In my new book, The Shinar Directive, I connect the Son of Perdition with the historic figure of Nimrod within the Word of God. Nimrod’s directive to both draw all men away from God and possibly launch a war on Heaven itself drew an immediate and personal response from the Almighty. Nimrod’s directive did not die with the confusing of the languages; it was only postponed. Since the time of Nimrod, the Mystery Religions have been laboring under the cloak of secrecy to see his directive fulfilled. The Luciferian Elite are committed to creating the proper conditions on planet Earth for the return of their beloved despotic king, the Son of Perdition.
To gain a better understanding of this Luciferian king, I decided to examine Chapter 2 of Second Thessalonians for myself to see if there were clues unnoticed by researchers that preceded this generation. As we draw closer to the revealing of the Son of Perdition, the sorcerer’s cloak of mystery grows thinner. It is my desire to take the present day truths that are being revealed by the Holy Spirit in our generation to pierce even deeper through the Babylonian haze that surrounds this Man of Sin.
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 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 Thessalonians 2:1-2 (KJV)
Paul is writing to the Church in Thessalonica. A teaching, whether delivered by the power of some spirit through a false teacher or by letter, was stressing the imminent return of Christ in their day (thus, Paul’s statement that the day of Christ was at hand.) In retrospect some nineteen hundred and sixty-four years later, we can see Paul’s point. A lot of history has happened between A.D. 51 and today. A strategic event, similar to the first rise of the Son of Perdition, must take place.
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 Thessalonians 2:3 (KJV)
Have you ever stopped to think about the life of Noah and his family after the flood? Everyone on the planet knew about the only true God and His judgment on a corrupt world that had been contaminated by the Watchers and through the teachings of their children, the Nephilim.(Giants ie children of the Watchers/ fallen angels) (The Nephilim, according to Enoch, became demons after God’s judgment. This fact puts a whole new light on Paul’s statement regarding the “doctrine of demons.” Hebraically, doctrines are not about creeds; they are about the philosophy or ways that one lives his life.) As mankind moved away from the flood, the family line of Ham went to work, and there was a progressive falling away from God. This slow trickle became a tsunami under Nimrod. At the first revealing of the Son of Perdition, there was a great falling away from the knowledge and ways of God. Since the Almighty tells us the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:10), we will see a similar falling away.
Therefore, we see the prophetic pattern that is revealed after the flood. The whole earth must be filled with the knowledge of God, His ways, and the truth of His Gospel. Then a waning begins. It will be slow at first but will gain great momentum as the unveiling of the Son of Perdition draws ever closer.
Today, this falling away is indeed gaining great momentum. In my youth, I imagined as this happened that there would be no church buildings left in use. Everyone would have left the church, become secular, and worked to empower the Son of Perdition. Although the church buildings of many of the faithful are slowly emptying out, I see many mega churches filled to capacity through another gospel. These churches claim to be Christian, but they have dismissed sin and have made everything permissible under the guise of grace. As we examine the very nature of the Son of Perdition, we will realize the spirit behind his power has already been working behind the scenes to create the theologies needed that have brought about the apostasies of today.
The Man of Sin
I hear many today talk about the Man of Sin but, at the same time, dance around the very definition of what empowers him. The Greek word used for sin is hamartia. This interesting word means, “to wander from the law of God, violate God’s law, sin.” [i] When you realize that the Mystery of Iniquity is what empowers the Son of Perdition or the Man of Sin, you begin to get a clearer picture. Iniquity in the Greek is anomia, which means not only “to be without law” but “contempt and violation of law.”[ii] The Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible clearly expresses what law the Son of Perdition is against: “Iniquity,” Greek, “lawlessness”; defiant rejection of God’s law.[iii] Therefore, we are not talking about the Antichrist having contempt for civil law. In fact, both the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation reveal that he will control civil law.
The Son of Perdition will defiantly reject the Law of God. This fact is usually avoided by many Evangelicals today (although not historically so). I have witnessed attitudes in Christians that resemble the character of the Son of Perdition, when the Law of God is mentioned. How can this be?
