“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away 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, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-5).
Introduction
Many have been deceived, especially those within the cults, regarding Last Day events because they have not kept to the Scriptural order of things. The Second Coming of Christ cannot come until certain things happen within the church and the world. “The apostle foretells that before the coming of the Lord, there will be a throne set up completely contrary to Christ's glory, in which that wicked man will sit, and transfer all things that appertain to God to himself: and many will fall away from God to him” (Geneva Study Bible).
Deception
Not only is Paul warning the believers against being deceived by false teachers, but he is indicating that deception is one of the reason for the “falling away” in any generation. Deception works to confuse and mislead. “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand” (2 Thessalonians 2:2) … “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). The lie that Satan promotes through false prophets aims to elevate itself above God’s word.
With regards to the Second Coming of Christ two things must happen first before He can return.
Falling away
We often call this “the great falling away”, and so it will be. The Greek word used for this term is “apostasia” from where we derive our word “apostasy.” It is the “deliberate abandonment of a formerly professed position” (Richard Mayhue). It is the same word used in Matthew 5:31 where Jesus speaks about divorce. Such apostasy is always possible if we do not stay inline with God’s written word. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12) … “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1).
Paul is stating that there will be a departure from truth before the true church departs this earth in the rapture. There must be a time of great rebellion against Christ prior to His return to this earth. “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). It seems that this departure from God’s word is already taking place. Our churches are largely empty and false doctrine is confusing and confounding those who remain.
Man of sin
One day the ultimate in human rebellion against God will be revealed. This man will place himself above God and His word. His destination is the Lake of Fire, and he will desire to drag the world with him into it. He is the destroyer of all that is holy and righteous. This man will probably be possessed by the same evil spirit that caused Judas Iscariot to rebel against the Lord, who was called “the son of perdition” by Jesus (John 17:12). “Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70) … “And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him” (John 13:2). “And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon” (Revelation 9:11). The identity of this person will not be revealed until the beginning of the seven year period that precedes the Millennial reign of Christ.
The Antichrist will be the focus of worship rather than God. “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). This is what Satan has always wanted and will achieve for a season in the last days. “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit” (Isaiah 14:13-15). He will enthrone himself in the rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem to show himself to be Israel’s Messiah, and the sad thing is, for three and a half years the Jews will believe him to be both God and Messiah, something they refused to believe about Jesus. “I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43). The Antichrist will come “Claiming the prerogatives which belong to God alone” (John Wesley).
Conclusion
These two events, the falling away and the revealing of the Antichrist, must take place prior to the Day of the Lord. There are in fact various other signs that must come first, but according to Paul these two are evidence that Christ does not return until they take place.
© 22/10/2008