2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

The coming of whom is in accordance with the work of Satan in all power and signs and false foretelling of pending events and every deception of unrighteousness by the ones who are perishing for the reason that they did not receive the love of truth in order for them to be saved.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I think that the big teaching in these verses is that the coming of lawlessness – and specifically the coming of the lawless one – is in accordance with the work of Satan.  I think that this really goes to show the position of humanity in the world.  We like to think that we are in control.  We like to think that we are our own bosses.  But we’re not.  We get our authority and power from external sources.  We can get it from God if we follow Him and are obedient to His calling.  We can get it from Satan if we are obedient to our own fleshly sinfulness.  But we get our power and authority from external sources, not from within ourselves.  After all, what can mortal beings do on an eternal scale without the help of an eternal being?

Where do you get your power?  Does it make sense that the lawless one will come through power that is utilized in accordance with Satan?

Second Thought:

I find it interesting to compare the coming of the lawless one with the coming of the one who fulfilled the Law.  When Jesus came, He performed miracles.  He came with power.  He came telling what the future would hold – especially regarding His own death and resurrection.  The coming of the lawless one will seem very similar in content.  There will be power and miracles and predictions about the future.  But there will be one major difference.  With Jesus, His words were true.  With the one of lawlessness, his words may seem true but they will be false.  The lawless one will be deceptive.  Jesus spoke hard truth.  The lawless one will speak false words that are easy to hear and swallow.

Does it make sense to you to think that the lawless one will impersonate Jesus?  How do you think the lawless one will be received by the world?  Why might he be received when Jesus was so readily rejected?

Third Thought:

Paul gives us sad words about the ones who will be deceived by the lawless one.  They aren’t saved.  It is especially sad to hear why they are not saved.  They are not saved because they did not receive a love of truth.  It isn’t that they didn’t have it within them.  They didn’t receive it!  The truth is that none of us have it within ourselves to receive God’s truth on our own.  The only way that we can receive truth is if God gives us the power.  If we receive the love of truth from God, then we can likewise receive His truth itself.  That’s the sad part about the people who are not saved in the end.  It isn’t that they didn’t have it within themselves.  None of us do.  It is that they weren’t willing to receive what they lacked for free from God.

Do you agree that you do not have what it takes to be saved?  How do you receive the love of truth from God?  How can you encourage others to do the same?

Passage for Tomorrow: 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12