There are many patterns throughout scripture and history. They are there for us to learn from. The account of the Maccabean revolt is a story that we should be familiar with as it details what God’s people went through with a type of antichrist.
We have warnings in scripture that we are going to face the same type of situations.
The prophet Daniel warns us that a king is going to arise out of the final kingdom (after the time of the Maccabees). He will have so much power that he will deceive the saints of God.
Daniel 7
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
Times
1. the same as H2165
[(Aramaic) from H2165]
KJV: season, time.
H2165 זְמָן zman (zem-awn’) n-m.
1. an appointed occasion
H2165 זְמָן zman (zem-awn’) n-m.
1. an appointed occasion
[from H2163]
KJV: season, time.
Root(s): H2163
H2163 זָמַן zaman (zaw-man’) v.
1. to fix (a time)
[a primitive root]
KJV: appoint.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon-
time (probably loan-word from Old Persian zrvan, zarvâna, time, age); (festival) seasons Daniel 7:25
Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon-
Used of holy times (feast days), Daniel 7:25
Laws
1. commandment, commission, decree, law, manner
[(Aramaic) corresponding to H1881]
KJV: decree, law.
H1881 דָּת dath (dawth) n-f.
1. commandment, commission, decree, law, manner
[of uncertain (perhaps foreign) derivation]
Daniel warns us that a king will arise who will speak words against The Most High, The God of the Bible.
- He will change the days that God appointed as set apart; His Feast days of Leviticus 23.
- He will change the Law of God; His Commandments or decrees.
- He is going to wear out the people of God
- God’s people are going to be given over to him for some time.
These are the same things that Antiochus Epiphanes did to the Jews when He came against them.
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Some people were troubling the Thessalonians saying that the Lord’s Day had already come.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Falling away:
1. defection from truth (properly, the state)
2. “apostasy”
The Lord’s day would not come until there had been a turning away, or apostasy, from the Truth and sound doctrine. The man of sin, the son of destruction had to be revealed also.
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
This man of sin opposes God, he is contrary to God, or the opposite of God.
- Raises himself above God and all things that are used to worship God.
- Has made himself into God.
- Sits in the temple of God.
- Is convinced that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
There is something that is withholding so that the one that opposes God will be revealed at the right time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
They mystery of lawlessness is already at work. This word “mystery” is interesting:
Mystery
1. a secret or “mystery”
{through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites}
[from a derivative of muo “to shut the mouth”]
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:
2. a hidden purpose or counsel; secret will: the mystery of lawlessness, the secret purpose formed by lawlessness, seems to be a tacit antithesis to God’s saving purpose, 2 Thessalonians 2:7.
He that lets this mystery of lawlessness will let it be until the one that opposes God is taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Then the lawless one will be revealed. Jesus will consume the lawless one with the spirit of His mouth. The lawless one will be destroyed by the brightness of the coming of Jesus.
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
The lawless ones coming will be after Satan has been working in the earth with all power, signs and lying wonders. There will be false prophets with power, working signs and wonders!
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
and in every deception of unrighteousness among the ones being destroyed BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LOVE the TRUTH. If they loved the TRUTH they would be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
Strong
1. efficiency (“energy”)
[from G1756]
KJV: operation, strong, (effectual) working
G1756 ἐνεργής energes (en-er-gace’) adj.
1. active, operative
[from G1722 and G2041]
KJV: effectual, powerful
G2041 ἔργον ergon (er’-gon) n.
1. toil (as an effort or occupation)
2. (by implication) an act
[from a primary (but obsolete) ergo “to work”]
KJV: deed, doing, labour, work
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:
the power with which error works,
Delusion
1. (properly) a straying or wandering from the straight path (i.e. a deviation, an error, a bending)
2. (objectively) fraudulence
3. (subjectively) a straying from orthodoxy or piety
[feminine of G4108 (as abstractly)]
KJV: deceit, to deceive, delusion, error
G4108 πλάνος planos (plan’-os) adj.
1. straying or wandering from the straight path
2. roaming, roving (as a “planos kuon” meaning “stray dog” or as a vagabond)
3. (by implication) an imposter or misleader
[of uncertain affinity]
KJV: deceiver, seducing
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:
In the N. T. metaphorically, mental straying, i. e. error, wrong opinion relative to morals or religion
God will send a powerful error or wrong opinion of morals or religion to those that do not love the Truth so that they will believe a lie. It is a fraud. It will not be on the straight path. Everyone that does not LOVE the TRUTH will be deceived!
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Everyone that does not LOVE the TRUTH will be condemned. Those that have pleasure in unrighteousness will be destroyed.
What is Truth?
Psalm 119
30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid [before me].
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.
142 Thy righteousness [is] an everlasting righteousness, and thy law [is] the truth.
151 Thou [art] near, O LORD; and all thy commandments [are] truth.
Jesus said: John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
If we don’t have a LOVE of God’s Word- His commandments and the things that He said to do, we will be allowed to fall into deception.
Ephesians 6
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Part of our armour is the Sword of Truth, or the Word of God. If we don’t know the Word of God or if we don’t abide by the Word of God then we will not be able to withstand in the day of evil. If we are wearing the belt of Truth (God’s Word) and the breastplate of righteousness (following the Word of God) then we will be able to stand against the evil.
Paul warns us that there will be someone that comes along that is the opposite of God. He will exalt himself above God. This sounds like the same person that Daniel warned us about. The ruler that changes God’s appointed times (feasts) and His Laws. Maybe he has his own laws and feast days, an alternative to what God said. God is going to allow this deception and it will be so strong that only those who love God’s Truth, His Word, will be able to spot it. But the lawless one will be revealed at the return of Jesus when He consumes the lawless with the spirit of His mouth and the brightness of His coming.
Much like the Maccabees experienced, Christianity had a king come in and demand that God’s laws and appointed times- His Sabbath and Feast Days, be changed. Those that wouldn’t comply faced death.
Constantine took customs, practices and celebrations from the nations around them and put Jesus’ name on them; He
- Set up a desolating sacrilege on the altar of God to offer up sacrifices and offerings of praise and worship to pagan deities, in the name of Jesus.
- Caused the people of God to trade the things of God for worthless idols and vain traditions of man.
- caused the people of God to abandon His Holy Covenant.
The altar in our temple has been defiled.
Those that continued to celebrate God’s Sabbath and Holy Days were martyred.
God is coming back for a spotless bride. One who has washed and sanctified herself with the washing of the water by the Word, so that she can present herself as not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Revelation 19
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
When Jesus, the Word of God, comes back He will smite the nations; the ones that don’t LOVE his WORD.
Let us take this time of Dedication to cleanse ourselves of all unrighteousness.