2 Thessalonians 2 - Part 11

2 Thessalonians 2:1–12

2 As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you? 6 And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed when his time comes. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, 10 and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false, 12 so that all who have not believed the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned.

Vs 1 - Paul is introducing a new topic that he wishes to correct some type of misunderstanding. it is regarding the “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him.”

Paul had already talked briefly about Jesus’ return in the first chapter but now he wants to address the idea of whether the “day of the Lord” had already begun.

Vs. 2 - Some of the Thess had been “shaken or alarmed” because they were told that the day of the Lord had begun. DON”T BELIEVE THEM!

even if by…

spirit - Spiritual vision or prophecy

word - or teaching

letter - false letter

Vs. 3 - Paul wants them to know the truth so he encourages them to not allow anyone to deceive them. About what, when the day of the Lord will come.

The rebellion comes first -

The greek word here is apostasia and is were we get the word apostacy from it literally means a falling away. It was a military term that indicated a rebellion against a military power but within Pauls use It means the forces of evil turning against in full power against God. But who are the forces of evil? I say the evil one is using the church to promote his purpose.

The church has always had people who have turned away. But maybe the apostasia is about redefining christianity and not completely abandoning it. have you ever heard about “deconstructing christianity?”

the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed

Paul also says the lawless one is...the one destined for destruction.

this phrase was also used to describe Judas Iscariot in Acts 1:25 where it was said he “left to go where he belonged.

It is important we do not try to name this person for as 1 John 2:18 tells us there are many “antichrists”. “18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come.”

While Paul never uses the term antichrist, this is the person he has in mind.

What will the antichrist or man of lawlessness do?

Vs. 4 - He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship

He puts himself in a place of worship and opposes the worship of those who are in a place of worship.

so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God.

His ultimate purpose is to take the place of the one true living God.

Vs. 5 - Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you?

This is something he had already talked to them about, so this is a refresher course.

Vs. 6 - And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed when his time comes.

Paul now moves to why he hasn’t come yet, it’s not his time.

and you know “WHAT” is restraining him, that is a statement not a question. They knew what was restraining him, we don’t. A common interpretation of the what is the preaching of the gospel, it isn’t until the gospel is preached to all peoples he will be restrained.

Vs. 7 - For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed.

two things

the lawlessness is already at work even thought the man himself is not yet here.

he can’t come until he is no longer restrained by the What of the previous verse.

Vs. 8 - And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming.

After he is revealed, he will be destroyed by the breath from the mouth of Jesus. This could be in relation to Revelation 1:16, 19:15 where there is said to be a sharp sword coming from the mouth of Jesus.

The manifestation of the coming of Jesus will not annihilate the man of lawlessness but make him powerless or idle. You could say his power will be annihilated but he will not cease to exist.

Vs. 9 - The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders,

There is a common thought that Satan has no original idea and so he imitates God’s as with the unholy trinity (false prophet, antichrist, dragon)

The lawless one uses the power of Satan to accomplish Satan’s work.

Vs. 10 - 10 and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

we see here that all kids of deceit is evident and is used but is only effective on those who are perishing. perishing because they refused to love the truth.

People who do not love the truth, love lies.

The thing is they don’t know they are lies because they are deceived! No one wants to believe a lie but the do it because it pleases the flesh.

Vs. 11 - For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false,

Because they refuse to love the truth, God gives them what they what, to believe a lie.

God uses Satan for his own means…

What might this powerful delusion look like?

Progressive partnering with Islam, they are delusional…

Woman’s rights and Islamic control of women

Queer rights and free Palestine

Free society and sharia law

Vs. 12 - so that all who have not believed the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned.

The result is that those who choose a lie over the truth will be condemned.

This isn’t about God not wanting to save them, is about a just God punishing sin.