What do you think that these verses mean in 2 Thessalonians?

Question

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

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, shewing himself that he is God." 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4

Answer 1

"except there come a falling away first" this is a prophecy of the great apostasy

the second part refers to the Antichrist... who will claim he is Jesus Christ, but will be a great deceiver instead.

Answer 2

Someone had told the members of the church at Thessalonica that Jesus had already returned, and that the rapture had already occurred. They were upset. Paul was assuring them that it had not happened and gave two signs that must take place before the second coming (day of the Lord). First there would be a great falling away in the church, or a rebellion from the faith. Second, the anti-Christ would reveal himself in the temple and set himself up to be worshiped as God.
The temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. It has not been rebuilt yet, and must be before this can happen. Much of the furnishings for the new temple has already been made, but the building has not. There is an Islamic mosque on the temple mount today.

Answer 3

Paul was speaking of the End Times (in which we are now living) in which a world leader will arise who will claim to be God in the flesh, a man empowered by Satan himself, labeled in Scripture as "the Beast" who is also known as the Antichrist.

After WW III, Israel will build the Third Temple on the Temple Mount, and this man will come down, seat himself in the Temple and will proclaim himself as Messiah and God.

But first there must come a "falling away" in which many churches will become ineffective due to the allowance of non-Scriptural doctrines to be taught in the churches, apathy, weakness of pastors and congregations, etc. (When is the last time you heard a good, hard sermon on Hell, sin and God's justice?)

Right now, the demon spirit that will inhabit the Antichrist is being held back, until God gives permission for it to be released. At that time this leader will rise in Europe to take the reins of world power, for WW III will have destroyed the United States and Russia as world powers. Europe will step into the gap and will set up the last world empire under the Antichrist.

The Antichrist will sign a 7 year peace treaty with Israel, but after 3.5 years, he will break the treaty and set himself up in the rebuilt Temple as God. The signing of the 7 year peace treaty will lock in the final 7 years until Armageddon.

I hope that answers your question? If not, try going to www.alphathruomega.com and go to the End Times section. There is a series of excellent studies there that will explain the whole End Times concept.

Answer 4

The only thing keeping the Anti-Christ from being revealed right now is (verses 6&7) a restraining.A lot of people think this means the Holy Spirit,but it is the Church.Once the church is "caught up"(I Thessalonians 4:14-18)then the man of sin will be revealed.The Holy Spirit is still around ,saving and marking those that turn to Christ ,during the 7 year Tribulation.
The" man of sin",Anti-Christ will first come as the man on the white horse(Rev. 6:2) with a bow(notice ,no arrows,because he first comes as a world peacemaker).31/2 years into his reign he shows his true colors and establishes himself as God.31/2 more years of awful devistation,and Jesus returns (Rev.19) and cleans house.

Answer 5

The only falling away and man of sin coming upon the scene that has claimed himself equal with the Lord of hosts, is the Roman Catholic papacy and her supremacy during the dark ages for over a millenium. She has shed more Christian blood than Hitler slew Jewish blood. She is guilty of the most vehement crimes against humanity and God, and what makes her guilt all the exceeding more guilty is that she wears a garb of sanctity, "a wolf in sheep's clothes" that the whole world has wondered after. Her name is "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH". Her and her alone can meet the criteria for the antichrist (or substitute) as pointed out in Revelation and Daniel who claims the power of God to forgive sins and hold the title of Christ upon earth. Every Protestant church used to herald this very important truth, but the evangelicals and the papacy are working hand and hand for the most part nowadays. Oh, if only the world could see the storm coming upon America, "the land of the free". Scripture will testify to what I am saying, I would seal my testimony with my blood if need be.

Answer 6

The Lord will not return until there is a falling away or "backsliding". We see a lot of this today, churches have become weak in faith and in their standard.

The man of sin is the anti-Christ. he must be revealed first. Before the coming of the Lord.

He says he is sitting in the temple of God. The church world is looking a Jerusalem. But the Bible tells us the we are the temple of God. I believe this is saying that Satan will completely possess a certain individual. The man of sin.

Answer 7

Well, as I first learned of it on the Colbert Report, I assume it means that maybe we should pay attention. This citatation was printed across the bottom of the screen at the very end of the Thursday March 18, 2010 show. I didn’t notice it when I saw it on tv; it was only upon replaying the tape that I noticed it and paused. A bit of subliminal seduction? I immediately googled 2 Thessalonians 3 and read it. Then I googled lines 10-13. The lines say ‘settle down’ and get to ‘work’. That’s what it means. And it commends those who continue to do the work that is the bread of life. For me, as for many of my Heroes, that work is teaching.

Answer 8

Two events must precede Christ's coming: the falling away and the appearance of the man of sin. This falling away appears to be a general worldwide rebellion against the authority of God, led by the man of sin. Just as God sent Christ so Satan will send this Antichrist. Because he is the son of perdition (the fate that awaits the unrepentant) eternal damnation is his destiny.

Answer 9

"Let no man deceive you by any means"
There will may deceptions in the end time. God doesn't want his people to be deceived by other religions.
"for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"
And he will judge all man on judgment day, including those who do not believe in Jesus Christ.

Answer 10

It speaks of a falling away (apostasia), meaning departure or removal of.

The organized church will depart from the faith but there will be a total apostasy when the Lord comes, and that can't happen until the true church is removed. The tribulation can't happen until that time.

The a man will deceive the world and become a world dictator. One of his claims will be that he is God. The world will think that he is the Christ which will be a lie.

Answer 11

This verse is so carefully revealing the utter mythology of the one who lies to us all of our mortal days, and goes on to tell us of how he falls away as we turn from him through the understanding of spiritual truth, and the true man is revealed, in Christ.
Words are always carefully chosen because you can lead a man to water and show him where the cup is, but after that, the job is finished.