PROPHECY---- MAN OF SIN--- 2 THES. 2 #3

 Man of Sin? 2 Thes. 2 #3

The last wicked one

 by

     Ralph Woodrow

With comments by Keith Hunt  if  needed

PAUL'S PROPHECY - THE MAN OF SIN

Continuing now in Paul's prophecy, we see that he links the man

of sin with a falling away. "That day shall not come, except

there come a FALLING AWAY first, and that man of sin be re-

vealed..." (2 Thess. 2:1-3). Therefore, if we can determine when

this falling away occurred and where, we will have another point

of identification regarding the man of sin.

The Greek word that is here translated "falling away" is

'apostasia.' Strong's concordance defines this word as "defection

from the truth." It is from this word that we get our English

word "apostasy." This falling away or apostasy of which Paul

spoke was not to be a falling away from religion into atheism,

but rather a corruption of Christianity through false doctrine.

It would be a departure from the true faith - a departure that

would develop right WITHIN the realm of the Christian church. 

As Lenski has said: "This is apostasy. It is, therefore, to be

sought IN the church visible and not OUTSIDE the church, not in

the pagan world, in the general moral decline, in Mohammedanism,

in the French Revolution, in the rise and spread of Masonry, in

Soviet Russia, or in lesser phenomena."

Is the falling away from true Christianity yet to happen at some

future time or has it already happened? Those who are acquainted

with church history know the answer. 

The falling away to which Paul referred took place many centuries

ago. The only way the falling away could be future is if

Christianity had remained pure in doctrine and Spirit until now.

This has obviously not been the case.

[NOT  SO— WHEN  WOODROW  WROTE  THIS  HE  WAS

DECADES  IN  ADVANCE  OF  OUR  MODERN  ERA  OF

THE  LAST  40 OR  50  YEARS  AND  WHAT  HAS  TAKEN

PLACE  IN  THE  CHRISTIAN  CIRCLE  OF  THEOLOGY

UNDERSTANDING;  YES  RIGHT  WITHIN  OUR  CHURCHES

INTO  APOSTASY  FROM  TRUTHS  THEY  ALL  HELD;  

MORE  FROM  ME  LATER - Keith Hunt]   

Originally the New Testament church was filled with truth and

spiritual power. The book of Acts gives an account of those

glorious days. But as time went on, even as the inspired apostles

had warned (Acts 20:29,30; 1 Tim.4:1-3; 2 Peter 2:2,3), there

began to be departures from the true faith. The mystery of

iniquity was at work. Compromises were made with paganism in

order to gain numbers. Finally, what the world recognized as the

"Church" in the fourth and fifth centuries had actually become

the fallen church. And - as is well established in history - this

apostasy cantered in ROME!

The bishop of Rome rose to power claiming to be "Bishop of

bishops" and that all the Christian world should look to him as

head and to ROME as headquarters for the church. This apostasy

has continued through the centuries with a "man" at Rome exalting

himself above all others, claiming divine honours and worship - a

continual reminder that the falling away took place centuries

ago. It is not future, it is FULFILLED!

[IT  WAS  FULFILLED  ONCE;  BUT  IT  HAS  BEEN  FULFILLED

AGAIN  IN  THE  LAST  50  YEARS,  AND  WILL  CONTINUE

TO  BE  FULFILLED  IN  YEARS  AHEAD - Keith Hunt]

Newton has well said: "If the apostasy be rightly charged upon

the church of Rome, it follows that the man of sin is the Pope,

not meaning this or that Pope in particular, but the Pope in

general, as the chief head and supporter of this apostasy. The

apostasy produces him and he promotes the apostasy." Or as Barnes

put it: "That his the Pope's rise was preceded by a great

apostasy, or departure from the purity of the simple gospel, as

revealed in the New Testament, cannot reasonably be doubted by

any one acquainted with the history of the church. That he is the

creation or result of that apostasy, is equally clear."

Understanding that the falling away occurred centuries ago and

cantered at Rome, provides more evidence that the Papacy has met

the requirements of the prophecy about the man of sin.

According to Paul, the man of sin was to "exalt himself above

all... in the temple of God" (2 Thess. 2:4). It is quite important

that we understand just what Paul meant by his use of the term

temple of God.

Those who hold the dispensational interpretation of prophecy with

its secret rapture, gap theory, etc. 

[WHICH  I  DO  NOT  HOLD  AS  TOLD  BY  FUNDAMENTAL  

PROTESTANT  PROPHETS - Keith Hunt]

think that Paul was speaking of a future rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem. 

But a careful study of every reference that Paul made to the "temple God"

reveals that he NEVER applied this term to the Jewish temple.

The word that is translated "temple" in 2 Thess. 2:4 is used many

times by the apostle Paul. The first is Acts 17:24: "God... _.

dwelleth not in temples made with hands." In what kind of temple,

does God now dwell? Looking through the epistles, we find that

Paul always used the expression in reference to BELIEVERS, the

CHURCH - never to a literal building.

"Know ye not that YE are the TEMPLE OF GOD, and that the Spirit

of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the TEMPLE OF GOD, him

shall God destroy; for the TEMPLE OF GOD is holy, which temple YE

are" (1 Cor.3:16,17). In this passage, three times he refers to

Christian believers - the church - as the  temple of God.

