You listen to John Piper. Dr. Joel R. Beeke is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. But at some point, God will remove that restraint. Others have specifically considered his sitting in the temple (2:4) to refer to the destruction of the Jerusalem temple at the hand of Titus (AD 70), but the specifics of that event do not align with an individuals calling himself God while seated in the temple precincts. With contributions from a team of pastors and scholars, this commentary through 9 of Pauls letters helps students of the Bible to understand how each epistle fits in with the storyline of Scripture and applies today. From the sky shall come a great King of terror, Since there's only one person who's above law namely, God, who writes it the man of lawlessness claims to be God. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 ). Isaiah prophesied that the messianic shoot from the stump of Jesse would kill the wicked with the breath of his lips (Isa. I had always assumed that an angel served this role, but the first pronoun Paul uses is neuter ("what") which leads many scholars to believe that the Holy Spirit restrains Satan. (2 Thess. Read more Explain verse Share. itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is they will not return evil for their evil. This man of lawlessness seeks to make himself the central person of worship, beyond any other religious objects or personages in his day. However, lest the Thessalonians become concerned about the power of such evil, Paul quickly assures them that the Lord Jesus will kill and bring to nothing the lawless one. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? 2 Thess. 3 "Man of Lawlessness" also called the "Son of Destruction" sets up the "Abomination of Desolation" starting the Great Tribulation! Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. What is the point of Thrower's Bandolier? What is Look at the Book? It's hard work. In those book, angels have physical sword fights with demons, but if the Christians aren't praying, they can't win the fight. -son of destruction -one who exalts himself -sits as God had paul told the thessalonians of these things before? And the descent of the Beloved into Sheol, behold, it is written in the section, where the Lord says: "Behold my Son will understand." neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that But when it happens, we will know. One of the key themes through 2 Thessalonians is that believers should __________ __________ in their faith. Paul used these words as encouragement for his confused readers; we should use them as urgency for our mission. He will be revealed (Gk. That's nothing new. doeth God service. will of my Father which is in heaven. The Antichrist One of the key themes through 2 Thessalonians is that believers should __________ __________ in their faith. also comment on 2 Thess. predicted a nuclear holocaust in 1967. 2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Um, no. In response to this complex question, we should distinguish between what we can know with some certainty and what we can only suspect. Scofield and led to a futuristic understanding of end time events. 1:5; 2 Thess. Clearly the lawlessness of Satan seeks to mimic the good work of God in Christ. If in 2:7 lawlessness is at work (Gk. 2:2), so also the word of God is at work in believers (1 Thess. Hal Lindsay said 1988 (40 years after the founding of Israel). The signs and wonders of the antichrist will draw people to him. God's promise to keep us from the wrath, or tribulation, is in 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, and Revelation 3:10. Why? Martin Luther jumped in with a prediction of the apocalypse no later than 1600. Chapter two refers to an unnamed 'man of lawlessness." There are several interpretations and theories about this person. Loving God. The Man of Lawlessness. At the end of the tribulation, armies will unite under the leadership of the man of lawlessness to fight against the King of kings and Lord of lords as described in the battle of Armageddon ( Revelation 16:16; 19:19 ). This connects well with the lawless ones action in the templeproclaiming himself to be God. The man of lawlessness promotes himself in place of God Almighty as the central deity to be worshiped. They're still watching for these signs! False The Thessalonians had no idea what was "restraining" the "man of sin" from being revealed? They will exalt themselves in the churches of men and will do evil things against those brothers sent to speak the Lord's words of life and spirit. Jun 29, 2022; no comments . The simple steps to Salvation are in Romans 10:9-13. Further descriptors are applied to this lawless one. Jesus is greater.). In particular, the emperor Gaius Caligula ordered soldiers to erect a cult image of himself in the Jerusalem temple, despite widespread Jewish opposition (AD 4041; Josephus, Antiquities 18.261309). Maybe one of these will be a fun opening topic for you. He even bought billboards. In 2 Thessalonians he wrote that the day of the Lord cannot begin immediately. There's nothing to fear. What does the Bible say about a strong delusion in the end times (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)? .. Of those fierce darts Despair at me doth throw: .. . In his second letter to the Thessalonians Paul gives the troubled believers assurance with regard to the end of the age. Proper Noun: And happy rhymes