Written by: John Sernaque
Call to Worship
2 Thessalonians 2: 1-4
2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him,
2:2 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.
2:3 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;
2:4 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, showing himself that he is God.
The Man of Sin and the Second Advent—
In the days of the apostle Paul, the Thessalonian brethren were laboring under the erroneous impression that the Lord would return in their day, and Paul wrote to correct this false impression, stating what events must transpire before the advent could take place. He declared: “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; 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, showing himself that he is God.” {7BC 910.1}
The man of sin was to arise, and do his work of exaltation and blasphemy, before the brethren could look for the coming of Christ. That great event was to be preceded by a falling away. There would be revealed a form of Antichrist, and the leaven of apostasy was to work with increasing power to the end of time (The Review and Herald, July 31, 1888).
Bible prophecy points to the man of sin as being a representative of Satan. This agent of Satan thinks to change the times and laws of God. This man of sin represents to the whole world that he has changed God’s Sabbath day from the seventh day (Saturday) to the first day (Sunday) of the week. He claimed this right to change God’s law to suit his own purpose. God’s laws are infallible and did not need changing. Yet the man of sin has deceived the world to follow him instead of the Almighty, infallible God in heaven. The Bible says by the word of Christ Jesus that not one jot or tittle of the law should fail until heaven and earth should pass away and all be fulfilled. Part of Christ’s work here on earth was to exalt the law that demonstrates God being a just God whose laws need no changing. Satan tried to change God’s law in heaven but failed. Satan continues his attempt to overthrow Jesus via his agent here on earth with what he started in heaven, changing God’s times and laws. The Christian world has approved his change by accepting the Papacy’s change from Saturday as God’s Sabbath Day to the institution of Sunday worship. Those who accept the false Sabbath exalt the man of sin. The law of God is as sacred as His throne. When there is a law instituted against the Sabbath of God’s creation, God will meet this transgression with punishment, and we will know that the day of Christ is at hand. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Genesis 2:3
Our Father, Almighty God,
We come into Your presence with thanksgiving, praise, and prayer. We are so thankful for and praise the work of Your creation. We thank You for Your Holy Sabbath day that You instituted on the seventh day of the Creation week. You have instructed us to keep the seventh day Holy, as the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD our God. We thank You for making this day for man, a day of rest from our six days of labor. You made this day for a Holy purpose, so it is a day of reverence and thanksgiving for all of creation. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. Thank You for giving us the Sabbath that we may commune with You and each other. We pray the world not fall for the deceptions of Satan or shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, that the day of Christ is at hand. Your Word says that there will be a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 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, showing himself that he is God. We thank You for providing us the signs and warnings before Your second advent. Thank You for watching over us, protecting, and keeping us safe. Thank You for being the shelter in the time of storm. Thank You for coming the first time here on earth to exalt the law that demonstrates God being a just God, whose laws need no changing, and that not one jot or tittle of the law should fail until heaven and earth should pass away and all be fulfilled. We joyfully await Your great day to come when You will take all Your saints home. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
