ESOCS Devotional 8 May 2024 – Revelation of the Anti-Christ
MEMORY VERSE: “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, and in every sort of evil that deceive those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 NIV
TEXT: 2 THESSALONIANS 2: 1-12
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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The coming of the lawless one, or man of sin – also known as the Anti-Christ, is not a hidden agenda in the theology of the Day of the Lord. In the days of the early Thessalonian Church, some false teachers had suggested that the Day of the Lord had already come, thereby setting confusion in the minds of believers. But Paul immediately refuted that teaching, in order to clear the confusion in the minds of true disciples. Paul firmly indicated that the return of the Lord would not come until events surrounding a certain man of sin (the antichrist) occurred (v 3).
This antichrist will come with the power of Satan, and will perform all manners of false miracles, signs and wonders (v 9). He will employ every kind of deceitful arts on those who will perish. However, such persons will only perish because of lack of knowledge of the truth in the word of God, in order to be saved (v 10). Nevertheless, though the time remains uncertain (Matthew 24:3-26), Jesus will return again as judge. And for true disciples, this would be a time of glory. Believers should therefore rest in the knowledge that Christ has won the victory, and with this assurance, should be strong, and remain steadfast in the Lord.
Moreover, the method by which Satan uses the lawless one to gain a following is through deception and wicked gimmicks (Matthew 24:5, 24). We must not underrate the ability of these satanic agents to deceive; neither should we under-estimate the gullibility and willingness of some persons to be deceived (Acts 13:8-10; 19:13-15). When those who have the desire and ability to deceive are put together with those who are willing to be deceived, then Satan is at his best. It follows therefore that those who do not have true knowledge of the truth, will certainly fall victim to the deceptions of witchcraft, sorcery, and other magical tricks, including divination.
Child of God, we are now in the perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1-6), when evil of all sorts are multiplied. Beware, the man of sin is now on top gear to perform his assigned task. Beware!
- The rate of increase in antichrist activities, even in the Churches today is a clear pointer to the presence of the wicked one. Do you agree?
- Lord, help me to remain and stand strong until your arrival.
Further Reading: Exodus 5:15-21; 1 Kings 11:1-11; Mark 2:18-22
ESOCS Devotional 8 May 2024
