Friday 8th November 2019 Prayer Devotion
Scripture Reading:- 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10
Topic:- The Man Of Lawlessness [1]
Text:- 2 Thessalonians 2:10
A. Who Is The Man Of Lawlessness:
1. Those Opposed To The Gospel:
a. Paul does not appear to know the precise circumstances that have brought about the Thessalonians’ erroneous beliefs about the day of the Lord, but in verse 3 he does suspect nefarious activity. See 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
b. Paul labels any teaching opposed to the eschatological message of his gospel as an effort at deception. He then reasons that the day of the Lord has not yet begun, since the world has not yet experienced the “rebellion” and the “man of lawlessness,” both of which must precede the day of the Lord. See 2 Thessalonians 2:10; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 2:8.
c. The Greek word for “rebellion” (apostasia) occurs in the Septuagint OT and in the NT to speak of rebellion against God and his law. See Josh 22:22; 2 Chronicles 29:19; Jeremiah 2:19; Acts 21:21.
d. When the Disciples asked Jesus about the signs and timing of his second coming, Jesus responded that false Messiahs and Prophets would precede His return, as would tribulation against the Church. See Matthew 24:4-13, 23-28; Mark 13:5-13, 21-23; Luke 21:8-19.
e. Paul teaches elsewhere that the rise of “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” and also “times of difficulty” will be indicative of the last days. See 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3-7; Jude 17-19.
f. Paul’s instruction on such matters is likely informed by Jesus’ own eschatological teaching (cf. comments on 1 Thess. 4:15–16; 5:1).
g. In a similar way, Jesus taught that one of the signs prior to His return would be the advent of the “abomination of desolation” in the “Holy place” of the Temple. See Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14.
h. Jesus cites the teaching of Daniel, who prophesied that this abomination would profane the Jerusalem Temple. See Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11.
i. Paul draws on this tradition as he discusses the “man of lawlessness,” who is the “son of destruction” and the “lawless one.” See 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 8-9.
j. The Septuagint Greek translation speaks of the “sons of lawlessness” who are “children of destruction” and the “seed of lawlessness.” Following a common Semitic idiom, a “man of lawlessness” would refer to a person whose life is characterized by his opposition to God’s rule and reign. See Isaiah 57:3-4; John 17:12; Psalm 88:23.
k. With contributions from a team of Pastors and Scholars, Paul’s letters helps students of the Bible to understand how each Epistle fits in with the storyline of Scripture and applies today.
l. Further descriptors are applied to this lawless one. He will be “revealed.” See 2 Thessalonians 2:6, 8.
j. Paul reserves most often for the activity of God in making known something hidden. See Romans 1:17-18; 8:18; Ephesians 3:5.
m. The passive voice of “is revealed” makes it difficult to discern whether God is the one doing the revealing or if this is the work of an evil agent (such as Satan. See Thessalonians 2:9-10.
2. The man of lawlessness both opposes and exalts himself over every “so-called god or object of worship.”
a. Paul elsewhere employs the Greek word for “opposes” as a title for Satan, the “adversary.” See 1 Timothy 5:14.
b. The only other use of the Greek word for “exalts himself” (hyperairō) in Paul bears connotations of conceit, as it likely does here. Paul is careful to say “every so-called god,” indicating the false deities of pagan worship. The term for “object of worship” (Gk. sebasma) refers to pagan idols. See 2 Corinthians 12:7; Acts 17:23.
Prayer Point:- Rebuke every form of lawlessness and man of lawlessness that are working against my spiritual life and success henceforth by fire, die, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Happy Weekend! www.timogundelejesu.com
