"The Man of Lawlessness"

Brett Revlett

Man of Lawlessness • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

2 Thessalonians 2:1–4

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Transcript

Introduction

Many have pointed to the disasters and conflicts over the last several months as possible indicators signifying that we are near to the final days of earth’s existence.

The Covid-19 crisis and the rioting in the streets of America have caused much speculation in recent days.

I do get asked about it and people tend to think there may be something going on in all of this related to the end times. One thing though is definitely certain, we are closer to the coming of our Lord than we have ever been in history.

And as we will see over the coming weeks as we look at 2 Thessalonians 2 many of the signs of the “last days” are present in our world today at a more grand scale than at any other time in history.

Eschatology is the theological term that is used to refer to that category of doctrinal truth related to what the Bible teaches about the final days.

When it comes to eschatology there is a lot of debate on how it is that things will unfold in sequence. This is simply because not all of what we see in the Bible related to eschatology is clearly spelled out.

But there are some things that are clear in the sequence. Like we see in our text this morning there is going to be a rapture of believers that take place after the revelation of the man of lawlessness.

First we see the rapture being described in verses 1-2. Look at your text.

I. The Coming Rapture (1-2).

1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

A. Explain

Notice that Paul puts the subject matter in the doctrinal context of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and believers being gathered together to Him (1).

The Christians at Thessalonica were enduring intense persecution and Paul tells them in Chapter 1:5 that: This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—

Imagine that Christian, Paul considers persecution in the world and from the world as being an indicator of being worthy of the Kingdom.

So they were under persecution and there was a theological issue that was disturbing them. They were suffering for the cause of Christ and they had been led to believe that the second coming of Christ had already taken place.

Why was that such a critical issue? Because without that blessed hope the persecution would have been unbearable for them. They needed to know that Christ was returning in the future and that there was hope because of it.

So the Apostle Paul is trying to calm their anxieties over what they had heard.

And he list some possible avenues by which this information may have come. By a spirit, or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from an Apostle. But regardless of where they got the information it was simply not true.

B. Illustrate

Can you imagine what that would be like? That great and glorious event took place and somehow you missed it. You only hear about it after the fact.

We may have instances like that in our everyday experiences of events in our lives and usually we are disappointed and immediately inquire, “when did that happen?”. Like a spouse’s birthday or someone’s anniversary, like your own anniversary.

But to be a Christian and miss the second coming of Christ now that would truly be disturbing.

C. Apply

But there are people even today who believe that the second coming of Christ has already taken place in connection to the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. because of the way they understand Matthew 24.

The view is referred to as the “preterist” view. There is even an International Preterist Association.

But they emphasize that fulfillment of the second coming has already happened.

Though there is little doubt that some of Jesus predictions came true in 70 A.D. there are other predictions that are still yet in the future. I guess all of us should be at least a partial preterist when it comes to acknowledging the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D.

Events like the final judgement in several passages in Scripture connect it in association with the return of Christ. Even Matthew 24 has the appearing of the Lord coming on the clouds in great glory. And the elect being gathered with a loud trumpet call (24:31).

Quite frankly it is hard to believe that the coming of Christ on such a grand scale could have happened and Church history missed it.

Our understanding of these events have to be lined up in what Scripture teaches. It is a vast undertaking but a necessary one to help us keep our current perspective rooted in our eternal hope in Christ.

We have learned this from Hebrews 12. Without the hope of the return of Christ and the establishment of a new heavens and a new earth this fallen world would be a very difficult context for us to live without that hope.

And the more intense the persecution that we as believers experience in the world the harder it will be for us to remain hopeful as a Christian.

Paul understood that and that is why he cautioned these early Christians to not entertain such heretical notions that Christ had already returned. He corrects their understanding by setting the return of Christ in connection to the coming rebellion. Look at verses 3-4.

II. The Coming Rebellion (3-4).

3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

A. Explain

Notice there is a sequence in the events regarding how they unfold and the Christian does not need to be deceived about such things (3a).

The rebellion must come first prior to the second coming of Christ. So what is the rebellion?

The Greek term is ἀποστασία and we get our term “apostasy” from this family of words.

