In The Word
Read: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Man of Lawlessness
2 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a message, or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not comeunless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do sountil He is removed. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica to warn them of the deception of the evil one. He cautioned them not to be deceived by the lies of the false teachers about the coming of the Messiah. He reminded them of the coming of the lawless one by saying, “Who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Paul understood that the opposition to the truth must be revealed before the second coming of Christ.
Though the tough times would come and the Thessalonians knew they would have to endure it, they still had hope. Paul did not deliver the dreadful news without giving them the victorious outcome. He told them, “Then that 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” (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
Today, we are still experiencing the things that Paul warned the Thessalonians about: lies, deception, false teaching, and opposition to the truth. For many of us who are determined to live lives pleasing to God, this can create many difficulties for us. Standing for righteousness at all cost can produce suffering in your life. Though you may face times of peril and tribulation, do not lose hope. Our hope is found in our coming reunion with the Messiah. We are victorious through Christ Jesus!