Hope for the End Times Series
The Signs and Wonders Man
II Thessalonians 2:3-9
In this particular chapter the Apostle Paul highlights two events that are given to us on God's prophetic calendar. He talks in verse 3 about the apostasy which will conclude the age of the church -- the age of grace.
Secondly, he mentions the appearance of the Antichrist which will begin the day of the Lord -- the great tribulation.
There was misinformation being given to these young converts about the return of the Lord and there were those who were teaching that the Great
Tribulation had already come and that they as believers were going through the Great Tribulation.
Paul is writing to correct this misconception and give them some of the key points for them to be aware of that will indicate when the Lord will come and in particular when this Great Tribulation will occur.
The falling away in verse 3, the apostasy we talked about in our previous message, is a reference either to the events that will end the church age on the church. Some believe that to be a reference to the rapture of the church, others a departure from the faith. But, our emphasis this week is on that second statement in verse 3 where he says, "And that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."
Here is a prediction in the Bible of a personality that will appear that will be known as the man of sin.
He is indicated by other descriptions in the Word of God.
In the book of Daniel he is referred to as "the little horn" and also as "the prince that shall come." He is mentioned in the book of the Revelation as "the rider on a white horse" and as "the beast out of the sea."
John, in his first letter, identifies him by what is probably the most common designation when he refers to him as Antichrist. Here is one who is instead of Christ or opposed to Christ or in opposition to Christ.
Now in our text this morning, Paul calls him the man of sin, the son of perdition. Throughout the pages of church history and secular history, as far as that's concerned, there have been various attempts to identify who this man of sin may be.
Some said he was Nero. Others believed that he was Adolph Hitler. Other descriptions and identifications have been made. We do not know who this individual is going to be. It is altogether possible that the Antichrist is alive at this very time. It may be that he is already on the earth. We do not know. But we do know that the Bible makes it very clear that the Antichrist will not appear on this earth in the role which is assigned to him in these verses until the rapture of the church occurs.
Notice verse 8
"And then shall that wicked one be revealed."
“And then” causes us to question what does this revelation follow? Something happens, and then.
We find out in the first two verses of chapter 2. "We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus and by our gathering together unto Him."
Even if I am wrong in my understanding of verse 3 and the falling away, there is no way to miss from verses 1 and 2 that He is talking about the rapture.
Here we find one of the strongest Scriptural arguments in the New Testament for a pre-tribulation rapture.
The rapture of the church is the next major event on God's prophetic calendar. The rapture is that catching away of God's children. It is that gathering together to be with Him. Then Paul says, this personality will be revealed and the tribulation will begin.
Therefore, you and I don't have to worry in terms of what will transpire during the Great Tribulation or the appearance of the Antichrist because we will be gone to be with Jesus.
But I do think it important for us to understand what Scripture has to say about this personality. So let’s take a look at what Paul writes:
First of all see -
I. How This One Is Described
He is described as "that man of sin." He is going to be a man. He is going to be a real personality. A real individual. A real man. But he is specifically called here "that man of sin."
The word, sin, speaks of lawlessness. That man of lawlessness. That’s how he is described in verse 8, “the lawless one”.
Here will be a personality who is opposed to the rule of law. He will have a basic inbred, innate hatred of any restriction of any law. By the way, we are all born with that. That’s what you have to beat out of your kids! A spirit of lawlessness that expresses itself through rebellion.
We are living in a culture today where moral absolutes are scorned and looked down upon. One of the reasons we are in the moral chaos we are in in America is because we have a culture that has decided there are no absolutes rights and wrongs.
So, when there are no right and wrongs, then everything becomes relative. It is right or wrong according to what the individual has to say about it.
In fact, you find an interesting reference in the last verse of Judges.
Judges 21:25,
Then notice Ruth 1:1
There was no King, no authority, therefore it was left to the judges to rule, and the result was a famine. They forfeited God’s blessing because they forfeited God’s law and Word. Does that not sound familiar? We have forsaken the authority of the word of God and decided we’ll let the judges rule.
No longer does the voice of the people speak as they vote their convictions and enact laws through their representation. All you need is a liberal judge to step in and overturn whatever he or she deems to be right or wrong or appropriate.
Listen: according to the Scriptures, right and wrong are not determined according to a person's opinion about it, but rather it is determined according to what God says about it. If God says it is wrong, it is wrong. If God says it is right, it is right.
