Chapter 8

2 Thessalonians 2:7
“The Mystery of Lawlessness”
BLESSED and holy have been the mysteries thus far contemplated. Dark and sinister is that which next comes before us. So fearful is it, in fact, that it would seem, at first sight, quite improper to class it in any sense among the “mysteries of God.” And yet it is rightly so spoken of; for, of all secrets, none is more difficult for man to comprehend than God’s toleration of aught so evil. Yet He has not only permitted its existence, but warned us of it beforehand, and foretold its end.
The great theme of the first letter to the Thessalonians is the coming of the Lord for His saints; that of the second epistle is His return in manifested glory with them.
Between these two events will be fully developed the mystery of lawlessness, or the secret of iniquity. It does not, however, then appear as a new thing, or for the first time. Far otherwise: even in his own days, when Christianity was but in its infancy, the apostle wrote, “The mystery of lawlessness doth already work,” and that effectually, for so the last word implies in the original (2 Thess. 2:77For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:7)). Side by side with the proclamation of the truth has ever been the satanic work, energetically carried on, to corrupt the truth, introducing poisonous counterfeits that delude the souls of all who receive them.
Invariably Satan works by imitation. God has revealed holy mysteries to His servants. The devil too must have his deep things, which thus appeal to the spiritually proud and carnally-minded. The mystery of lawlessness is, in fact, the working of the human mind, energized by Satan, in divine things. Refusing the sure testimonies of the Lord, and walking in vain confidence, the ear is readily given to fables, and the mind revels in wonderful and strange teachings, which delight and bewilder, but are not only to no profit, but to the actual subverting of those who run greedily after them. The object of Satan is to turn the eye from Christ; hence the mystery of lawlessness makes much of man, and, by any means whatever, puts the Lord Jesus at a distance. And it is by imitating scriptural truths that this is successfully accomplished. Were it otherwise, the simple would take alarm. So we are told that “as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses (by imitating the miracles performed), so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2 Tim. 3:88Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (2 Timothy 3:8)).
In tracing out the progress of this dark and dreadful mystery therefore, we must look for some gigantic systematizing of error, by counterfeiting divine truths. Nor have we far to seek; for from the beginning it is only too manifest. In its earliest inception, this mystery consisted in taking up the hopes, forms and ceremonies of the Jewish dispensation, and transferring them gradually to the Church of the present period. This accomplished, the heavenly calling would be lost sight of; the great mystery of Christ and the Church would be effectually bidden; and believers would thus sink down to the level of the world, becoming, in spirit, dwellers on the earth1 and forgetting that their politeuma2 is in heaven (Phil. 3:2020For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20).).
To persuade erstwhile Jews and heathen, used to forms and ceremonies, that a Christianity bereft of outward attractiveness was inferior to an ornate and elaborate ritual, was not a matter of great difficulty. Hence we soon see the truth of the priesthood of all believers, each one having immediate access to God, displaced by the teaching that, as in Judaism and in heathenism, so now, there is a special priestly order who alone have to do directly with the mysteries of religion, and who act as mediators and go-betweens for the laity, or the commonalty. This was one of Satan’s most cunning devices to put the people at a distance from God. How well it has succeeded the centuries witness! By degrees, more and more power, with its accompanying pomp, was delegated to this superior hierarchy; gorgeous vestments were adopted, magnificent titles accorded, and thus the simple Christianity of early days seemed almost crushed out of existence. Priestly functions, too, extended farther and farther. Baptism became a sacrament only to be administered by this special class, who likewise alone were holy enough to dispense the elements of the Lord’s Supper, to solemnize a marriage, to anoint the sick, and to hear confessions of sin, with the power to grant absolution.
The ordinance of baptism itself became a great mystery, whereby the taint of original sin was supposed to be washed away, and the baptized one born anew. The simple “breaking of bread” gave place to the mysterious and blasphemous sacrifice of the mass—a continual and unbloody sacrifice for the sins of the living and the dead! Anointing the sick with oil by the elders of the church, that they might be healed in answer to prayer, became the sacrament of extreme union to prepare the doubting, bewildered soul for death, instead of life I Christ Himself as the “one Mediator between God and men” (1 Tim. 3:55(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) (1 Timothy 3:5)) was largely replaced by “saint “ (made so after their death by hierarchial authority) and “the holy Virgin” more accessible than her divine Son! Thus, one by one, doctrines and usages were so perverted as to be unrecognizable.
Suffice it to say that so effectual has been the working of this mystery of lawlessness that there remains not one doctrine of Scripture that has not been denied, and an imitation foisted upon the ignorant in its place. Thus it went on spreading, not only through the Roman counion, but among so-called Greek orthodox, and now among Anglican and even Protestant denominations, as well as heretical sects like Christian Science, New Thought, etc.
