As I think about the times in which we live, Jesus’ descriptions of Satan often come to mind. Below are a couple of quotes from the Gospel of John about our archenemy:
“He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:19).
I believe we can learn a lot about his nature while remaining true to the context of these verses. He deceives, destroys, and murders. That’s who he is.
Keeping these traits in mind, let’s examine how Paul describes the man whom Satan will indwell during the fast-approaching Tribulation period (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3):
- The “man of lawlessness” – The antichrist will not only exhibit great wickedness, but he will also display much contempt for the law or God’s Word. He will be the only standard by which he acts.
- The “son of destruction” – Destruction and death will characterize the coming antichrist. Some translations use the word “perdition” rather than “destruction,” which also fits his personality. He will bring to utter ruin and death all that he touches during his short time in power.
“Why,” you might ask, “am I stating the obvious about this coming evil one?” I do so because I believe the character of Satan, combined with Paul’s description of the coming antichrist, helps us understand the “times and seasons” in which we now live.
In other words, should we not expect to see these traits in the world around us during the ramp-up to the time when the devil’s kingdom becomes manifest on the earth through this coming “son of perdition”?
Lawlessness
I am often more surprised by the rampant lawlessness of our world than I should be. Is this not what I should expect to see before the unveiling of the “man of lawlessness”?
If he arrived at a time when most people adhered to biblical standards of civility and morality, he would not receive the type of welcome that will, in the future, propel him to superhuman status in the eyes of the world, at least for a little while.
Scripture pictures a world in chaos during the Tribulation due to widespread violence, wickedness, and a total disdain for anything and everything taught in the Bible. The lawlessness that we see multiplying by the week is preparing many to go along with the future rule of the antichrist.
I know he will later deceive and seize power by force, but a great number of people are already cooperating with his evil agenda in advance of his unveiling. The anarchy we already see around us will become even worse after the Rapture when the Restrainer no longer restrains the coming “man of lawlessness.”
However, there’s even more that points to the antichrist’s soon arrival on the world scene.
Unconstrained Deception
When I think of the fake news that permeates all we hear or read about and see the lies that so many people today believe, Jesus’ description of Satan comes to mind. The Lord described him as “a liar and the father of lies.” Do we not see this attribute of our adversary everywhere we look?
The devil represents the total absence of truth.
If we are living in the last days, and we are, then should we not expect mass deception to characterize this time as the lead-up to the seven-year Tribulation when deceit will rule the day?
This has been the devil’s mode of operation since the Garden of Eden. Why should we not expect to see a great expansion of this as the world marches toward the time when Satan’s man comes to power?
If the antichrist appeared at a time when the majority of humanity readily identified falsehood and reacted against it, I think he might have a rather difficult time gaining the needed traction to ascend to power. But now, with so much of the world blind to reality, common sense, and all the truths revealed in Scripture, this seems to be the perfect environment for the great deceiver to unveil his man to the nations when many, even Christians, have fallen for the lies they hear on the mainstream news.
It’s only a matter of time until we depart, and he makes himself known.
The Acceptance of Murder
If anything stands out from Jesus’ description of Satan, it’s that he kills; he murders people. It stands to reason, therefore, that the one whom he will embody in the future will do the same. And that is exactly what the book of Revelation tells us.
It should also not surprise us, though more time than not, it shocks me to discover that a culture of death overshadows the day in which we live. Could this be just a way that the Lord is allowing the prepping of humanity for the arrival of the “son of perdition”? I think so.
In a recent post, I showed the many ways that our society has become accustomed to this culture of death, although most people remain unaware of the evil intent of so many in power. It’s not just the advocacy of the murder of the innocents by governments worldwide, especially in America, though it’s certainly that.
It’s also the mandating of deadly vaccines and boosters that not only kill but do not stop the transmission of COVID-19, nor do they prevent people from becoming seriously ill or dying from the virus.