Scripture tells us in the last days there will be apostasy in the world and in the church as an institution. Men will be lovers of themselves more than lovers of God and they will want preachers to tickle their ears and to tell them pleasant things (2 Tim. 3:1-9). There will be rebellion against the rule of God in culture and among the societies of the nations of the world.

And there will also be the revelation of the Man of Lawlessness who will be the physical embodiment of the rebellion.

Notice the description of the Man of Lawlessness which reveals his demonic character (3b-4).

He is described as being the “son of destruction.”

He is defiant and self-exalting over every god that is worshipped on the earth.

He asserts himself into the seat of God’s temple and place of rule. He will rule in the hearts of men.

He will be in the place of God which is nothing more than the implications of the fall of man taken to their logical and impulsive conclusion. As the serpent told Eve that the day you eat of it you will be like God knowing good from evil.

We know from other text that he is also referred to as the Anti-Christ and Revelation 13 refers to him simply as the Beast. He is foreshadowed in the Book of Daniel as a horned goat and described as a King who will do as he pleases. And he will exercise global dominance and influence over the nations of the world.

B. Illustrate

When I was a teenager there were these movies out there that churches used to show to their youth groups that depicted some of these events. I remember reading the book when I was a teen “88 Reasons Jesus will return in 1988.”

More recently the left behind series of books have been written and movies have been made off of the books.

Most of those works were created from those who hold to a pre-tribulation rapture belief. And that is one view that is popular in Christian circles.

Martin Luther speculated that the Pope was the Anti-Christ. Because the Pope was referred to as the vicar of Christ. Which denotes that the Pope is in the place of Christ on earth. The Greek prefix “ante” means instead of or in the place of.

I remember when Ronald Reagan was president some speculated he was the anti-christ. Because his name Ronald Wilson Reagan had 6 letters in each part of his name which, it was argued was 666. People often speculate about Presidents because America is the center of attraction for us.

People can get very creative in their speculation. But we need to be students of the Scriptures first and foremost.

C. Apply

We need to look at the Scriptures to draw our conclusions. The Man of Lawlessness will embody the system of a world government. This is why Christians most often, are not in favor of globalist systems of governmental order in the world.

It is also the reason why Christians tend not to be ecumenical with apostate churches and false religions in the world. Because promoting globalism under any other King but Jesus Christ is promoting an Anti-Christ agenda.

Separate nations under the headship of Christ is what the Bible promotes in the world. But the social dynamic pushing in the direction of globalism out from under Christ is undeniable in our day.

Politicians even publicly speak out about a new world order where governments of the world increasingly cooperate in their governmental structure and economies.

So much has changed over my lifetime in regards to the direction that the world is taking. In the west it appears that the change has been so subtle that we hardly noticed it. Then one day we looked around and here we are.

World religions have to be brought together as well. Moving them all to a emphasize their moral commonality make it easier to promote ecumenical harmony among the Nations regardless of their religious background. Liberal denominations and organizations like the World Counsel of Churches have long been promoting such ideas.

Christian the Bible tells us where the world system of government will be heading in the last days. There is no lasting hope in reliance on the political powers of the world.

Christians do not need to be deceived into thinking that political systems of men have lasting answers for the needs of fallen humanity.

Politicians are not interested in the heart issues that reflect the real depth of our need where lives are transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Bible tells us where human government that is void of a Biblical truth is heading in the end. Government will in the end will embody man’s fallen nature. We will see this more clearly, Lord willing, next Sunday.

America needs a revival. And the Church in America needs reformation. A literal return to the Scriptures for our guidance away from lawlessness.

The world needs the gospel because Jesus Christ is the hope for the Nations.

III. Conclusion

If that is true, then what does it mean for us as a Church here at Crete Church. What should be the priority of the ministry?

If that is true what does it mean for us in our individual Christian lives as we live out our faith in the world?

If the gospel is the priority for not only us but for the Nations of the world what does that truth tell us about our mission and how we promote hope in the world?

We have no lasting city in this world and government will never be able to deliver on promises that will secure us for eternity.

Only Jesus Christ can do that. Unbeliever, Believe the gospel.

Christian confess your sin and rest in Him the world is not your security Christ is. Politicians are not your security, Christ is.