THE APOSTASY
We may note the contents of the remaining chapters further on.
Let us now turn to the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, where we have many details of the circumstances connected with the apostasy — a passage to which we have already referred in showing the removal of the heavenly saints.
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of the Lord (New Trans.) is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away (or an apostasy) first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition (the antichrist); who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:1-4).
The elements which go to form the apostasy are already being manifested, but they will not ripen to a head until after the rapture. We must not look at that event as a date.
The Apostle beseeches the Thessalonian saints, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the translation to meet Him in the air, that they should in no way be disturbed or deceived by any man, as that the day of Christ (or “the Lord”), that is, the day of judgment, had come. (It is important to distinguish between the terms “the day of Christ,” and “the day of the Lord.” The former begins when Christ comes for the church, and continues until He comes out of heaven; the latter begins when He comes out of heaven and continues until the new heavens and the new earth are established.) It appears that even an anonymous letter had been sent them to this end, purporting to come from the Apostle and his fellow-servants (2 Thess. 2:2). Before that, they would all be gathered together unto Him, caught up to meet Him in the air; and also the apostasy would come, and that man of sin, the son of perdition, would be revealed. All those events must transpire first. The Jews must go back to their own land, rebuild the temple of God, and receive the wicked one, the false messiah, who should come in his own name (John 5:43), and whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved (2 Thess. 2:9-10).
Satan is blinding and deluding the minds and hearts of men now, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ should shine into their hearts and they should be saved. In this coming hour of trial, God will be dealing judicially, and shall send “strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:11-12). If men will not have Christ, they must have antichrist; if they will not bow to God’s truth, delusion (or a working of error), will be sent, and they will bow to the devil’s “lie.”
This man of sin, having deceitfully exalted himself amongst God’s earthly people, opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, and seats himself in the temple of God at Jerusalem, showing himself that he is God. This will be one of the culminating acts of wickedness perpetrated by this arch-leader of devilry on the earth; the heading-up of the awful mystery of iniquity, that will draw down the judgment of God. “Remember ye not,” continues the Apostle, “that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth (or hindereth) will let, until He be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked (one) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming” (2 Thess. 2:5-8).
Here we have clearly revealed the fact that there is a power which restrains the increasing flood of evil, but that at a certain moment this power will cease to withhold. The mystery of iniquity had already commenced to work in the days of the Apostle, and has continued in varied phases ever since; things now get worse and worse; but there is One who restrains the bursting forth of this terrible evil. I doubt not that the One spoken of is the Spirit of God, who restrains evil both through the powers that be, which, though ordained of God (Rom. 13:1-2), will eventually fall under the power of Satan, and also as a divine Person dwelling in the church of God. This latter will cease at the rapture of the saints; the former, I judge, will probably continue a short period, possibly till the casting out of Satan, the great dragon, to the earth, consequent upon his defeat by Michael, the archangel, in the war in heaven (Rev. 12:1-10).
Losing his place on high as accuser of the brethren, opposing the intercession of Christ on their behalf, the devil will then come down, having great wrath, exercise his power on earth, energizing both the Roman empire, headed by the beast; and also the antichrist or false prophet. The restraining power being taken out of the way, and the evil no longer being held in check, Satan will bring matters to a crisis. The wicked one will be revealed, coming out in his true colors, the masterpiece of Satan, with such awful deceit, that if it were possible, the very elect would be deceived (Matt. 24:24). They continue for a while, and then receive summary judgment at the Lord’s hand (Rev. 19:20).
In the dragon, the beast and the false prophet we have a kind of Satanic anti-trinity.
The dragon gives his power, his seat (or throne), and great authority to the beast; also a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies, and power to continue (make war, marg.) forty-two months; that is, Daniel’s last half-week (Rev. 13:1-10). The term “beast” (or wild beast) is applied both to the Roman empire, and also to the head of it, the one who wields its power. This individual corresponds with the little horn of Daniel 7:8,11,20,25, where we again read of a mouth speaking great words against the Most High. Under this terrible being there will be ten kings, at the head of ten kingdoms, within the territory of the empire, and who will receive power as kings one hour, or at the same time with the beast (Rev. 17:12). These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast. He will be the head of the Gentile apostasy in the West, a false king of kings and lord of lords.