bathed in the sacred brook Of Helicon whence she derived is, . Who is the Man of Lawlessness? that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? Will the Antichrist need years to deceive the world, or days? Chuck Smith (Calvary Chapel) said 1981. If any discussion comes out of this topic, I really hope you direct it here: Jesus was very clear that we will not know when He is going to return. Or consider what Jesus said in Matthew 24: As we've said multiple times in Thessalonians, we're not supposed to put any energy into predicting the future. What Does It Mean That Women Should Remain Quiet in Church? It was only in the 1600's, in an attempt to divert attention away from the Papacy, that Francisco Ribera wrote a commentary on Revelation that pointed to a future Antichrist. Well, all of the major apocalypse prophecies mention some person who will oppose Christ when Christ returns: The "abomination of desolation" (Matt 24:15), (Jesus also mentions other false prophets and false messiahs; Matt 24:24). 15:19; 2 Cor. Quietly does not mean that women are never to utter a word when the church gathers for worship. No? I want to stay very closely connected to the truth so that I will not be deceived, or worse, allow others to be deceived. ", Verse 5 is tremendous: "Don't you remember?". 6:16; Eph. Premillenialists are likely to say it is the leader of a reborn Roman empire, or perhaps the pope. What concerns you in particular? 2:6 he who "now" restrains him will do so until he is out of the way. Can you imagine someone with the power of Satan prowling about the earth? The man of lawlessness will be revealed (Gk. When people get such a prophecy wrong, why do others keep listening to them? Realize the difference between "antichrist" and "The Antichrist". (But, we must not fear that power. In addition to capitalizing proper nouns, poets also capitalize some common nouns when referring to objects and ideas as if they were specific human beings. (Where sports talk personalities and weathermen fit into this, I don't know.). 9 The coming of the lawless one is based on Satans working, with every kind of miracle, both signs and wonders serving the lie, 10 and with every wicked deception among those who are perishing. sebasma) refers to pagan idols (cf. Crossway is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that exists solely for 2). Matthew 24:36-51. We are to put our energy into being Christ's witnesses. People will grasp at anything if it will allow them to reject the God of the Bible, no matter how questionable the "science" behind it might be. prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, So it's a great mercy that God restrains the power of this man of lawlessness. Various views on this restrainers identity were discussed in the preceding verse. Paul draws on this tradition as he discusses the man of lawlessness, who is the son of destruction in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and the lawless one in 2 Thess. They believed that David Koresh (real name Vernon Wayne Howell) was the Messiah, and they died badly. Paul further described the man of lawlessness as the son of destruction. At least, he never mentioned it. In 2 Thessalonians 2:7 who is holding back the "secret power of lawlessness"? 2 Thess. Now imagine the power of Satan behind those magicians. Objects having three dimensions. Those miracles are going to fool a lot of people. This should make you think of something we read just a few weeks ago: So, this topic was on their mind. 2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. That's what Jesus says in the very next verse, 24:34: This is where the confusion lies. Anyone who opposes Christ is an antichrist, but at the end of human history, there will be a singular "Antichrist" specially empowered by Satan to oppose God. 13:1118; 16:1314; 19:1920). Witches weren't burned at the stake in Salem. One, the fiddle didn't exist, and two, Nero wasn't in Rome when it happened. The Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus have the reading "man of lawlessness" and Bruce M. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9 clearly tell us that the man of lawlessness is the under the control of the Satan. John 17:12) and the seed of lawlessness (cf. We don't know. Our job is to shine the light of Jesus -- hold forth the Word of truth -- into a dark world and pray that some of those people will see their delusion and repent and come to salvation in Jesus before it's too late. Who is the "man of lawlessness" in 2 Thessalonians? Let me build on my aside: Satan has power that, But God doesn't allow Satan to "empower" a currently existing man of lawlessness; God has a, Can you imagine someone with the power of Satan prowling about the earth? What does "really, really" mean? comments on 1 Thess. Paul has experienced such evil, as has the persecuted church in Thessalonica. You watch his pen draw out meaning. Their understanding of 2 Thessalonians 2 was that the Roman Empire was "that which was restrains" the revealing of the man of lawlessness. comment on 2 Thess. David Chapman (PhD, University of Cambridge) is professor of New Testament and Archaeology at Covenant Theological Seminary. It's simple: "Have you seen anyone matching the description of the man of lawlessness? He is author of, The Rebellion Must Come Before Christ Returns: 2 Thessalonians 2:35, Part 2, The Man of Lawlessness Sits in the Temple: 2 