Here is our theological conundrum: if Christ did away with the Law, how can the Son of Perdition defiantly reject and oppose it? Would that not make Christ and the Antichrist in agreement? To quote the apostle Paul, God forbid!
I believe part of our theological conundrum was created by misunderstanding some of the comments of the apostle Paul, as well as not bringing those select comments into the greater whole of his writings and by taking the concept of Judaizing far beyond the biblical boundaries revealed in Scripture. Could this confusion and conundrum be a part of the working of the Mystery of Iniquity in the midst of our Twenty-First Century theology?
Biblical Judaizing
I am not looking for what men today define as Judaizing, because we are prone to theological drift and adding cultural bias. Currently, if you asked someone what Judaizing is, they would most likely respond, “Doing anything that is Jewish!” If that is the case, we are all in trouble. Believing that Jesus was Almighty God come in the flesh, that He died for our sins, and then He rose victorious over death, hell, and the grave was originally completely Jewish. I think we need a better answer. I want to know how it is defined in the Word of God. When dealing with Judaizing, everyone looks to the Book of Galatians. So let’s start there.
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:6-8 (KJV)
Paul is setting the boundaries of Judaizing here. Some began preaching another gospel. The true gospel message is salvation through the completed work of Christ. The gospel, in essence, is about how to be saved from our sins and then enter into the Kingdom of God.
Now, do we have a definition of what this other gospel was that some were preaching? Yes, we do. This other gospel that had the apostle Paul so upset is found in Acts 15.
And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Acts 15:1 (KJV)
These men were preaching the gospel of salvation through circumcision to the Gentiles; only after they became physically Jewish could they receive this Jewish Messiah. This is Judaizing biblically. This false gospel was created and promoted by a specific sect of Pharisees; history tells us they were from the School of Shammai. This school was historically at odds with the apostle Paul’s alma mater, the School of Hillel. Back to our main point here: to add anything else to this definition is to take it beyond the confines of biblical text.
The Torah has its place in Christian ministry. I know that this is a daring statement, and I possibly open myself up to ridicule by making it. However, I need to point back to the nature of both the Son of Perdition and the Mystery of Iniquity. If our reaction to the Torah demonstrates a “defiant rejection of God’s law,” then we must ask ourselves if we are being moved by the wrong spirit. This is simply an honest question that we must ask ourselves.
First, let us examine our definition of the word Torah or Law. As my friend and biblical scholar, Dr. Karl Coke, points out: part of the problem of translating the Scripture into other languages is that cultural idioms and attitudes are not translated along with the words. To the Greeks and Romans, law was an oppressive thing. This attitude was interwoven in their language, Greek and Latin respectively. God instilled just the opposite attitude in His people. Perhaps the difference in attitude is because they were dealing with the divine law of God instead of the flawed laws of men. However, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day compounded the problem by adding rules and regulations that caused God’s Law to become grievous. This is why the way Jesus taught was so refreshing and authoritative; Jesus was properly interpreting Moses.
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Mark 7:13 (KJV)
Jesus walked the Law of God perfectly. This is the reason He was the spotless Lamb of God. He also became the prototype for His followers to live the Law properly. To say that we seek to be like Jesus, yet distain the Law of God, is a complete biblical contradiction.
Law (or Torah) in Hebrew means, “law, direction, instruction” as well as “instruction in the Messianic age.” [iv] Yet, it means so much more within its Hebraic context. The Theological Workbook of the Old Testament provides additional insight into the meaning of the word Torah.
