PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 255December 22, 2005
AN EXPOSITION OF II THESSALONIANS 2:1-12!
Part 6 (Same First Page on Each New Part)
II Thessalonians 2:7 – For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
I long ago lost count of the number of requests I have received about the identity of the “he’s” referred to by Paul in II Thessalonians 2:7. I did not reveal what I believed on the “he’s” for some time, and did not start to say what I believed about it until I made a trip to Kenya in 1999. Joel Cobb asked me what I thought about the he’s while I was lecturing in the Seminary there. As I had done so often in the past, I turned the question back on the asker, asking him to first tell me what he believed about it. Before that, when the asking person had told me what he or she believed, I would quickly say – well, that is what everyone else that asked me the question believes, so you are on solid ground. And, indeed, those who had asked me previously, all thought it referred to the Holy Spirit being taken out when the rapture came at the first of the week. But, much to my surprise, I was shocked to find that Joel Cobb believed what I believed about the Scripture and, as far as I know, still does. So, at age 73, knowing my time on this planet is limited, in this series I intend to offer my case as to who I believe the “he’s” represent in II Thessalonians 2:7. The reason I believe so many have asked me who it represents is this – down deep inside some, who have been taught the “he” is the Holy Spirit, there has been a suspicion it could be someone else.
I intend to exposit line by line from II Thessalonians 2:1 to 12 in order to make my case, and this will be the beginning sheet on each new Series Part issued.
Please review Parts 1 to 5 before reading this continuing exposition of II Thessalonians 2:1-12.
II Thessalonians 2:8 – 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:
This is when the Wicked Satanic antichrist is finally fully revealed as being “that Wicked.” He will be part of a duo consisting of Satan, living in a temple of sinful flesh and blood, and claiming to be God, and the false prophet, swearing that his claim is the truth.
II Thessalonians 2:4 – 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.
This is when antichrist stands on the Jerusalem Temple Mount in a sinful temple body of flesh, and claims to be God. This is when Michael stands up against him to defend Israel as her Prince. This is when no one will be able to help him and Satan will abandon him to his fate.
Daniel 11:45 to 12:1 – And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. [1] And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
The Wicked duo will be destroyed in a lake of fire burning with brimstone by the word of his mouth when he comes at his Second Advent.
II Thessalonians 2:8 – 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:
Revelation 19:13-20 –And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. [14] And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. [15] And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. [16] And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. [17] And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; [18] That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. [19] And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. [20] And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Both he and the false prophet will do signs and lying wonders.
II Thessalonians 2:9 – Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
The second beast in the duo will, like the first beast, work signs and lying wonders. This practice by false prophets is a very old one, being practiced in the days of Moses.
Deuteronomy 12:32 to 13:1 – What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. [1] If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, [2] And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; [3] Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. [4] Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. [5] And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
The false prophet’s characteristics and activities are described in Revelation 13:11-13.
Revelation 13:11 – And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
This is the second beast, the false prophet of Satan, who is cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone, along with the first beast, the antichrist, at the end of the battle of Armageddon. Their souls do not go to hell to await the final great white throne judgment of Revelation 20:11, they go body and soul into a lake of fire, and are joined by Satan a thousand years later before the final judgment.
Revelation 19:20 – And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Revelation 20:10,11 – And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. [11] And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
This second beast, the false prophet, comes up out of the earth, unlike the first beast, that came up out of the sea. He comes up with a doctrine of hell from the interior of the earth (See Birth Pang Numbers 8 and 17 in our Archives). Outwardly he gives the appearance of a little white male lamb in that he will seem to have dedicated his life as a living sacrifice to God. He will be one who is looked upon as the holiest man on earth appointed by God. His outward appearance as a lamb will be enhanced by his holy robes and dress, which will falsely associate him with the true Lamb of God. But what is inside this whitened tomb of spiritual death betrays who is really is, for his inner being is shown to speak with the power and voice of Satan. And out of his mouth will issue forth edits of the guile of holiness by human endeavor. I am convinced he will be the Pope of Rome – Not the present Pope, but he may well be the one that follows him.
Revelation 13:12 – And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
This false prophet of Rome represents the unholy spirit of the Satanic trinity: Satan the father, antichrist the son, and the false prophet as the unholy spirit. He is one of the unclean spirits of Revelation 16:13.
Revelation 16:13 – And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
In order for any occurrence to be officially identified as being a miracle, it must be confirmed as such by the Pope. He will confirm the resurrection of the first beast from a deadly wound as valid, and cause the known world of John’s day to worship him as being sent by God (See Prophecy Update Number 82, Part 3, in our Archives). For an exposition of “them that dwell on the earth,” see Prophecy Updates 77, 77A, 77B, and 77C).
Revelation 13:13 – And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
He has the same power as the first beast, being energized by the same Satanic Dragon. He is able to do what the priests of Baal could not do before Elijah – He causes fire to come down out of the first heaven, the earth’s atmosphere, and to strike the earth.
I Kings 18:36-40 – And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. [37] Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. [38] Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. [39] And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. [40] And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
II Kings 1:10 – And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
Please note that in both these cases it identified the one asking and receiving as being a man of God sent by God. The miracles and fire from heaven will convince both Catholic and Muslims that the false prophet is absolutely from God and has the power of God.
The false prophet will identify himself as the Elijah from God, and he will proclaim the apparent return to life from the dead by the first beast to be genuine, and will identify him as being sent by God. But why would God allow the false prophet to delude billions of people into believing that the Wicked one was from Him?
II Thessalonians 2:8-11 – 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: [9] Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, [10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
This power of the wicked duo will be counterbalanced by the two witnesses of God.
Revelation 11:6 –These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.