2 Thess. 2:34), which will occur subsequent (then) to the restrainers ceasing his action of holding back such evil. Nor can this be a reference to a principle of evil, for the text specifically identifies him as a man. The man of lawlessness (let's call him the capital-A Antichrist) will be able to perform mighty signs and miracles, and many people will be deceived into thinking that, I recommend waiting to talk in depth about the man of lawlessness, How many times have you said that you one of your children, Aside: Matthew 24 and Jesus' Message about the Day of the Lord, There will be no mistaking when Jesus returns. 2 Thessalonians 2:1 15. In any case, the OT messianic resonances are clear: the Messiahs judgment prevails against all lawlessness. Does it? For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.5Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?6And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Don't These Signs Help Us Predict the Second Coming? But at some point, God will remove that restraint. Domitian demanded to be addressed as "My Lord God, Domitian." (in the 90s AD) This fits 2 Thessalonians 2:4 quite well. What is God teaching us about his faithfulness in the story of Hosea and Gomer? Use tab to navigate through the menu items. 11:1, 4). 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in Gods temple, proclaiming that he himself is God. 2:45; 1 Thess. 1:11; for signs and wonders, cf. [Shall be] revived the great King of Angoulmois. One of the key themes through 2 Thessalonians is that believers should __________ __________ in their faith. And after (one thousand) three hundred and thirty-two days the Lord will come with his angels and with the armies of the holy ones from the seventh heaven with the glory of the seventh heaven, and He will drag Beliar into Gehenna and also his armies. That word means "without law". 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that . So, when Paul says that this man of lawlessness will be able to perform every kind of miracle, I think he's serious. 2:21). Comparisons with other passages in Daniel, Matthew, and Revelation reveal this man to be none other than the Antichrist. How bad is the death penalty? Let me build on my aside: Satan has power that, But God doesn't allow Satan to "empower" a currently existing man of lawlessness; God has a, Can you imagine someone with the power of Satan prowling about the earth? The fun way to go with this is to ask for personal examples. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and will bring him to nothing at the appearance of his coming. And at his word the sun will rise at night and he will make the moon to appear at the sixth hour. Before considering the options, note that verse 6 speaks of some entity (neuter gender in Gk.) Matthew 24 is such a helpful resource here. Sinbad did not star in "Shazaam" in the 1990s. Quietly does not mean that women are never to utter a word when the church gathers for worship. (In hell, there will be no such chance.) (8) And then shall that Wicked comment on 2 Thess. I really can't. Consider, for example, the Branch Davidians. all that God is for you in Christ explodes with faith, and joy, and love. (Century X, No. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 ). This antichrist is described in Daniel 7:8, 21-27 and Revelation 13. Name the three main themes of 2 Thessalonians. 24:2325; Mark 13:2123). Let me say that the point of the books -- that spiritual warfare is real and that Christians need to pray -- is great. And all the people in the world will believe in him. Polycarp, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Augustine, Jerome, Chrysostom, Athanasius, the Eastern Fathers -- none of these would agree with you. In that, he predicted the end of the world in 1656. They will be manifested that they are not of God and will want others to follow their bad example. I rarely like Lifeway's outline titles. Paul talked about it with them when he was in Thessalonica, and they asked him questions about it via courier. Various views on this restrainers identity were discussed in the preceding verse. All people have a "God-shaped hole" that only God can fill, but they are determined to fill it with anything but God. Paul further described the man of lawlessness as the son of destruction. These evil deeds will be claimed to be in His (Gods) name or authority. 24:15; Mark 13:14), revealing that the Danielic imagery establishes a pattern of opposition to Gods rule preceding the eschatological judgment of God. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. They're still watching for these signs! Sadly, the people who fall for Satan's deception about the man of lawlessness will perish with him. (But, we must not fear that power. Painful as they are, all our deaths and endings hold lessons we cannot live wisely without. (2:8), If there's anything the internet really loves to do, it's to. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10, the "man of sin" is described as one who will be revealed before the Day of the Lord comes. 17:5, 7), but elsewhere Paul speaks of God as the author of the mysteries of the gospel (e.g., Rom. 16. Dan. This could be a reference to Rev 17:16 if an apostate church is understood as a mother (Gal 4:26). "Okay, but that doesn't help us understand what this man of lawlessness has to do with everything. Copyright 2011-2023 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. 