The word târâ means basically “teaching” whether it is the wise man instructing his son or God instructing Israel. The wise give insight into all aspects of life so that the young may know how to conduct themselves and to live a long blessed life (Proverbs 3:1f.). So too God, motivated by love, reveals to man basic insight into how to live with each other and how to approach God. Through the law God shows his interest in all aspects of man’s life which is to be lived under his direction and care. Law of God stands parallel to word of the Lord to signify that law is the revelation of God’s will (e.g. Isaiah 1:10). In this capacity it becomes the nation’s wisdom and understanding so that others will marvel at the quality of Israel’s distinctive life style (Deut. 4:6). Thus there is a very similar understanding of the role of teaching with its results in the wisdom school, in the priestly instruction, and the role of the law with its results for all the people of the covenant.[v] (emphasis added)
With this in mind, the statement of “Brother, you are bringing me under the Law” seems to have a whole new meaning. With this understanding, the statement would sound like this, “Brother, you are bringing me under the loving instruction of God.” It seems obvious to me that something has been lost in the translation. It is possible that we have misunderstood this Hebraic colloquialism. We will examine this in a later article.
The preaching of the Law was always a part of preaching the Gospel. The Torah of God reveals to us what sin is. In fact, the apostle John clarifies for us that “sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4b) To preach salvation from sin, one must also preach what sin is. When we remove Torah from the Gospel, we remove the definition of sin and water down the Gospel as a result.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24 (KJV)
The Greek word that Paul uses for schoolmaster is paidagogos. Here is the Enhanced Strongs’ definition: a tutor i.e. a guardian and guide of boys. Among the Greeks and the Romans the name was applied to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. The boys were not allowed so much as to step out of the house without them before arriving at the age of manhood. [vi] The purpose of the Torah was to point out sin, our inability to meet the standards of Almighty God (all fall short of the glory of God – Rom. 3:23), and then our need for the completed work of Messiah. Paul said it another way in Romans 10:4.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Romans 10:4 (KJV)
The Greek words used for end is telos. This word has many uses within the Greek language. It can mean to “end or terminate,” but it can also mean “aim, purpose or goal.” [vii] The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT) shows us just how dynamic this word can be within the Greek language.
1. télos first means “achievement,” “fulfilment,” “execution,” “success,” then “power,” “official power,” and “office.”
2. Another meaning is “completion,” “perfection,” “final step,” “supreme stage,” “crown,” “goal,” “maturity,” “result,” “conclusion,” “end,” “cessation.” Adverbially the meaning is “finally,” “fully,” “totally,” “unceasingly.”
3. télos can also mean “obligation.”
4. Cultically it denotes an “offering” to the gods or a “celebration” of the “mysteries” or the “fulfilment” of sacrifices.
5. Finally a télos may be a “detachment” or “group.” (emphasis added)
With this in mind, Romans 10:4 could also read, “For Christ is the achievement or success of the Law for righteousness to everyone that believeth,” just as easily as it was translated as “end” resulting in termination.
Now we must ask ourselves: if the latter is the proper interpretation, does Paul contradict Jesus?
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 5:17-18 (KJV)
The Greek word here for destroy is kataluo, which means to “destroy, dissolve, disunite, bring to naught, and overthrow.” [ix] By the way, fulfll in the Greek is pleroo, which means “to make full, cause to abound, to flourish,” and finally, “to fulfil, i.e. to cause God’s will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God’s promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment.” [x] Jesus makes it clear that He did not come to see the Law of God set aside; rather He came so that we might properly understand it and execute it.
With Jesus’ words in mind, I believe that Paul meant that the Law showed its fullest achievement and goal in Christ. This would also bring clarity to his other statements when compared to Romans 10:4. Let’s look at a few of them.
First, Paul reveals something about the uncircumcised Gentiles that had received Jesus.
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Romans 2:14-16 (KJV) (emphasis added)
Notice that Paul states “the work of the law written on their hearts.” This is actually part of a prophetic promise of the New Covenant. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jeremiah 31:33 (KJV) (emphasis added)
Paul continues in his argument that it is not necessary for Gentiles to be circumcised to come into the faith of Messiah. Notice what he says about the Law at the end of these verses. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Romans 3:29-31 (KJV)(emphasis added)
This would have been a great place for Paul to build the theological argument that the Law was done away with. Instead, he uses the fact that these uncircumcised Gentiles are living the Law from their hearts by faith and, therefore, establishing the Law!
