2 Thessalonians 2b - Part 12

2 Thessalonians 2:1–12

“1 Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. 2 Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. 3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. 4 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. 5 Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? 6 And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. 7 For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. 8 Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. 9 This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11 So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12 Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.”

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. The greek word there does not mean to cease to exist but to kill of die. 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 vs Islamic control of women

Queer rights vs free Palestine

Free society vs 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.