"What? know ye not that your body is the TEMPLE of the Holy Ghost

which is in you, which ye have of God?"(1 Cor. 6:19). Each

believer is as a stone, a living stone, in that great "spiritual

House", "the church of the living God"(1 Peter 2:5; 1 Tim.3:15).

This same truth is seen in 2 Corinthians 6:16: "And what

agreement hath the TEMPLE OF GOD with idols? For YE are the

TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD." Writing to the church at Ephesus, Paul

said: "Ye are built on the foundation of the apostles and

prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone; in

whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy

TEMPLE in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an

habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph.2:20-22).

None of these references could possibly refer to a literal Jewish

temple in Jerusalem!

Barnes states that Paul's use of the expression "temple of God"

refers to "the Christian church" and that "it is by no means

necessary to understand this of the temple at Jerusalem... The

idea is, that the Antichrist here referred to would present

himself in the midst of the church as claiming the honours due to

God alone... No one can fail to see that the authority claimed by

the Pope of Rome, meets the full force of the language used here

by the apostle." (Barnes' commentary, p. 1114).

When the Bible speaks of the complete, literal temple, the word

"hieron" is used. This word appears 71 times in the New Testament

in reference to the temple at Jerusalem. On the other hand, the

word that Paul used for temple is "naos" which refers not to the

complete, literal temple, but to the holy place, the dwelling of

God. And the dwelling place of God is now the church.

[YES  “NAOS”  CAN  MEAN  “SANCTUARY”  AS  VINE’S

EXPOSITORY  OF  NEW  TESTAMENT  WORDS—— A  POINT  

TO  KEEP  IN  MIND  WHEN  I  EXPOUND  THE  SECOND

FULFILMENT  OF  PAUL’S  PROPHECY  FOR  THE  END  

TIME - Keith Hunt]

In what sense, then, are we to understand the term as used in 2

Thess. 2:4? Since this verse links the "temple of God" with the

falling away, the term must be understood in the sense of

profession. The Church of Rome professes to be the one true

church, but is actually the fallen church, having departed from

the teaching that the church at Rome had originally received.

(cf. Book of Romans).

We see, then, that the man of sin was not to be merely a

political leader, but would claim to be above all others within

the very framework of professing Christianity! How different this

is from the futurist ideas about an atheistic, political superman

of the last days!

[WOODROW  IS  CORRECT—— THE  FUNDAMENTAL

PROTESTANT  PROPHETS  ARE  WRONG - Keith Hunt]

The man of sin is mentioned as he that "sitteth" in the temple

of God. His sitting within the church realm "as God" suggests

that he would claim a place of rulership there. The word

"sitteth" is translated from the word "kathizo." The sitting

implies a "seat" in which he would sit. The word translated seat

is "kathedra" which is a related term. From this term we get the

word "Cathedral" which means "the bishop's seat"; also "ex

cathedra", the expression used to describe the Pope's words as he

speaks from his seat officially, such pronouncements being

considered infallible.

Guinness says: "There, in that exalted cathedral position, and

claiming to represent God, the man of sin was to act and abide as

the pretended vicar, but the real antagonist, of Christ,

undermining His authority, abolishing His laws, and oppressing

His people" (Guinness, Romanism and the Reformation, p. 57).

The man of sin is further described as he that "exalteth himself

above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he

as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is

God" (2 Thess. 2:4). We understand from this description that the

man of sin would exalt himself in great pride, would make great

claims, would magnify himself above all others.

Similar expressions are found in various ways through the

Scriptures. The prince of Tyrus is represented as saying: "I am a

God, I sit in the seat of God" (Ez. 28:2). The king of Babylon

being lifted up with pride is represented as saying: "I will

exalt my throne above the stars of God... I will be like the most

High" (Isaiah 14:4,15,14). Concerning a king in Daniel 11:36,37,

it is said that "he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself

above every god... for he shall magnify himself above all."

Another king is said to "magnify [exalt] himself in his heart"

(Dan. 8:25). Concerning Herod, certain ones after hearing his

speech, said: "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man" (Acts

12:21-23). Concerning Edom, Obadiah 4 says: "Though thou exalt

thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the

stars, thence will I bring thee down." Or concerning Capernaum,

Jesus said: "And thou, Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven,

shall be brought down to hell"(Mt. 11:23).

Verses which speak of kings, countries, or cities exalting

themselves unto heaven, exalting themselves above every god,

sitting in the seat of God, being like the most High, etc., are

expressions which convey the meaning of pride and arrogance. In

the case of the man of sin, he would exalt himself above all

others - above all others in the church! That is, he would not

only claim to be "a" leader in the church, but would actually

claim to be "the" leader of the church.

The man of sin would claim to be "AS God", exalting himself as

head of the church - a position that belongs only to the Lord

himself - "showing that he is God." There is no article before

"God" in this case; the meaning is that the man of sin would

claim to be divine. Concerning this passage, Barnes has written:

"This expression would not imply that he actually claimed to be

the true God, but only that he sits in the temple, and manifests

himself AS IF he were God. He claims such honours and such

reverence as the true God WOULD if he should appear in human

form" (Barnes' Commentary, p. 1114 - note on 2 Thes. 2).

Have the Popes claimed to be above all THAT is called God, have

they claimed to be AS GOD in the temple of God, and have they

attempted to show that they are DIVINE? The answer is yes!