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Romans 7:12 (KJV)
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. Romans 7:14 (KJV)
This obviously discounts that Paul was looking for ways to tell the Early Church that the Law had been done away with through Christ. If we are not careful, we will make the same error that Marcion did in the Second Century. Marcion took edited versions of Paul’s writings to the Church in Antioch and presented a gospel that did away with the need for Gentiles to live according to the Law. Marcion was not embraced by the Early Church. In fact, he was cast out of the Church. Polycarp, a direct disciple of the apostle John, called Marcion the “first born son of Satan.” [xi] The problems from the doctrines of Marcion continued. Around the Second Century, Tertullian wrote several treatises against Marcion. Unfortunately, later on Augustine embraced aspects of what Marcion taught and embedded them into Catholic theology, which also bled over into some Protestant theologies.
The Torah of God cannot provide salvation. Although the Law could not save, it promised that One would come that would provide salvation. In fact, Moses was a prototype of Christ in the Old Testament. Moses was used by God to bring judgment on Pharaoh and then deliver Israel from the power of Mystery Babylon (the foundation of Egypt) and allow them to become God’s called out ones around Mount Sinai. Only a redeemed people, set free from the power of Babylon/Egypt, can be given the Torah or Law. God’s loving instruction is for those that have been made citizens of His Kingdom.
I have heard many Protestant ministers try to separate the Church from the assembly gathered around Mount Sinai in the Old Testament. The reasoning behind this logic is that the Church is called the ekklesia in the New Testament, and Israel is called the qahal in the Old. The only real difference in these two words is that they are derived from two separate languages. In the Septuagint, the Old Testament translated into Greek prior to New Testament times, uses the Greek word ekklesia as the proper corresponding word for qahal. Both words mean exactly the same thing: the called out assembly.
In the same way that the Torah was given to Israel to teach them how to walk with God after being delivered from Egypt, it serves the exact same purpose for Gentiles that have been set free by the completed work of Christ. In fact, the apostle James uses similar language applied to the purpose of the Torah in the Old Testament to believers in the New.
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psalm 19:7-8 (KJV) (emphasis added)
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
James 1:21 (KJV) (emphasis added)
It should be noted that only the Old Testament existed when James penned this admonishment. The same holds true when the apostle Paul gave these instructions to a young minister named Timothy.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)
If the Old Testament and the finished work of Christ were sufficient in Paul’s day to mature believers and equip them for any task assigned to them in the Kingdom, why is it not sufficient today? To be honest, with over thirty years of ministry under my belt, I have come to the conclusion that the modern Church is filled with ill-equipped believers because our theologies have disenfranchised them from two-thirds of the Word of God. The Old Testament is not just stories we tell children; it is the instruction of God on how to walk in the Kingdom!
So in summation, the Torah not only finds its fullest expression in Messiah, its purpose was to serve as a schoolmaster that would prepare our hearts for the Greater Teacher, Jesus. Once we are in Him, then we discover how He implemented the truths of the Torah to properly walk in Kingdom power, purpose, and authority.
Why am I laboring the point about the necessity of the Torah so intensely? When we do away with the Law, we have not only erased God’s definition of sin but also our tremendous need for Christ and His atoning work on the Cross. We also place ourselves in a grave theological position: if we do away with the Torah as the definition of what sin is, where do we draw our definition from? Over the years, I have made a habit of asking ministers the following question during training sessions: “Exactly what is sin?” Because these fine men and women had never been taught the importance of Torah, they could not give me a definitive answer. The truth is, once we have separated ourselves from the portion of divinely inspired Scripture that defines sin, we are left with only one other source: the world.
Today, Mystery Babylon is providing us with the definition of sin within our culture. The Church, divorced from the Torah, is left following after Babylon in search of cultural relevance. Now our airwaves are filled with stories that pull on the strings of our emotions with the overarching theme of “I was born that way.” These words are being uttered not only by those embracing alternative sexual lifestyles, but they are also quickly being embraced by pedophiles, those drawn to incestuous relationships, the sociopath, and a growing list each day. Without the moorings of the Torah, civilization is stampeding toward divine judgment.
