Flee the Wrath

We all know that near the end of this present age, Antichrist is going to sit in the temple of God, right! This will be a sign of the Lords soon coming.

In 2nd Thessalonians the apostle Paul explains this scenario, that we should not be soon shaken or troubled, for this day must come first, then the Lord shall come.

But in Paul’s explanation of this latter day scenario, interestingly Paul does not refer to the one who sits in the temple as “Antichrist”, as we so often do, but instead uses the name “son of perdition, the man of sin”. In the teaching of Paul, it is the “son of perdition” who sits in the temple of God, who opposes God, who exalts himself above God, showing himself to be God.

This is all part and parcel of the “falling away”. But Paul is not talking about Antichrist in a Jewish temple, he is talking about Christian men falling away from the faith. He is talking about an apostate church, he is talking about a temple of God which is inhabited by the “son of perdition, the man of sin”

Paul knows full well that under the new covenant there is no need of a literal physical temple as in Daniels day. Christ rent the temple wall at the time of His crucifixion, tore it in two, it is finished. Christ is the sacrificial lamb, Christ is the mediator between God and man, the new High priest. There is no need for a physical temple any longer and God has no interest in a new Jewish temple that worships and sacrifices according to the law. The only temple that matters now is the temple of the Holy Spirit, the new covenant temple.

And if the new covenant temple is a spiritual temple, not a temple made with hands, then the only way that the “son of perdition” can inhabit the temple is in a spiritual sense.

This is what Paul is alluding to, and it really matters. I mean really, really, really, really, really matters that we understand this scripture clearly Christian, because God says as follows :

1Cr 3:17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Christian, take note! God allowed the two earthly Jewish temples to be destroyed because He was not well pleased with the people. Do you not see that God will also destroy the living temple which is defiled by men.

When men of carnal minds who refuse to walk in the spirit, continue to disobediently walk in the flesh, to lust after earthly possessions, sensual lifestyles, all manner of selfish desires and doctrines of demons ……..at this time, the temple of God will be defiled by the “son of perdition, the man of sin”.

The carnal man shall exalt himself and his own selfish desire (lover of self, lover of money, boastful, proud) above the will and purposes of God, he can call himself a Christian, go to church, pay his offering til the cows come home but he will be destroyed because he placed his own self will, his own selfish desires, his own carnal plans and purposes above the one who he claimed to serve. There bye exalting himself above God, and defiling the temple.

Interestingly only one other person in the bible is referred to as the “son of perdition”. John 17:12 Remember Judas, had he lived in our day you would have called him a christian. You would not have known that he was the “son of perdition”. The disciples also believed Judas was one of them. Not one of the disciples had any idea that Judas was the “son of perdition”. In fact the disciples asked, Lord who shall betray you? is it me Lord? shall I betray You?

It was not until the appointed time that the disciples became aware that it was Judas. At that time the lawless one was revealed, the son of perdition, the man of sin.

What was Judas primary motivation? money, mammon, silver, earthly treasure. He placed his own will above that of Gods and sold the Saviour into the hands of men. Sold the Saviour for personal gain. Sought no real good for anyone but himself and used the gospel as a means of personal gain.

Christian, I tell you, never have we been closer to seeing the fulfillment of Paul’s prophecy. This is the mystery of lawlessness at work, and the man of sin is shortly to be revealed. The mystery of iniquity has almost reached it’s fullness.

Related Articles :http://fleethewrath.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/the-marketing-of-christ/

http://fleethewrath.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/third-temple/

2 Thessalonians 2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.