The Popes have claimed to be above all kings and emperors. They

have claimed not only the rule of the earth, but of heaven and

hell also - these three realms being symbolized in the triple

crown which they wear. They have claimed attributes and titles

which can rightly pertain only to God.

At the coronation of Pope Innocent X, the following words were

addressed to him by a Cardinal who knelt before him: "Most holy

and blessed father! head of the Church, ruler of the world,

to whom the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, whom the

angels in heaven revere, and the gates of hell fear, and all the

world adores, we specially venerate, worship, and adore thee!"

Moreri, a noted historian, wrote: "To make war against the Pope

is to make war against God, seeing the Pope is God and God is the

Pope." Decius said: "The Pope can do all things God can do." Pope

Leo XIII said of himself in 1890: "The supreme teacher in the

Church is the Roman Pontiff. Union of minds, therefore, requires,

together with a perfect accord in the one faith, complete

submission and obedience of will to the Church and to the Roman

Pontiff, as to God himself." In 1894, he said. "We hold the place

of Almighty God on earth."

On April 30, 1922, in the Vatican throne room before a throng of

Cardinals, bishops, priests, and nuns who fell on their knees

before him, Pope Pius XI in haughty tones said: "You know that

I am the Holy Father, the representative of God on earth, the

Vicar of Christ, which means that I am God on the earth."

The pagan Caesars were styled, "Our Lord and God." For centuries

the Popes accepted the same title! On the arches raised in honour

of Pope Borgia were the words: "Rome was great under Caesar; now

she is greater: Alexander VI reigns. The former was a man: this

is a god"!

Pope Pius X, when Archbishop of Venice, said: "The Pope is not

only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ

himself hidden under the veil of the flesh. Does the Pope speak?

It is Jesus Christ who speaks."

The following is an extract from the actual wording that has been

used by Popes in making their claims: "The Roman Pontiff judges

all men, but is judged by no one... We declare... to be subject

to the Roman Pontiff is to every creature altogether necessary,

for salvation... That which was spoken of Christ, 'Thou has

subdued all things under his feet' may well seem verified in

me... I have the authority of the King of kings. I am all in all

and above all... I am able to do almost all that God can do...

Wherefore if those things that I do be said not to be done of man

but of God: what can you make me but God?... Wherefore no marvel

if it be in my power to change time and times, to alter and

abrogate laces, to dispense with all things, yea, with the

precepts of Christ; for where Christ biddeth Peter to put up his

sword and admonishes His disciples not to use any outward force

in revenging themselves, so do not I, Pope Nicholas, writing to

the Bishops of France, exhort them to draw out their material

swords?... Wherefore, as I began, so I conclude, commanding,

declaring, and pronouncing, to stand upon necessity of salvation,

for every creature to be subject to me", etc.

The man of sin is referred to as "the son of perdition" (2 Thess.

2:3). This same title was applied to Judas Iscariot - John

17:12).By this duplication of the term, the Holy Spirit is

apparently showing that the man of sin would resemble Judas.

Judas was to outward appearances a bishop and apostle (Acts

1:20,25). Nevertheless, he "was a thief, and had the bag, and

bare what was put therein" (John 12:6). Such things are a picture

of Papal practices, especially during the dark ages. Claiming to

have apostolic authority, the Popes propagated such things as

indulgence selling, prayers for the dead in purgatory, payment

for masses, relic sales, offerings before idols, etc., by which

they enriched themselves. Though Judas had received thirty pieces

of silver to betray Jesus, he approached him in the garden with a

kiss and the words, "Hail Master"? And likewise, the Papacy has

claimed to be Christ's apostle and friend, but has betrayed the

Lord by promoting doctrines and practices which are contrary to

what Christ taught.

The man of sin's rise to power was to be accompanied by claims of

supernatural signs and wonders. "Whose coming is after [according

to) the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying

wonders" (2 Thess. 2:9). The rise of the Romish church to a

world-wide system of religion is in itself a wonder, for though

claiming to be the church of Jesus Christ, it has actually

promoted practices and teachings that are the opposite of what

Christ taught. Millions have been deceived by its claims.

A full account of all the miracles which have supposedly happened

within the Romish system would fill volumes. The following are a

few of the claims that have been made: 

crucifixes have spoken; images have come down and lit their own

candles; idols have sweat, turned their eyes, moved their hands,

opened their mouths, healed sicknesses, raised the dead, mended

broken bones; souls from purgatory have appeared on lonely roads

and begged that masses be said in their behalf; many have claimed

that the virgin Mary visited them, etc. All of these miracles -

whether supposed, real, or faked - greatly increased the fallen

church.

We see, then, that the man of sin would appear in connection with

the falling away; he would rise to power within the very

framework of Christianity, claiming to be above all others, as

God; and his rise to power would be accompanied with lying signs

and wonders. We have seen the evidence, point by point, that

these things have found their fulfillment in the Papacy.

MY  COMMENT——

(YES, the Church at Rome was in the beginning a very real part of

the body of Christ, a very real part of the true Church of God.

