NOTE TO THE READER: This is one of a series of posts on Biblical prophecy unfolding in our time. I do not make any claim to be a prophet, or to have been given any special revelation or understanding of prophecy. In fact, much of what I understand about prophecy is the result of reading Scripture guided by the works of Ellis Skolfield. You can find them at Fish House Ministries. Much of his work is available free in downloadable pdf format. That said, what the Lord has given me is a mind that seems to see prophecy as it unfolds in human history. I feel compelled to share what I have learned. This is why I have started this series. But there is a great deal to explain, and it will take time to do so. I beg the read, if you chose to start reading in this series, please be patient. I also ask that you take God’s Word seriously and do your best to at least consider my posts from a Biblical perspective.
This post deals with events in human history which I believe were foretold by the Apostle, Paul, in 2 Thessalonians 2, specifically verses 1-12.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Man of Lawlessness
2 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the [a]coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your [b]composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a [c]message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the [d]apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above [e]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 in his time he will be revealed. 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 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 [f]coming; 9 that is, the one whose [g]coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and [h]signs and false wonders, 10 and with [i]all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God [j]will send upon them [k]a deluding influence so that they will believe [l]what is false, 12 in order that they all may be [m]judged who did not believe the truth, but [n]took pleasure in wickedness.
A LITTLE BIBLICAL BACKGROUND
When we read the history of Israel, we see a pattern that seems to continue in the behavior of believers past Christ’s ascension after the resurrection. This is a pattern of God rescuing His people out of darkness, restoring them and setting them up in a secure place and making a covenant with them to protect them if they will only obey His commands. But every time the Lord has done this, His people inevitably abandon their reliance on the Lord and trust in their own devices, including the worship of gods of their own making (i.e. idolatry). The Lord replies by sending trials to warn them and try to ‘shake’ them so they will return to Him, but — eventually — God passes judgment on them and destroys all but a remnant, which He eventually restores and the process starts all over again. The lessons here are these: 1 — God is loving and slow to anger, but He is also just, therefore He must pass judgment on sinners. 2 — Humans do not seem to learn.
A LITTLE THEOLOGY
Many Christians believe there will be a single person known as ‘The Anti-Christ’ near the end of days. Therefore, they see this Anti-Christ in 2 Thessalonians in ‘the man of lawlessness.’ However, for reason I will address separately, I reject this understanding of prophecy as unsupported by Scripture. Instead, I believe Paul was referring to anyone who rejects God and God’s law.
In Genesis 6:3, God says His Spirit will not always contend with or strive with the hearts of men. Throughout Scripture, God’s Word says that — if people persist in rejecting God and His correction — God will eventually give them over to their own desires. Scripture calls these desires ‘depravity.’ We see an example of this in the times of Noah, when Scripture says every thought of all men save Noah was for evil. When Christ speaks about His return, He says it will be ‘as in the days of Noah,” and Jesus openly questions whether or not there will be any faith left on earth at all when He returns. It is in this light that I believe Paul was referring to a period in human history when God pulls His Spirit back and turns humanity over to its own desires: not just a people or even a nation, but all of humanity. This would then reveal those who do not love God, thus revealing ‘the man of lawlessness.’
PAUL’S PROPHECY IN HISTORY
In 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, Paul writes:
11 For this reason God [j]will send upon them [k]a deluding influence so that they will believe [l]what is false, 12 in order that they all may be [m]judged who did not believe the truth, but [n]took pleasure in wickedness.
“For this reason” indicates that God is going to send this deluding influence so that the things listed before will happen, and to ensure that the wicked will have no defense when they are judged. In the original Greek, the word translated as ‘deluding’ is plane’. It means:
plánē (a feminine noun derived from 4105 /planáō) – deviant behavior; a departure from what God says is true; an error (deception) which results in wandering (roaming into sin). See 4105 (planaō).
So what might this deluding influence be? What could cause people to reject God and God’s Law and act as though man is his own god? Could it be ‘science.?’
