2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
In the continuation of the end times series preached in church, this week we talked briefly about tribulation and the rise of the anti-christ (aka the lawless one). The bible records that for a period of 7 years, the earth will undergo a tribulation period and during this time, anti-christ will arise, and the world will also be afflicted by various judgements of God - each more scary and devestating than the earlier. (Read about the 7 seals, 7 trumpets and 7 bowls from Revelations 6 onwards)
In the initial 3.5 years of tribulation, the lawless one will be seen as the bringer of peace, however, the latter 3.5 years is what biblical scholars deem the Great Tribulations, because it comes with the massive latter judgements of God and Christians would be mercilessly persecuted and anti-christ would proclaim himself as god and the world would be subject to his bidding.
One of the key passages that we discussed was how 2 Thessalonians 2:7 revealed that the secret power of lawlessness is already at work in us today. Increasingly towards the end times as we are witnesses to greater levels of unrestraint in mankind, young kids defying parents, adults and teenagers refusal to accept authority, control or conventions simply because they view it as a restiction against their feedom and idealogy.
For greater understanding, the passage from 2 Thessalonians 2:7 in the Amplified bible version states: "For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, [but it is] restrained only until he who restrains is taken out of the way."
Many who ascribe to the pre-tribulation rapture believe this passage refers to the One who restrains the antichrist to be the Holy Spirit, who lives in all believers and will be removed with believers as they rapture at Christ's 2nd coming. It is a scary vision of the future without Godliness because the bible says anyone who lives in the period of tribulations would be see unrestrained evil and lawless days.
To many of us, even myself, the idea of such a lawless and evil future still seems too remote. It doesn't help that we are a skeptical generation living in increasing lawless days that we are increasingly numb to any more wars, scandals, inhumane-ness.
But today something awakened in me as I read a marketing article which states the increasing demise of MTV's foothold on teens because of the sudden popularity of free online hosting sites like YouTube and MySpace. The article states that more and more teens are now going online into sites like YouTube and MySpace where they can embrace shiny new world of fan-created and fan-consumed content -often violent, sexual or crude.
The article states: "Teens don't care about who delivers their stuff - just that they get things that entertain them.... As a teen, if your options were MTV vs. the Land of Do As You Please (through Youtube & MySpace) which would you choose?"
Against secular and often unbecoming entertainment content of MTV, sites like YouTube have sprouted from nothingness and become the biggest thing since email. Simply because they offer a seemingly fun, but celebration of lawless freedom and entertainment. The word of God prophesies that the works of Satan in the end times will be displayed in all kinds of every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
May it speak to you because only Jesus Christ as your saviour and redeemer would save you from lawlessness of these end times.
blessings,
M.
"Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position." (2 Peter 3:17)
13 September 2006
Tribulation
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
In the continuation of the end times series preached in church, this week we talked briefly about tribulation and the rise of the anti-christ (aka the lawless one). The bible records that for a period of 7 years, the earth will undergo a tribulation period and during this time, anti-christ will arise, and the world will also be afflicted by various judgements of God - each more scary and devestating than the earlier. (Read about the 7 seals, 7 trumpets and 7 bowls from Revelations 6 onwards)
In the initial 3.5 years of tribulation, the lawless one will be seen as the bringer of peace, however, the latter 3.5 years is what biblical scholars deem the Great Tribulations, because it comes with the massive latter judgements of God and Christians would be mercilessly persecuted and anti-christ would proclaim himself as god and the world would be subject to his bidding.
One of the key passages that we discussed was how 2 Thessalonians 2:7 revealed that the secret power of lawlessness is already at work in us today. Increasingly towards the end times as we are witnesses to greater levels of unrestraint in mankind, young kids defying parents, adults and teenagers refusal to accept authority, control or conventions simply because they view it as a restiction against their feedom and idealogy.
For greater understanding, the passage from 2 Thessalonians 2:7 in the Amplified bible version states: "For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, [but it is] restrained only until he who restrains is taken out of the way."