In the second century we have recorded in church history that

Polycarp and Polycrates, went to debate with the bishop of Rome

over the Passover/Easter issue and practice. The bishops of Asia

Minor still held the church of Rome to be part of their

fellowship and part of the true Church of God. And so indeed it

was that the "man of sin" - did come from within the true

fellowship and body of Christ. The bishop of Rome was in the

second century A.D. beginning to fall away from the true word and

teachings and practices of the true Church of God. And so the

prophecy of Paul in 2 Thes 2 came to pass, and the man of sin,

came from within the "temple of God" - the Church of God - Keith

Hunt).

Some object to this interpretation on the basis that Paul spoke

of "the man of sin" and that such wording must refer to one

individual man, not a succession of men. But this is not

necessarily true. For example, "the" is used in the expression,

"the man of God" (2 Tim.3:17) - a reference to a class of men of

a certain character, a succession of similar individuals. Or we

read about "the high priest" (Heb. 9:7) - meaning a succession of

high priests.

The church - the long line or succession of believers through the

centuries - is spoken of as "one new man" (Eph. 2:15), but

certainly no one would insist that the church is one man in a

literal sense. The statement about a "woman" called "Babylon the

Great, the Mother of harlots" (Rev.17) is not taken to mean one

literal woman, nor is the "woman clothed with the sun" (Rev.12)

thought of as a literal woman. A single beast in prophecy often

represents a whole empire or kingdom in all its changes and

revolutions from beginning to end. The four beasts of Daniel 7

are mentioned as four kings, yet the meaning is not limited to

individual kings, for each of these empires referred to included

a succession of rulers.

Gramatically, the expression "the man of sin" could mean either

an individual or a succession of similar individuals. The use of

the singular expression neither asserted nor excluded a dynastic

meaning. 

However, there was a strong hint that such could be a succession

of men, for since "he that letteth" was a line or succession of

Caesars, it would not be inconsistent to believe that "he that

sitteth" would also be a succession of men.

It has been said that prophecy is a wonderful combination of the

clear and the obscure; enough to show the hand of God, but not

enough to make fatalists of the readers; enough to prove the

message to have been from God, but not enough to enable man to

know all the details of how that purpose is to be realized. We

believe that such has been the case here.

Since the man of sin was to come to power upon the fall of the

Roman Empire, and would not be destroyed until the Lord's coming,

it is evident that one individual man could not be meant. Such

requires a succession of men. Nevertheless, the idea of ONE MAN

is not actually eliminated by this interpretation, for there is

only one man at a time who occupies the Papal office.....

Rome did fall, but it was a decline and fall - taking place over

a period of years. The rise of the Papacy was also gradual, many

years passing before it met all the requirements of the

prophecy. With its rise to power, darkness covered the earth, and

very little preaching was done on prophecy. But when the light of

the Reformation began to shine through, the study of prophecy was

revived. People began to re-examine things. They knew Rome had

fallen and had been divided into ten kingdoms. They could now see

that the power that rose up in Rome which thought to change laws,

wore out the saints, and made great claims, was the Papacy....

                               .............

End of study by Ralph Woodrow

END NOTE  BY  MYSELF, Keith Hunt

WOODROW  HAS  GIVEN  A  GOOD  UNDERSTANDING

OF  THIS  PROPHECY  AS  IT  PERTAINS  TO  ITS  FIRST

FULFILMENT—— BUT  WOODROW  HAS  NOT  TAKEN

THE  WHOLE  CONTEXT  INTO  CONSIDERATION  THAT

PROVES  THERE  WILL  BE  A  SECOND  FULFILMENT

SHORTLY  BEFORE  THE  RETURN  OF  CHRIST  JESUS.

Realizing that the church at Rome, into the second century was

still regarded by the bishops of Asia Minor as part of the

"church" of Christ, makes then full sense to understand that Paul

was prophesying that a large and very significant "falling away"

would come to the "church" the Temple of God, after the

constraining power of the civil Roman Empire had come to an end

or had been "taken away." God was working it all out according to

His time plan for the restraining power of the Empire of Rome to

be taken away, and then would come the panicle of the falling

away in the Church of God, with the rise of the full Papal force

of the vicar or bishop of Rome - who became known as the Pope.

THERE IS ONE LARGE DIFFERENCE I WOULD HAVE WITH RALPH WOODROW——

AND THAT  IS….  I FULLY BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A  ONE  MAN OF

SIN, A  “FALSE PROPHET”  OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION, THAT WILL

COME ON THE WORLD SCENE, FOR ESPECIALLY THE LAST THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS OF THIS AGE, BEFORE JESUS RETURNS IN POWER AND GLORY.

2 THES. 2:8 CLEARLY TELLS US THAT AT JESUS' COMING, A MAN OF SIN,

"THAT WICKED" SHALL BE DESTROYED BY THE SPIRIT OF HIS MOUTH AND BY THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS COMING.” THIS VERSE THEN GOES WITH REVELATION 19:20.

THE MAN OF SIN AT THE END OF THIS AGE WILL INDEED BE THE PAPAL OFFICE OF THE POPE OF THE BABYLON WOMAN CHURCH, WHICH NEARLY ALL THE OLD PROTESTANT BIBLE COMMENTARIES SINCE THE REFORMATION, HAVE DECLARED TO BE THE PAPACY.

NOW  FOR  THE  TRUTH  REGARDING  THIS  PROPHECY  FOR  THE  VERY  END  TIME;  FOR  THE  LAST  42  MONTHS,  OR  1260  DAYS,  SPOKEN  ABOUT  IN  THE  BOOK  OF  REVELATION.