The reality is that the Torah teaches us: “Yes, you were born that way because you were born with the sin nature.” Then the Torah goes on to teach us: (1) what sin is so that we can identify it, (2) just how ugly sin is and its effects on our lives, (3) how sin has separated us from God, and (4) our need for a redeemer to deliver us from the power of sin. Without the Torah, we have lost the full meaning of both sin and the power of the Cross!
Now you can begin to understand why we have so many people that are claiming to “be saved” but bare no real fruit of salvation. I believe it is because they never heard the whole gospel; therefore, they received another gospel and another Christ. They received a “no sin” gospel and accepted a self-help guru that simply made them feel psychologically better. Placating our emotions and spiritual transformation are two completely different things. This new gospel, with Jesus as their personal coach, is an expression of the Mystery of Iniquity in our day.
Examining the Son of Perdition – Part 2
Since the publishing of The Shinar Directive, I have been immersed into what seems to be a new world of podcasts and writings on speculative eschatology. It would be difficult to calculate the many hours I have spent reading and listening to this younger generation of believers tackle the tough issues: from the overwhelming developments in technology to negotiating geopolitical changes in our world that seem to possess the fluidity of the most challenging rapids. This new generation of end-time researchers has heeded the admonition of the apostle Paul:
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1 Thessalonians 5:21
The Greek word that Paul uses for prove is dokimazo (dok-im-ad’-zo). This word means “to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals.” [i]
I am encouraged by the diligent research of many in this new generation. However, before I continue, let me stress that I am referring to true believers and not those of the Emergent Church or other movements that question the integrity of the Word of God or the basic orthodoxy of the faith. What this new breed of Bereans is questioning is various interpretations or positions of speculative eschatology that were formulated in past generations that were not able to benefit from the knowledge of current technological breakthroughs or even recent discoveries of the agendas or belief systems of esoteric societies that dominated the cultures in the times in which the Word of God was being penned.
Let me share several reasons why I believe this out-of-the-box thinking and results are a good thing: Moving Beyond Sound Bites. Over the past two decades, I have become quite concerned at the propensity of the modern believer to offer theological sound bites to virtually every theological discussion. Let me give you an illustration of what I am talking about and its dangers within the Body of Christ.
This event happened back in the mid 90’s. I had traveled out of state to conduct a seminar at a large Evangelical church. I had arrived the day before to unwind before a full day of lecturing. The pastor was kind enough to invite me to participate that evening in group bible study at his church. The room was set up with the chairs in a semi-circle that would allow for group participation. During the conversation, one young man asked a rather deep and insightful question that deserved an appropriate answer. Perhaps it was a little deeper than the study leader wanted to go. In retrospect, I believe it was beyond what the facilitator was prepared to answer. What was given to the group as an answer was a quick and easy theological sound bite. Everyone in the group shook their heads in agreement, as if something profound had been said. The only reason I said anything was that the sound bite did not serve as an answer. In fact, it did not even come close. My questioning this nugget of prepackaged truth seemed to frustrate the leader. Upon further questioning, I discovered that no one in the study (to include the leader) could provide a proper definition of what that sound bite meant. Over the years, I have seen this play out again and again. Today’s believers are far too quick to offer impressive sound bites when they are challenged in the least regarding what they believe. When you question the validity of the phrase or ask for a proper definition, they either get angry or look like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck! No wonder we are losing in the cultural battle that is being waged for the minds and souls of men today.
These shallow, pat answers are exactly the opposite of the instruction given to us in the New Testament.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1 Peter 3:15
We need to be ready to give an answer not only for the hope of our salvation, but the hope that is generated in our hearts from the proper understanding of both what we believe and why. The Word tells us that “deep calls to deep” (Psalms 42:7). Instead of answering the needs of humanity with the extreme depth of God’s waterfalls of truth, we are only offering them mud puddles from the nurseries of the Kingdom.
