The Great Delusion

By David Ettinger

The Coming Antichrist
The first 12 verses of 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2 concerns the return of Jesus Christ to Earth, and the coming reign of the Antichrist.

The Thessalonians believed they had missed the Lord’s return – specifically, the Rapture of the Church. The Lord’s return to Earth will involve 2 gargantuan events: the Rapture of the Church, and God’s pouring out His wrath upon the “left-behind” wicked who have spurned His Son and rejected His offer of salvation through that spurned Son. This 2-pronged event is referred to as the “Day of the Lord.”

No, the Thessalonians had not missed the Rapture, and one of the reasons is that certain prerequisites have not yet been met. Paul explains it this way: “… it [the Day of the Lord] will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction” (v. 3).

Paul then veers off into a small discourse on this “man of lawlessness” who must precede the Day of the Lord. This “man of lawlessness” is the Antichrist. And when he arrives, multitudes will exuberantly receive him – and even worship him – as “God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false …” (v. 11).

So, as of now, that delusion has not yet arrived – at least, in its ultimate fulfillment. But is it possible that the delusion God is planning in full is – and has been – making a partial appearance? The answer is “yes.”

The Time of Lawlessness
Note again the phrase “man of lawlessness.” Of course there has always been lawlessness in the world, but when the Antichrist comes to power for 3½ years (Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2; 12:14; 13:5), lawlessness would have reached its apex, running amok like an uncontrollable plague until the Lord returns to stop it (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

But, you may be thinking, isn’t lawlessness running amok now?

That’s a very good question. In every area of life – especially here in the U.S. – society is freefalling into lunacy. This lunacy includes increasing – and unpunished – violence in the streets; the gender madness being roundly embraced; the increasing attacks upon Christianity and Judaism; the political chaos which has pitted “right” vs. “left” with barely a trace of middle ground; and the branding of lawkeepers as evil.

Surely, you may be further thinking, this must be the lawlessness Paul is speaking of.

You’re partially right. Verse 7 tells us: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” And this way back in Paul’s day (about A.D. 50). What does it mean?

It means that a tremendous spirit of disobedience is already stirring, and has been doing so for centuries. But this lawlessness is still a mystery in that it is not as fully revealed as it will so blatantly be when the Antichrist comes to power. Yes, the “spirit” of the Antichrist is already in operation (1 John 2:18; 4:3), but the man who fully embodies the lawlessness has not yet arrived.

This is not some “general” lawlessness as is “common” in the hearts of the unsaved. It is a “specific” lawlessness, one which disdains God and seeks to overthrow Him – precisely what the Antichrist will strive to do (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

The Great Delusion
But if the Antichrist is going to be so lawless and wicked, how can a multitude of the human race accept him? Wouldn’t they be able to see just how evil he is? This from John MacArthur:

People who prefer to love sins and lies rather than gospel truth will receive severe, divine recompense, as do all sinners. God Himself will send judgment that will insure their fate in the form of a “deluding influence” so that they continue to believe what is false. They accept evil as good and a lie as truth (The MacArthur Study Bible).

This ultimate delusion has already begun. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4:

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world [Satan, who will empower the Antichrist] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

How else to explain the absurdity where a woman is a man, a man a woman, and declaring oneself as neither is just as fine? How else to explain the move to eliminate police departments and refuse to incarcerate hardened criminals? How else to explain the glorification of overt immorality (just turn on your TV) and lauding it with standing ovations (check out any awards show)?

Shine the Light!
So yes, a Great Delusion is occurring, and it will see its ultimate fulfillment in the “man of lawlessness” – the Antichrist. But make no mistake about it, the delusion is already at work, and getting darker and more pronounced by the day.

Yet, there are those who will listen. God tells us that those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved (John 11:25; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9).

As believers, let us strive to shine our light in the darkness, giving illumination to the denizens of this lawless and delusional planet on which we live!

David Ettinger was born and raised in a Jewish family in New York. After moving to New Mexico as an adult, he suffered through many trials. The nudge of the Holy Spirit caused him to examine his heart and in 1986 he surrendered his life to Jesus and has walked with Him ever since. David holds a BA, and MA, in English from New Mexico State University. He began his journalism career writing for The Roundup, the university paper. After graduation he became the sportswriter for the El Paso Times. He has held many other positions as both writer and editor with major publications. David is active in providing his skills with Zion’s Hope, Inc., in Winter Garden, Florida. His publications include Lifeway publications, Single Parent magazine (Focus on the Family), Zion’s Fire magazine, and Real Life magazine. In addition, he served as managing editor for Zion’s Fire and Real Life. David’s book, Overcomers: 30 Stories of Triumph from the Bible, is available online. David is proud of his son and grandson. Please read his testimony here, on his website. 

Feature Photo by Dariusz Sankowski on Unsplash