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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
2 THESSALONIANS 2:9-12
THE BIG LIE AND THE STRONG DELUSION
v MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 19:9
v IN OUR LAST LESSON, WE LEARNED A LOTABOUT THE ANTI-CHRIST WHO COMES IN THE POWER OF SATAN TO DECEIVE THE WORLD. THE POWER ANDPRESENCE OF SATAN IS CALLED THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. (2THE 2:7)
Ø WE LEARNED HOW THE FULL POWER ANDPRESENCE OF SATAN IS CURRENTLY BEING RESTRAINED BY THE LIGHT OF JESUS CHRIST PRESENTLY INTHE CHURCH OF BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS WHO HAVE THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT.
§ WHEN THE RAPTURE OCCURS, THE CHURCH ISREMOVED FROM THE WORLD AND THE FULL POWER AND PRESENCE OF SATAN IS REVEALED DURING THETRIBULATION PERIOD.
v READ 2THE 2:9-12 THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY IN THE WORLD
Ø WITH ALL POWER AND SIGNSAND LYING WONDERS. (9)
§ THE WORD POWER IN THE GREEKIS dunamis WHICH MEANS = PHYSICAL POWER WITH ASPIRITUAL OR SUPERNATURAL SOURCE.
· IN ACTS 1:8, GOD TELLS BELIEVERS THATTHEY WILL RECEIVE POWER BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. THIS IS THE SAME GREEK WORD, dunamis, BUT THE SOURCE OF THAT POWER IS FROM GOD.THE SOURCE OF POWER IN 2THE 2:9 IS FROM SATAN.
§ WHAT KINDS OF SIGNS AND LYING WONDERSWILL SATAN PERFORM THROUGH THE ANTI-CHRIST AND FALSE PROPHET DURING THE TRIBULATIONPERIOD?
· THE WORD SIGNS MEANS =TOKENS OR SMALL SYMBOL.
¨ IN OTHER WORDS THESE ARE THINGS THATAPPEAL TO THE NATURAL UNDERSTANDING OF MAN. THESE ARE EVENTS THAT APPEAR TO BE BASED ONGOOD SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION.
· READ REV 13:3, 12-15 THE WONDERS OF THE ANTI-CHRIST AND THE FALSEPROPHET
¨ EVENTS THAT APPEAR TO BE MIRACLES SO ASTO IMPRESS PEOPLE:
Ø FIRE FROM HEAVEN
Ø THE HEAD WOUND OF THE ANTI-CHRIST ISHEALED
§ AT THE MIDDLE OF THE SEVEN-YEARTRIBULATION PERIOD, THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL SUFFER A HEAD WOUND.
· PERHAPS IT IS AN ASSASINATION ATTEMPT.
· THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL APPEAR TO BE DEAD.
¨ WHETHER OR NOT HE IS REALLY DEAD ISUNCLEAR. IN ANY CASE, PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE THAT HE IS DEAD.
§ THE FALSE PROPHET BRINGS HIM BACK TOLIFE.
· PEOPLE WILL SEE THIS AS A GREATMIRACLE.
§ THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS EVENT:
· THERE IS A HOLY TRINITY OF GOD, THEFATHER; JESUS, THE SON; AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
· THERE IS ALSO AN UNHOLY TRINITY THATCORRESPONDS BY ROLE IN PARALLEL TO THE HOLY TRINITY. THE UNHOLY TRINITY IS SATAN, THEFATHER OF LIES; THE ANTI-CHRIST, WHO PRESUMES TO BE CHRIST; AND THE FALSE PROPHET, WHODOES LYING WONDERS.
· JUST AS THE HOLY SPIRIT RAISED JESUSCHRIST FROM THE DEAD, THE FALSE PROPHET WILL SEEM TO RAISE THE ANTI-CHRIST FROM THE DEAD.
¨ JUST AS THE BELIEVER TODAY BASES HISFAITH ON THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO 1COR 15, THE PEOPLE IN THETRIBULATION PERIOD WILL BASE THEIR FAITH ON THE RESURRECTION OF THE ANTI-CHRIST TO THEIRETERNAL PERIL.
§ THE FALSE PROPHET WILL HAVE POWER TOGIVE LIFE TO THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST. (REV 13:15)
· AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF THEANTI-CHRIST IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL BUILD A STATUE OR IDOL OFHIMSELF AND PLACE IT IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM FOR WORSHIP.
¨ THE ORTHODOX JEWS, WHO WILL THINK THEANTI-CHRIST IS THEIR MESSIAH, WILL RECOGNIZE THIS EVENT AS THE ABOMINATION OFDESOLATION THAT DANIEL SPOKE ABOUT IN DAN11:31. THEY WILL FLEE JERUSALEM AS PROPHESIED BY JESUS IN MAT 24:15.