Thessalonians 2:35, Part 4. Note that when Paul speaks of the "temple of God"(2 Thess 2:4) elsewhere (1 Co 3:16-17, 1 Co 6:19, 2 Co 6:16) he is talking about the body of believers, the church. The extent of our "power" over Satan is to resist him. Paul labels any teaching opposed to the eschatological message of his gospel as an effort at deception (cf. After it is consummated, Beliar the great ruler, the king of this world, will descend, who hath ruled it since it came into being; yea, he will descent from his firmament in the likeness of a man, a lawless king, the slayer of his mother: who himself (even) this king. 72), Why are people so interested in doomsday prophecies, Why are we supposed to NOT get involved in doomsday predictions, 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time? 7 He said to them, . Should anyone believe we are already in the tribulation, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 tells us that the antichrist must appear for the wrath to officially begin, but . Finally, the word mystery is here applied to lawlessness (for similar evil mysteries, cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Doesn't he have to come before Jesus?". Pauls original audience knew such matters based on Pauls prior instruction (2 Thess. 1 John 3:9-10 KJV (9) Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; They love to be first and will oppose the Word of Truth that they will hear it. Satan doesn't know when Jesus will return; he's just constantly pushing against God's restraints (that Paul will talk about). Whether or not there will be a physical temple in Jerusalem is not yet foreseeable. 12. Paul points out that those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ will pay the penalty of everlasting destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). Biblical narrative [ edit] 5 For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Messiah, and they will deceive many. The "man of sin" is also referred to as he who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god. That power is entirely controlled by God (see Job 1), but when the Day of the Lord approaches, God will allow some of the restraints to be removed. Then the voice of the Beloved will in wrath rebuke the things of heaven and the things of earth and the things of earth and the mountains and the hills and the cities and the desert and the forests and the angel of the sun and that of the moon, and all things wherein Beliar manifested himself and acted openly in this world, and there will be [a resurrection and] a judgment in their midst in those days, and the Beloved will cause fire to go forth from Him, and it will consume all the godless, and they will be as though they had not been created. 2:910). 2 Thessalonians 2:8 (AMP): Then the lawless one [the Antichrist] will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by the appearance of His coming. whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs comment on 2 Thess. You see for yourself whether the meaning is really there. Healing the sick? Eph. What video game is Charlie playing in Poker Face S01E07? In other words, we don't know when that day will happen, but we will know it when it happens. ", 14 "This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. All the Antichrist will do is harness the lawlessness and rebellion already in the hearts of the ungodly. That is, he's called a man of lawlessness. The view that the church fathers held that persisted in Christian theology down through the Reformers was that the Papacy was the man of lawlessness. Where does this (supposedly) Gibson quote come from? And (we pray!) 2:13; cf. Rev. Learn more or donate today at, ESV Expository Commentary: EphesiansPhilemon (Volume 11). And the rest of the vision regarding the Lord, behold, it is written in three parables according to my words which are written in the book which I publicly prophesied. The wisdom we need in this world often wears black. In II Thessalonians the Apostasy is such that the Man of Lawlessness and the system he fosters is in open rebellion against Christ and the Gospel. (Hosea 1 & 3). And the situation is quite simple: somebody wrote a letter (signed "Paul") saying that Jesus had already come back and they missed it. This became known as "The Great Disappointment", and his followers later retconned it to mean that Christ had begun his atoning work in heaven on that day. They will not have brotherly love and will forbid others from receiving them as well and will cast out of the church those who will receive them. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-5, Part 4. What can be stated clearly is that the appearance of the lawless one is entirely in keeping with Gods sovereignty (cf. So, what is being revealed? In the Bible we see the man of lawlessness called the "son of perdition." Matthew 7:21-23 KJV (21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Write the term that best matches the definition given below. ), Does any of this increasing lawlessness frighten you, Part 3: Deceiving (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). Of the Twelve one will be delivered into his hands. "Okay, but that doesn't help us understand what this man of lawlessness has to do with everything. 