Is Obama the Antichrist? 2 Thessalonians 2

IS OBAMA THE ANTICHRIST? 2 Thessalonians 2.1-12

Good Morning ~ Here we are . . . back to talking about the coming of the Lord . . . a little more on the topic Paul had discussed in 1 Thessalonians, chapters 4 and 5. If you would like to reread the associated briefings, go to www.pastorwoman.com, Morning Briefings, “A Hope Like No Other,” and “Can You Tell Me the Date?”


But first – “Dear Lord, Please help us understand the following passage, and what you would have us take from it. Give us discerning minds to recognize false teaching around us, and why it is so deleterious. Help us know and crave the truth of your Word so that we will recognize counterfeit thinking when we encounter it. Amen.”


1 As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you? 6 And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed when his time comes. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, 10 and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false, 12 so that all who have not believed the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned.

There was an impression by some of the Thessalonians that the “Day of the Lord” had already arrived, that the intense persecution they were enduring was actually the Tribulation. . . Paul assures them that neither was the case. Before that day, active rebellion against God will intensify. During the greatest rebellion, there will be a man who comes onto the scene who gains incredible power, and will be the personification of evil, including drawing his strength from Satan. Throughout history, men have come along who have epitomized evil to such an extent that folks were convinced he was the Anti-Christ. The list is a very long one—and includes various popes, Martin Luther King, Napoleon Bonaparte, King George II of England, Anwar Sadat, Henry Kissinger, (I remember my mom thinking he might be!), Jimmy Carter, Mussolini, Stalin, etc. While there have been many who were indeed anti-Christ, that one has not been revealed. And honestly, while there are those who speculate on his identity, spending much time on the matter is folly.

The Antichrist will conduct himself as though he is above the law, or at least outside of it, and set himself against Jesus Christ, and his followers. In the end, he will meet his doom, and those who have aligned themselves with him, rather than choosing to believe the truth of the Gospel—the truth of Jesus Christ—will be condemned. A little broader perspective on this: We do not have to wait until the point when we can, as it were, identify the arrival of the final climax of evil in order to see the outworking of the divine process of judgment. It is true at all times that sin consists in delighting in what is wrong. . . It follows that the primary significance of the (above) passage is not that we should be trying to calculate whether or not the End is near but that we should be concerned about the moral and spiritual issues which are involved.*

For some, the study of the end of the age is an interesting discussion; for others, a hobby to study; and for still others, a point about which to argue and obsess. For me, it is enough to know that the ‘day of my Lord’s appearing’ seems to be hastening. What difference does that make to me? I want to make time count.

So, ‘how then shall we live’?
As those who know their real home is awaiting them on the other side.

How shall we then live?
As spiritually disciplined individuals who choose to live in joy,

knowing and living out our purpose.


Oh, and do I think Obama is the Anti-christ? I don’t know yet; ask me in about 50 years.

Choose to live this day . . . choose to make it a good one . . . choose joy.
Christine



*I. Howard Marshall, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, commentary.