End Time Insights

The arrival of Jesus will be an event of victory and finality. That day will include the resurrection of the saints, judgment, and new creation . The return of Jesus at “ the conclusion of this evil age ” will be an event of complete finality. His “ arrival ” or ‘ Parousia ’ (παρουσια) will be accompanied by celestial and terrestrial upheaval, the arrival of the New Creation, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment of the unrighteous, the destruction of “ the Man without law ,” the gathering of Christ’s elect, and the end of death itself.

The New Testament predicts several key events that will occur before the arrival of the Son of Man in glory . The New Testament predicts several events that will occur before Jesus returns. They will be the culmination of the period between Christ’s Ascension and his arrival, a period characterized by many deceptions, occasional persecution, and apostasy. Before this age ends, an especially destructive deceiver will appear in the Church, the final apostasy will take place, and Satan will launch his final attempt to destroy the Body of Christ.

Since it was founded, Satan has sent counterfeit christs and false prophets to destroy the Body of Christ from the inside . Popular preaching portrays the Antichrist as a totalitarian global leader bent on subjugating the nations of the Earth. While this may turn out to be the case, the New Testament is far more concerned with deceivers and “ false anointed ones ” who work inside the Church, causing confusion and apostasy.

The New Testament warns of an apostasy before the Day of the Lord caused by the Son of Destruction, the Man of Lawlessness . The New Testament warns us that before Jesus returns, his Church will be invaded by deceivers, including “ false anointed ones ” and “ false prophets .” Before the “ Day of the Lord ” begins, we will be confronted by the “ Man of Lawlessness , ” whom the Apostle Paul links to the “ Apostasy ,” the great “ falling away ” from the faith. That time is upon us.

The Antichrist Spirit is working to destroy the church from within, especially through deception propagated by false teachers . In popular preaching, the  Antichrist  is a political tyrant intent on conquering the world. However, Jesus and his Apostles were more concerned with the  deceivers  who spread false teachings inside the Church than they were with outside political powers. The New Testament applies ‘ Antichrist ’ and related terms to false teachers that infiltrate the Body of Christ and distort the Apostolic Teachings.

Many saints will apostatize when the Lawless Man, the Son of Destruction, seats himself in the Sanctuary of God . As the Apostle Paul explained, the “ Day of the Lord ” will not come until the “ Apostasy ” occurs and the “ Man of Lawlessness, the Son of Destruction ” is unveiled as he seats himself “ in the Sanctuary of God .” He will appear only after the “ Mystery of Lawlessness ” has run its full course, and he will be destroyed when Jesus arrives on that final day – (2 Thessalonians 2:3-9).

Paul warned of the coming Apostasy and linked it to the unveiling of the Man of Anarchy when he seats himself in the Assembly . Paul responded to false reports about the “ Day of the Lord ” by pointing to the expected Apostasy and the “ Man of Lawlessness .” Jesus will not “ arrive ” until the “ Apostasy ” occurs and the “ Lawless One ” is revealed. Rumors claiming that the “ Day of the Lord had set in ” were circulating in Thessalonica, disrupting the Assembly – (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12).

Two events must occur before the Day of the Lord begins - The Apostasy and the unveiling of the Man of Lawlessness in God’s House . Men spreading rumors in the church of Thessalonica were raising false expectations about the imminence of the “ Day of the Lord ” and the “ arrival ” of Jesus. The Apostle Paul warned the Thessalonians not to be alarmed or deceived by such rumors since two key events must occur before that day comes.

The New Testament warns that false prophets will appear, causing many believers to abandon their faith and betray Jesus Christ . Jesus warned his disciples to beware of deceivers, the false messiahs and false prophets who are determined to seduce his followers and thus destroy the Church from the inside. These warnings are reiterated and expanded in the writings of the Apostles.

( False information about the Day of the Lord caused alarm and confusion among the believers of Thessalonica  – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2). The Apostle Paul addresses false claims about the Day of the Lord in his second letter to the Thessalonians. Incorrect information concerning Christ’s return is disrupting the congregation. Paul attributes the source of the disinformation to either a “ spirit ,” a word (‘ logos ’), or a letter, “ as if from us ”; supposedly, from Paul and his coworkers .

In his visions, Daniel saw a dark ruler called variously the “ Little Horn ,” the “ King of Fierce Countenance ,” the “ Contemptible One ,” and the “ King who does according to his will .” He was an arrogant ruler characterized by a “ mouth speaking great things .” He profaned the Jerusalem Sanctuary, caused the cessation of the daily burnt offerings, erected the “ Abomination that Desolates ,” and “ exalted himself against God .”

The “ Mystery of Lawlessness ” is active in the world. This is especially so in the Body of Christ. It is preparing hearts and minds for the “ arrival ” of the “ Man of Lawlessness ” and the “ Apostasy .” It will do so until the appointed time when this “ Lawless One ” will “ come out of the midst ” and be unveiled in the “ Sanctuary of God .” He will employ “ lying signs and wonders ” to cause those who refuse the “ love of the truth ” to betray the Apostolic Faith.

The image of the “ Little Horn ” is a key component of Daniel’s visions. It represents a king from one of the four Hellenic kingdoms that evolved from Alexander the Great’s short-lived empire. Passages in the  Book of Daniel  concerning this figure also provide Paul with the model for his “ Man of Lawlessness ” described in his second letter to the Thessalonians.

The “ day of the Lord ” will not commence until the “ Lawless One ” is “ revealed in the sanctuary of God .” His arrival coincides with the “ apostasy ,” and he will be characterized by his ability to deceive, especially with “ lying signs and wonders .” Satan himself will equip him to destroy as many saints as possible.

Believers prepare for the Apostasy and the coming Man of Lawlessness by committing themselves to the traditions received from the Apostles . After explaining the coming “ Apostasy ” and the “ Man of Lawlessness ,” Paul instructed believers on how to avoid the coming deception and thereby find themselves standing “ blameless ” before Jesus when he arrives on the Day of the Lord. We must “ stand fast ” by adhering to the teachings and “ traditions ” the Church has received from the Apostles.

Jesus will deal with the “ Lawless One ” at his “ arrival ” or  Parousia . In describing this, Paul employs language from Daniel’s vision of the “ little horn speaking great things ,” originally, an image representing the Seleucid ruler who attempted to destroy the Jewish faith and nation through deceit and persecution.

Paul has explained why the “ day of the Lord ” has not commenced. Neither the “ apostasy ” nor the “ revelation of the man of lawlessness ” has occurred. Next, he describes the “ mystery of lawlessness ” that is setting the stage for the “ arrival ” of the “ Lawless One .” He will be unveiled when this “ mystery of lawlessness ” completes its preparatory task.

The Man of Lawlessness will be unveiled when he takes his seat in the House of God  - 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. Jesus will not “ arrive ” to gather his “ elect ” until  two events  occur - The “ Apostasy ” and the “ Revelation of the Man of Lawlessness .” They are inextricably linked. This man’s  unveiling in the Assembly  will signal the imminence of the “ Day of the Lord .” Not only will he cause many to apostatize, but his real identity will be disclosed when he “ sits down ” in the “ Sanctuary .”

To identify the Antichrist, we must first understand what the relevant passages of the Bible say about him, his methods, and his objectives . The subject of the Antichrist raises many questions. Who is he? When will he appear? How will we recognize him? In popular culture, he is a global political leader who uses military might to subjugate other nations and attack the modern nation of Israel.