But it has not yet attained its full growth, nor will it while the Church, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, remains upon the earth.
In 2 Thess. 2 we read of a hindrance to the full manifestation of the evil of the mystery of lawlessness referred to, which is evidently the presence of the Holy Ghost in the Church on earth. He “lets,” or hinders, until “He be taken out of the way.” When He goes up with the Church at the Lord’s descent into the air, “then the lawless one shall be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus shall consume with the breath of His mouth, and shall annul by the appearing of His coming; whose coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, and in all deceit of unrighteousness to them that perish, because they have not received the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this reason God sends to them a working of error, that they should believe what is false, that all might be judged who have not believed the truth, but have found pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:8-13,8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (2 Thessalonians 2:8‑13) J. N. Darby’s Trans.).
This is certainly a most solemn passage, deserving to be carefully weighed. It refers to something which may take place very, very soon; a state of affairs many living now may enter upon shortly. The more minutely it is examined, the more clearly it will be seen that it pictures a terrible period, soon to come upon all that dwell on the earth; when the Church will be gone, the secret of iniquity will be headed up in one man, the Antichrist of prophecy; and all who had chosen the earth in place of the heavenly portion will be given over to strong delusion. This cuts off all hope of any being saved in that coming “hour of temptation” (Rev. 3:1010Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)), who have heard the gospel of the grace of God in this “day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)), but heard only to reject it. It puts a terrible responsibility on those who listen again and again to the proclamation of salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, yet have never trusted Him for themselves, but have either gone on their sinful course in utter indifference, or else supposed that by trusting in the Church, a human priesthood, or religious ordinances, they had made their peace with God; thus ignoring Him who alone made peace by the blood of His cross.
It is solemn indeed to realize that if Christ should come to call His own away while they are in this awful state, they would be left for certain judgment, for God Himself would send the delusion, or working of error, which would shut them up to judicial darkness. In this dispensation of grace, they “loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” In that time of deepest distress they will be given up to the darkness they have loved and deliberately chosen.
For former instances of God’s sending men delusions and visiting them with judicial blindness, see the cases of Pharaoh (Ex. 11:1010And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land. (Exodus 11:10)), of Ahab (2 Chron. 18), and of the nation of Israel (Isa. 6:9,109And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. (Isaiah 6:9‑10); Matt. 13:13-1513Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Matthew 13:13‑15)). All who hear the gospel and believe it not are “condemned already” (John 3:1818He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)). If the Lord comes while they are still in that state, the condemnation is final, and we note their dreadful doom in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10,7And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑10) together with the contrast of the blessed place that might have been theirs had they but believed the testimony so graciously given. “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” There could be no stronger declaration that all who reject the testimony now, will be unable to avail themselves of the testimony then, while the result of the outpouring of divine wrath upon the scene will only harden, in place of bringing to repentance (Rev. 16:9-11, 219And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. 10And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. (Revelation 16:9‑11)
21And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. (Revelation 16:21))
It would seem, from a careful study of the book of Revelation, that immediately after the rapture of the saints all the Christless fragments of Christendom will be united for a time in one universal world-Church —Babylon the great. For not in any past history of Rome has Revelation 17 been completely fulfilled; Babylon in its final phase is yet future. She there is seen as the great harlot bearing rule for a brief season over many waters, which are, as interpreted, “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (vs. 15).
Upon her proud forehead is written, “MYSTERY, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.” She is drunk with the blood of the saints, who in all ages have been slain by the adherents of false religion. For a time she bears sway over the revived Roman empire, until at last she is overthrown and given to the flames by those who had once been her abject slaves.
Thus shall Babylon’s power be broken, and all worship and homage be paid to a man— “the man of sin”— who heads up in himself the mystery of lawlessness. This is the subject of the thirteenth chapter of Revelation, which in point of time seems to be subsequent to chapter 17, for there we see no woman riding the beast. Her doom has already come, and now the man of sin is fully revealed, and all pay homage to the Antichrist, the false Messiah.
This will be the devil’s masterpiece, and the culmination of the mystery he has been developing for so long. But his triumph shall be but momentary; for when iniquity is at its height, and Satan’s power seems to be supreme, the heavens shall be opened, and He shall ride forth whom John saw in vision, as described in chapter 19 of the same book. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.... And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (vers. 11-14, 19:20).
Thus shall the mystery of lawlessness be forever blotted out and righteousness alone shall reign!
 
1. That the expression “dwellers on the earth” refers, not to all who live in the world, but to a moral class, characterized by earthly-mindedness, is, it is believed, made plain in the Appendix.
2. It is from this that we get our word “polities,” The beet tendering, perhaps, would be “commonwealth.”