2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. The online RSVCE identifies him as the Antichrist, but The Navarre Bible New Testament Compact Edition note on 2 Thess 2:1-12 has in part: We do not know what the Apostle means by the "man of lawlessness" - maybe all the forces of evil taken together as a tool at the service of Satan, although the description of this adversary of God is very like that of the "Antichrist" of St. John. God will punish the man of lawlessness by consigning him to eternal punishment in the lake of . 13. Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the 3Let no one deceive you in any way. Or even better, how many times has someone said that to you?! 5 For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Messiah, and they will deceive many. The only other use of the Greek word for exalts himself (hyperair) in Paul bears connotations of conceit (2 Cor. More importantly the Ascension of Isaiah establishes a connection with the Belial/Beliar tradition, which means something like lawless or worthless one. They will exalt themselves in the churches of men and will do evil things against those brothers sent to speak the Lord's words of life and spirit. Death-penalty states as a group do not have lower rates of criminal homicide than non-death-penalty states. Now imagine the power of Satan behind those magicians. Deu 13:15 Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. They will cast out any who will not follow after them (in your name we have cast out devils). So, Satan continues mimicking the gospel and Gods work. 7. Jesus teaching has set the pattern for apostolic discussions of eschatology. Returning to 2 Thessalonians 2:5-6, Paul describes God holding him (Satan, or the Man of Lawlessness) back for now, "so that he can be revealed at the proper time." Might this be some future outbreak of rebellion against God near the end of time, when Jesus will come back? Think about it this way: what miraculous sign would get your attention, Stay connected to God in Word and Spirit (Bible study and prayer), and we won't be deceived. 1 thessalonians It's simple: "Have you seen anyone matching the description of the man of lawlessness? Thus, though it seems best to assume that the man of lawlessness is still to be revealed, the specifics of how that might look (including what is meant by his session in the temple) will likely surprise the best of interpreters. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. 2). Man of lawlessness 3. William Miller, whose followers became the Seventh Day Adventists, predicted an apocalypse date of March 21, 1844, then revised it to October 22, 1844. 24:45, 1113, 2325). 1:11, 20; 3:20; Phil. This sort of bickering is pointless and counterproductive. Paul distinguished these two truths in 2 . Crossway is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that exists solely for Acts 17:23). Discussion question: the world seems to be getting more and more "lawless". They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth and so be saved. Direct Address : With how sad steps, O Moon, thou climb'st the skies! If in 2:7 lawlessness is at work (Gk. Second, the fact still remains for Christians today that many antichrists exist 5,6, men of lawlessness 1,2,3 in their own right, looking to do the bidding of Satan 4,9. In other words, we don't know when that day will happen, but we will know it when it happens. me, ye that work iniquity. Paul is clear both that this person has yet to appear, and that he is someone other than Satan (2:9). (Some manuscripts say "man of sin" but the best evidence is for "man of lawlessness". Another first or second century writing that can be associated with this is the "Ascension of Isaiah.". apokalypt; also 2 Thess. Its interesting that 2 Thessalonians was written at around 52 ad, and Nero came to power just a few years later in 54 . 10. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God" (verses 34). A proper noun is the name of a specific person, place, or thing. 2 Pet. hat's why Paul takes "The Armor of God" so seriously; that armor is a tool God gives Christians to have the daily victory over sin and Satan.]. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. In the first advent of our Lord, Jesus fulfillment of OT prophecy, while comprehensible and wonderful in hindsight, was not anticipated properly by even the most faithful Jewish students of Scripture. The IRS taxes 1099 contractors as self-employed. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. In particular, they have previously been informed about the coming of the man of lawlessness. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. Matthew 24:36-51. 2:6 he who "now" restrains him will do so until he is out of the way. Paul draws on this tradition as he discusses the man of lawlessness, who is the son of destruction in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and the lawless one in 2 Thess. 12:14).1 With this list of options, it appears most likely that God himself controls the timing and the restraint, holding back the advent of the lawless one until the proper moment. Satan can enable the man of lawlessness to do all of that and more. ye may remember that I told you of them. The way I create an outline is to outline the passage. Here are three variations on the theme: predictions that turned out to be wrong, "facts" we were taught that weren't, and beliefs we have that we don't know where they came from. 2:4. (What is this sex-change craze except a declaration that God has no say over someone?) The passage has been historically noted for its exceptional difficulty. 