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above all that is called God, sitting in the Temple of God, pointing himself out as God to
be worshipped (verse 4)--man deified.
Paul then continues (verse 9) to speak of `the lawless one', `whose coming is after the
working of Satan'. This one's coming will be energized by Satan in every lying power
and sign and wonder, with every form of deceit. Here is the danger; for to deceive, this
power, these signs and wonders, must purport and appear to be genuine. There would be
little purpose in warning believers of miraculous occurrences which were obviously of
the Lie. Paul warned the Corinthians of some:
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the
apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of
light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of
righteousness" (II Cor. 11: 13-15).
Yet whilst appearing as ministers of righteousness, their works are with every form of
deceit.
"And with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that are perishing" (II Thess. 2: 10
R.V.). This `because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved',
where `because' is the translation of a Greek term having the force of `in return for
which'. That is to say an exchange took place: they exchanged the love of the truth for
every form of deceit. This must surely remind us of a Scripture we have already
considered in this study: "who changed the truth of God into a Lie, and worshipped and
served the creature more than the Creator" (Rom. 1: 25). This is precisely what those of
whom Paul speaks will do. Having failed to receive the love of the truth, they will accept
the Man of Sin in his claims to which Paul makes reference in verse 4.
Because of this, "God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe (the)
lie" (verse 11). But let us be quite clear; it is not God Who deludes them. He merely
confirms them in the condition they have chosen. It is of a piece with the Lord hardening
Pharaoh's heart, etc. A helpful illustration is found concerning leprosy in Lev. 13: The
leper goes to show himself to the priest who (verse 3) "shall pronounce him unclean".
The Companion Bible points out that the Hebrew signifies "shall make him unclean".
Clearly the man was a leper, and therefore according to the Law unclean, but his
condition and his uncleanness had not been officially confirmed until the priest `made
him unclean'. The point is reached with those who receive not the love of the truth where
they have gone too far ever to change and God, as it were, officially pronounces them
`deluded'; sending a `working of error' (strong delusion, A.V.) to the end that they
should believe the Lie. Perhaps the significance of the latter statement becomes clearer if
we translate it `to the end that they should trust the Lie'. It is the verb pisteuo, to have
faith, trust, to rely on: they rely on the Lie.
Paul is not particularly concerned to teach his readers details of the Second Coming in
this passage. He makes it quite clear that he has already given them sufficient teaching
on this subject:
"Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?" (verse 5).