In my LIFE Journal reading this morning (written a few days ago), I read this passage: 2 Thessalonians 2:10 (NCV) “He will use every kind of evil to trick those who are lost. They will die, because they refused to love the truth. (If they loved the truth, they would be saved.)”
I had just used this passage in my sermon 3 days before (2021-11-26)
Then I read from these three Bible Commentaries: (Careful! It’s a lot to swallow)
Called. See on ch. 2:12. The call of God is a powerful reason for eschewing all forms of impurity. Compare on 1 Cor. 6:18–20; 1 Peter 1:14–16.
Unto uncleanness. See on ch. 2:3. The preposition “unto” (epi) may be rendered “for,” since it refers to purpose. God has called no man to be unclean or impure.
Holiness. Gr. hagiasmos (see on Rom. 6:19), translated “sanctification” in 1 Thess. 4:3 (see comment there). The preposition (en) differs from that used with “uncleanness” (epi), and denotes the sphere in which God expects His called ones to live—the sphere of holiness (cf. Heb. 12:14). Holiness should characterize every aspect of the Christian’s life.
Nichol, F. D. (Ed.). (1980). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol. 7, p. 245). Review and Herald Publishing Association.
2:10 receive … saved. The deception is received by those who have rejected the final proclamation of the gospel (Matt. 24:14; 1 Thess. 1:6; 2:13; Rev. 14:6–7).
2:11–12 God will send … delusion. God uses the end-time, satanic deception to publicly expose the unbelief of those who had already rejected the gospel in their hearts.
Dybdahl, J. L. (Ed.). (2010). Andrews Study Bible Notes (p. 1577). Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press.
Coming. Gr. parousia, the same word used for Christ’s coming (see on v. 8) Because of (1) the quasi-technical force of the term parousia, (2) the frequent use of the term to describe the second advent of Christ, and (3) the juxtaposition of parousia here with the same word in v. 8, many hold that the apostle is referring to Satan’s spurious imitation of our Lord’s own glorious coming. For the fact that Satan will have a parousia see GC 593, 624, 625; 5T 698; 8T 27, 28. We may be thankful that God’s Word provides clear descriptions of Christ’s coming, so that believers may not be deceived. The Lord Himself will “descend from heaven” (1 Thess. 4:16) “with clouds” (Rev. 1:7), “in like manner as” His disciples saw Him “go into heaven” (Acts 1:11), and His coming will be “as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west” (Matt. 24:27), hence, “every eye shall see him” (Rev. 1:7). It will not be possible for Satan accurately and completely to counterfeit such a parousia (see GC 625). God’s own people will, by diligent study of the Scriptures, and by reminding themselves of prophetic details concerning the genuine second advent, be able to escape the devil’s deception (see on Matt. 24:24).
Nichol, F. D. (Ed.). (1980). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol. 7, pp. 273–274). Review and Herald Publishing Association.
Parousia. Transliteration of a Greek word meaning “presence,” “arrival,” “appearance,” or “coming.” While it is used often with reference to men (1 Cor 16:17; 2 Cor 7:6; 10:10; Phil 1:26; 2:12) and once with reference to the antichrist (2 Thes 2:9), the word is employed most frequently with reference to Christ (Mt 24:3, 27, 37, 39; 1 Cor 15:23; 1 Thes 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thes 2:1, 8). Consequently, the Parousia has come to denote the second coming of Christ at the end of the ages.
Paul, who was probably responsible for the technical emphasis on Christ’s return, while rejecting all attempts to calculate the time (1 Thes 5:1, 2; 2 Thes 2:2, 3; cf. Mt 24:4–36), nonetheless paints a vivid picture of the Parousia (1 Thes 4:13–18; 2 Thes 1:7–2:8; see also 1 Cor 15:20–28, 50–55). According to his teaching, it will be a personal, visible, sudden, and glorious coming (1 Cor 15:23; 1 Thes 2:19; 3:13; 4:15–17). Though apparently he felt he and his readers would experience Christ’s return (1 Thes 4:15; cf. Rom 8:23; 13:11), his approaching martyrdom caused him to moderate his thinking (Phil 1:23). James, also sensing the delay in Christ’s return, calls for patience (Jas 5:7, 8). Peter, too, cautions against allowing the delay to create doubt (2 Pt 3:8–10). The message is not myth (2 Pt 1:16), and scoffers will be silenced (2 Pt 3:3, 4). John encourages consistent faith lest the believer be put to shame at his coming (1 Jn 2:28).
Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Parosh. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 2, pp. 1616–1617). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
Power … signs … lying wonders. The word “lying,” literally, “of a lie,” applies also to “power” and “signs.” The same words, “power,” “signs,” “wonders,” are used of the miracles of Jesus (see Vol. V, p. 208). But the Lord’s marvelous works were genuine, and were signs attesting His divine nature (see John 10:25, 37, 38). Miracles involving creative acts are, of course, beyond Satan’s power. It is recorded, however, that Satan has the power to bind men in physical infirmity (see Luke 13:16). Evidently, then, he has power to release them when it suits his purposes. Wonderful works of apparent healing, outwardly identical in character with those performed by Christ, will be performed by Satan and his agents (GC 588, 589, 593; TM 365; 5T 698; 9T 16). Marvelous acts and spiritualistic manifestations of supernatural power will be used in Satan’s final attempt to deceive the world.
Nichol, F. D. (Ed.). (1980). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol. 7, p. 274). Review and Herald Publishing Association.
God shall send. Textual evidence favors (cf. p. 10) the reading “God sends”; that is, at the same time the “Wicked” one is flooding the world with his deceits (vs. 8–10). At the final stage in world history here forecast, the unregenerate have clearly chosen lies in preference to truth, and have placed themselves beyond redemption. God therefore abandons them to the course of their choosing (see on Rom. 1:18, 24). In the Scriptures God is often said to do that which He does not prevent (see on 1 Sam. 16:14; 2 Chron. 18:18).
Nichol, F. D. (Ed.). (1980). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol. 7, p. 274). Review and Herald Publishing Association.
A lie. Rather, “the lie,” that is, the crowning deception, when Satan impersonates Christ. There can be no worse lie than this, that the author of evil should pose as Christ, the Source of truth. Those who are deluded into thinking Satan to be Jesus are beyond redemption.
Nichol, F. D. (Ed.). (1980). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol. 7, p. 275). Review and Herald Publishing Association.
SO WHAT?
So, I was struck with the idea that I need to dig deeper into the truth of God’s word. It’s not enough to simply cursory read. My application in my LIFE Journal was this: How can one believe the truth, unless they hear it? How can they hear it unless they study it? How can they study it if they never open their Bibles beyond superficial reading? How can they move beyond superficial reading if they never make a plan? And how can they ever make a plan if they refuse to take the time?
My prayer is that I will dig a little deeper. My prayer is that you will too! The deception that is coming will be so real, so true-looking, and will deceive even the elect if it is possible. The second coming deception (the “Parousia”) of Satan will take all five of our senses and make it all look so real that if WE do not love the truth, we will be deceived by it also. It will look, smell, taste, hear, and touch just like Jesus. Miracles will happen. People will become converted and live differently. But if we are grounded in the truth, we will not be deceived.
Grounded in the truth. Dig deeper.