2:5), but we are left to infer as much as we can to the best of our abilities. parousia) of the lawless one in verse 9 is placed immediately alongside the parousia of Jesus (2 Thess. The man of lawlessness (let's call him the capital-A Antichrist) will be able to perform mighty signs and miracles, and many people will be deceived into thinking that he is the Second Coming of Christ. What separates the final Antichrist from every previous potential antichrist is that Satan is not restrained from empowering him. 2:910). that is restraining the lawless one, while verse 7 shifts to the masculine gender, implying that the restrainer is some person (he who now restrains it). Students of biblical prophecy have differing views over the identity of the restrainer in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7. In Gods providence, however, Gaius died while the image was still en route, so it was never installed. Healing the sick? 2:1112). You look at a Bible text on the screen. This man of lawlessness seeks to make himself the central person of worship, beyond any other religious objects or personages in his day. If any discussion comes out of this topic, I really hope you direct it here: Jesus was very clear that we will not know when He is going to return. tobin james the blend 2017 ; real estate marketing solutions; who is the man of lawlessness in 2 thessalonians quizlet; lassi kefalonia shops who is the man of lawlessness in 2 thessalonians quizlet That's not as much "fun" as predicting the end of the world. (2) They shall put you out of the synagogues: Think about it this way: what miraculous sign would get your attention? Martin Luther jumped in with a prediction of the apocalypse no later than 1600. 9 The coming of the lawless one is based on Satans working, with every kind of miracle, both signs and wonders serving the lie, 10 and with every wicked deception among those who are perishing. We are to resist their influence 4,6,8 and look to Jesus' triumphant return 1,3,6 when He defeats Satan once and for all 3. -man of lawlessness revealed (antichrist) what are the various descriptions of the "man of sin"? 2:2), so also the word of God is at work in believers (1 Thess. 5 Dont you remember that when I was still with you I used to tell you about this? 3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first . We don't know how the man of lawlessness fits into the Second Coming because it hasn't happened yet. However, lest the Thessalonians become concerned about the power of such evil, Paul quickly assures them that the Lord Jesus will kill and bring to nothing the lawless one. This lends credence to the idea that the man of lawlessness is a betrayer in the church. Apparently, Paul explained this restraint to the people, and he expects them to remember. 29:19; Jer. You watch his pen draw out meaning. (6) And now ye know what 1 Cor. Those people want to reject the truth; God will allow them to. People will grasp at anything if it will allow them to reject the God of the Bible, no matter how questionable the "science" behind it might be. | Track1099. The letter of Paul that makes use of the most explicit apocalyptic language, especially of a "man of lawlessness" who appears at the end of the age to lead people astray and away from God. Who Is the Man of Lawlessness? 2:8; cf. (1 Timothy 2). But because Satan doesn't know when Jesus is returning, he has a "candidate" man of lawlessness on the earth at all times (read verse 4 again -- you can think of a lot of people who have fit that description throughout history, right?). They were hanged. prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, The Monopoly Man has never had a monocle. Paul here draws on OT Danielic imagery concerning a ruler opposed to God and his people (cf. But Paul tells them that they should have known better. Now imagine the power of Satan behind those magicians. In Ephesians 2:2 is Paul speaking of "mighty works" by "Satan"? The Man of Lawlessness -- Paul's Reminder in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and will bring him to nothing at the appearance of his coming. told you these things?. Deu 13:12 If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, Those early Christians correlated scriptures like the Revelation beasts with Daniel's little horn and Pauline passages to identify an end time opponent of Christ. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. Here's how I reconcile it all: Christians are to be aware of the signs of the times. Both Jesus and Paul warn us about this. The boat is unsinkable" - Philip Franklin. We've done "fake news" recently, so I wanted to try something different. So it's a great mercy that God restrains the power of this man of lawlessness. 6:16; Eph. Write the term that best matches the definition given below. 22:22; 2 Chron. Does any of this increasing lawlessness frighten you? The man of lawlessness cannot be Satan, for he is distinguished from the devil in verse 9. (4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, Cotton Mather (a Boston Puritan) predicted the end of the world in 1697, then revised it to 1716, then finally to 1736. let, until he be taken out of the way. CHAPTER 4 ", Verse 5 is tremendous: "Don't you remember?". Subscribe to the CompellingTruth.org Newsletter: Who is the man of lawlessness Paul talks about in 2 Thessalonians 2:112? Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him: We ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to be easily upset or troubled, either by a prophecy or by a message or by a letter supposedly from us, alleging that the day of the Lord has come. 3:9, 16). What Does It Mean That Women Should Remain Quiet in Church? There is a reverse of this: "If Jesus doesn't come back until after the man of lawlessness, doesn't that mean that Jesus can't come back "at any moment"?". In the Bible we see the man of lawlessness called the "son of perdition." The Man of Lawlessness. shewing himself that he is God. 5:6; Col. 2:8). Doesn't he. That power is considerable, especially when directed at us foolish and easily-deceived mortals. In the second example, Sidney capitalizes moon, ordinarily an uncapitalized common noun, because he is addressing the moon as if it were a person. Pauls original audience knew such matters based on Pauls prior instruction (2 Thess. It would be excellent if you could reference or even paste in some quotes from the church fathers showing that they held the Papacy to be the man of lawlessness. So Paul explained to them that this future time of tribulation had not yet come because a certain "man of lawlessness" had not yet been revealed ( 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ). There will be no mistaking the signs of Jesus' return. 51 AD 2:13; cf. 11:31). Let's take a look at the outline of the letter: Continued encouragement in persecution (chapter 1), Clarification about the Day of the Lord (chapter 2), Stay focused on the main things (2:13-17). Sometimes historians associate these passages with Nero who supposedly murdered his mother, but it appears to be taking about Judas (4:3) which has nothing to do with Nero. Since there's only one person who's above law namely, God, who writes it the man of lawlessness claims to be God. Then why are you worried that Jesus has come back? Still, Pauls argument works only if the man of lawlessness has not yet appeared, since the absence of the lawless ones arrival proves that the day of the Lord is yet to come. What is the point of Thrower's Bandolier? Paul almost certainly knows this history, and it may well be in his mind as he writes. If they had, they could have saved themselves a lot of heartache. Jesus as a killer According to the lecture, 2 Thessalonians is the only document in the Pauline corpus to refer to (or depict) three things. They should have been able to see through the fake letter. I've certainly wondered about both things. But the dramatic interpretation was problematic. should not be offended. 2 Thessalonians 2:3English Standard Version. Our friends at Wikipedia compiled a list of some 200 predictions of the end of the world. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? But the dramatic interpretation was problematic. Some have suggested that this lawless one must refer to Satan himself or to one of his demons, but Satan is mentioned later as a separate figure (2 Thess. or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? Further descriptors are applied to this lawless one. In the healthiest churches, we find a holy conspiracy between pastors who gladly care for the sheep, and sheep who do what they can so that the pastors might serve joyfully. How would you be able to tell the difference (if the Antichrist appeared tomorrow)? Paul assumes the Thessalonians recall that instruction. This connects well with the lawless ones action in the templeproclaiming himself to be God. The man of lawlessness promotes himself in place of God Almighty as the central deity to be worshiped. John 17:12) and the seed of lawlessness (cf. 3:1617; 6:19; 2 Cor. Dr. Joel R. Beeke is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. Premillenialists are likely to say it is the leader of a reborn Roman empire, or perhaps the pope. Jesus will defeat the Antichrist and his armies and cast them into the lake of fire (remember the "everlasting destruction" we talked about last week). The Man of Lawlessness. Identify the proper noun in given item. (4) But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, It's pretty hard not to see this as a reminder of what Jesus taught there. The Identification of the Man of Lawlessness - 2 Thessalonians 2:3-5. This reminds us of another related debate, namely, is a specific physical temple required in order for the prophetic expectation to be satisfied? Styling contours by colour and by line thickness in QGIS, A limit involving the quotient of two sums. Paul draws on Jesus eschatological instruction by similarly applying this Danielic imagery to events yet to occur. (10) In this the children of God are manifest, and the 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:9 the lawless one will come (Gk. 2 Thess 2:1-2 - what is the timing relationship between the rapture and the day of the Lord? 14:1215; Ezek. False The Thessalonians had no idea what was "restraining" the "man of sin" from being revealed? Anyone who opposes Christ is an antichrist, but at the end of human history, there will be a singular "Antichrist" specially empowered by Satan to oppose God. You listen to John Piper. As we said last week, they didn't have the tools that we have to detect "fake news". Things are bad enough as it is. 3:1; cf. Hal Lindsay said 1988 (40 years after the founding of Israel). So, you can imagine how discouraged they would be to hear that they missed it. Although Paul and his colleagues were compelled to leave Thessalonica sooner than they wished (Acts 17:10), they were able to begin instructing the Thessalonians concerning the events of Jesus return. Paul is careful to say every so-called god, indicating the false deities of pagan worship. When Paul declares, You know what is restraining him now, we again confront our lack of firsthand knowledge. name have cast out devils? 