The Hurricane of Apostasy
Amazingly, this first seal and its white horseman of deception is an event on God’s timetable, much described in the Scriptures. We ended last time in 2 Thessalonians.
Please turn back there with me and as you do, remember that these twin epistles to the church in the city of Thessalonica, were Paul’s first epistles. Paul taught them more about Christ’s end-time plans than anyone except John in Revelation. As we look at 2 Thessalonians 2, we see that:
First, Truth Gets Abandoned: 2 Th. 2:3 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,
Then, Almighty God Gets Pushed Aside: 2 Th. 2:4-8 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. 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. 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.
Then, Satan Amazes the World: 2 Th. 2:9-10 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 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.
So, God Sends Strong Delusion on Truth Neglectors: 2 Th. 2:11-12 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.
Look closely at v. 11 for a moment. This is another tie to the first seal in Rev. 6:2. God is sending strong delusion. God unleashes the first horseman. He is representing a white, deceptive, deluding lie that fills the earth. God plans, sends, and warns us about the:
Global Delusion Upon the Unrighteous Ones
Notice the application that Paul gives them. Paul tells them what God does when He saves us. God makes us lovers of the truth.
Are you a lover of truth this morning? Do you treasure the Word, study the Word, and know the Word?
(ROK-14e)
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