WE  SEE  IMMEDIATELY  IN  VERSE  ONE  THIS  IS  CONCERNING  THE  COMING  OF  CHRIST  AND  OUR  GATHERING  TOGETHER  UNTO  HIM.  THIS  IS  IGNORED  BY  PEOPLE  LIKE  RALPH  WOODROW  WHO  WANT  TO  SAY  THIS  IS  ONLY  FOR  THE  AGES  GONE,  ALREADY  TAKEN  PLACE,  AND  NO  FUTURE  APPLICATION  TO  CONSIDER.  VERSE  ONE  IS  VERY  CLEAR  TO  UNDERSTAND  NO  THEOLOGY  DEGREE  NEEDED.  WHAT  PAUL  IS  GOING  TO  ADDRESS  IS  THE  HUGE  EVENT  TO  TAKE  PLACE  BEFORE  JESUS  RETURNS  AND  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  SAINTS  TO  MEET  HIM  IN  THE  CLOUDS  OF  THIS  EARTH,  GIVEN  BY  PAUL  IN 1  THES. 4: 13-18.

AND  HE  FURTHER  GOES  ON  TO  SAY  THAT  THEY  SHOULD  NOT  BE  SHAKEN,  EVEN  BY  LETTERS,  SUPPOSEDLY  FROM  US [APOSTLES]  THAT  THAT  DAY  OF  JESUS’  RETURN  IS  “AT  HAND”—— PAUL  WAS  GIVEN  THIS  PROPHECY  FROM  GOD,  THAT  MUST  TAKE  PLACE  BEFORE  JESUS  WILL  RETURN.  PAUL  OBVIOUSLY  HAD  INSPIRATION  THAT  THIS  COMING  PROPHECY  WAS  NOT  CLOSE  TO  BEING  FULFILLED.  PAUL  HAS  OBVIOUSLY  NO  IDEA  WHEN  THIS  PROPHECY  WOULD  BE  FULFILLED,  HE  JUST  KNEW  IT  WAS  NOT  AT  HAND  YET,  AND  IT  HAD  TO  TAKE  PLACE  BEFORE  CHRIST  WOULD  RETURN.  

HE  NOW  PROCEEDS  TO  GIVE  US  THE  PROPHECY  HE  HAD  BEEN  GIVEN  BY  GOD.

THIS  WAS  A  NEW  PROPHECY,  NOT  FROM  THE  OLD  TESTAMENT,  AND  AS  YET  THE  BOOK  OF  REVELATION  HAD  NOT  BEEN  WRITTEN.

THOUGH  NOW  WE  CAN  TIE  IT  INTO  PARTLY  FROM  DANIEL  11  AND  THE  BOOK  OF  REVELATION.

THAT  DAY  OF  CHRIST’S  RETURN  AND  OUR  GATHERING  TOGETHER  TO  HIM [1 THES. 4: 13-18]  WOULD  NOT  COME  TILL  A  “FALLING  AWAY  FIRST”  CAME [V.3].

SURE  THERE  WAS  A  FALLING  AWAY  FROM  TRUTH  IN  THE  FIRST  400  YEARS  OF  A.D.  BUT  WHAT  WOODROW  COULD  NOT  SEE  WHEN  HE  WROTE  HIS  STUDY,  WAS  A  GREAT  FALLING  AWAY  FROM  THE  LATE  1960s  TO  THE  PRESENT,  INTO  A  NEW  CENTURY.

NOW  IT  DOES  NOT  SAY  “A  FALLING  AWAY  FROM  THE  TRUE  CHURCH  OF  GOD”  OR  “A  FALLING  AWAY  FROM  THE  TRUE  SAINTS  OF  GOD.”

IT  JUST  SAYS  “EXCEPT  THERE  COME  A  FALLING  AWAY  FIRST.”

YES  THERE  WAS  A  FALLING  AWAY  FROM  SOME  TRUTHS  OF  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  FIRST  400  YEARS  A.D.  BUT  EVEN  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,  AND  INTO  THE  “PROTESTANT  AREA”  DID  HAVE  MANY  TRUTHS  OF  THE  BIBLE.  YOU  CAN  NOT  DECEIVE  HUNDREDS  OF  MILLIONS  OF  PEOPLE  IN  CHRISTIANITY  UNLESS  YOU  HAVE  SOME  TRUTHS  OF  THE  BIBLE.  PAUL  SAID  MANY  WOULD  COME  TO  DECEIVE  AS LIKE  SATAN  CAN  TRANSFORM   HIMSELF  INTO  AN  ANGEL  OF  LIGHT [2 COR. 11: 13-15].  

SO  CATHOLIC  AND  PROTESTANT  CHURCHES  HELD  THAT  FORNICATION  AND  ADULTERY,  CHILD  SEXUAL  MOLESTATION,  RAPE  OF  GIRLS  OR  WOMEN,  WAS  WRONG!  

CATHOLIC  AND  PROTESTANT  CHURCHES  TAUGHT  MARRIAGE  WAS  BETWEEN  A  MAN  AND  A  WOMAN!  

CATHOLIC  AND  PROTESTANT  CHURCHES  TAUGHT  PRACTICING  HOMOSEXUALITY/LESBIANISM  WAS  WRONG!