18. predicted one in 1969. In those book, angels have physical sword fights with demons, but if the Christians aren't praying, they can't win the fight. And there will be the power of his miracles in every city and region. What is the Context of understanding 2 Thess. But here's the really interesting consequence of verse 11: it takes more effort not to believe in God than to believe in God. Note the following examples from Spenser's Sonnet 111 and Sidney's Sonnet 313131. But lawlessness -- rejecting God's law -- has existed since Adam and Eve. Sadly, many people want to be deceived by God's enemies. 16:25; 1 Cor. Biblical narrative [ edit] Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. Deu 13:17 And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; 2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. The man of sin will not cease speaking evil against those who will be sent to their churches. God is the One with the power over the "powers and authorities". How much tax do you pay on 1099 income? 2:3 ), also referred to as the "son of destruction" (2:3) or "the lawless one" (2:8, 9). Finally, the word mystery is here applied to lawlessness (for similar evil mysteries, cf. In this week's lesson, we cover Paul's scolding -- describing the things that the people had already been told and should have remembered. 2 Thessalonians "Pauline triad" is found in this letter but in a different order: faith, love, hope. (Namely) in those which have not the name written, and in the words of my father Amos, and of Hosea the prophet, and of Micah and Joel and Nahum and Jonah and Obadiah and Habakkuk and Haggai and Malachi, and in the words of Joseph the Just and in the words of Daniel. People who try to predict it are deliberately countering Jesus' direct statement. 13:1118; 16:1314; 19:1920). There's nothing to fear. Who is the "man of lawlessness" in 2 Thess 2? 2:1, 8; cf. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. (2 Th 2:3) That is a title used only one other place in scripture, when talking about Judas (John 17:12). Before and after, Mars [shall] reign as chance will have it. Why do Bible versions use both 'seat' and 'sit' in 2 Thess 2, since they quite differ in meaning? 88:23 LXX [English 89:22]). parousia), so also Jesus comes (2 Thess. Paul talked about it with them when he was in Thessalonica, and they asked him questions about it via courier. So, what is being revealed? 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize that he is nearat the door. neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that Our friends at, The year one thousand nine ninety-nine seven month Following a common Semitic idiom, a man of lawlessness would refer to a person whose life is characterized by his opposition to Gods rule and reign. We studied it a few years ago. But remember that Paul is writing this letter smack dab in the middle of that generation before the fall of Jerusalem. My observations have been that the most current questions draw the most activity. I've introduced this already. Many have looked to a future, yet unknown, person who will seek to exalt himself in this way. A simple outline of this week's passage makes things pretty easy: Verses 1-5: You should have remembered that Jesus comes back after the man of lawlessness is revealed. The most natural inference from this text and its Danielic imagery is that a human ruler is intended. No? who is the man of lawlessness in 2 thessalonians quizlet. They will put us out of their gatherings and kill us and all the while think that they are doing God service in His namein His authority. Their presence, with their powerful gifts bestowed by holy spirit, prevented apostasy from then becoming an epidemic. "Mystery" means "something hidden that has been revealed". Deu 13:14 Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you; There is controversy here because people disagree on what Jesus meant. 30:33). I believe that "these things" refers to the signs Jesus talked about in Matthew 24. the purpose of proclaiming the gospel through publishing Paul is going to say some more things about him in verses 9-11 that will help paint a clearer picture. I know that some of you have many questions, so I'll try to answer them here. He then reasons that the day of the Lord has not yet begun, since the world has not yet experienced the rebellion and the man of lawlessness, both of which must precede the day of the Lord. It was only in the 1600's, in an attempt to divert attention away from the Papacy, that Francisco Ribera wrote a commentary on Revelation that pointed to a future Antichrist. 2:3) The second thing is the "man of lawlessness" ( 2 Thess. Yet, nearly two hundred years later, Jesus applies the abomination of desolation language to the future (Matt. Stay connected to God in Word and Spirit (Bible study and prayer), and we won't be deceived. (They are either deceiving you or deceiving themselves.) Second, before Paul writes 2 Thessalonians, events have already presaged Roman imperial opposition to Jewish worship of God. I have many emotional scars from conversations that began with "We talked about this". John states simultaneously that the antichrist is coming and that now many antichrists have come (1 John 2:18; cf. Similarly, if in 2 Thess. also Ps. Rather, the lawless one will appear in his time and will be conquered by the Lord Jesus at the proper moment (2 Thess. How do you interpret these lines? 3. 2. This man of lawlessness is not Satan, but a ruler under his control.