The Lawless Man

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 
 
IT is essential to see in these two letters to the Thessalonian church that Paul’s language about Jesus’ Second Coming is constant. Note he says, Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers. This is the same language Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians to describe all from the graves and on earth gathered to Jesus in the air. There is one way Jesus is coming. Paul continued to emphasize it.
   One reason he does so is due to false letters and teachings that were forged with his name to the church. Jesus had warned about false teachers many times, and they were continually at work as the devil’s agents to destroy the apostles’ work. Some had taught Jesus had already returned! (And that lie continues today.)
   Then Paul pointed to an absolute sign Jesus’ return is near. That day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed. But some will say this is too unclear. Who is the lawless man? Is he the devil? Might he be a world religion leader with absolute power? And there are many more conjectures. Here then, is another ongoing debate in the church: Who is the man of lawlessness?
   Although no one can name the man, all Christians who are alive when he begins to rule will be able to identify him. In short, he is the central antichrist of the age. He will be a man who will subvert the church’s authority and proclaim himself as God. Unlike the antichrists who are in the world now, this particular man will control a good portion of the world. Many in the false church and from other religions will fall under his deceit. The truly faithful will reject him because the Holy Spirit will protect t hem. They will be subjected to his persecutions. It appears the lawless man will establish himself in Jerusalem’s temple.
   This passage closes with Paul’s reminder to the church he has previously taught this. We can understand there was much debate in the church about the end. Paul, then, had to keep teaching them.
          This speaks to all our hearts to be continually attentive to God’s Word. We can often hear the Bible and rejoice in its teachings. But there is much information in the world that will cause us to focus on the world’s view instead of God’s truth. We must keep our thoughts current on the Scriptures, so we can stand against anyone and anything, so we can stand for Jesus.