I believe we are living in an atmosphere that is setting the stage for the appearance of this Antichrist because we are living in a lawless generation.
In Matthew 24 the Lord Jesus talks about these end time matters and one of the things He says in verse 11 is this. "Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold."
So, this man of sin is going to be a lawless one who will feed upon this spirit of lawlessness in the world, using it to his advantage. He will be hostile to law, or perhaps it means he will consider himself to be above the law.
Then, it says he will be known as the son of perdition.
The word, perdition means the son of destruction, the son of doom. In the personality of this Antichrist are already the seeds of his own destruction. He is a man of sin, therefore he is a man of doom.
We do live in a moral atmosphere. Not only is God a God of love, but God is also a God of absolute justice. So, because God is a holy God all unrighteousness and lawlessness ultimately is going to be judged. So, the man of sin is also the son of perdition.
Now apparently this personality revealed to us in the Bible as the man of sin or the son of perdition, is evidently going to be a very fascinating personality. He is going to be captivating. He will be ideally suited for a television generation.
In our days it is now very important for a politician, if he ascribes to higher office, to be able to come over good over television. That’s why the television debates often make or break a candidate.
Evidently this man of sin is going to have such a captivating personality; he will be such a brilliant speaker, he will be so charismatic that he will have tremendous appeal. So, his character is described.
Also, his coming is described. Twice we are told this man of sin will be revealed.
Down in verse 9 it mentions his ”coming."
Isn’t it interesting that those are the same two words used in in connection with the return of the Lord Jesus.
So, in the Antichrist, the man of sin, you have one who will seek to duplicate the Lord Jesus. Jesus has a coming. The Antichrist will have a coming. Jesus is revealed. The Antichrist is going to be revealed. Jesus Christ did miracles. The Antichrist is going to do miracles. So we find out about his character and his coming. Thirdly,
We also find out about his conduct.
We do know that according to the book of the Revelation that the Antichrist is going to be a political ruler. He is also going to be an economic ruler. He will be the statesman. He will have the ability to lead people in the political realm.
He will be given world rule. The world is desperate right now for a ruler. The world is desperate for someone who can solve the great diplomatic and political and economic problems on the earth.
The Antichrist is going to be the man who will be able to do that. He will be a great peace maker. He is going to be a political ruler and he'll also be an economic wizard.
But the primary emphasis of this particular passage is not on His political aspects nor on his economic aspects, but what he will do religiously. It says in verse 4 that he opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped. His ultimate goal is worship. This is one of the things that's characteristic of our day. We are living in a day where humanism has been very prominent.
Humanism deifies man and dethrones God. Humanism takes God off the throne and puts man in his place. This is the man of sin. This is the epitome of what man can do. This is old Mr. 666, according to the book of the Revelation he will represent the ultimate of what man is able to do.
His goal, his desire, ultimately is that he be worshipped as God.
I want to show you how the Antichrist is going to bring all of this to pass. I said to you that he is going to be a political leader and he is going to have the ability to make peace.
One of the things he is going to do, according to the prophetic Scriptures, is solve the most difficult diplomatic problem man has ever faced. That problem is the problem of the Middle East. That is the great diplomatic problem that has defied the ability of men to solve.
Everybody thinks they can solve it, but not a one of them have ever worked it out. It is an insolvable problem from a human perspective. Yet, the Scriptures indicate that this man is going to solve it.
In particular the problem in the Middle East gets a little closer into focus because it centers around the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the most significant city on the face of the earth. It's now into its third millennium. It has celebrated its 3,000th year of existence. Jerusalem, the prophetic Scriptures say, will become a burdensome stone for all the nations. The city of Jerusalem will be the focus of the problem. It IS the focus of the problem.
In particular, in the city of Jerusalem the problem is what is known as the temple mount. The temple mount is where Israel's great place of worship was until A.D. 70 when it was destroyed. Now, Israel's desire is that they be able to rebuild their temple on that mount. But, there's a little problem with that.
The problem is that the Moslems have constructed the Dome of the Rock Mosque there. They have a place of worship there where they worship their god, Allah. From time to time when you hear about upheavals going on in the city of Jerusalem most of the time it's something going on around that temple mount.
So, here steps in this world ruler, the Antichrist. In the book of Daniel the ninth chapter we are taught that the Antichrist is going to be able to bring about a covenant, a peace treaty with the Jews. He will work out this particular problem in such a manner that they will be allowed to rebuild their temple. It is a fascinating thing to read in Scriptures.
