Strong Delusion
The Bible speaks of a "strong delusion" in 2 Thessalonians 2.
I recently read about an alternative explanation for this delusion, which I would like to share.
Strong Delusion
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
Verse 1 clearly talks about the second coming of Jesus, and the gathering of His Children.
Verse 2 warns us not to be shaken "as though the day of Christ had come" (false coming of Jesus).
The "false christ" warning is not new, and is also mentioned in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
- Matthew 24:23-27 (KJV)
Remember that Jesus comes with the clouds and will never set foot on the earth.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
- 1 Thessalonians (KJV)
- Photo : Thomas Bresson / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
It is satan who will impersonate Jesus.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
- 2 Corinthians 11:14 (KJV)
3 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, 4 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.
There will be a falling away first. I think that is a reference to the fallen churches.
The man of sin (the current pope) will be fully exposed as the antichrist (papacy).
Satan impersonating Jesus is clearly an abomination.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
The Holy Spirit is the one doing the restraining.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
The battle has already been won 2,000 years ago, and at the end satan will be destroyed forever.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
Satan will try and deceive many by posing as a false christ who does counterfeit miracles.
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
- John 14:6 (KJV)
Note that having a "love of the truth" is absolutely vital. This means studying the Word of God (the Bible). If you have a love of the truth, you will be able to see through any lies that satan will throw at you.
To survive the end times you need to stay close to Jesus.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
It's important to understand that the delusion itself does not come from God. Rather it means that people are "given over" to satan's delusion.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
- 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (KJV)
The love of the truth will save your life. Ask Jesus to open your eyes.
Again, Jesus will never set foot on this earth. (It's worth repeating)
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (KJV)
- Photo : Thomas Bresson / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
To learn more about satan's counterfeit second coming, please click here.