Science, as we know it today, is a false religion. However, it was originally used as a tool for systematic investigation into the natural world. That original form of science was largely the result of the work of Christian scholars seeking to learn more about the nature of God. But it opened the door to those who would turn the tool into a false religion. Nietzsche said it, himself: reason had killed God. This gave rise to those we call Materialists, and the Materialist started to openly declare that man is his own god. Historically, the Materialists have opposed all religion, but they have a singularly driven desire to eliminate the Judeo/Christian faith.
This, in itself, might be enough to identify ‘science’ as the deluding force that reveals the individual of lawlessness, but it goes much further. Islam is most likely the Fourth Beast in Daniel’s prophecies, making Muhammad the False Prophet of Revelation. So how could science lead to the rise of this Forth Beast? Well, we are seeing it happen in the news right now.
The Marxists have been trying to destroy America for more than one hundred years. They have largely succeeded. Because they are Marxists, they reject God. They see all religious people as fools, even Muslims. But they are willing to work with anyone they believe can help them achieve their goals. The Marxist practice is to recruit ‘dupes’ and ‘useful idiots’ to help them achieve their goals, then just ‘liquidate’ those useful idiots after the goal is achieved. For this reason, the Materialists trying to destroy the West, and specifically the U.S., see no threat from Islam. They believe they can ‘deal with’ the Muslims after they finish off the U.S.. They are wrong.
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ADDENDUM:
This is also why the West is incapable of realizing that we are in a Holy War with Islam. ISIS and many of the Muslim groups pushing for the new Caliphate in the Middle East believe they are the armies of Armageddon, and that they are destined to fight a final, apocalyptic battle with the West. They refer to the West as ‘The Armies of Rome,’ and as ‘Crusaders.’ In the arrogant West, where leadership is dominated by Secular Humanists/Materialists, this is seen as ‘proof’ that Islam is living in the 12th Century. But it is actually a sign of the deluding force Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 2. It shows why the West is Spiritually blind, and how this is opening the door for God’s Spiritual enemies to attack His Holy Land and Holy People.
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Prophecy also describes what appears to be a nuclear exchange in the Middle East toward the end of time: possibly the entire globe. Until recently, the idea of America allowing Muslims to acquire a nuclear weapon would have been unthinkable, but so would the idea that America would turn on Israel (prophecy also says that, near the end, ‘all nations’ will turn against Israel). Yet, today, America has not only elected a Muslim President, but both her major political Parties are in bed with the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization whose stated goal is to destroy the U.S. and establish a Caliphate.
Finally, the Caliphate is part of Biblical prophecy. The Forth Beast is described as having a fatal head wound, yet it lives again. If we use Biblical symbolism, this means that the leadership of this Beast (empire or nation) was killed (the Caliphate was disbanded after WW I), but now, it somehow lives again (the Caliphate is being reconstituted). Once again, ‘science,’ as the deluding force that created Secular Humanism, is connected to the bringing back to life of the Beast. After WW I, the Caliphate was ended, but it was about that time the Muslim Brotherhood was created. Its goal was to bring the Caliphate back. It was largely supported in this quest by NAZI Germany, a Secular Humanist nation. It was also because of NAZI Germany that the greatest prophecy after Christ’s crucifixion was fulfilled: the resurrection of Israel as a Nation.
All of these events were driven by by people who held a Materialist/Secular Humanist ideology. They reject God and His Laws. Instead, they see themselves as their own gods. Thus, they justify whatever actions they desire. The end result is that the Materialist’s pride and arrogance has created the very conditions that will allow the Beast of Revelation to stand up and fulfill the prophecies of the end times. Even Obama is playing into God’s plan by helping to defend the Caliphate and to pave the way for Iran to get a nuclear weapon. This will likely cause Israel to attack Iran and the door will swing wide open for Armageddon. And all of this because man lost sight of God and God’s Laws when man allowed science to become a false religion.
If I am wrong, I am open to correction. I just ask for the Biblical support that shows my error, please. Therefore, I welcome serious and honest discussion on this subject. Please feel free to comment or post questions in the comment section below.
The Oil for Your Lamp 
I would love to read the whole series.
Thank you. I will be working to write regular posts in this series.