It is even more fascinating when you look at what's going on in Israel right now. There are several different movements and organizations that are actively at work right now moving in the direction of the rebuilding of what they call the third temple.
There is one movement founded by a man named Girshin Solomon, known as the Temple Mount Faithful Movement. Their total movement is dedicated toward the reconstruction of this temple. There is also a Temple Treasures Institute. This particular group is researching the Scriptures about all of the utensils that go into the temple so that everything will be built according to the teachings of the Bible.
There are also other groups that are training young men to be priests to administer the sacrifices and offerings when the temple is built and every little piece is beginning to come into focus.
Many are working toward the breeding of a suitable red heifer so that temple worship can resume. One of the things necessary for the cleansing of the temple was to take the ashes of a red heifer mixed in water to be used to purify that temple and make it a suitable place of worship.
Not since the A.D. 70's has there been a red heifer in Israel. But a few years back, Time Magazine featured an article about Melody, the red heifer. She was born in March of 2002. There was a difference of opinion about whether she qualified or not because they found a few white hairs in certain places on her body. That may have thrown her out. She may not have work. I know a few women with whom she could visit and get the secret for dealing with those white hairs but that’s another sermon.
But the point I'm trying to make is that all of the indications are that just exactly what the Bible predicts is indeed getting ready to take place.
The Jews think they are going to build that temple for the worship of Jehovah God. What you and I know is that temple is going to be constructed for another purpose.
Look again at verse 4
The word for temple there is the word for inner recesses of the temple, the holy of holies, evidently, presenting himself as God.
The Antichrist, in the middle of this treaty with the Jews, will allow them to rebuild their temple but right in the middle of that seven year period of time, which is the Great Tribulation time, he will break the covenant, the great peace maker will become the great peace breaker. He will establish himself as god in the temple and will demand that the whole world worship him. That's a fantastic teaching in the scriptures. That's how he is described in these verses.
Now, now only do we see how he is described, we see -
II. How He Is Delayed.
There is a reason why this man of sin has not come into prominence. There is a reason why these things have not yet taken place. We are told in verses 6 and 7 that there is a delay. These verses are not easy to understand, so follow carefully.
Verses 6-7
What is it that restrains the antichrist from coming to power? I think the reference here is to the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, the indwelling Holy Spirit in His church today.
Notice the phrasing: verse 6, “you know what restrain”
In verse 7, He restrains
Now remember, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, who was already present in the world, took up a new role, a new ministry on the earth. When you and I get saved the Bible says the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. The spirit was always here, but now the Holy Spirit is here in His people. He is present in and working through his church - the body of the Lord on the earth.
That's why we are in the age of grace, that's why this is the age of the church. This is why the role and the ministry of the church is so very important and so very vital. We are the hands of the Lord in this day. We are the voice of the Lord in this day.
We are the instrument that the Lord uses to get His gospel, his good news out in this day. The blessed Holy Spirit empowers us and uses us and works in and through us as we witness and tell the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But, one of these days the Bible says "he who now restrains will be taken out of the way."
Now think about what Paul is presenting here. In regard to our gathering together to Him, he says the antichrist will not be able to come to power until as verse 7 says, “he Who now restrains . . .is taken out of the way.”
Paul says, once the Holy Spirit is removed from the scene, then the anti-Christ can come to power.
Now, when we think about the Holy Spirit being given to us at the time of salvation, what is God’s promise regarding that? He will never leave us nor forsake us. Well guess what?
You can’t have an anti-Christ with a Holy Spirit present, and you can’t have a tribulation without the anti-Christ, but you can’t have a church without the Holy Spirit, therefore the Holy Spirit has to leave to let the anti-Christ come to power so the tribulation can come, but he’s not leaving without us, therefore we can’t be here for the tribulation!
So after the rapture occurs is when the Antichrist comes on the earth and all this begins to unfold. It's exciting.
Now, how is this Antichrist going to be able to capture the world’s attention and cause the masses to worship and embrace him?
Now notice verse 9
There are two forces at work in the world today.
God's at work in this world, but the devil is at work in this world also. There is the working of the Lord, but there is also the working of Satan.
You have to be able to discern the difference between the two. The Antichrist will be after the working of Satan. What will he use as his tools?
His work will be done in the spirit of Satan with “power and signs and lying or counterfeit wonders."