CATHOLIC  AND  PROTESTANT  CHURCHES  TAUGHT  THE  4TH  COMMANDMENT,  THE  WEEKLY  SABBATH  DAY,  WAS  TO  BE  OBSERVED [THOUGH  FOR  THEM  IT  WAS  SUNDAY]. I  GREW  UP  IN  THE  1940s  AND  1950s  WHEN  THE  SUNDAY  SABBATH  WAS  PRACTICED  BY  SOCIETY  AT  LARGE  IN  THE  WESTERN  WORLD.  SOMETHING  YOUNG  PEOPLE  TODAY  CAN  NOT  COMPREHEND  SOCIETIES  DOING  SUCH  A  WEEKLY  PRACTICE.  THE  OBSERVING  OF  THE  WEEKLY  SABBATH  IS  TODAY  IN  THE  MAJORITY  OF  “CHRISTIAN”  CHURCHES  NOT  TAUGHT!

CATHOLIC  AND  PROTESTANT  CHURCHES  TAUGHT  ABORTION  WAS  WRONG!

MANY  OTHER  MORAL  TEACHING  WERE  TAUGHT;  YES  SOME  ARE  STILL  TAUGHT  BY  SOME  CHURCHES,  BUT  FAR  FROM  ALL  OF  THEM——

YES—— TODAY  WE  HAVE  HOMOSEXUAL  AND  LESBIAN  MINISTERS  OF  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION—— PASTORING  CHURCH/S!

TODAY  WE  HAVE  MANY  CHURCHES  TEACHING  SAME  SEX  MARRIAGE  IS  OKAY,  SANCTIONED  BY  THE  LORD!

WE  HAVE  MANY  CHURCHES  TODAY  SAYING  PRACTICING  HOMOSEXUALS  AND  LESBIANS  ARE  JUST  FINE,  GOD  ACCEPTS  THEM.

WE  HAVE  SADLY  DISCOVERED  HUNDREDS  OF  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  PRIESTS  HAVE  FOR  DECADES,  BEEN  SEXUALLY  ABUSING  CHILDREN.  MAYBE  THIS  WENT  ON  THROUGH  THE  CENTURIES,  BUT  CERTAINLY  THE  MUSHROOMING  OF  THIS  SIN  WAS  BROUGHT  TO  LIGHT  IN  THE  LAST  20  OR  SO  YEARS.

AT  ONE  TIME  I  BELIEVE  NEARLY  ALL  “CHRISTIAN”  CHURCHES  BELIEVED  AND  TAUGHT  JESUS  WAS  GOD  IN  THE  FLESH,  WHEN  ON  EARTH  IN  THE  FIRST  CENTURY  A.D.  TODAY  YOU  HAVE  CHURCHES  WHO  DO  NOT  BELIEVE  THAT;  WHOLE  LARGE  CHURCH  ORGANIZATIONS  WHO  SAY  HE  WAS  JUST  A  MAN  WITH  MORE  OF  THE  SPIRIT  OF  GOD  THAN  OTHER  HUMANS.  

YOU  HAVE  TODAY  CHURCH  ORGANIZATIONS  THAT  TEACH  JESUS  DID  NOT  EXSIST  UNTIL  IN  THE  WOMB  OF  MARY,  HE  WAS  THEY  SAY,  NOT  ETERNAL  LIKE  THE  FATHER  GOD.  

AT  ONE  TIME  I  BELIEVE  THE  VAST  MAJORITY  OF  CHRISTIAN  CHURCHES  TAUGHT  SALVATION  AND  ETERNAL  LIFE  WAS  ONLY  THROUGH  JESUS  CHRIST.  TODAY  MANY  SAY  “GOOD”  PEOPLE  OF  THIS  AND  THAT  WHATEVER,  CAN  GAIN  ETERNAL  LIFE.

AT  ONE  TIME,  ESPECIALLY  FROM  THE  PROTESTANT  REVOLUTION,  CHRISTIAN  CHURCHES  TAUGHT  ABOUT  SIN  AND  REPENTANCE!  TODAY  IT’S  NOT  A  PRIORITY  OF  TEACHING  IN  A  LARGE  PART  OF  CHRISTIAN  CHURCHES.

TODAY  YOU  HAVE [HARDLY  FOUND  20, 30, YEARS  AGO]  THE PROSPERITY  GOSPEL  BEING  PREACHED  IN  NORTH  AMERICA. EMPHASIS ON THE PHYSICAL GOD WANT TO GIVE YOU.

TODAY  IN  THE  LAST  100  YEARS  YOU  HAVE  THE  EMOTIONAL  PENTECOSTAL  [GOING  WILD,  FAINTING,  FALLING  DOWN,  MUMBO-JUMBO  TALKING]  “CHRISTIAN”  CHURCHES.

TODAY  YOU  HAVE  A  LARGE  PART  OF  CHRISTIAN  PEOPLE  VERY  HEAVY  INTO  “WORLD’S  POLITICS”  AND  SO  NOT  COMING  OUT  OF  THE  WORLD.  I  MEAN  YOU  DO  NOT  HAVE  TO  DIG  DEEPLY  TO  FIND  OUT  ALL  THE  LIES,  HALF-TRUTHS, DECEPTIONS,  EVIL  COMPETITIONS,  SLANDERING,  AND  THE  DIRT  THAT  GOES  ON  IN  THE  WORLD’S  POLITICS.

