READ 2 Thessalonians 2:4-5

“Who [the Antichrist] 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. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?”

Do you remember the five “I wills” of Satan in Isaiah 14:12-15?  Read this passage and you will see the definite connection between Satan and the antichrist.  

Verse  4(a) says that the Antichrist opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped.  His ultimate goal is worship.  

This is one of the things that is characteristic of our day.  We are living in a day where humanism has been very prominent.  Humanism deifies man and dethrones God.  Humanism takes God off the throne and puts man in his place. 

This is the man of sin.  This is the epitome of what man can do.  This epitomizes 666, this is the trinity of humanism, it is all about what man can do, not what God can do.  His goal and desire, ultimately, is that he be worshipped as God.

Verse 4 continues by saying, “…so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” 

 In the city of Jerusalem is what is known as the temple mount.  The temple mount is where Israel's great place of worship was until A.D. 70 when it was destroyed. Israel’s desire is to rebuild their temple on that mount, but, there's a little problem with that. The problem is that the Moslems have constructed the Dome of the Rock, also known as the Mosque of Omar on that exact spot. 

 But the Antichrist, as a world ruler, will step on the scene.  In Daniel 9 we learn that the Antichrist is going to be able to bring about a covenant, a peace treaty with the Jews. He will work out the problem of the Mosque of Omar and the Jews will be allowed to rebuild their temple.  It is a fascinating thing to read in the Scriptures. 

The Jews think they are going to build that temple for the worship of Jehovah God, but the Antichrist has something different in mind. He will sit in the “…temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” 

The word “temple” in this verse is the word for the inner recesses of the temple, the holy of holies, evidently, showing himself displaying himself that he is god. 

The Antichrist, in the middle of this treaty with the Jews, right in the middle of that seven-year period of time, which is the Great Tribulation, will break the covenant. The great peacemaker will become the great peace breaker.  He will establish himself as god in the temple and will demand that the whole world worship him. That's a fantastic teaching in the scriptures.

This is a brief description of the conduct and purpose of the Antichrist at his revealing.  Paul concludes in verse five by reminding them of the fact he had told them these things earlier.

May we only give allegiance to the King of kings, and Lord of lords, our Savior Jesus Christ.

Your Friend and HIS,

Pastor Abbott

MEDITATIONS

1.  What does the Bible say about the Antichrist’s, character in verse four?

2.  How can you compare the Antichrist, in verse four, with Satan, in Isaiah 14:12-15?

3.  What is the ultimate goal of the Antichrist?

4.  What does the name Antichrist literally mean?