“And now you know what is restraining, that he [Antichrist] may be revealed in his own time. 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.” 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7.

After the rapture, the Holy Spirit will no longer restrain. He will then allow man to have his own way causing him to sink to his lowest point of depravity.

”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.” 2 Thessalonians 2:7.

What is the mystery of lawlessness? A mystery in Scripture is something that was hidden, to be revealed at a later time. When it is revealed it is not to be kept secret but taught to the church.

Some mysteries that were hidden from ages past are, the church, the bride of Christ, the rapture, and that the Gentiles are to be fellow heirs with the children of Israel, to name a few.

“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began…” Romans 16:25.

“However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory…” 1 Corinthians 2:6-7.

“…the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.” Colossians 1:26.

“The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” Revelation 1:20.

The Apostle John defines lawlessness in this manner.

“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” 1 John 3:4.

Sin and lawlessness has always existed, yet here it is stated that “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work”, giving the impression that this is something new.

“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” 1 John 4:2-3.

Now this is something that could be called new and already at work, “… the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” 1 John 4:3b. And the phrase “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work” 2 Thessalonians 2:7a; the Antichrist is called the lawless one.

The lawless one could not have appeared before the Lord Jesus came to live on this earth because neither Satan nor his legions of fallen angels had any clear idea of what God was going to accomplish through His Christ.

So the mystery of lawlessness could not have been revealed before the incarnation of Christ.

It might be added that the angels in heaven did not have had a clear idea of how God was going to save mankind. It was in fact a mystery from eternity past. Everyone except the Godhead was blindsided by the cross.

“Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ [Holy Spirit] who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things which angels desire to look into.” 1 Peter 1:10-12.

Here are a couple of examples of the things the Old Testament prophets would have searched diligently to find more about the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

“For dogs have surrounded Me; the assembly of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” Psalm 22:16-18.

“Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men…” Isaiah 52:13-14.

Most students of the Bible will be able to figure out that Psalm 22 describes the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and Isaiah 52:13 through 53:12 describe the flogging and humiliation of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Imagine trying to figure out the meaning of these prophecies seven hundred to nine hundred years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. And these are just two of many more throughout the Bible from Genesis to Malachi.

It is only after the incarnation of Jesus Christ that Satan could know how to model the Antichrist. The name Antichrist can mean either against Christ or instead of Christ.

The term false christs, is different in that the false christ preys on the gullible and the Christian’s anticipation of the return of Christ and so they claim to be Jesus Christ.

“For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:24

The Antichrist denies God, claiming to be God himself in the flesh, becoming a counterfeit Christ.

“Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” 1 John 2:22.

This counterfeit Christ, lawless one, man of sin will have the intention of expunging the true God and His Christ from the history and knowledge of mankind once and forever.

This man of sin will not just be lawless in the terms of sin; he will be lawless in that he will deny everything that God has set up – total negation of God.

“He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time [three and one half years].” Daniel 7:25.

The changing of times and law are the prerogatives of God alone, yet Antichrist will make changes of his own by altering the forms and constitutions of kingdoms, and by eliminating the laws of God like the Ten Commandments, and the laws of man, making new ones of his own.

He will undoubtedly change religious ordinances and the stated times or elimination of feasts and holidays, substituting his own. The abomination of desolation is a good example of changing religious practices.

See the following passage referring to the third part of the unholy trinity, the false prophet setting up the image to the beast, Antichrist.

“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” Revelation 13:11-15.

I once read that after the French Revolution they tried to remove God from their nation and even created an 8 day week to replace God’s 7 day week. It nearly drove the people crazy for some reason.

I have personally experienced trying to sleep during the day because I worked nights for about ten years. I never got used to it, and others have told me the same.

Now that I have retired and my time is my own I still anticipate Friday night to Sunday, the weekends are still different!

God set these things up for a reason and no matter how silly or small they seem going against them exacts a price.

The mystery of lawlessness then is a mystery that was known only to God, one in which the sinful heart of man is completely revealed and it is demonstrated to all, both men and angels.

The utter depths men will go to, in their hatred of God, to completely expunge Him from His own creation and set up their own god and rule the earth in a manner that suits their own sick corrupt fantasies.

It will fulfill and end a chronicle of mankind’s rebellious self-delusion of his own goodness and ability to live without God, which began in the Garden of Eden and will end in battlefields named Armageddon and the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where the blood will run in a stream 4 ½ feet deep and 200 miles long.

God in His grace is giving us a preview of the tribulation period and its evils in this country now. Things will get worse after the rapture of the church. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior yet, consider our present crisis a warning of what is to come.

“And this is the will of Him [God the Father] who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son [Jesus] and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:40.

Mystery of Lawlessness, 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 taken from godisrevealed.com posted on 10-25-13, updated on 2-26-21.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.