy" (from the Greek ), culminating just prior to the beginning of the 70th Week. But, in their minds, the Rapture event will save them by whisking them all away to be with the Lord, at which time the Antichrist will be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

On the contrary, I do not see it this way at all. I see the "apostasy" of which Paul wrote as taking place well after the final seven-year period has begun.

The main Rapture event (the Pre-wrath Rapture) will not happen until as late as a year before the end of the seven years (see Why do you believe that the Rapture will take place a year before the end of the 70th Week?). There even may be a partial Mid-tribulation Rapture, of "firstfruits" believers, in the middle of the 70th Week. Thus, a great many believers will become extremely disillusioned before the main Rapture event occurs, realizing that the trials and tribulations of the Great Tribulation have begun, yet they continue to remain here on earth.

Many believe that the "revealing" of the Antichrist will be at the beginning of the 70th Week. However, I see 2 Thessalonians 2:3,8 as the revealing of the antichrist spirit of the man who has been becoming globally powerful for 3½ years and whose "true colors" will become manifest in the middle of that seven-year period.

Paul stated this:

Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion [apostasy] occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.... (Matthew 24:10)

Many may come to think something like this: "Hey! We've been assured that Jesus would be coming for us before this point, but it hasn't happened. Maybe Jesus has abandoned us—or maybe there is no Jesus after all!" Perhaps this even could cause many "marginal" Christians to join the ranks of Islam.

I believe that many people of all faiths will apostasize, falling away from their belief systems in a world turned upside-down and filled with disasters and utter chaos. This mostly will manifest itself after the midpoint of the 70th Week and will escalate, for believers, up to the point of the main Rapture (following the opening of the Sixth Seal), and for unbelievers until the return of Jesus to earth, as the Rider on a white horse, to rule and reign (when the Seventh Trumpet is blown, at the end of the final 7 years).