2 Thessalonians 2 speaks of the Rapture and of things that follow the rapture. I encourage you to read the entire chapter, but let’s read 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” After the Rapture, the seven years of Tribulation will begin. We learn in these verses that for those who had lived lives of rejection of the Lord Jesus, when the Rapture occurs, they remain on the earth to go through the Tribulation period. We see that because of their rejection of the Lord, they will believe a lie so that they “might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

During this seven year Tribulation period, these Christ rejecters will not be able to be saved. The Lord will send, or allow, a strong delusion to go forth. For those who have rejected the truth, they will be ready to receive a lie. Let’s back up just a little and read 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10, “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: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” This “Wicked” one, who is empowered by Satan will come with “all power and signs and lying wonders.” Those who had heard the Gospel and had rejected the Lord will believe the “signs and lying wonders” of the “Wicked” one, and they will perish because of their unbelief.

We see the Lord’s workings among those who reject Him in Romans 1:28, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” This shows us that there are some who hear the Gospel, but do not like to “retain God in their knowledge.” In other words, they reject Him. For this reason, the Lord ‘gives them over’ to a reprobate mind. He does not CAUSE them to become reprobate, but He does ALLOW them to become reprobate. The Greek word for reprobate is ‘adokimos’, which means ‘unapproved, rejected, worthless, a castaway.’ We read of two reprobates from Moses’ day in 2 Timothy 3:8, “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” If we reject the truth, what else is there to believe but a lie?

The Lord speaks of that time of tribulation in Mark 13:20, “And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.” What a harsh time of tribulation will cover the earth! We read more about this in Revelation 6:15-17, “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

Yes, there will be many people left on the earth after the Lord raptures out His people. What a terrible time that will be. There is no doubt that many people will turn to the Lord and be saved during this period, but for those who had already heard and rejected the Lord, there will be no ‘second chance’ for salvation. When the Lord returns again after this Tribulation period, He will come in swift judgment upon those who have rejected Him and His saving grace. Have you obeyed the Gospel? Have you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior? If not, and you continue to reject Him, you “shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). Since the Lord Jesus could very well come and rapture out His people today, you have no time to waste. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2). (272.2)