No. The text states "that day [the TIME PERIOD from VERSE 2, that the FALSE CLAIM pertained to] will not be present if not shall have come THE DEPARTURE FIRST and [distinctly]..."
You are doing what many do... you're completely BYPASSING [effectively ELIMINATING] the Subject of v.2 when ascertaining what v.3a is starting out with... (referencing back to, i.e. "THE DAY OF THE LORD" i.e. the earthly-located time period of JUDGMENTs unfolding upon the earth over SOME TIME)
...then v.3b tells of what must take place "FIRST" before that time period (of judgments unfolding) can indeed be "PRESENT" (to unfold upon the earth, with its "man of sin" IN HIS TIME)
IOW, Paul is reaffirming the SEQUENCE (and repeats this SEQUENCE 3x in this 2Th2:3-9a passage, agreeing with the SEQUENCE of both 1Th4 & 5 as well as all other passages of scripture covering this Subject).
The word in and of itself does not carry either a "positive" or "negative" connotation... it does not denote only something negative or only something positive, either one.
The context informs just "WHAT KIND" of "departure" is meant (whether to "positive" or to "negative" ends or effect).
[speaking of the Greek word "apostasia" / "departure" ]
I agree with you on this point. And so let's not inject any meaning into the word, and let's let the context explain what the word means.
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Paul notes two events that must happen prior to "The Day":
1. a "Departure" (whatever it means)
2. a "man of sin revealed" (whatever that means)
...for a Thessalonian who's reading this 2nd letter for the first time, it should be safe to assume that Paul would properly define his terms/concepts (since the entire purpose of his 2nd letter is to
alleviate any confusion).
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (ignoring punctuations and verse separation to consider Paul's complete thought...)
Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a departure first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God
From the passage, we don't know what departure means just yet but we're given an explanation of what this "man of sin" is and what he will do. So let's continue through the letter to see what else we can learn.
2 Thessalonians 2:5 (complete thought)
Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I told you these things
...So Paul personally told them about these two subjects before...
2 Thess 2:6 (complete thought)
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
Again, we don't inject any extra knowledge into the info we're given unless Paul references extra info in the letter itself. So far we're left to infer from the letter that Paul JUST SHARED "what" is withholding "That Day" - in context. As you correctly say, "The Day" is the subject of the letter.
What's withholding the day of Christ & our gather to Him is
(1) the departure and
(2) that the man of sin is revealed in his time.
Again, we have the man of sin defined but haven't any context for what departure means just yet...the letter continues...
2 Thess 2:7 (complete thought)
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way.
The verse above is probably the worst English translation in all of scripture. If I didn't tend to give the benefit of the doubt I'd say this was maliciously mistranslated to force a specific doctrine. The Greek words are:
τὸ
[THE = 3588 = definite article] γὰρ
[For = 1036 = assigning a reason] μυστήριον
[MYSTERY] ἤδη
[ALREADY] ἐνεργεῖται
[IS WORKING] τῆς
[THE = 3588] ἀνομίας·
[LAWLESSNESS] μόνον
[ONLY] ὁ
[THE = 3588] κατέχων
[HOLDING FAST] ἄρτι
[AT PRESESNT] ἕως
[UNTIL] ἐκ
[OUT OF] μέσου
[MIDST] γένηται.
[BECOME/BE].
For...
THE mystery...
already is working...
THE lawlessness...
only THE (only what? In context, only THE mystery lawlessness)...
holds fast...
at present...
until...
out of the midst...
be.
Structured as a modern sentence: For the "mystery lawlessness" is already working. Only THE [mystery lawlessness] holds fast/maintains until out of the midst [the mystery lawlessness] be.
So far, what's withholding the day of Christ & our gather to Him is
(1) the departure and
(2) that the man of sin is revealed
in that man's own time because the secret lawlessness
is already working [starting in Paul's time]. Only the secret lawlessness maintains [this] until the secret lawlessness is out of the midst.
Does this explain what the "departure" is? Well, let's read Paul's next thought.
2 Thess 2:8-10 (complete thought)
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
Who are the "they"? Paul tells us that two things must happen first before "The Day" comes:
1) a departure
2) a man of sin revealed
He then tells us that a "secret lawlessness" is already at work that will maintain until it's no longer in the midst (
of whom?)...AND THEN we're told that wicked will be revealed afterward in the very next thought. So if we follow the same exact order we're given during the first mention, then
the departure IS the secret lawlessness of "they".
1) a departure
2) a man of sin revealed
1) secret lawlessness
2) wicked one revealed
2 Thess 2:11-12 (complete thought)
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
The pronouns "they" and "them" suggest these folks have already been identified. It is "
they that have no love of the truth". Those of the secret lawlessness (already started in Paul's day).
Those who depart from the true faith for a lie (that Paul says already started in the 1st century AD). This is from whom the "man of sin" comes (so it stands to reason that this person isn't some military dictator but is someone who comes from a lawless version of the faith).
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So the departure doesn't mean a snatching away to Messiah, but a falling away from the faith.