The Lawless One or Antichrist (part 2) - Study 3/3/11
The Lawless One or Antichrist (part 2)
What is going on in the world? There are wars, fights, rebellions, revolutions, demonstrations, high unemployment, financial failures, earthquakes and etc! Is the world coming to an end? Yes it is ending soon but we don’t know the exact date. The Arab countries are crying out for freedom and we have seen the toppling of governments in Tunisia, Egypt and soon Libya. Make no mistakes, their cry for freedom is not found in democracy because it has not freed America. True freedom is only found in believing in Christ as savior. So let’s pray for the Arab nations that these people will seek and find Christ. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”.
In the background of current world events, we continue our study of the End times and the “Lawless one” or antichrist in Chapter 2 of 2nd Thessalonians. Yes, President Obama is not the antichrist but that does not mean he or any past or present world leader is not being used to propagate antichrist spirit (anything opposed to God, Godliness and the worship of God) which we are told already exist in the world (see vs.7). Not just world leaders, but any individual can manifest the antichrist spirit.
We are studying to understand the sequence of events about the end and the day of the Lord as outlined by Apostle Paul in this Letter to the Thessalonians. “3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction” vs.3. Like the Thessalonians, we are not to be deceived, or afraid but to understand the times and live for God’s glory. Last week we investigated the “rebellion” or the “falling away” or the “apostasy” that is to occur. From even Jesus’ own words in Matthew 24, it seems this falling way must be from the faith and belief in God – “the love of many will grow cold”. I believe we are in this period of rebellion already. You have many so called "Church Organizations" that do not believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. You also have those who are ordaining homosexuals as priests and ministers of God. These "Church Organizations" also openly practice the gay lifestyle and wed homosexual couples. These are just few examples in addition to the subtle “prosperity gospel” that is destroying the Church. Now tell me if this not a “falling away” from the faith?
The second event before the “day of the Lord” (the judgment day) is the revealing of the “lawless one” the antichrist. In the context of the end times, who is the antichrist? When does the text say the antichrist/lawless one will appear in the world scene? What could be holding the antichrist back from appearing now? Are signs and forms of antichrist activities present in the world right now? How are we to live in light of this truth in Chapter 2? Let’s answer these questions and more.
2 Thessalonians 2
1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 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.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits[b] to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings[c] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Apostle Paul describes “the lawless one”. “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped” vs.4. He is also described as “the man doomed to destruction” or “man of perdition”. This is the same description used for Judas who betrayed Jesus. Literally, a man of Satan or one whom Satan embodies to act out his dubious plans and atrocities. Apostle John also gives us a description of the antichrist spirit. “And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (1 John 4:3). Note the distinction. There is the Antichrist(a person in bodily form) to be revealed in the future and then there is the spirit of the antichrist which already exist.
2. We are told that the lawless one will be revealed at “the proper time” vs. 6. When is the “proper time”? It is at the time already set by God. Before his revealing, we are told “but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way” vs.7. First, something is holding the revealing or the appearing of the lawless one. However the hinderer or the restrainer will be taken away and then the antichrist will be revealed.
3. Who is this restrainer that will be taken away? Many believe the Holy Spirit is the restrainer and once taken away from here then the antichrist will be revealed. Some have said it is the Church that is the restrainer. I agree with this too. I believe it is most appropriate to be the Holy Spirit. Well the Holy Spirit lives in us, the Church. So, from this we can conclude that the rapture, or the gathering unto Jesus” will take place before the antichrist is revealed and before the “day of the Lord”. Remember what Paul already wrote to the Thessalonians. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. I thank God that I will not be here for the activities of the antichrist. Neither will you be if you belong to Christ.
4. Another reason many believe that the Holy Spirit and thus the Church is the restrainer is that we are the salt and light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Salt preserves so when we are taken out there is no more preservation. We are the light of the world too. Once the Church is removed there would be utter darkness in this world. If not for the Church, the United States constitution would be amended to legalize gay marriage and redefine marriage as between any two people no more man and woman. This past week, the Obama administration said they can no longer defend an existing law (signed by President Clinton) that declares marriage as between man and woman. The intent is to make room for gay marriage. This is just the beginning of things to come. Please continue to pray for President Obama. Our prayers and acts of love make a difference in this world now.
