(2 Thessalonians 2:7-12)
Would you want to know the details of your future, if you could? Probably not. The inevitable dark moments of your future would haunt your every step. However, if knowing the future would allow you to prepare for the future, knowing becomes beneficial.
There are very dark days ahead for America and for the followers of Christ, as our country abandons its firm foundation and embraces an anti-Christ agenda. I know this because the Bible shows us the final scenes of this present age. While we are not certain when the last events will take place, the stage is being set, and like a sudden storm, the darkness is gathering quickly.
Not knowing the future will not help anyone, but knowing what is coming gives us the opportunity and time to prepare ourselves. If you don't believe the Bible's revelation, you will be deceived (2 Th. 2:7-12)... and forever lost.
Remember, to be forewarned is to be forearmed, equipped, prepared.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
(8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
(9) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
(10) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
(12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
dlg quick notes on this passage.
(vs. 7a) "mystery of iniquity" is the evil system at work behind the scenes; seen only by its fruit, as the stormy wind is seen by the trees it uproots. The power and ruler behind this is Satan, so it is rightfully connected to him. He is the personification of the mystery of iniquity.
There is also a "mystery of godliness," which is the righteous system at work in our world, seen by its fruit, as the wind carries seed to new soil or as the wind fills the sails and carries a vessel to faraway lands. The Power and Ruler behind this is God, so it is rightfully connected to Him. He is the source and personification of godliness (1 Tm. 3:16).
(vs.7b-c) He who lets (allows) is the Holy Spirit. He presently holds the workings of Satan in check, through the presence of the people of God (aka) the Church. God limited the presence and power of the Holy Spirit during the Old Testament (age of law) but now manifests Himself in the New Testament times (age of grace). He will again limit Himself during the Tribulation (after the rapture), which is when He is taken out of the way. He is "taken out of the way" because the Church is taken or caught away. It is His presence through the Church that restrains the power of Satan in this world at this present time.
(vs. 8) When the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, through the Church, is taken away at the rapture, then the anti-Christ (the embodiment of satanic power) will come on the world scene in full force. But his days are numbered, because Christ will conquer him when He returns (after the rapture, the tribulation and before the millennium).
(vs. 9-10a) This passage tells us that the anti-Christ will perform in the power, signs and lying wonders of Satan and all the ability of unrighteous deception, able to deceive those who perish. Though these verses will not be fulfilled until the Tribulation, we are seeing the rise of such deception today, AS NEVER BEFORE IN OUR LIFETIME. Those who are rejecting Christ are swallowing lie after lie concerning economics, religion, politics, education, immorality.
(vs. 10b) The only sure protection from such deception is THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, THAT LEADS TO SALVATION. However, those who will not receive the love of the truth will be deceived and will not be saved. This is scary. Be sure of your response to the call of God.
(vs. 11) God does not want any to perish, but He wants all to be saved, however He endowed mankind with a free will and He even enables fallen men to make a free choice. When a person chooses not to believe on Christ and follow Him, God allows that person's deceived mind to be totally ensnared by the lies he believes.
(vs. 12) God allows a person to choose condemnation over salvation. God allows a person to believe the lie if they do not believe the truth. God sends just rewards to those who take pleasure in unrighteousness.
Oh my. How sad. And there are those around us who will laugh and mock at what God says, to their own eternal detriment. God loved me as a rebel, and He saved me because I believed on Christ. God loves other rebels, and calls them to Himself, but they do accept His call and yield to His rule. They will one day be cut off suddenly, and that without remedy.
Would you want to know the details of your future, if you could? Probably not. The inevitable dark moments of your future would haunt your every step. However, if knowing the future would allow you to prepare for the future, knowing becomes beneficial.
There are very dark days ahead for America and for the followers of Christ, as our country abandons its firm foundation and embraces an anti-Christ agenda. I know this because the Bible shows us the final scenes of this present age. While we are not certain when the last events will take place, the stage is being set, and like a sudden storm, the darkness is gathering quickly.
Not knowing the future will not help anyone, but knowing what is coming gives us the opportunity and time to prepare ourselves. If you don't believe the Bible's revelation, you will be deceived (2 Th. 2:7-12)... and forever lost.
Remember, to be forewarned is to be forearmed, equipped, prepared.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
(8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
(9) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
(10) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
(12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
dlg quick notes on this passage.
(vs. 7a) "mystery of iniquity" is the evil system at work behind the scenes; seen only by its fruit, as the stormy wind is seen by the trees it uproots. The power and ruler behind this is Satan, so it is rightfully connected to him. He is the personification of the mystery of iniquity.
There is also a "mystery of godliness," which is the righteous system at work in our world, seen by its fruit, as the wind carries seed to new soil or as the wind fills the sails and carries a vessel to faraway lands. The Power and Ruler behind this is God, so it is rightfully connected to Him. He is the source and personification of godliness (1 Tm. 3:16).
(vs.7b-c) He who lets (allows) is the Holy Spirit. He presently holds the workings of Satan in check, through the presence of the people of God (aka) the Church. God limited the presence and power of the Holy Spirit during the Old Testament (age of law) but now manifests Himself in the New Testament times (age of grace). He will again limit Himself during the Tribulation (after the rapture), which is when He is taken out of the way. He is "taken out of the way" because the Church is taken or caught away. It is His presence through the Church that restrains the power of Satan in this world at this present time.
(vs. 8) When the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, through the Church, is taken away at the rapture, then the anti-Christ (the embodiment of satanic power) will come on the world scene in full force. But his days are numbered, because Christ will conquer him when He returns (after the rapture, the tribulation and before the millennium).
(vs. 9-10a) This passage tells us that the anti-Christ will perform in the power, signs and lying wonders of Satan and all the ability of unrighteous deception, able to deceive those who perish. Though these verses will not be fulfilled until the Tribulation, we are seeing the rise of such deception today, AS NEVER BEFORE IN OUR LIFETIME. Those who are rejecting Christ are swallowing lie after lie concerning economics, religion, politics, education, immorality.
(vs. 10b) The only sure protection from such deception is THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, THAT LEADS TO SALVATION. However, those who will not receive the love of the truth will be deceived and will not be saved. This is scary. Be sure of your response to the call of God.
(vs. 11) God does not want any to perish, but He wants all to be saved, however He endowed mankind with a free will and He even enables fallen men to make a free choice. When a person chooses not to believe on Christ and follow Him, God allows that person's deceived mind to be totally ensnared by the lies he believes.
(vs. 12) God allows a person to choose condemnation over salvation. God allows a person to believe the lie if they do not believe the truth. God sends just rewards to those who take pleasure in unrighteousness.
Oh my. How sad. And there are those around us who will laugh and mock at what God says, to their own eternal detriment. God loved me as a rebel, and He saved me because I believed on Christ. God loves other rebels, and calls them to Himself, but they do accept His call and yield to His rule. They will one day be cut off suddenly, and that without remedy.
No comments:
Post a Comment