“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, 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” (2 Thess. 2:3-4, NKJV).
When the Antichrist or the “son of perdition” is revealed, there will first be a worldwide falling away from God. We have seen this increasing even now among those who call themselves Christian. For billions of people to welcome this leader and believe his lies will require a massive change in the world’s attitude toward God, the Bible, Christians and the Jewish people.
On Oct. 7, 2023, we witnessed a spirit of hatred and antisemitism that we have not seen since Hitler and the Nazis during World War II. Thousands of Christians are being murdered all over the world and for the most part, the news media is silent about it. Once an anti-God mentality dominates society, the world will be prepared to receive the Antichrist. Paul says the man of sin or son of perdition will then be revealed.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:4b, “Take heed that no one deceives you.” The apostle Paul is warning believers not to be deceived about what will happen in the last days—before Christ’s return. The world is being prepared or primed for this world leader’s domination. The media and social media have been feeding people narratives that sound good, correct and compassionate. Yet many of these narratives are false and actually sow anger, hatred and intolerance into the hearts and minds of the people.
For now, this man of sin is concealed. It’s interesting that his title in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is the son of perdition. The only other reference to the son of perdition in Scripture is in John 17:12, where it refers to Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
Second Thessalonians 2:4 states that when the son of perdition is revealed he will begin to “[exalt] 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.” He will come as an angel of light—a so-called savior to the world.
This is exactly what Lucifer attempted to do in Isaiah 14:13-14 (KJV), which says, “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”
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We also know that Satan will completely dominate or possess this world leader. Many scholars believe he will enter a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, where he will declare himself to be God incarnate. Some speculate that this man will be Jewish in order to be accepted by the Jews. The Scripture isn’t clear on this.
Second Thessalonians 2:9 states that the son of perdition will use supernatural signs and wonders to try to prove he is God. It reads, “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” Jesus warns us in Matthew 24:24 about the last days. He says, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” People will be so amazed at his feats that they will follow him. In the world’s eyes, his signs will look extraordinary. Could this be with the help of AI?
The good news is the gospel is still being preached, people are recommitting their lives to Jesus Christ and becoming soul winners, many are praying and fasting for others and examining their lives to walk in a way worthy of our Lord and Savior. Young people across the world are also waking up and getting saved and becoming radically on fire for God! Barna surveys are reporting that Gen Z (13-17-year-olds) are motivated to continue learning about Jesus. In Oct. 2022, a Barna survey of 2,000 U.S. adults stated that 3 out of 4 (74%) say they want to grow spiritually, 77% say they believe in a higher power and nearly half (44%) say they are more open to God today than before the pandemic.
Share God’s love and truth with others at every opportunity. Make yourself available and ready to minister to a lost and dying world. Tell people about Jesus. Do not fear man, but fear God. {eoa}
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Bill Wiese is the author of the New York Times bestselling book “23 Minutes in Hell,” the story of his life-changing visit to hell in 1998. Bill has since authored six additional book titles and continues to share his experience around the world. He and his wife, Annette, founded Soul Choice Ministries in late 2006 and have dedicated their lives to reaching the unsaved. For more information about Bill Wiese and Soul Choice Ministries, please visit us at: https://soulchoiceministries.org/
You can find more of Bill’s teachings at: https://www.youtube.com/user/BillWieseTV
Alan DiDio 
Michael L. Brown 
Michael Snyder