· THIS STATUE OR IDOL WILL APPEAR TO BEALIVE. THIS MIRACLE WILL CAUSE MANY PEOPLE TO BE DECEIVED IN THINKING THE ANTI-CHRIST IS AGOD.
§ DISCUSSION: WHY WILL PEOPLE BELIEVE THE LYINGWONDERS IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD? (9)
· THE NATURE OF MAN IS SUCH THAT MAN HASA TENDENCY TO BELIEVE WHATEVER HE SEES WITH HIS EYES.
¨ YOU CAN OBSERVE THIS TENDENCY WHEN YOUGO TO SEE A MAGICIAN. HIS SLIGHT OF HAND APPEARS TO DEFY GRAVITY AND OTHER UNIVERSAL LAWSOF PHYSICS.
¨ IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS TENDENCY THAT GODTELLS THE BELIEVER TO WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT.
Ø THERE ARE MANY CHRISTIANS WHO SEEK ANDBELIEVE IN EVERY MIRACLE THAT COMES ACROSS THEIR PATH. THEY TRAVEL GREAT DISTANCES TOOBSERVE THE LATEST MIRACLE, WHETHER IT IS A HAZY FORM OF JESUS ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDINGOR AN APPARENT SUPERNATURAL HEALING.
§ YES, IT IS TRUE GOD DOES MIRACLESTODAY, BUT EVERY MIRACLE IS NOT FROM GOD. THE BELIEVER NEEDS TO DISCERN THE SPIRITS BEHINDTHESE THINGS. (1COR 2:14 HEB 4:12)
· THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE THE GOSPEL INTHE WORD OF GOD, WILL CHOOSE BY THEIR OWN FREE WILL TO BELIEVE IN FALSE MIRACLES. (10)
· THESE NON-BELIEVERS IN THE TRIBULATIONPERIOD WANT TO CONTINUE IN THEIR UNRIGHTOUSNESS. THEY DO NOT WANT TO REPENT OF THEIR SIN.
§ WHAT IS THE STRONG DELUSION OR LIE THATPEOPLE ON EARTH WILL BELIEVE DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD? (11)
· THERE ARE SOME CHRISTIANS WHO SAY THEBIG LIE WILL BE THE ANTI-CHRISTS EXPLANATION OF THE RAPTURE OF THECHURCH. THE WORLD WILL NEED SOME EXPLANATION OF WHY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE SUDDENLY DISAPPEARALL OVER THE WORLD.
¨ I AM SURE THERE WILL BE SOME ATTEMPT TOEXPLAIN OUR DISAPPEARANCE. HOWEVER, I PERSONALLY, THINK THE BIG LIE WILL BEMORE IMPORTANT THAN THE DISAPPEARANCE OF CHRISTIANS.
· ACCORDING TO THE CONTEXT OF REV 13,SATAN, BEHIND THE ANTI-CHRIST, WILL DESIRE MANS WORSHIP. THIS DESIRE HAS BEENPRESENT IN THE WORLD SINCE GENESIS 2.
¨ THROUGH HISTORY THERE HAVE BEEN MANYEXAMPLES OF THE SPIRIT OF ANTI-CHRIST (1JOH 4:3) SUCH AS HITLER, NAPOLEON, STALIN, SADAMHUSEIN, ETC. HOWEVER, NO ONE PERSON HAS YET FULFILLED THE ROLE OF THEANTICRIST OF REV 13.
¨ THE BIG LIE SEEMS TO BE THEGREAT DECEPTION THAT THE PERSON OF THE ANTI-CHRIST IS A GOD THAT MEN SHOULD WORSHIP. WHENTHEY WORSHIP THE ANTI-CHRIST, THEY WILL BELIEVE THEY WORSHIP JEHOVAH, THE CREATOR, WHEN INFACT THEY WORSHIP SATAN.
Ø PEOPLE WILL SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT THISEVIL MAN WILL COME FROM THE HOLY GOD, JEHOVAH, WHEN IN FACT HE COMES FROM SATAN.
§ JEWS WILL BELIEVE THE ANTI-CHRIST ISTHE MESSIAH PROMISED BY THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS, FOR WHOM THEY HAVE WAITED ALL THESEYEARS.
§ GENTILES WILL BELIEVE THE ANTI-CHRISTIS THE ANSWER AND SOLUTION TO ALL THE WORLDS PROBLEMS.
§ THIS STRONG DELUSION WILLCOME FROM GOD. (11)
· 2THE 2:11 TELLS US THAT THIS STRONGDELUSION COMES FROM GOD. WE WOULD THINK IT WOULD COME FROM SATAN. WHY WOULD GOD SEND THISSTRONG DELUSION WHEN HE DESIRES THAT MEN KNOW THE TRUTH? WHY WOULD A LOVING GOD DO THIS?