Truth Loves Examination. Isn’t that what the apostle Paul was saying in 1 Thessalonians or even 2 Timothy 2:15?
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
The word that Paul uses for study in not one of leisure or to give a half-hearted effort. Paul uses the Greek word spoudazo (spoo-dad’-zo). This word denotes “to hasten, to exert one’s self, endeavor, give diligence.” [ii] For far too many today, diligence is not a word to describe their efforts to “rightly divide the Word of Truth.”
I believe the Holy Spirit encourages questions and the desire to really dive into the Word of God and discover the power of His truth for ourselves. On the other hand, error absolutely hates the light of thorough examination. Error will scream:
How dare you question!
Who do you think you are?
Just accept what I say!
We have forgotten in our Western culture that the basis for understanding truth, within the Hebraic backdrop in which the Word was written, is learning to ask the right questions. When a father would sit with his family every year at the Passover, it was the job of the children to ask, “What does this mean?” I have seen Jesus in the Gospels answer a question with a question. The reason for this was to get them to ask the right question! Until you ask the right question, you are never ready for the answer (truth). I have personally witnessed the Holy Spirit lead me on a particular spiritual journey just to get me to ask the question that set me up for the truth He was wanting to reveal. In the process of proving all things, this endeavor leads us to ask the right questions that provide the fertile ground for God to reveal His truth.
Our Hubris in Speculative Eschatology. There are many things in the field of eschatology that are concrete: Jesus is coming back (our blessed hope), the Son of Perdition will eventually come onto the world scene, etc. However, within the framework of eschatology are many subjects that are indeed merely speculative. Regarding these speculative matters, we are truly looking through a dark glass (1 Corinthians 13:12). Throughout Church history, there have been examples of speculative eschatological predictions or positions that were quite popular in their day that were later proven incorrect. Even in modern times, our propensity for missing the mark is no different. There have been leading prophecy teachers that have had to trash entire warehouses of books because a conclusion or statement they had made proved incorrect. (Of course, their predictions or conclusions were properly edited in the “new and expanded” edition of their works.)
Please hear my heart. I am not making allegations against anyone teaching bible prophecy. I know full well that there are some conclusions that I made in my book that may prove to be off the mark somewhat. I was writing in the light of my research as an attempt to piece together an intelligence briefing of possible scenarios. The danger that all of us have is allowing our unique slant on speculative eschatology to become our brand in the Kingdom. The temptation to do so is a powerful one, both for the writer and the reader. We are only human, and our understanding is quite limited.
We must always remain cognizant of the fact that truth thrives in the light of day. Honest examination that allows for new information or ideas that were not previously available is very important in the quest for understanding the unfolding of end-time prophecy.
With this understanding of our quest fresh in our minds now, I want to continue in my examination of the Son of Perdition, the force that empowers him, and the agent or force that is restraining him.
Keeping 2 Thessalonians in Context as we examine 2 Thessalonians, we must strive to keep all of our conclusions within the context of the scripture. Extracting sound bites and extrapolating findings that are not in harmony with the whole is a temptation that many of us have fallen for over the years (to include yours truly). Therefore, I want to lay a little ground work to ensure we remain within the stream of truth as established by the apostle Paul.
The greater content of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 is a force that empowers this figure called the Son of Perdition. In fact, the apostle is attempting to reveal to them a mystery. This mystery has been hidden in the mists of time that extend back to the plains of Shinar or perhaps even to the Tree of the Knowledge of God and Evil itself. So the two main subjects in this mini-discourse by Paul include:
The Son of Perdition
The Mystery of Iniquity
Everything else within the framework of verses 1-12 are expressions of either the Son of Perdition, the Mystery of Iniquity, or their efforts in concert with one another.
The Iniquity Force.
