The Apostasy and the Son of Perdition

In the Bible we read of an Apostasy that is to come and an Evil person that must be revealed, before Jesus will come and gather us believers together to himself, this evil person will be destroyed at that same coming of Jesus.

Have you ever been told this before as a believer in Jesus Christ or is it the first time?

Some would say yes, others would say no.

I would suggest to you that it is true based on the Word of God.

This Study will be focusing on the Apostasy and later as we progress we will look at that evil person; I will begin this Study by looking at what the Apostle Paul had to say to us the believers in Jesus.

I want to invite you to sit with me at the feet of Paul and slowly take in what Paul has to say to us. Grab your Bible and sit with me.

In 2 Thessalonians2:1-2 Paul begs us to listen, Paul is begging us in regards to the coming of our Lord Jesus and our being gathered together to Him that we are not shaken in our minds, or troubled by spirit, or by any word, or by any letter as if that Day of Christ coming is about to happen.

Some believers today seem to ignore Paul’s plea and they seem to be very troubled.

I know that last year so many people were caught up in the teachings of the Blood Moons, there were so many that were saying that the coming of Jesus was going to take place in September 2016; these same people were also saying that the Rapture was going to take place in September 2016.

Many and I say many, followed this unbiblical teaching and many millions of dollars were made in Videos, Books, Conferences etc. Sadly they did not listen to Paul; if they had they would not have been led astray and certainly would not have been shaken or troubled. Many today are confused and bewildered, being tossed to and fro from one teaching to another.

The same is happening again this Year 2017, some are declaring that Jesus Christ is coming; for us to know the truth it is crucial that we must stand in the Word of God.

Paul is begging us to NOT be troubled by False Teachings, no matter how much they tickle the ear.

Paul goes on in verse 3 and begins to talk about deception, listen to what Paul begs “let no man deceive you by any means”. Paul does not want us to be deceived by any person and also by any means. Paul knew what deception is because he was always dealing with this in his Ministry in the Church, there was always someone that was going around like a wolf and deceiving others. There were some that denied the Resurrection and there were some that were saying that the Resurrection had already taken place.

Paul was a true shepherd and his heart was for his sheep.

Now that we know that we should not be deceived, let us go on and listen to the Truth from Paul. In verse 3 Paul tells us the Truth, Jesus will not be coming to gather us together to himself until two events take place, and these two events are:

1. The Apostasy.

2. The Man of Sin is revealed who is called the Son of Perdition.

Paul has just told us very clearly what two events must take place, BEFORE Jesus will come and gather us together to himself. Paul is declaring and prophesying to us that these two events must happen.

God is not a Liar and Gods Word is Truth, if Gods Word is Truth then these two events must happen exactly as Paul has declared.

I want to first of all talk to you about the word “Apostasy”, so that we may know exactly what it is.

The meaning of the English word Apostasy in the Cambridge Dictionary is “the act of giving up your religious beliefs or political beliefs and also leaving a religion or a political party. Apostasy used to be and is today in some countries punishable by death.

An Apostate was a person who committed Apostasy.

The earliest recorded reference to apostasy from Judaism is found in Deuteronomy 13:6-11 which states: "If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again." Apostasy is a Sin against God himself.

When you look at the Strong’s Greek Concordance G646 you see the Greek word “apostasia” this word means defection from Truth, it means to forsake or to fall away from the Truth.

The equivalent Hebrew words are “mered” which means rebellion. “Ma’al” which means treachery. “M’subah” which means Apostasy, a turning from Truth.

To understand more what the Word Apostasy, “apostasia” means and how it is used in Scripture we will look at the Old Testament and I will begin by using the Septuagint. The Septuagint is the Old Testament written in Greek.

The Greek word Apostasia is used in four verses in the Old Testament, it is found in Joshua 22:22, 2 Chronicles 29:19, Jeremiah 2:19 and Jeremiah 29:32. Some Translations have it written as Rebellion, some as Defection, some as a Refusal to obey and some as Transgression.

This is what we read in Joshua. Joshua 22:22 The Mighty One, God, Jehovah, the Mighty One, God, Jehovah, he knoweth; and Israel he shall know: if it be in (rebellion), or if in trespass against Jehovah (save thou us not this day,) Joshua 22:23 that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Jehovah; or if to offer thereon burnt-offering or meal-offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace-offerings thereon, let Jehovah himself require it;

Apostasy is the act of placing something else in the place of God, not just that but it is also the act of worshipping that very Idol.

For the purpose of this Study I will look at the Apostasy spoken of in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles.

There was a King called Achaz and this King did not walk as David his father had walked, we read of this in 2 Kings16:2 and 2 Chronicles 28:1.Achaz was twenty years old when he began to reign and he reigned for 16 years in Jerusalem, SADLY Achaz did NOT walk right and faithful like his father David.

Let me show you from 2 Kings 16 what King Achaz did.

 He made his son walk through the fire according to the abominations/filth of the heathen whom God cast away from before the Children of Israel.

 Achaz sacrificed and burnt incense on high places and on top of hills and under shady trees.

