Man Of Lawlessness Series

Man of Lawlessness

CCCAG, November 5th, 2023

Scripture: 2 Thess 2:5-12

Introduction

Over the last few weeks we have gone over the current events overseas from a biblical and prophetic standpoint.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had planned to teach on the kingdom of darkness, demons, and spiritual warfare during this time, and then the war in Israel started and I felt a strong leading from God to switch gears and talk about that as it has a direct impact on all of our futures.

One of the things I started to do is to use this bible as part of my research. Several years ago I was attending the District Summit. At district summit, if you visit enough of the various ministry booths there you can submit an entry for a drawing for various prizes. My name was chosen, and I received this Jewish bible.

I thought it was a neat version of the bible, but for the most part, it sat on my bookshelf until last month when all of this stuff overseas started happening. Since then, it’s been my primary study text to interpret what has been happening over in Israel.

In fact, I’d say that I’ve never studied, researched, and prayed over a series like I have this one because it’s going to directly affect our lives from here on out.

So let’s briefly review.

On October 19th we answered the question- “Are we living in the end times?”. In that lesson we looked at how our American society has made a slow plunge into darkness, and now we are reaping what has been sowed with all of the hatred, division, deception, and depravity that has been coming at us like a flood.

A few weeks ago on 26th, we looked at the history of this conflict overseas in studying Abraham, Ismael, Jacob, and Esau.

We also saw how the Arabic acronym we know as Hamas is also a word in the Hebrew Language meaning a depraved, wicked, excessive violence.

The first time God used that word in the bible to describe humanity was right before Noah’s flood- all humanity was committing Hamas against one another, and God chose to wipe out all but 7 people and start over.

Since this has happened, war has raged throughout Israel. We are undoubtably heading in the final years before the tribulation.

Some in the church are now asking- is the antichrist coming and if so, who is he?

The early church had the same question. I know we think we have it tough today but keep in mind-they lived during a time when the ruler of their world impaled Christians on stakes, coated them with boiling pitch, and set them on fire so he could see out into his garden at night. Nero was a vicious emperor who delighted in the torture and killing of Christians of all ages.

Obviously, Nero wasn’t the antichrist, although he definitely had that spirit working within him.

That was the world that the Thessalonian church lived in.

So this question- “Who is the antichrist, and is he alive today?” isn’t a new one. It’s been asked many times throughout church history, most recently during WWII when Hitler seemed to be a logical candidate for that role.

Today, we see what is happening in the world, and we start looking around and asking- is the antichrist here, and who is it?

The short answer is- we can’t be sure. My feeling is that he is alive and working behind the scenes until his time has come.

That brings us to today’s main scripture. In his 2nd Epistle to the Thessalonian church, Paul gives us some hint as to what to look for in the man who will be the earthly representation of satan, until he is completely possessed by him in the final 3 ½ years of the tribulation.

Let’s see what God has to show us this morning as we read words written almost 2000 years ago, but have incredible timeliness to the word we live in today

2 Thess 2:5-12

5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.