By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #123 ~
We have always lived in a world where there are kings, presidents, and prime ministers leading their countries. But at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week (Daniel 9:27), we will see this man of lawlessness, the Antichrist, ruling the world. I say “we will see” because the church will still be on earth when he is revealed. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5). His divinely appointed time on earth will be the culmination of Satan’s long, age-old war against God (Revelation 12-13). As Christians, it’s essential that we understand what these prophecy passages are telling us, for this Antichrist’s zeal for evil, and super-intense hatred for God and His people, will be like nothing we have ever seen before.
2 Thessalonians 2 tells us some important things God wants us to know about this man of lawlessness. We learn that he is now restrained, and is not yet doing his most-wicked work. But the time will come when he won’t be restrained, when he will be revealed. Here are three specific things we need to know about the revealing of the Antichrist:
* First, this arrogant impostor will “take his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (verses 3-4). This deceiver will actually proclaim that he is God, which is God’s sign to true Christians and discerning Jews that the Antichrist has been revealed.
* Second, it says that “in his time he will be revealed” (verse 6). God is in charge, and He is the One who determines when the Antichrist will take his stand on earth.
* Third, this “lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming” (verse 8). This gives us the all-important big picture, that this son of destruction will be revealed, but will not be victorious, for he will soon come to an end, completely and forever defeated. “His dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever.” Daniel 7:26
What else does Paul tell us about this evil Antichrist, this beast, this son of destruction?
* That he is Satan’s man, and that he will be motivated and energized by Satan himself, and will be doing his devilish and despicable work. Verse 9, Revelation 13:3-7
* With the help of a second beast, he will carry out many powerful signs and wonders, with a goal of deceiving everyone on earth. Revelation 13:13-14 confirms this: “He (another beast) performs great signs… and he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs…” The Antichrist, this most dangerous man, will set up a one-world religion, and sadly, most people will be fooled and believe he is God, and will worship him. “They worshiped the dragon… and they worshiped the beast.” Revelation 13:4
Paul goes on to tell us about these evil, end-time unbelievers, ones who won’t worship God, but instead will worship the Antichrist, and therefore, worship Satan himself. They will be deceived by amazing signs and wonders, and by the seductive power of wickedness. (verses 9-10). They will be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:4). They “took pleasure in wickedness” (verse 12). “Men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). Like the days of Noah, they will love their sin, and will be pleasing and satisfying their sinful flesh.
These sinners will love their sin, but won’t love the truth, which means they won’t love Jesus, and His gospel message. Because they won’t love the truth, they won’t “believe the truth” (verse 12). They will hate the Savior and won’t want to be saved from their sins. God will harden the hearts of those who harden their hearts against Him and the gospel, for He “will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false” (verse 11). These wicked people will be abandoned by God to their own sin, and the consequences of their sin, which is what Romans 1:24-28 says: “God gave them over to degrading passions… to a depraved mind.” What happens next? They will be judged, and will perish, being eternally punished for their sins (verses 10, 12). “These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of God.” 2 Thessalonians 1:9
Do you get the picture? During this time on earth, there’s Satan, the Antichrist, and a world full of sinners – and it will be exceedingly dark. But the Christians alive on earth at this time are to be bright lights, lovingly sharing the gospel to the very end of the age (Matthew 24:14). Yes, they will be hated and persecuted during this time of great tribulation (Matthew 24:9), but God will give them abundant grace, peace, and victory. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword?… In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:35-39). Then at the rapture of the church, there is relief for all the Christians who are suffering and experiencing tribulation. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-7, Revelation 7:9-17
You need to know the order, the sequence of these end-time events: First, the temple in Jerusalem will be built. Then at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, the Antichrist will be revealed, desecrating the temple. After that, great tribulation will begin, affecting both Jews and Christians. Then there’s the coming of the Lord, the initial event being the rapture of the church. Right after that, there’s the day of the Lord, the pouring out of God’s wrath upon the unbelievers. At the end of Daniel’s 70th week, many Jews will be saved. Then the Antichrist and the other beast will be cast into the lake of fire. Finally, Jesus Christ will begin His great and glorious 1000-year reign on earth. “The Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth… Sing praises to our King.” Psalm 47:2, 6
P.S. Here is an extensive, must-read article about the Antichrist – The Coming of the Antichrist, The Devil’s Man on Earth.