“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. 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” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
Introduction
The Last Days will see an increase in all kinds of signs and wonders that will deceive people into following the Antichrist and his system. It seems that the world will eagerly accept the “lying wonders” of Satan but continue to reject Him who is called “Wonderful” (Isaiah 9:6). We live in a day in which people are more willing to listen to lies than the truth.
Satanic seduction
In our previous study we noted that the “wicked” one would be “revealed” before the actual Second Coming of Christ (:8). His authority and power is supernatural, but it comes from Satan, and is given to bring men, women and children down to Hell. “He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44) … “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world” (Revelation 12:9) … “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).
Until his arrival people will continue to be deceived by false religion, evolution and atheism, but when the Antichrist appears deception will have reached its pinnacle. “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) … “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John :7). Jesus warned that such spiritual deception would seduce many to a lost eternity. “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many … And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5, 11). By the Antichrist’s “sorceries were all nations deceived” (Revelation 18:23). Satan will enable his man to use magic tricks as verification of the lies he is spreading in much the same way that Pharaoh’s magicians deceived the people (Exodus 7 – 8). The world will disregard the miracles of the Bible, but will accept the wonders of the Antichrist.
As well as using false miracles, Satan will
promote all kinds of unrighteousness to deceive. The British Humanists
Association’s bus slogan, which
reads, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life”,
is one of those devilish, anti-Christian lies which will encourage souls to take
the path to Hell, for it suggests that man might as well live as unrighteous as
he pleases since there is no consequences for sin. Scripture informs us that it
is exactly this notion (hedonism) that will damn the soul. “The
deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful”
(Matthew 13:22) … “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,
after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ” (Colossians 2:8) … “But
these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of
the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own
corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count
it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting
themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full
of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart
they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children” (2 Peter
2:12-14).
Divine delusion
This means that mankind in general will fall so far away from
righteousness through accepting the Antichrist as its religious and political
saviour, that God has no alternative but to give them up for lost and to wallow
in their own sin. “Wherefore God also
gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour
their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie,
and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for
ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their
women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise
also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one
toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in
themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did
not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Romans 1:24-28). He
will allow Satan to deceive them at will without any intervention of the Holy
Spirit. “My spirit shall not always
strive with man” (Genesis 6:3). The world will be filled with unrestrained
sin because the Holy Spirit will no longer “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment”
(John 16:8).
Conclusion
Notice the fourfold description used in speaking of the deceived: [1]
they have no love for the truth; [2] they will not listen to the truth; [3] they
are not saved; [4] they will perish. Satan’s seduction has always led to
spiritual damnation and death. “Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). This death is
eternal separation from God. “For if we
sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there
remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of
judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrews
10:26-27).
© 5/11/2008