 Achaz took the silver and gold from the treasures of the house of the Lord and gave them to the King of Assyria.

 Achaz saw an altar at Damascus and ordered Urias the priest to copy the altar exactly in Jerusalem.

 Achaz then went up to this altar and offered his whole burnt offering and the meat offering, and the drink offering and also poured the blood of his peace offering on the brazen altar that was placed before the Lord God

 Achaz brought this altar up towards Gods House and placed it between the House of God and the Altar of God.

 Achaz ordered the Priest of Israel to use the altar copied from Damascus for the morning and evening offerings that were supposed to be placed on Gods Altar.

You can see quite clearly that Achaz had departed from the True God, but not just that he also worshipped another god. This is what Apostasy means, to depart from Truth and turn to an abomination. Achaz passed his son through the Fire of Molech, this was prohibited by God in Leviticus 18:21 “Though shall not let any of your seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shall you profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.”

Molech, is a pagan god of the Ammorites to whom, among other things, children were sacrificed.

We read of the same story of Achaz in 2 Chronicles 28 and it adds even more to what Apostasy means. Let me show you some more from 2 Chronicles 28 of what Achaz did:

 Achaz made graven images

 Achaz sacrificed to idols in the valley of Benennom

 Achaz passed his children through fire according to the abominations of the heathen

 Achaz caused the Children of Israel to sin against God

 Achaz grievously departed from God

 Achaz sought after the Gods of Damascus and also sacrificed to all of them

 Achaz removed the vessels from the House of God and he cut them into pieces

 Achaz made altars in every corner in Jerusalem and in several cities in Judah

 Achaz burned incense to strange Gods.

Achaz provoked the True God and God punished thousands and thousands because of the Apostasy of Achaz.

The sad reality is that others followed Achaz and many were killed because of their sin.

2 Chronicles 28:6 records 120,000 people being killed in one day, and many were taken captive.

There is a happy ending to all of this after Achaz died and this is found in 2 Chronicles 29:18-19

2Ch 29:18 And they went in to king Ezekias, and said, We have purified all the things in the house of the Lord, the altar of whole-burnt-offering, and its vessels, and the table of shew-bread, and its vessels; 2Ch 29:19 and all the vessels which king Achaz polluted in his reign, in his apostasy, we have prepared and purified: behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.

Repentance and cleansing is so important; it is a turning back to God and worshipping him.

I hope now that you have a more Scriptural and clearer understanding on what Apostasy is?

It is a turning away from the Truth and serving another God, it is an Abomination in Gods eyes.

All through the Old Testament we read of Israel going astray especially when a wicked ruler was in place. We also read in the New Testament of people going astray.

Sadly today Apostasy takes place in the body of Christ where believers are led away to serve another God, or are led away to sin against their own bodies.

An example of the above is the new religion called Chrislam, where Believers in Jesus Christ are accepting the Faith of Islam and they come together in the same place of Worship with the Holy Word of God placed next to the Quran. The two religions are not compatible. The Quran states that it is Blasphemy to declare that Jesus is the Son of God, and that the person should be killed. Chrislam is an attempt to blend together Christianity with Islam. It apparently began in Nigeria in the 1980s; the ideas of Chrislam are beginning to spread throughout much of the world today. The essential concept of Chrislam is that Christianity and Islam are compatible; it states that one can be a Christian and a Muslim at the same time. This is a great contradiction as Christian means a follower of Christ and Muslim means one who is submitted to Islam.

The Quran also clearly states that Jesus did not die and that Jesus was not raised from the dead.

Paul clearly describes the hopelessness of those who do not believe in the Resurrection of Jesus.

1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 1Co 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 1Co 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

We as believers in Christ must not turn away from Jesus; Jesus is the Truth and the only Way.

Jesus made it very clear to us in John 14:6.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

I hope that we would be a people that would keep our eyes upon God and His Son Jesus Christ, that we would live by His Word alone and that we would Trust in the Lord God with all of our hearts, leaning not on our own understanding. That we may acknowledge God in all our ways, so that he may direct our path.

Paul warned us about an Apostasy that is to come.

Please Trust in Jesus today and turn back to Him if you are wondering away.

Don’t compromise with Satan and don’t compromise with a doctrine that speaks against the Word of God. We will suffer persecution for our Faith, don’t give up and compromise because of fear of persecution.

I beg of you as Paul begged, do not be deceived, do not be troubled, and do not walk as an Apostate.

There is always someone called an Apostate that leads many into Apostasy, it does not just happen, there is a spirit of deception working.

It is true; an Apostasy must come before Jesus will return. The Apostasy will reveal the hearts of men, but we as believers in Jesus Christ can continue to walk in holiness just as Jesus walked.

There is coming a day when the Bride will make herself ready for the Groom, she will be in her glory. I hope that you have been enlightened and encouraged by this Article so far, as we continue further in 2 Thessalonians 2 you will see more about the Apostasy and also the Son of Perdition as Paul goes into great detail about the two events.

God Bless you.

David Williams