5. The antichrist would be the champion of deception and intrigue. The world then would love him because he would have all kinds of solutions for the world’s problems – financial and political ones. Satan will give him power. “He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. One political solution the antichrist will offer will be the Middle East solution. The world would think they have peace but it is all lie from Satan.
6. Who is going to be around when the antichrist comes? The Scripture tells us. “That wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness” vs.10-12. These are the same Paul described in chapter 1. “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes”. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10.
7. Jesus would also deal finally with this lawless one and put him in his place. “Whom (the lawless one) the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming” It is believed the antichrist would rule the world for about 3 and half years and then his doom would come. Some are bold to be so precise about this timing but I would not venture (see Daniel 7 and 8 and 9). The book of Revelation gives us insight too about his (the antichrist or the beast) doom. “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” Revelation 19:20.
It is necessary and very important that we understand these end time events. For one, we should not be shaken as we see the unfolding of world events. We are confident that the Lord is coming to gather us to himself before He pours out his judgment on this world on those who have refused the truth – He is the truth. In addition, the coming days should inspire us to tell all about the good news of the Gospel and about believing the truth that has come to set us free.
Again, our Lord told us, 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. … 42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him (Matthew 24:36-44).
We do not need to be afraid for there will be troubling times ahead. We only need to watch and pray and trust our God. We must watch what we believe especially those unbalanced teachings that portray the Christian life for only what we can get here and now. Faith has become the tool to get and live well here and no more what it is supposed to be. Our Faith in God (which is a gift) is to bring us to him and a means of pleasing God. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” Matthew 6:33. This world is not our home and God will take care of us while still here when we seek Him first. Are you looking for His coming? Come Lord Jesus, come but before then, we must continue to be the salt and light of this world. Amen.
What are the practical ways that you and I can be salt and light of this world today? Let's go live it out and just do it.
What is going on in the world? There are wars, fights, rebellions, revolutions, demonstrations, high unemployment, financial failures, earthquakes and etc! Is the world coming to an end? Yes it is ending soon but we don’t know the exact date. The Arab countries are crying out for freedom and we have seen the toppling of governments in Tunisia, Egypt and soon Libya. Make no mistakes, their cry for freedom is not found in democracy because it has not freed America. True freedom is only found in believing in Christ as savior. So let’s pray for the Arab nations that these people will seek and find Christ. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”.
In the background of current world events, we continue our study of the End times and the “Lawless one” or antichrist in Chapter 2 of 2nd Thessalonians. Yes, President Obama is not the antichrist but that does not mean he or any past or present world leader is not being used to propagate antichrist spirit (anything opposed to God, Godliness and the worship of God) which we are told already exist in the world (see vs.7). Not just world leaders, but any individual can manifest the antichrist spirit.
We are studying to understand the sequence of events about the end and the day of the Lord as outlined by Apostle Paul in this Letter to the Thessalonians. “3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction” vs.3. Like the Thessalonians, we are not to be deceived, or afraid but to understand the times and live for God’s glory. Last week we investigated the “rebellion” or the “falling away” or the “apostasy” that is to occur. From even Jesus’ own words in Matthew 24, it seems this falling way must be from the faith and belief in God – “the love of many will grow cold”. I believe we are in this period of rebellion already. You have many so called "Church Organizations" that do not believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. You also have those who are ordaining homosexuals as priests and ministers of God. These "Church Organizations" also openly practice the gay lifestyle and wed homosexual couples. These are just few examples in addition to the subtle “prosperity gospel” that is destroying the Church. Now tell me if this not a “falling away” from the faith?
The second event before the “day of the Lord” (the judgment day) is the revealing of the “lawless one” the antichrist. In the context of the end times, who is the antichrist? When does the text say the antichrist/lawless one will appear in the world scene? What could be holding the antichrist back from appearing now? Are signs and forms of antichrist activities present in the world right now? How are we to live in light of this truth in Chapter 2? Let’s answer these questions and more.
