How Will God Destory the Lawless One?

When I started to become aware of God working in my life – before I was ready to admit any need for a savior – I figured I should read Revelation and see how things end up.  Made sense to me.  Here is my thinking:

1. If there is a God as people were telling me and
2. He somehow wrote a book about Himself and his influence on history and
3. I was living in the middle of this book and
4. He included a chapter that describes the culmination of the world as we know it

I would be stupid not to at least read that chapter to see how things ended for us… right? 

 So one night I asked my wife for her bible and read Revelation.  I didn’t understand much of it but the Holy Spirit gave me enough insight to realize it was at least plausible that it could happen.   

This turned into a much larger study of end times and led me on a very rewarding journey back to Genesis, Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah and many other old and new testament books.  That led to learning about Isaac and Ishmael and the age old struggle between two people groups. 

During this study I learned that the power in God’s word is multidimensional.  Among other things there is the power that it has in transforming lives.  There is also the power it has in creating reality that man can do nothing to alter.  Once God says something it will absolutely happen.  To even think that it won’t is like trying to convince yourself that 2+2=3 or 5.  It’s just wrong because God says it will happen.  2+2=4. 

One of the things that really clicked with me was that Jesus is the Prince of Peace and the concept that there will be no real peace until He returns.  There is no peace in a heart until He is allowed to enter it and there will be no real peace on earth until He comes back – especially in the middle east – especially for Israel.  People will try to make peace.  We are commanded to pray for peace for Israel.  There will be a peace treaty signed (orchestrated by the antichrist) that will make it seem like he is bringing peace but it won’t be real peace and it only will last for 3 1/2 years. 

The reality is there will be no real peace until Christ comes back.  It’s what I think about when I turn on the news (tonight) hear about peace talks in the middle east.  I pray that they work as God wills but everytime I hear about peace talks in the middle east I think of 2 Thessolonians 2:8.  Why?  Because biblical prophecy says that the lawless one will be the one that brokers “peace” in the middle east by means of a 7 year treaty.  What happens to the lawless one? 

^{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.2 Thessalonians 2:8 – NKJV}

God is AWESOME!  The great deceiver, the leader of the world when Christ returns is going to be consumed by Christs breath and destroyed by his brightness.  Jesus doesn’t need to lift a finger.  Just his brightness is enough to destroy the lawless one.  Think of what He could do if he put some effort into it! 

This must be the same brightness that when Moses asked to see God he was told to stand in the cleft of a rock and God would cover his face with his hand until He turned His Back.  The brightness of His glory (from the back) was so overwhelming that when Moses came off of the mountain (with the 10 commandments) people were afraid to look at his face and he had to wear a veil until the glory wore off.   Now that’s bright!

God, thank you for your awesome glory!  I can’t fathom a brightness that would destory evil but you posess that.  Thank you that in your lovingkindness you don’t destory me with your glory.  I fearfully ask that you reveal yourself to me like you did to Moses.  I ask that you show your glory through me that when others see me they see the reflected image of glory that comes from you.  Teach me to come to your moutain everyday and spend time with you.  I know you are working to transform me into the image of your Son and I want to willingly be changed.  Thank you that you do the changing in a way that is refining and purifying.  Thank you that you are working on the secret parts of my heart that will not survive your glory.  It is a fearful and wonderous thing to be in your hands!   

 Song that comes to mind:  Open the Eyes of My Heart

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up
Shinin’ in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy

Paul Rejoices, I Grumble

I know what I would like.  I would like to be independently wealthy, doing what I want when I want, in control of my destiny.  Living where I want with little or no obligations and responsibilities tying me down that my money couldn’t fix. Sure, I would use my resources and power for good because there is a lot of things in this world that I’m sure I could “fix.”  People would love and admire me.  Accolades would be thrown my way and I could golf whenever and wherever I want.  HA! HA! HAAAAAA!  I could be the king of the world!  Isn’t that what it’s all about?

I know that vision for my life must be related to what got Satan started down the road to trouble.  Aren’t I asking to be God?  Aren’t I really saying I want God’s sovereignty and will for my life to take a back seat to my pleasure and enjoyment?  Shouldn’t I be more like Paul – concerned with what God wants from my life? 

Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.   Philippians 1:12-14

 I have more wealth and freedom than 99.9% of the world and I grumble that it isn’t enough and I want it easier.  Paul is in prison, has few possesions working as an itinerant tentmaker and he is rejoicing.  The situation Paul finds himself in (prison) has become an occasion for people to be moved to boldness in their proclaiming Christ.  If you keep reading you’ll see that some were doing it out of pure motives (in the Spirit) and some were doing it from envy and strife.  Either way Paul rejoiced that Christ was being proclaimed. 

God, help me to will to do and to do what you would have for me.  Not what I want for myself.  I don’t trust my desires – I choose to trust you.  I ask for a quiet clarity and understanding of what your will is for my life so that my fleshly desires decrease and your desires for me increase.  Help me to remember to choose wisely and follow you as I go about my day.   Use my life as you used Paul’s – as an occasion for Christ to be proclaimed. 

Song on my mind:  Bring the Rain by Mercy Me – great song by a great group.

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings
You glory And I know there’ll
be days When this life brings me pain
But if that’s what it takes to
praise You Jesus, bring the rain