Many who ascribe to the pre-tribulation rapture believe this passage refers to the One who restrains the antichrist to be the Holy Spirit, who lives in all believers and will be removed with believers as they rapture at Christ's 2nd coming. It is a scary vision of the future without Godliness because the bible says anyone who lives in the period of tribulations would be see unrestrained evil and lawless days.
To many of us, even myself, the idea of such a lawless and evil future still seems too remote. It doesn't help that we are a skeptical generation living in increasing lawless days that we are increasingly numb to any more wars, scandals, inhumane-ness.
But today something awakened in me as I read a marketing article which states the increasing demise of MTV's foothold on teens because of the sudden popularity of free online hosting sites like YouTube and MySpace. The article states that more and more teens are now going online into sites like YouTube and MySpace where they can embrace shiny new world of fan-created and fan-consumed content -often violent, sexual or crude.
The article states: "Teens don't care about who delivers their stuff - just that they get things that entertain them.... As a teen, if your options were MTV vs. the Land of Do As You Please (through Youtube & MySpace) which would you choose?"
Against secular and often unbecoming entertainment content of MTV, sites like YouTube have sprouted from nothingness and become the biggest thing since email. Simply because they offer a seemingly fun, but celebration of lawless freedom and entertainment. The word of God prophesies that the works of Satan in the end times will be displayed in all kinds of every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
May it speak to you because only Jesus Christ as your saviour and redeemer would save you from lawlessness of these end times.
blessings,
M.
"Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position." (2 Peter 3:17)
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
In the continuation of the end times series preached in church, this week we talked briefly about tribulation and the rise of the anti-christ (aka the lawless one). The bible records that for a period of 7 years, the earth will undergo a tribulation period and during this time, anti-christ will arise, and the world will also be afflicted by various judgements of God - each more scary and devestating than the earlier. (Read about the 7 seals, 7 trumpets and 7 bowls from Revelations 6 onwards)
In the initial 3.5 years of tribulation, the lawless one will be seen as the bringer of peace, however, the latter 3.5 years is what biblical scholars deem the Great Tribulations, because it comes with the massive latter judgements of God and Christians would be mercilessly persecuted and anti-christ would proclaim himself as god and the world would be subject to his bidding.
One of the key passages that we discussed was how 2 Thessalonians 2:7 revealed that the secret power of lawlessness is already at work in us today. Increasingly towards the end times as we are witnesses to greater levels of unrestraint in mankind, young kids defying parents, adults and teenagers refusal to accept authority, control or conventions simply because they view it as a restiction against their feedom and idealogy.
For greater understanding, the passage from 2 Thessalonians 2:7 in the Amplified bible version states: "For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, [but it is] restrained only until he who restrains is taken out of the way."
Many who ascribe to the pre-tribulation rapture believe this passage refers to the One who restrains the antichrist to be the Holy Spirit, who lives in all believers and will be removed with believers as they rapture at Christ's 2nd coming. It is a scary vision of the future without Godliness because the bible says anyone who lives in the period of tribulations would be see unrestrained evil and lawless days.
To many of us, even myself, the idea of such a lawless and evil future still seems too remote. It doesn't help that we are a skeptical generation living in increasing lawless days that we are increasingly numb to any more wars, scandals, inhumane-ness.
But today something awakened in me as I read a marketing article which states the increasing demise of MTV's foothold on teens because of the sudden popularity of free online hosting sites like YouTube and MySpace. The article states that more and more teens are now going online into sites like YouTube and MySpace where they can embrace shiny new world of fan-created and fan-consumed content -often violent, sexual or crude.
The article states: "Teens don't care about who delivers their stuff - just that they get things that entertain them.... As a teen, if your options were MTV vs. the Land of Do As You Please (through Youtube & MySpace) which would you choose?"
Against secular and often unbecoming entertainment content of MTV, sites like YouTube have sprouted from nothingness and become the biggest thing since email. Simply because they offer a seemingly fun, but celebration of lawless freedom and entertainment. The word of God prophesies that the works of Satan in the end times will be displayed in all kinds of every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
May it speak to you because only Jesus Christ as your saviour and redeemer would save you from lawlessness of these end times.
blessings,
M.
"Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position." (2 Peter 3:17)
