THE ANTICHRIST
II THESSALONIANS 2:1-12
Introduction:
“In his first letter to the Thessalonians Paul had taught them that the day of the Lord would come as a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:2). This instruction raised a question in his readers’ minds. It must have seemed to some of them that the day of the Lord had already come. After all, the persecutions they were experiencing seemed to be what the prophets had predicted when they wrote about the great calamities coming on God’s people and the world in the day of the Lord.” (Thomas Constable)
Apparently the Thessalonians had received some teaching that was not correct causing confusion among the believers. The Apostle Paul seeks to correct this error and set the record straight about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the Antichrist.
I. THE PREPARATION FOR THE ANTICHRIST.
A. Before the Second Coming of Christ there is a well recognized apostasy (abandonment of one’s religious faith, backsliding, falling away), 2 Thessalonians 2:3, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;”
B. Iniquity shall abound on every hand, Matthew 24:12, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
C. The formation of the NEW WORLD ORDER will take place:
1. World banking – moving toward one-world monetary system.
2. World religion – one world church.
3. World government – setting the stage for the Antichrist.
II. THE PROHIBITION OF THE ANTICHRIST, 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7.
A. The Antichrist does not have a free hand to do as he pleases, but is restrained from acting until the TIME IS RIGHT, v. 6, “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.” – the Greek word is “hold down, detain.”
B. The Holy Spirit of God DETAINS him, vs. 7-8a, “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,”
1. He is already at work, v. 7a, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:”
2. However, the Spirit of God contains his activity, v. 7b, “only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.”
C. The Lord is holding back the appearance of the Antichrist and the subsequent judgment of God until the work is accomplished through His churches.
III. THE PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF THE ANTICHRIST.
A. God’s program is on schedule.
1. The Lord Jesus arrived on time, Galatians 4:4, “But when the FULNESS OF THE TIME WAS COME, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”
2. The Antichrist will arrive on schedule according to God’s plan, NOT HIS OWN.
B. The Holy Spirit is removed to allow Satan to bring on the Antichrist, 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 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:”
1. The Antichrist shall rise to power through the power of Satan, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 9-12, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 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.” Revelation 13:4, “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?”
2. His rise to power is through a Ten nation organization, Revelation 12:3, “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.” 13:1, “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.” 17:7, And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.”
3. He has the cooperation of the FALSE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM, Revelation 17.
4. The Antichrist will be a man of personal charisma and ability.
a. He will have great power, Revelation 13:3, “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”
b. He will promote PEACE (or prosperity), Daniel 8:25, “And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.”
c. He will be a master of deception and trickery, Matthew 24:24, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Revelation 13:14, “And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”
CONCLUSION
The Antichrist will arrive soon enough with all of his power to deceive the world. I believe we can already see some of the signs mentioned in this message. However, the Lord is still in charge and the Holy Spirit continues to stand in the way of the Antichrist until the Father takes Him out of the way.
You need to make sure that you are in Christ, one who has trusted Jesus as his personal Savior. Terrible times are ahead for those whose life is not protected in Jesus Christ.