A Study in Delusion (Part 2)
In our previous Pen, we discussed the delusions God
had chosen for Israel as an expression of his judgment for their
wicked choices, delighting themselves in things for which God had no
delight. We sought to make the case that these “delusions” (66:4)
were a second reference to the “babes” Isaiah had earlier predicted
(3:4). We also observed that the societal wreckage they imposed on
Israel is in the process of replication in America.
The process of deterioration was set in motion
decades ago. But the pedal-to-the-metal acceleration of wreckage
under the current leadership tells me that God is just about fed up
with America murdering its unborn, granting “marriage” status to
homosexual perverts, evicting the Godhead from the public domain,
painting targets on his prophets, and stabbing Israel—the apple of
his eye—in the back. The fiscal dereliction of the last two
occupants of the White House has taken our nation to the brink of
bankruptcy! Our delusions are real indeed!
The second mention of “delusion” is found in 2
Thessalonians 2:11. In the context, Paul is dealing with a false
teaching about the coming of Christ, which had troubled the
brethren. The error that had infiltrated the church was an
allegation by some that the day of Christ was at hand (2:2). It
contradicted what Paul taught them in his first epistle about being
“caught up” to meet the Lord in the air…an event that would
transpire before the onset of the Day of the Lord. In pre-Trib
lingo, they thought they had missed the Rapture.
In order to quell this error, Paul provided
additional prophetic detail regarding the events-activities that
would characterize the Day of Christ…a time of global turmoil the
Church will miss as part of the salvation package its members
received upon belief of the truth (2:13). When he wrote his second
epistle, none of the events he went on to describe had taken
place…evidence that the Day of the Lord was not yet underway!
Paul wanted them to know that the mystery of
iniquity (Gk. anomias, “lawlessness”) was already
operating, but had not yet attained full-blown proportions (2:7).
The One who was hindering the full expression of lawlessness would
at some point be taken out of the way, making way for the revelation
of the Wicked one (the man of sin, the son of perdition). The One
who is currently exerting his restraining influence is the Holy
Spirit. The body of Christ, the habitation of God through the
Spirit, now serves as a salt-and-light retardant. When the Spirit is
taken out, the Church will be caught up. The removal of salt-light
will open the floodgates of lawlessness!
The one referred to as “The Wicked” is the
Antichrist. He will be empowered by Satan and possess the ability to
facilitate signs and lying wonders in an attempt to mimic Christ and
authenticate himself as God in the flesh and more (2:4). Jesus
performed signs and wonders anchored in truth. Those done by
antichrist will lend credence to the BIG LIE—that he is the one for
whom the world has been waiting. Many of you may recall hearing that
very claim come from the lips of a 2008 presidential candidate.
The BIG LIE victims are identified as “them that
perish” (2:10). The verb perish (Gk. apollumi, “to destroy”)
is a present passive participle preceded by the definite article.
Literal translation: “the ones who are in the process of being
destroyed.” The reason they continue to perish and buy into the BIG
LIE is rooted in a rejection of the gospel when the Spirit of God
sought to apply it to their hearts. When a sinner hears the gospel
of God’s love as demonstrated in the vicarious death and
resurrection of the Lord Jesus on his or her behalf, and rejects the
truth, that individual (after Spirit-Church removal) is locked into
eternal damnation (2:12).
The scripture thus affirms: “And for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie”
(2:11). The word delusion is the Gk. plane (“a
wandering, a straying about”) from which our English word “planet”
is derived. Astronomers discover planets by taking a series of
photos of the same portion of night sky and identifying “wandering”
objects in relation to "fixed" objects. Metaphorically, the word can
refer to mental error based on a faulty opinion, resulting in
spiritual-moral error permeating the entire life. And so it shall be
for those who reject the gospel in this age. With no post-Rapture
Spirit presence to help them “fixate” their souls on the Lord Jesus
Christ, they will wander in the mire of strong delusion and embrace
the BIG LIE.
If you doubt the possibility of such pervasive
deception, consider the growth of Islam. The Pew Forum estimates
there are 1.57 billion practicing Muslims world-wide (22% of the
world's population) with an annual growth rate of 2.9% (world =
2.3%). If Satan can convince nearly one-fourth of earth’s
inhabitants to worship a non-existent Allah, what do you suppose he
can accomplish with the signs-wonders ministry of Antichrist? I
believe he will allege Yahweh and Allah to be one and the same, and
himself the embodiment of both. What better way to unite the
descendants of Ishmael and Isaac behind one world leader? Moreover,
he will be able to claim credit for the Rapture as a punitive
measure against Christians inasmuch as they constituted the last
impediment to real peace. Those once fearful they were “Left Behind”
will now rejoice that they are “Still Around” for the BIG SHOW!
Question: How does God send strong delusion? The same
way he sent leanness into the souls of his people in the wilderness
(Psalm 106:15). He simply removes his gracious influence, and
abandons the rebellious to their selfish desires. The delusion will
derive its strength from the God-vacuum created in the Rapture’s
wake!
The one thing that is worse than leanness of soul is
its delusion. For the sinner who persists in unbelief until the
Spirit of God is removed and the Antichrist is revealed, the strong
delusion that inevitably follows will lead to his or her damnation!
Today, dear friend, if you hear his voice, harden not your heart!
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