TODAY  WE  HAVE  LARGE  BODIES  OF  CHURCHES  THAT  BELIEVE  GOD  CREATED  THROUGH  EVOLUTION  OVER  MILLIONS  AND  BILLIONS  OF  YEARS.  CHURCHES  THAT  NO  LONGER  BELIEVE  GENESIS  ONE  WAS  LITERAL!

THIS  SHOULD  BE  ENOUGH  FOR  YOU  TO  REALIZE  THERE  HAS  BEEN  IN  THE  LAST  100  YEARS  A  “FALLING  AWAY”  FROM  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CHRISTIAN  WORLD,  ESPECIALLY  IN  THE  WESTERN  WORLD!

THIS  PROPHECY  OF  PAUL  IS  TAKING  PLACE  RIGHT  BEFORE  YOUR  EYES!

IF  YOU  WANT  TO  ZERO  IN  ON  THIS  BY  LOOKING  AT  THE  TRUE  CHURCH  OF  GOD,  IN  THE  LAST  50  YEARS—— WELL——  GOD  DID  DO  A  MIGHTY  WORK  THROUGH  A  PART  OF  HIS  TRUE  CHURCH;  THROUGH  A  MAN  CALLED  HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG!

IT  WAS  A  WORK  ON  RADIO  AND  TV  AND  A  MAGAZINE  ON  MOST  STREET  CORNERS  IN  MODERATE  TO  LARGE  CITIES  IN  THE  WESTERN  WORLD.

THEN  DURING  THE  1970s  THIS  WORK  WENT  OFF-THE-TRACK  IN  A  HUGE  WAY.  ALL  THIS  CAN  BE  FOUND  ON  MY  WEBSITE  AND  OTHER  PLACES  ON  THE  INTERNET.

TENS  OF  THOUSANDS  FELL  RIGHT  BACK  INTO  THE  WORLD  AND  THE  WORLD’S  UN-CHRISTIAN  WAYS—— THERE  WAS  A  FALLING  AWAY.

SO  NO  MATTER  HOW  YOU  WANT  TO  LOOK  AT  IT,  THE  LAST  100  YEARS  HAS  SEEN  A  MIGHTY  FALLING  AWAY  FROM  TRUTHS  OF  THE  WORD  OF  GOD!

AND  WITH  ALL  THIS,  AS  TIME  MOVES  ON,  LESS  AND  LESS  BIBLE  TRUTHS  BEING  TAUGHT  AND  HELD,  THE  WORLD  IS  GOING  INTO  A  MIGHTY,  MIGHTY  TIME  OF  CARNALITY.  WE  ARE  GOING  INTO  MORE  PHYSICAL  NATURAL  TROUBLES  OF  CLIMATE  CHANGE  AND  GLOBAL  WARMING.  OVERALL  BIBLE  PROPHECY  SAYS  WE  ARE  HEADING  FOR  A  TIME  OF  TROUBLE  GREATER  THAN  THERE  EVER  HAS  BEEN  ON  EARTH  SINCE  ADAM  AND  EVE. JESUS SAID SO IN MATTHEW 24.

THE  WORLD  WILL  BE  IN  SO  DESPERATE  A  CONDITION  THAT  A  MAN  HOLDING  THE  TOP  OFFICE  OF  THE  LARGEST  POPULATION  “CHRISTIAN”  CHURCH  ON  EARTH,  WILL  COME  FORTH  AS  “GOD  ON  EARTH”—— WORKING  MIRACLES,  SO  IMPRESSIVE  THAT  AT  LEAST  THE  WESTERN  PART  OF  THIS  GLOBE,  WILL  EMBRACE  HIM  AS  “THE  SAVIOR”  TO  SOLVE  THE  WORLD’S  PROBLEMS.

HE  WILL  BE  THE  END  TIME  ANTI-christ!  THE  FALSE  PROPHET  OF  THE  BOOK  OF  REVELATION.

HE  WILL  BE  THE  “MAN  OF  SIN” —— THE  LAST  GREAT  CHRISTIAN  RELIGIOUS  DECEPTION,  THAT  THE  APOSTLE  PAUL  TALKS  ABOUT  IN  THIS  PROPHECY.

HE  WILL  SOUND  LIKE  HE  REALLY  IS  FROM  GOD.  AND  WITH  HIM  ABLE  TO  DO  MIRACLES,  MILLIONS  WILL  ACCEPT  HIM,  AS  GOD  ON  EARTH.  

BACK  A  FEW  POPES [FORGOTTEN  THE  NAME  OF  THAT  POPE],  HE  CAME  TO  A  SOUTH  AMERICAN  NATION [FORGOT  WHICH],  AND  A  NEWS  REPORTER  SAID  TO  A  YOUNG  LADY,  ABOUT  20  YEARS  OLD,  “WHAT  DO  YOU  THINK  OF  THE  POPE  COMING  TO  YOUR  COUNTRY?”  HER  REPLY  WAS,  “HE’S  GOD  ON  EARTH.”  I  JUST  ABOUT  FELL  OUT  OF  MY  CHAIR,  ON  HEARING  HER  WORDS  ON  THE  TV  EVENING  NEWS.