As I explained in The Shinar Directive, I believe that when Lucifer uttered his five “I wills” of Isaiah 14, he was attempting to create a false grace that would empower his ascension into godhood (five is the biblical number for grace). Instead of the power to ascend, he transmuted the anointing within him into a perverted force – iniquity. Biblically, this Iniquity Force is against everything in the Kingdom of God: from God’s Law to God’s rule. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were infused with this satanic force, were separated from the life and nature of God, took on this sinful nature, and everything that they had been given authority over had now succumbed to this foreign force. (Now we are going beyond the information in the Shinar Directive to its logical conclusion.) At that moment, Lucifer became the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), and he also became a type of unwanted father to humanity that shared his tainted spiritual DNA (John 8:44).
The mystery (or that which is hidden) is how from that moment on, everything in this planet drew its being from this injected alien power. Only those that followed God’s instruction, beginning with how to offer the proper sacrifice to curtail its influence, could be separated from its overpowering influence. Consider Cain and Abel at this point. By Cain rejecting God’s prescribed sacrifice, not only did he remain under the influence of the Iniquity Force, but it was knocking at the door of his life to expand its control of him. The end result was that this expanded control caused Cain to kill the one who had been obedient and defused its influence. Believer, this is the very essence of the coming Christian vs. Christian war that was detailed in the best-selling book, Blood on the Altar. The Iniquity Force in ascension in the hearts of men is a sign of the approaching revealing of the Son of Perdition!
Through my studies, I have come to believe that this Iniquity Force was known by another name to the ancient mystics that established the Mystery Religions – Gaia.
According to Wikipedia, the mythology of Gaia is: In Greek mythology, Gaia, (gay-ə or gah-yə;[note 1] from Ancient Greek Γαῖα, a poetical form of Γῆ Gē, Ge, “land” or “earth”;) also spelled Gaea, was the personification of the Earth and one of the Greek primordial deities. Gaia was the great mother of all: the primal Greek Mother Goddess; creator and giver of birth to the Earth and all the Universe; the heavenly gods, the Titans, and the Giants were born to her. The gods reigning over their classical pantheon were born from her union with Uranus (the sky), while the sea-gods were born from her union with Pontus (the sea). Her equivalent in the Roman pantheon was Terra.[iii]
Now let’s stop and examine the concept of Gaia for a moment. This spiritual perverted force was birthed in the heart of Lucifer when he fell. It was imparted to the other heavenly beings that Cris Putnam and Dr. Thomas Horn rightly classify as “Immortals” in On the Path of the Immortals. This new definition is far more functional than the term angels, since many of them (as Putnam notes) are not messengers.[iv] From the Watchers of Genesis 6 to the members of the Divine Council that fell in Psalms 82, they were all infused with this force. In fact, this female Gaia force enabled the Watchers and the wombs of human women to give birth to the Nephilim of old. In this paradigm, Lucifer became the father and Planet Earth became the host for the Gaia Force, thus the ancients calling it Mother Earth.
This understanding brings the old religions into a great level of clarity, especially since it appears that the current Pope and the Catholic Church have begun to publicly declare Gaia worship. Here is an example in an announcement from the Newsletter of the Archdiocese of Toronto in 2013:
Apr 3 & Apr 5: Missa Gaia Earth Mass. Holy Name Catholic Church, 71 Gough Avenue, Toronto. 7:30 p.m. The school’s 140-voice choir, musicians and dancers will perform this joyous rhythmic, contemporary work inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. It is a musical/spiritual celebration of God’s creation that includes the human voice alongside that of the wolf, whale and loon. An instrumental ensemble featuring present students and alumnae provide an eclectic canvas of traditional, gospel, new age and world music. [v]
The Mystery of Iniquity or Iniquity Force is in ascension in our world today. Although the deceived masses do not understand, they are led into worshipping iniquity itself! It has corrupted our pulpits, poisoned our pews, turned politicians into puppets for the Luciferian Elite, and caused the streets of our world to flow in the blood of the innocent! The great falling away has certainly begun.
Who or What is Restraining in 2 Thessalonians 2:7?
Over the years I have heard many theories on what is restraining the revealing of the Son of Perdition. If we take our theological sound bite generator and extract the last half of verse 7 from its proper setting, then wild and powerful speculations can run amok. Here are some of the proposed restrainers I have heard over the years:
The Holy Spirit
The Proper Preaching of the Gospel (as Paul did)
The Archangel Michael
Just to Name a Few.
