“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there be a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” 2 Thessalonians 2:3
This entire chapter unfolds a chilling, graphic account of the future of mankind. For the church of the first century it served both to inform them about what will happen after Jesus comes for His church and to assure them that His coming was not imminent at that time. The churches then felt Jesus was returning near the end of the first century, or sooner. As a result, some were slowing in their outreach with the gospel, content to just hold their own and wait it out. The Lord sent this revelation by Paul to them to indeed be ready but also to be busy readying those not yet saved. This passage has spoken to every generation since then, and the longer time has lasted, the more urgent this has become. There would come a final generation, one who would witness all the signs of our Lord’s imminent return. This generation should be shaken, troubled, and watchful. From the events that have been unfolding these past few decades and recent years, it is obvious that we are that generation.
This chapter is as new and fresh to us as it was to the Thessalonians. And more so, because we see, we feel, we know. It is vital that we learn all we can about the coming of God’s Son. Equally essential is the need to learn about the simultaneous coming, or public revealing, of the “Dark Son”- the son of perdition. Verse 8 tells us “ For the mystery of iniquity doth already work…” As the second coming of Jesus the Son was in God’s plan from time everlasting, the coming of the Dark One was in Satan’s counter-plan as well. To mankind through the ages this has seemed a mystery, for the devil works his plan behind the scenes, purposely deceiving and beguiling man into being and living according to his wishes. Because of man’s fallen nature and sin he naturally follows Satan’s guide. Satan’s greatest effort is to persuade people to question and resist any belief in their sin, the Scripture, God, or His Plan of Salvation through His Son. Satan also works to get the individual to not believe in him. In accomplishing this he can make man anything he wants to and do anything he wants to with them.
This self-enlightened world of today is certainly falling for it.
If this is true, and most of the world willingly follows his way, then why hasn’t Satan just come out in the open and taken his throne? The answer is simple: he is restrained. He cannot reveal himself until every nation has heard the Truth of the gospel and given a chance at their soul’s salvation. He cannot until this Age of Grace has come to its close. He cannot until God’s Son first returns and everything and everyone that belongs to God has been removed from this world. “ And now ye know what witholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.” (v. 8) This only hindrance has been, and is, the Holy Spirit. The Spirit descended, following the Ascension of Christ at Pentecost, unto this world. He filled every believer in the early church and gave them the power to be the witnesses of salvation through God’s Son. The Spirit also moves throughout the world to stir and convict man of his sins when man hears the Truth. But of equal importance He works to restrain Satan from having full sway and domination. If this were not true Satan would have brought man down to the level of his destruction long ago.
But the time is nearing when all this will suddenly, horribly change. Verses 1-3 teach us that Jesus is surely coming again. He is coming for all those who have turned to Him from their sin and trusted Him only as their savior, both dead and alive. He is coming to end man’s opportunity for their eternal salvation. He is coming to remove all that is His once and for all. And when He does, the Holy Spirit’s work will be done and will leave with them. Then the world will be left all by itself at the hand of the Dark Prince. Man has long yearned to be rid of God, and they will get their wish. But there is a consequence: man will now have Satan in his fullness. The son of perdition will be revealed.
We are truly in the time of the great falling away from the Truth. This movement is preparing fallen souls for the seeking of an alternative leader-messiah to follow; someone who can be everything they have always wanted yet allow them to be and live as they choose.
We will continue next week. For now, Remember Paul’s sobering words in verse 3:” Let no man deceive you by any means…”
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 