2 Thessalonians 2:6-12

We have posted often about the day of the Lord.  We would like to just remind you of our understanding of what the Bible says about that day.  The Bible speaks of:

·        Things that must happen before that day, as we have seen in 2 Thess.

·        Things that have to do with the darkness of that day, of chastening for Israel and judgment for the nations.  It is the time of Jacob’s trouble.

·        Things that have to do with the dawning of that day, the time of Jesus’ return.

·        Things that have to do with the daytime of that day, the peaceful and righteous reign of Messiah from Zion.

We hope you did not miss two important “timing” words in today’s passage: now (v6) and then (v8).  Paul has said that before the day of the Lord two things must happen: the falling away occurs and the lawless one is revealed.  He is telling them that they are not in the day of the Lord or they would be gone, caught up into heaven (1 Th. 4:13-18).  But what is happening until the time of the antichrist arrives?

·        The mystery of lawlessness is already at work.  There is a secret at work that promotes lawlessness, a secret that will continue to build until the time is right for the man of lawlessness to be revealed.  This might seem like a strange, “conspiracy theory” kind of idea but you should know the Bible is quite consistent about this. 

o   We may actually refer to this “mystery” when we speak of the “world system”.  We are referring to all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).  These things characterize this sinful world because they are the means by which the ruler of this world (John 16:11) rules.  The ruler is, of course, Satan, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world (Rev. 12:9). 

o   In addition, Revelation 17-18 refers to this mystery and its operation in the last days.  Jesus refers to it there as a seductive woman who is called MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH (Rev. 17:5).  She seduces the nations to worship a god of money and materialism.  As we said the Bible is quite consistent in this matter so that there are several other references to this harlot.

§   Zechariah 5:5-11: Here the woman is called “wickedness”.  She is placed in a basket, a lid is put on her to restrain her desires, and the basket is taken to Chaldea (Babylon) to await the time when the lid is removed.  

§  Nahum 3:4: Here she is called the seductive harlot, the mistress of sorceries.  She sells her harlotries to the nations and in the context of Nahum’s prophecy against Nineveh it is tied to Babylon.

§  Isaiah 47:5-12: Here she is called the Lady of Kingdoms and is said to be daughter of the Chaldeans (v5) and is said to use her enchantments and sorceries (v12).  She is judged by the Lord because of her wickedness and arrogance (v10). 

In each case she is connected with Babylon, wickedness and she is a deceiver.  This mystery has been in operation in the nations all along but a time will come when she will be unleashed to exert the full power of deception in the world.  Paul tells the Thessalonians that she is already at work in the Roman Empire but is in some way restrained.  In tomorrows post we will consider how she is restrained. 

For now, we need to understand that God is restraining wickedness.  It may not seem like it to you but He is.  Without this it would be worse.  Why is their restraint?  Because God is providing opportunity for the gospel of Christ to go out to the world that people from every nation might turn to Christ.  That is the challenge to us as it was to the Thessalonian believers.