2 Thessalonians 2
1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 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.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits[b] to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings[c] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Apostle Paul describes “the lawless one”. “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped” vs.4. He is also described as “the man doomed to destruction” or “man of perdition”. This is the same description used for Judas who betrayed Jesus. Literally, a man of Satan or one whom Satan embodies to act out his dubious plans and atrocities. Apostle John also gives us a description of the antichrist spirit. “And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (1 John 4:3). Note the distinction. There is the Antichrist(a person in bodily form) to be revealed in the future and then there is the spirit of the antichrist which already exist.
2. We are told that the lawless one will be revealed at “the proper time” vs. 6. When is the “proper time”? It is at the time already set by God. Before his revealing, we are told “but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way” vs.7. First, something is holding the revealing or the appearing of the lawless one. However the hinderer or the restrainer will be taken away and then the antichrist will be revealed.
3. Who is this restrainer that will be taken away? Many believe the Holy Spirit is the restrainer and once taken away from here then the antichrist will be revealed. Some have said it is the Church that is the restrainer. I agree with this too. I believe it is most appropriate to be the Holy Spirit. Well the Holy Spirit lives in us, the Church. So, from this we can conclude that the rapture, or the gathering unto Jesus” will take place before the antichrist is revealed and before the “day of the Lord”. Remember what Paul already wrote to the Thessalonians. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. I thank God that I will not be here for the activities of the antichrist. Neither will you be if you belong to Christ.
4. Another reason many believe that the Holy Spirit and thus the Church is the restrainer is that we are the salt and light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Salt preserves so when we are taken out there is no more preservation. We are the light of the world too. Once the Church is removed there would be utter darkness in this world. If not for the Church, the United States constitution would be amended to legalize gay marriage and redefine marriage as between any two people no more man and woman. This past week, the Obama administration said they can no longer defend an existing law (signed by President Clinton) that declares marriage as between man and woman. The intent is to make room for gay marriage. This is just the beginning of things to come. Please continue to pray for President Obama. Our prayers and acts of love make a difference in this world now.
5. The antichrist would be the champion of deception and intrigue. The world then would love him because he would have all kinds of solutions for the world’s problems – financial and political ones. Satan will give him power. “He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. One political solution the antichrist will offer will be the Middle East solution. The world would think they have peace but it is all lie from Satan.
6. Who is going to be around when the antichrist comes? The Scripture tells us. “That wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness” vs.10-12. These are the same Paul described in chapter 1. “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes”. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10.
7. Jesus would also deal finally with this lawless one and put him in his place. “Whom (the lawless one) the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming” It is believed the antichrist would rule the world for about 3 and half years and then his doom would come. Some are bold to be so precise about this timing but I would not venture (see Daniel 7 and 8 and 9). The book of Revelation gives us insight too about his (the antichrist or the beast) doom. “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” Revelation 19:20.
It is necessary and very important that we understand these end time events. For one, we should not be shaken as we see the unfolding of world events. We are confident that the Lord is coming to gather us to himself before He pours out his judgment on this world on those who have refused the truth – He is the truth. In addition, the coming days should inspire us to tell all about the good news of the Gospel and about believing the truth that has come to set us free.
Again, our Lord told us, 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. … 42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him (Matthew 24:36-44).
We do not need to be afraid for there will be troubling times ahead. We only need to watch and pray and trust our God. We must watch what we believe especially those unbalanced teachings that portray the Christian life for only what we can get here and now. Faith has become the tool to get and live well here and no more what it is supposed to be. Our Faith in God (which is a gift) is to bring us to him and a means of pleasing God. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” Matthew 6:33. This world is not our home and God will take care of us while still here when we seek Him first. Are you looking for His coming? Come Lord Jesus, come but before then, we must continue to be the salt and light of this world. Amen.
What are the practical ways that you and I can be salt and light of this world today? Let's go live it out and just do it.
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