RALPH  WOODROW  GAVE  A  FULL  EXPLANATION  OF  THE  FIRST  PART  OF  VERSE 4—— “EXALTS HIMSELF ABOVE….“

“HE  HAS  GOD,  SITS  IN  THE  TEMPLE  OF  GOD….”

“TEMPLE”—— NAOS—— SHRINE  OR  SANCTUARY,  AS VINE GIVES IT.

I  SHOWED  IN  DETAIL  IN  MY  STUDY  “THE  ABOMINATION  OF  DESOLATION”  THAT  STUDYING  THE  HEBREW  IN  VARIOUS  OLD  TESTAMENT  PROPHECIES,  BOTH …. JERUSALEM  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND  ARE  THE  SANCTUARY  OF  GOD.   SEE  EXODUS  15: 17—— THE  SANCTUARY  OF  GOD  WAS  THE  HOLY  LAND,  THE  PROMISED  LAND!   AND  AGAIN  SEE  MY  STUDY  I  JUST  REFERRED  TO  ABOVE,  FOR  THE  DETAILS.

WE  ALSO  KNOW  FROM  THE  PROPHECY  IN  DANIEL  11: 40-45,  THAT  THIS  END-TIME  BEAST  POWER  OF  DANIEL  AND  REVELATION,  THE  “KING  OF  THE  NORTH”—— THE  LAST  AND  7TH  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  HOLY  ROMAN  EMPIRE,  WILL,  AFTER  IT  CONQUERS  THE  “KING  OF  THE  SOUTH”  PLACE  ITSELF  BETWEEN  THE  SEAS [MEDITERRANEAN  SEA  AND  THE  DEAD  SEA  IN  THE  HOLY  LAND].  THE  HEAD  OF  THIS  MIGHTY  “CHRISTIAN”  RELIGIOUS  POWER,  WILL  BE  VERY  HAPPY  TO  SIT  IN  JERUSALEM,  VERY  HAPPY  INDEED——GOD  ON  EARTH  SITTING  IN  JERUSALEM  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND,  THE  SANCTUARY  OF  GOD—— HE  WILL  BE  HAPPY  INDEED!

PAUL  HAD  TOLD  THEM  ALL  THIS  WHEN  HE  WAS  WITH  THEM.  NOW  HE  SAYS  THIS  IS  ALL  HELD  BACK,  NO  TIME  OF  HOLDING  BACK  WAS  GIVEN  BY  PAUL;  HE  WAS  JUST  NOT  INSPIRED  CONCERNING  THE  LENGTH  OF  HOLDING  BACK, BUT  THERE  WAS  A  HOLDING  BACK  THIS  END  TIME  “MAN  OF  SIN”  UNTIL  GOD  SAW  IT  WAS  TIME  FOR  HIM  TO  BE  REVEALED [V. 5, 6].

PAUL [AND JOHN  IN  HIS  EPISTLES]  TAUGHT  THAT  THE  MYSTERY  OF  INIQUITY  WAS  ALREADY  AT  WORK;  AND  IT  WOULD  BE  SO  UNTIL  THIS  FINAL  ONE  MAN  FALSE  PROPHET,  “THE”  ANTI-christ [SEE  1  JOHN 2: 18]  WOULD  COME  AND  WOULD  BE  DESTROYED [V. 7].

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” [V. 8].

THIS  IS  TIED  IN  WITH  REVELATION  19: 11-20!!

THE  FALSE  PROPHET  OF  REVELATION  IS  THE  “MAN  OF  SIN”  IN  PAUL’S  PROPHECY!

YES  INDEED  PAUL’S  PROPHECY  WAS  AND  IS  AN  END-TIME  PROPHECY!

THIS  MAN  OF  SIN —— “EVEN  HIM,  WHOSE  COMING  IS  AFTER  THE  WORKING  OF  SATAN  WITH  ALL  POWER  AND  SIGNS  AND  LYING  WONDERS;  AND  WITH  ALL  DECEITFULNESS  OF  UN-RIGHTEOUSNESS  IN  THEM  THAT  ARE  PERISHING,  BECAUSE  THEY  RECEIVE  NOT  THE  LOVE  OF  THE  TRUTH,  THAT  THEY  MIGHT  BE  SAVED” [V. 9, 10].

THE  PEOPLE  ON  THE  WHOLE  WILL  BE  DECEIVED,  GOD  WILL  SEND  THEM  STRONG  DELUSION,  THAT  THEY  SHOULD  BELIEVE  A  LIE.  THAT  THEY  ALL  MIGHT  BE  DAMNED  WHO  BELIEVE  NOT  THE  TRUTH,  BUT  HAVE  PLEASURE  IN  UN-RIGHTEOUSNESS” [V. 11, 12].

O  YES  INDEED!  THIS  IS  A  PROPHECY  FOR  THE  LAST  YEARS  OF  THIS  AGE—— WHEN  THE  BOOK  OF  REVELATION  IS  FULFILLED!

YOU  NEED  TO  LOVE  THE  TRUTH—— TO  LOVE  RIGHTEOUSNESS [SEE  PS. 119: 172].

HE  THAT  HAS  AN  EAR  TO  HEAR  WITH  SHOULD  HEAR!

Keith Hunt