Look at those three words. Power, signs and wonders. He's going to be a signs and wonders man. It's an interesting study to study signs and wonders in the Bible.
The first mention of signs and wonders in the Old Testament is when the Children of Israel were in the land of Egypt and God gave signs and wonders through Moses to convince Pharaoh to let his people go. So we have signs and wonders around the time of the exodus.
You will find also that special signs and wonders occurred in the ministry of the prophets, in particular, Elijah and Elisha.
When you come to the New Testament, you find Jesus did signs and wonders and miracles. Why did Jesus do signs and wonders and miracles?
So people would be saved? No. In fact, several times Jesus did signs and wonders and miracles and they rejected Him.
We are told in Acts 2:22 why Jesus did signs and miracles and wonders.
Acts 2:22
The miracles and the wonders and the signs that Jesus did were simply to validate the fact that He was indeed from God.
Think about it this way: “Powers” speaks to the source of the miracle.
“Signs” indicate the message of the miracle.
“Wonders” tells us of the awesomeness of the miracle. Think of the kinds of things Jesus did in His signs and wonders.
For instance, Jesus walked on water. I assure
you if there was somebody in Ardmore, OK who was down here at Red River walking on water without any stumps or rocks, it would be on National TV tonight. Jesus walked on water. That's not all.
Jesus took water and turned it into wine. He could take water and turn it into a road for walking, or He could take water and turn it into wine for drinking.
But that’s not all. Think about his involvement with people.
Jesus could heal diseases. He could spit in the dirt and make a little paste, put it on blinded eyes and they would be restored. Someone could just touch the hem of his robe and be healed. He could make the lame to walk and the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.
But that’s not all . Jesus could raise the dead to life.
Three times in the ministry of Jesus He raised the dead, excluding Himself. People were dead and Jesus called them back to life. They aren't doing that today. There are folks who claim to do it but when you try to check it out, you can't ever validate it. So, Jesus did signs and wonders and miracles.
Then, the Apostles did signs and wonders and miracles. Why? According to II Cor. 12:12 it’s the same reason: to validate their ministry.
It was through the apostles that the Word of God came. It was through the apostles that your Scriptures came into existence. Your New Testament was written by apostles and eye-witnesses of the Lord.
So, the signs and the wonders and the miracles
validated their ministry until Scripture was completed.
What about signs and wonders and miracles today?
When you study the Bible very closely you will find that the next manifestation of signs and wonders and miracles will occur when the Antichrist is revealed.
Turn to Matthew 24. This is a word of caution from the Lord Jesus. You need to take this word of caution very, very seriously. Jesus gives a word of caution about these end times and the danger of believers being deceived by some things that go on.
Jesus says in verse 24: "For there shall arise false Christs, false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect."
The Bible predicts that when the Antichrist comes he will be a signs and wonders man. You have to be very careful of what goes on out in the church world because II Thes. 2:9 specifically warns us of counterfeit miracles. Counterfeit signs. Counterfeit wonders.
Do I believe God heals people? Of course, God heals people. Do I believe miracles occur today? Of course, miracles occur today. But you have to keep in perspective what are the great miracles and what are the great signs and what are the great wonders.
Jesus said in John 14, "Greater works than these shall you do because I go to the Father." What did Jesus mean? He had raised the dead.
When Jesus said we would do the greater works, I'll tell you what the greater works are. It's a great thing when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but he eventually died again.
Lazarus is not walking around today. What's better than Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is when someone is dead in trespasses and sins and he gets under the old timey conviction, Holy Spirit conviction, and knows that he needs Jesus and he repents of his sin and invites Jesus to come into his heart and life. He is born again and his soul is saved. That is the greatest miracle that ever occurs on this earth. The salvation of a lost soul. Don't get hung up on these signs and wonders.
Here's a final thought. These verses tell us how the Antichrist is described. It tells us how he is delayed. It also tells us how -
III. How He Is Destroyed
Verse 8
And it will all be over. Just a puff! "And shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." For further information, Revelation 11. The Bible says that the Lord Himself will come and when Jesus is revealed he will consume the Antichrist. The
Antichrist will be judged and it will all be over.
The question today is - who are you waiting for? Are you waiting for the Lord's Christ? Or the Devil's Antichrist? Are you waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus from heaven? Or are you waiting for the coming of the Antichrist from hell? What makes the difference is what you do with Jesus.
