2 Thessalonians 2:6-12 – Activities before the Lord’s return (2)

We are told that “the man of lawlessness” will be revealed after the widespread fall away had taken place. The appearance of this wicked man will occur at a specific point in time, although when exactly that would take place is not indicated. But we surmise that his appearance will not be a gradual but a sudden one. And prior to his emergence, nothing much will be known about him. He will not appear on the scene prematurely. And he will take his seat in the temple of God and set himself forth as God (v.4). The fact that he does not appear sooner is because he is being restrained till God’s appointed time (v.6). Amazingly before Paul described the grandeur of his emergence, he also prescribed his doom. His reign will be short-lived and his end, swift. For as soon as the Lord returns, He will slay him by the breath of His mouth (v.8).

In verse 7, Paul also talked about the removal of the restrainer before the day of the Lord comes. Paul reminded the Thessalonians that they had already been told about what was restraining the emergence of the man of lawlessness. However, what Paul told the Thessalonians was given orally and we have no other writings to verify what he had said. However, it is clear that in God’s eschatological scheme, there will be the appearance of this man of lawlessness. His appearance is restrained for the time being. Although the appearance of the man of lawlessness has not taken place yet, Paul said that lawlessness has already been actively working in the world.

There are suggestions of who this restrainer is. One position takes it to mean Satan himself. It is explained that Satan is presently preventing the man of lawlessness from being made known till an appointed time. Another position says that the restrainer is the preaching of the Gospel. It is taught that when the church is taken up in the rapture, she won’t be around to preach the Gospel. So the man of lawlessness will be manifested.

In verse 7, Paul used the pronoun “he” to refer to the restrainer. Hence we concluded that it’s a person being referred to. Paul tells us that this restrainer would continue to avert the appearance of the lawless one until he, the restrainer “is taken out of the way.” We conclude Paul was referring to the person of the Holy Spirit. So long as the Holy Spirit, who indwells believers, works through the Church, the evil one will be restrained. But when the Holy Spirit stops His work among men, there will be rampant evil culminating in the revelation of the man of lawlessness.  

Verse 9 said that his emergence will be ushered by counterfeit signs and wonders. And he will be totally under the influence of Satan and his utter domination. Naturally his inspiration will come from Satan, who will energize his activities. Paul described his activities in verse 10. He said that they will be characterized by the deception of wickedness. The aim of this wicked one and his activities was to seduce humanity away from the Lord.

Verse 10 reveals the target group of the activities of the man of lawlessness. His aim will be those who are perishing. His plan would be to seal their doom. While his target group has the opportunity to receive the truth, their degenerate minds would reject the truth and not accept it. Thus, they will not be saved. Verses 11 and 12 tell us that since they will not respond to God and His truth, He (God) in turn will allow them to be overtaken by the deluding influence that will result in them believing what is false.

It must be said that God is not the author of evil. But when a person refuses God’s grace and insistently and willfully surrender to the work of deceit, the result will be the inescapable consequence of that error. It is pitiful that instead of believing in the truth, there will be people delighting in wickedness. All who refuse to believe and accept the truth but take pleasure in wickedness will come under judgment.

And as Jude 20-21 had said, as the beloved of the Lord we should build ourselves up in our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping ourselves in the love of God. So let us wait with anticipation for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.