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2 Thessalonians 2:4
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4 Who [ho] opposeth [antikeimai] and [kai] exalteth [huperairomai] himself above [epi] all [pas] that is called [lego] God, [theos] or [e] that is worshipped; [sebasma] so [hoste] that he [autos] as [hos] God [theos] sitteth [kathizo] in [eis] the temple [naos] of God, [theos] shewing [apodeiknumi] himself [heautou] that [hoti] he is [esti] God. [theos] KJV-Interlinear
4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. NASB
The anti-christ, as this person is often called, the leader who will arise immediately after the Rapture, will be the most evil person who ever lived in human history.
He will assume rule during the Tribulation (the last remaining seven years of human rule), and his attitude will be one of supreme arrogance and disregard of all deities, real or imagined, living or symbolic.
He will have total disregard for anything that anyone believes in, and in doing so, will lead with total ruthlessness and disregard for any human rights or claims to life.
Note one thing here. The Tribulation is the name given to the last seven years of the Age of Israel (Daniels seventieth week prophecy). The Tribulation will begin immediately when our dispensation of the Church Age is terminated with the Rapture.
The Tribulation will be the most terrifying period in all of human history, will be led by the most apostate and evil person in all of human history, and this follows then that the end of our Church Age, will be the most apostate period of Church history, leading into those last seven years.
Note, that the circumstances of the world which will exist in the Tribulation, just one second after the Rapture, will also exist just one second (if not for years) immediately prior to the Rapture.
The only thing that prevents the world from coming to an end during our dispensation, is the Holy Spirit, who is the restrainer of evil. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer during our dispensation, and when we leave via the Rapture, then so does that restraint.
His (Holy Spirit) presence does not however, prevent evil from happening in our present time. Just look around you and you’ll see evil everywhere, in its many forms. The world is simply not going to come to an end during our dispensation of the Church Age.
Even now, as in every era of history, people have free will and have the right and freedom to make up their own minds regarding truth or whatever it is that they wish to believe. Rejection of truth simply leads to problems, during our age, not the end of the world.
The anti-christ will resent, reject, and oppose any and all systems of religion, faith, cults, etc., and set himself up as the ultimate authority on truth, and make himself out to be the single authority on what is best for humanity.
Now, note one more point here. You can wish, hope and pray for world peace, prosperity, and apple pie, but human history is headed for this future period of evil. This is a prophecy of trends for our dispensation and a prophecy of events for the Tribulation. God is never wrong, and these are Gods words.
Don’t stop praying or hoping or whatever it is that you do, because we do not know when this period will be. We are also given this information so that we may observe and prepare ourselves for the worst of times.
Regardless of what is on the horizon for humanity, or when it might be, your responsibility, now, is to stick with your daily studies and advance to spiritual maturity, such that you will be complete in your life and prepared for your eventual meeting with Christ, which too, is an event that is certain in your future.
