The Antichrist - The Wicked One

T he Wicked One

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 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 worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 

Notice the progression carefully: 

1. Falling Away 

2. Man of Sin Revealed (Son of Perdition) 

3. Opposes and Exalts Self (cf Satan) 

4. Sits in the Temple: Shows He is God 

5. Withholdeth:  That He Might be Revealed in His Time 

6. Mystery of Iniquity 

7. He That Letteth Will Let Until He be Taken Away (Why?) That the Man of Sin Might be revealed in His Time! 

8. Then,  AND ONLY THEN, Will the Wicked be Revealed With All Power, Signs and lying Wonders 

9. Those With No Love For The Truth Will Be Sent a Strong Delusion (From God), That They Might Believe a Lie And Be Damned! 

The Third Trumpet 

Revelation 8:10,11And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. 

The Fifth Trumpet 

Revelation 9:1  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.