4-28) happen, the time is near, These things will all happen in that generation, Comparison: the day of Noah; they knew yet they didnt know. My observations have been that the most current questions draw the most activity. The fun way to go with this is to ask for personal examples. Matthew 24 is such a helpful resource here. and in thy name done many wonderful works? What predictions have you made that were completely wrong? And he shall bear sway three years and seven months and twenty-seven days. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. 2Co 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Many of them recycle the same entries, and here are some of the favorites: "There's no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home" - Ken Olson, 1977, "Television won't last because people will get tired of staring at a plywood box every night" - Darryl Zanuck, 1946 (technically right? Second, the fact still remains for Christians today that many antichrists exist 5,6, men of lawlessness 1,2,3 in their own right, looking to do the bidding of Satan 4,9. Well, Satan's "role" in Christ's Return is to provide an opponent to Christ, a "man of lawlessness" (whom we usually name "the Anti-Christ"). with you, I told you these things? This article is part of the Tough Passages series. Those early Christians correlated scriptures like the Revelation beasts with Daniel's little horn and Pauline passages to identify an end time opponent of Christ. 2:1112). Perhaps if you define "church father" as a prominent figure of the post-renaissance reformation movement you can get there, but that's not what most people think of when they hear the expression. And they greater number of those who shall have been associated together in order to receive the Beloved, he will turn aside after him. Note the following examples from Spenser's Sonnet 111 and Sidney's Sonnet 313131. The Greek word for rebellion (apostasia) occurs in the Septuagint OT and in the NT to speak of rebellion against God and his law (Josh. He considers himself absolutely above law. The "signs" before the end cannot be used in that way. 5:6; Col. 2:8). (1 Thess 5), So, this topic was on their mind. Van Gogh didn't cut off his ear, just the bottom of it. The man of sin ( Greek: , ho anthrpos ts hamartias) or man of lawlessness, ( , anomias) is a figure referred to in the Christian Bible in the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians. There is controversy here because people disagree on what Jesus meant. Let me build on my aside: Satan has power that God allows him to have. When Paul declares, You know what is restraining him now, we again confront our lack of firsthand knowledge. Do catch the "mystery of lawlessness" comment. 7:2427; 8:2326; 11:2045; esp. Cotton Mather (a Boston Puritan) predicted the end of the world in 1697, then revised it to 1716, then finally to 1736. Rather, the lawless one will appear in his time and will be conquered by the Lord Jesus at the proper moment (2 Thess. So Paul explained to them that this future time of tribulation had not yet come because a certain "man of lawlessness" had not yet been revealed ( 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ). Selected Answer: True Question 12 1 out of 1 points Satan mimics Gods work by causing a lawless one to appear, though ultimately Satans designs will fail (cf. 24:15; Mark 13:14), revealing that the Danielic imagery establishes a pattern of opposition to Gods rule preceding the eschatological judgment of God. Satan and Satan's demons only have the power that God has allowed. They should have been able to see through the fake letter. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and will bring him to nothing at the appearance of his coming. Deu 13:17 And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; The man of lawlessness is the ultimate man of evil. I was taught to the contrary for each of these: Nero wasn't fiddling while Rome burned. And to all who because of (their) faith in Him have execrated Beliar and his kings. What is the Context of understanding 2 Thess. ("Man in the High Castle" vibes.) 2:3) Doug Burleson Paul's words concerning the "man of lawlessness" in 2 Thess. The way I create an outline is to outline the passage. -man of lawlessness revealed (antichrist) what are the various descriptions of the "man of sin"? 11:1, 4). Indeed there have, and that's important. (12) Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth 3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day . What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? (In hell, there will be no such chance.) The Antichrist will fool many people into believing that he is the Second Coming of Christ. What are they? 21. Like Utilitarianism, Imannual Kant's moral theory is grounded in a theory of intrinsic value.But where the utilitarian take happiness, conceived of as pleasure and the absence of pain to be what has intrinsic value, Kant takes the only think to have moral worth for its own sake to be the good will . 24:45, 1113, 2325). (2 Th 2:3) That is a title used only one other place in scripture, when talking about Judas (John 17:12). 3:5). It's not a mystery. 2 not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come.. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of . Here's a bonus: this one's bizarre -- in 1998, a Russian named Igor Panarin predicted that the US would collapse into civil war in 2010 and be redistributed according to this following map. Although the lawless one is yet to come, the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. This is consistent with the concept of evil elsewhere in the NT. 7:5; Eph. They will put us out of their gatherings and kill us and all the while think that they are doing God service in His namein His authority. Just because I find this interesting, Jonathan Edwards of Puritan fame also said the apocalypse would happen in 2000. In 2:3, Paul introduces us to a ", He will deceive people to gain power, then he will use that power to. 24:2325; Mark 13:2123). Lawlessness exists now, and people are drawn to it -- that's what "is already at work" -- but on this day it will be given a power that is currently unfathomable. The lawless ones efforts to receive worship result in his taking his seat in the temple of God. Commentators debate which temple is envisioned here, with most opting for the Jerusalem temple, though others suggest the Thessalonians would imagine an important temple in their city, and still others argue the temple is a reference to the church as the temple of God (e.g., 1 Cor. of God. Lawlessness in the present age (now) is not yet as bad as it could be. It was the restraining force of the apostles. This lends credence to the idea that the man of lawlessness is a betrayer in the church. www.thenarrowpath.com/audio/verse-by-verse/2nd-thessalonians/01_0000_2nd_Thessalonians_1-2.mp3**. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-5, Part 3 February 7, 2023 Lab by John Piper What is Look at the Book? There is still quite a lot of wisdom left to be shared. The church members were understandably distraught! The man of sin speaks of those who love to be first among the churches of men. This man is destined for destruction. Anyway, Paul had talked about this at length with the church members. We read in Daniel of a king who shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods, and shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all (Dan. 1 Cor. 3:37; Jude 1719). Charles Manson (!!) And he will set up his image before him in every city. In Daniel it is this king who sets up the abomination that makes desolate in Jerusalem (Dan. Similar objections could be made against any of the subsequent religious shrines built atop the Jerusalem Temple Mount, whether the Hadrianic Temple of Jupiter (built around AD 135) or the current Dome of the Rock (built around 691). Redoing the align environment with a specific formatting. What Is the Mark of the Beast? No chance. - Steve Ballmer, 2007, "Stocks are now in the midst of a one-time-only rise to much higher groundto the neighborhood of 36,000 on the Dow Jones. - James Glassman, 1999, There is no danger that Titanic will sink. 2:8). For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.5Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?6And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Thus, though it seems best to assume that the man of lawlessness is still to be revealed, the specifics of how that might look (including what is meant by his session in the temple) will likely surprise the best of interpreters. 2:45; 1 Thess. No, church fathers didn't consider the papacy the antichrist. But they won't return to God; they will believe the lie. Jerry Falwell (and Tim LaHaye!) for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born comment on 2:34). This does not mean that God caused them to reject Him; this means that He will enable their "confirmation bias". Doesn't he. 12:14).1 With this list of options, it appears most likely that God himself controls the timing and the restraint, holding back the advent of the lawless one until the proper moment. Here's how I reconcile it all: Christians are to be aware of the signs of the times. 12:12). This role includes tempting, deceiving, and ruining. But even that will be a mercy because people will still have the chance to realize their foolishness and return to God. And God will enable their determination. Jim Jones (!) Deu 13:12 If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, The Danielic background is particularly striking in comparison to the man of lawlessness in verse 4. It seems that some personal entity must cease his restraining action in order for the lawless one to be revealed. According to the textbook, Paul asserts in 2 Thessalonians that the Day of the Lord will not begin until the "man of lawlessness" (the Antichrist) is revealed. The man of lawlessness cannot be Satan, for he is distinguished from the devil in verse 9. And all that he hath desired he will do in the world: he will do and speak like the Beloved and he will say: "I am God and before me there has been none." He is called "the one who restrains" in some translations (ESV, NASB); other translations call Him "the one who holds back" (NIV), "he who letteth" (KJV), or "he who is keeping down" (YLT). John 16:1-4 KJV (1) These things have I spoken unto you, that ye Do you recognize these books by Edgar Whisenant, Lester Sumrall, or Ed Dobson? But those of God will not sin. I've introduced this already. 2:5), but we are left to infer as much as we can to the best of our abilities. It begins with a capital letter. Those books contributed to this misunderstanding. 5 Dont you remember that when I was still with you I used to tell you about this? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?, 4 Jesus replied to them, Watch out that no one deceives you. Paul draws on Jesus eschatological instruction by similarly applying this Danielic imagery to events yet to occur.