¨ THIS SITUATION IS SIMILAR TO THE BOOKOF EXODUS WHEN IT TELLS US THAT GOD HARDENED PHARAOHS HEART. (EXO 4:21)
Ø PHARAOH HAD DECIDED IN HIS HEART THATHE DID NOT WANT TO LET THE ISRAELITES LEAVE EGYPT. GOD PUT PHARAOH IN A POSITION TO FORCEHIM TO REVEAL THE CONDITION OF HIS HEART.
§ HARDENING THE HEART:
· THE HARDENED HEART OCCURS THROUGH APROCESS OF DECISIONS BASED ON MANS FREE WILL:
¨ -1- PEOPLE HEAR THE TRUTH.
¨ -2- PEOPLE DECIDE BY FREE WILL NOT TORECEIVE THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH. (2THE 2:10)
¨ -3- THEN GOD PUTS THEM IN A DESPERATEPOSITION TO BRING PRESSURE ON THEM. IT IS AS THOUGH GOD GIVES THEM ANOTHER CHANCE TOREPENT.
¨ -4- WHEN THEY DO NOT REPENT, GOD GIVESTHEM OVER TO WHAT THEIR OWN FREE WILL DESIRES. (ROM 1:21-32)
¨ -5- THE GRADUAL PROCESS IS COMPLETE ANDGOD HARDENS THEIR HEART.
· IT IS THE PROCESS OF HARDENING THEHEART THAT WILL OCCUR IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WITH NON-BELIEVERS. THEY WILL BELIEVE THELIE THAT THE ANTI-CHRIST IS JESUS CHRIST. THEY WILL WORSHIP THE ANTI-CHRIST BELIEVING THEYWORSHIP GOD. INSTEAD THEY WORSHIP SATAN.
· GODS PURPOSE FOR THIS STRONGDELUSION:
¨ THE PURPOSE IN THE PLAN OF GOD FORSENDING A STRONG DELUSION ON THE WORLD IS TO SEPARATE THOSE WHO WILL CHOOSE GOD FROM THOSEWHO WILL NOT. (12)
Ø THAT THEY ALL MIGHT BEDAMNED WHO BELIEVED NOT THE TRUTH (12)
§ TODAY MANY PEOPLE DO NOT SEE THE TRUENATURE OF EVIL EVEN WHEN IT IS VERY OBVIOUS TO BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST. HOWEVER, IN THETRIBULATION PERIOD, THE FULLNESS OF EVIL WILL BE PRESENT. PEOPLE WILL BE FORCED TO MAKE ADECISION BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN. THERE WILL BE NO GREY AREA, ONLY BLACK AND WHITE. THEREWILL BE NO SITTING ON THE FENCE, HALTING BETWEEN 2 OPTIONS.
· READ REV 13:16-18
¨ FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATIONPERIOD TO THE END, THE FALSE PROPHET WILL HAVE WORLD POWER OVER THE ECONOMY. PEOPLE WILLMAKE A CHOICE. THEY MUST ACCEPT THE MARK OF THE ANTI-CHRIST TO PURCHASE FOOD. IF THEY DONOT RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE ANTI-CHRIST, THEY WILL DIE.
v APPLICATION:
Ø AS WE DRAW CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THETRIBULATION PERIOD, THE EVIL DECEPTIONS OF SATAN BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED AND SUBTLE. HOWCAN THE CHRISTIAN AVOID BELIEVING THESE DECEPTIONS?
§ STAY IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GODTHROUGH PRAYER AND REPENTANCE.
§ DONT NEGLECT YOUR SALVATION BYAVOIDING FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS.
§ STUDY THE BIBLE TO BE ABLE TO DISCERNTRUTH.
HOMEWORK
2THESSALONIANS 2:13-17 AND 3:1-5
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF 2THE 2:9-12
Ø IN WHAT WAYS CAN YOU PERSONALLY AVOIDSATANS DECEPTIONS IN YOUR LIFE TODAY? BE SPECIFIC.
v PREPARATION FOR 2THE 2:13-17 AND 3:1-5
Ø READ 2THE 2:13-17
§ MAKE A LIST OF COMMANDS TO CHRISTIANS.
Ø READ 2THE 3:1-5
§ PAUL TELLS US VERY PRACTICALLY WHAT THEBELIEVER SHOULD DO WHILE HE WAITS FOR THE LORD TO COME IN THE RAPTURE. MAKE A LIST OF THETHINGS THAT SHOULD OCCUPY US.
v MEMORY VERSE: 2 THESSALONIANS 3:3
