Over the last few years the world has seen a lawlessness like never before. From the lock downs to gender mutilation of children. The Bible defines lawlessness as acting without regard to the law or in opposition to it. It’s often translated as “iniquity” and isa rejection of God.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 describes the “lawless one” who will appear before Jesus’s return. The lawless one will be empowered by Satan and will deceive people by making unrighteousness seem pleasurable.
I was wondering why the “lawless one” has not shown up, because of all the people rejecting God and their progressive movements. I thought I would share what I learned.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the Apostle Paul referred to the revelation of “the man of sin.”
“Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be unless the rebellion comes first. and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction.”
The man of sin literally is translated means lawlessness. It’s a general state of wickedness. And this person will be controlled and characterized by a spirit of lawlessness.
Paul emphasized this fact in 2 Thessalonians 8, by calling him “the wicked one.” Paul’s use of the definite expression implies this person will be the epitome of human lawlessness. He will oppose and reject all governing authority and laws except what he approves or establishes.
Since God is the ultimate authority, the man of lawlessness will make God and Jesus objects of his rejection of governing authority. He will deny God, the Father, and the Son” 1 John 2:22) and the truth that Jesus is God’s Son come in the flesh” (1 John 4:3, 7) and the Messiah -Jesus (1 John 2:22). He will deny these truths because God’s Son came into the world through incarnation in human flesh to crush satan’s man of lawlessness and restore God’s authoritative rule to the world system (1 John 3:8). Because of these denials John called him “antichrist” (1 John 2:18, 22, 4:3; 2John 7).
Several things helps identify the person who will reveal the Antichrist. The antichrist will not reveal himself through action that he performs, but another person will reveal him,
Paul said that the antichrist will be revealed “in his time” 2 Thessalonians 2:6. time refers to a definite, fixed time. It refers to the specific and decisive point, and strongly emphasizes that God is the one who determines that definite, fixed and decisive time,
Jesus asserted that the authority to determine such times belongs exclusively to God (Acts 1:7). The time of antichrist’s revelation has been determined by God, not by antichrist or satan.
God declared that He will raise up a “foolish” and “idol” shepherd (Zechariah 11:15-17). The word foolish refers to a person who is morally perverted, arrogant, impatient man who does not fear God, feels that his own way is without error, and is overbearing in his attitude because he thinks he has all the answers.
This shepherd will be an idol shepherd (Zechariah 11:17). The word idol means “something worthless” (particularly as an object of worship) The Bible describes “idol” as vain objects of worship, the gods of this world. These gods even included people in who men trusted but were deceitful and of no value (Job 13:4. Isaiah 19:3: Zechariah 12:17). This shepherd will be a person who through deceit will convince people to put their trust in him as god.
1 John 2:18, 4:3 stated that the spirit of antichrist was already operating in the world during the first century. Antichrist is human form will not be revealed until the restrainer is removed.
God will sovereignly stop the restraint of antichrist by removing the restrainer at the appropriate time.
The Bible reveals that God has had a restrainer restraining the spirit of lawlessness during history. Genesis 6:3 tells us,
“The Lord said, My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh, so his days will be one hundred twenty years.”
This tells us that the Holy Spirit strive with lawless mankind in the days before the time of the flood (Genesis 6:3). The word “strove” means to govern. It embodies the idea of government, in whatever realm.
What if the power of the Spirit of God was suddenly removed from earth. It would be on,y s brief time before Satan quickly consummated his dream of world domination.
It’s the Holy Spirit that lives in believers that is holding back this evil from coming to pass in the world today.
Peter in 2 Peter 3:9 says that God is,
“The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but it patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the world that are in it will be burned up. Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness” -2 Peter 3:10-11.
Once the restrainer is gone, the antichrist will be revealed.
Rick Renner tells us the word “revealed” is the word apokalupto. The Greek word apo means away, and the word kalupto refers to someone that is veiled, covered, concealed, or hidden. When these two words are compounded, it depicts a veil that had been removed, exposing what I’d behind the veil. The Holy Spirits power will be withdrawn, there will no longer be any force present to hold back through evil forces. Therefore this evil leader who had been concealed and hidden from public view will suddenly appear.”
It will be as if a stage curtain has been pulled out of the way so that he can make his grand appearance to the world.
If you’ve been paying attention you should be able to see that there is a supernatural force at work preventing the materialization of this person and the disclosure of his identity.
The restraining force is so strong that it is currently putting on the brakes and holding back the unveiling of this wicked person, stalling and postponing his manifestation.
The when the right moment comes, this evil one will emerge on the world scene.
From Pity to Praise 