As of October 8, 2021, the CDC VAERs reported 16,766 deaths due to the COVID-19 vaccines, along with 24,805 people permanently disabled and 79,669 hospitalizations after the jab. Past research shows that at most, this system captures ten percent of the adverse effects of vaccines. So, it’s likely that in just the U.S., there have been over 167,000 deaths due to these injections, and yet the U.S. President insists on mandating these deadly jabs for everyone.
Yes, they are a small percentage of those injected, but when have we, as God-fearing people, ever minimized the impact of something that has already caused either the death or permanent disability of at least 420,000 people? I am not trying to be sensational here, but why should we remain quiet while the Biden administration plays Russian Roulette with the lives of so many people?
Peter Koenig, geopolitical analyst and a former Senior Economist at the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), compared the atrocities of the Nazis during WWII to the current mandating of the deadly COVID-19 shots with these words (his emphasis):
“Today, the Situation is much Worse. In fact, there is No Comparison.
All 193 UN member countries are involved. They are subscribed to the same evil agenda. They are under the same diabolical blackmail spell; even the entire UN system doesn’t dare to oppose its tyrannical system. The UN and members of the UN family, particularly WHO, actually help drive the agenda forward.
The people around the world have to be made aware of what’s behind this sinister plan – this outright killing spree.” [i]
Pastor Brandon Holthaus wrote this in describing his prophecy update on October 7, 2021:
The markers of a future genocide are shaping up. We [see] the initial signs right now across the world that will culminate in the Tribulation. Today we look at those markers that are stair-stepping the world to genocide of believers in the Tribulation. [ii]
Although it’s disconcerting, to say the least, what we see today represents the lead-up to the unveiling of the antichrist, the one who will embody the deception, lawlessness, violence, and genocide already present in our world.
Hope Versus Panic
Both of the men that I quoted in the previous section see the culture of death currently overshadowing our world. However, there’s a fundamental difference.
Panic is quite evident in the article written by Peter Koenig. He sees the extinction of humanity on the horizon and urges people to rise up against the tyranny of COVID-19, the injections, and the coming new world order. He places all his fleeting hope in a worldwide rebellion against the globalists of our day.
Brandon Holthaus also recognizes the rising tyranny of our day under the guise of COVID-19 and related vaccine mandates but does so in the context of the fulfillment of prophecy. He refers to these edicts as “stair steps” leading to the horrific day of the Lord, which begins after the Rapture. His message, though equally troubling for those outside of Christ, points believers to Jesus’ joyful appearing to take us home.
Though not a believer in Jesus or of biblical prophecy, Peter Koenig recognizes the extreme danger of what lies ahead, which is something so many believers do not see or perhaps refuse to acknowledge. Mainstream media Christians falsely believe that their governments have their well-being in mind and that things will return to normal. They remain blind to what’s happening across our world and put their hope in human solutions rather than in the return of King Jesus.
The title of this post comes from 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2, “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” Believers who recognize the signs of the times know that they live in the moments leading up to the Rapture, after which the day of the Lord will descend upon the world like a thief.
We live in hope, not fear, waiting for our “blessed hope.” We know that someday, perhaps quite soon, Jesus will appear, and we will then appear in glory with Him (Colossians 3:4).
For those outside the loving arms of the Savior, they can also have hope if they admit their sins and put their trust in Jesus alone (John 14:6).
If you are like me, you increasingly feel the need for more patience and endurance to hang on just a little while longer. I feel the weariness of waiting for Jesus’ appearing during this lawless and oppressive time, but I grasp onto scriptural promises and thereby remain convinced that He’s coming for us soon.
Maranatha!
Jonathan Brentner
Website: Our Journey Home
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E-mail: Jonathanbrentner@yahoo.com
Sources
[i] Peter Koenig, The Covid “Killing Spree” – And the “Robotization” of the Survivors. We Need A Nuremberg 2.0, October 6, 2021, on the Global research website: https://www.globalresearch.ca/killing-spree-robotization-survivors/5757755
[ii] Brandon Holthaus, Prophecy Update: The Religions of Genocide, October 7, 2021: https://rumble.com/vnfslv-prophecy-update-the-religion-of-genocide.html