However, when you place the restrainer back into the contextual setting of Scripture, none of these are even hinted at as part of the discourse by the apostle Paul. Although these possibilities seem plausible, they do not fit within the framework presented in the text.
When I look at the original Greek text, in my own limited way. I do not want to be tedious here, but I do want to give this portion of Scripture the proper attention it deserves.
2thes2:7
The next word we are going to examine is letteth, which actually means to restrain.
Letteth: Strongs #G2722 katecho {kat-ekh’-o}. Meaning: 1) to hold back, detain, retain 1a) from going away 1b) to restrain, hinder (the course or progress of) 1b1) that which hinders, Antichrist from making his appearance 1b2) to check a ship’s headway i.e. to hold or head the ship 1c) to hold fast, keep secure, keep firm possession of 2) to get possession of, take 2b) to possess. [vi]
So, there is a force that is restraining and is also keeping the Son of Perdition secure and firm in place until the time is right. The phrase, he is taken out of, comes from another single Greek word. Strongs #G1096 ginomai {ghin’-om-ahee}
Meaning: 1) to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being 2) to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen 2a) of events 3) to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage 3a) of men appearing in public 4) to be made, finished 4a) of miracles, to be performed, wrought 5) to become, be made.[vii]
Again, we have a force that is holding the Son of Perdition in place until the conditions are right for him to become, be brought into public . . . as if by a performed miracle. This is actually describing a womb. The function of a womb is to nourish and hold the baby safely hidden away until the conditions are right and the child is ready to emerge into the world.
Just as a women’s body goes through all sorts of changes during a pregnancy, so the Mystery of Iniquity will cause all kinds of changes in Gaia (or Mother Earth). These changes include many of the world events we are witnessing today. The strength of the manifestation of the Iniquity Force must increase to prepare for the occult birthing of the Son of Perdition on the stage of human history. In fact, the last thing that a womb does is to release and allow the child to be revealed!
I believe this is one of the reasons the subject of verse 7 is the Mystery of Iniquity. It is already working in the Earth, and it is holding back the Son of Perdition until everything is in place for his appearing. The Earth itself has become a satanic incubator that will one day produce the Son of Perdition.
These concepts flow very well with the missing Masonic symbols revealed in the previous writings of Dr. Thomas Horn, in regard to the ever-pregnant womb of Isis and the male counterpart of Osiris in Washington DC in the form of the Washington Monument and the Dome of the Capital. It’s the same concept, except now with the understanding that the phallic symbol of the Washington Monument represents Lucifer and the Dome represents Mother Earth or Gaia. The power that flows from the phallic to the womb is the Iniquity Force. (No wonder corruption has always seemed to flow from Washington DC, as well as the city that sits on seven hills.)
On a side topic, this may also explain why phallic monuments are always erected around centers of power for the Elite. These Luciferian artifacts serve as a type of spiritual antenna to radiate the Iniquity Force into their earthly strongholds.
This new interpretation of verse 7 does a powerful job of helping us to understand the connection to all the secrets of the enemy that God is revealing in our day through dedicated researchers in the Kingdom of God. As we discover significant intelligence from the enemy’s camp and can connect the esoteric dots, it enables us to properly pray against those activities and positions us to withstand its advances. I believe this understanding has strategic significance in end-time spiritual warfare.
Reality Check with My Peers
Although I do not believe we are going to find the understanding of the esoteric concepts I just revealed in any bible commentary, I do want to check to see if others laboring before me have seen the connection of the “restrainer” with the Kingdom of Darkness rather than the Holy Spirit or some manifestation of the Kingdom of God.
First regarding the Mystery of Iniquity, we find in the Pillar New Testament Commentary the following:
Paul now explains how this power that “seizes” operates: For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work. Previously the author noted that the Thessalonians knew of the existence of a power that was “seized” or “possessed” (v. 6). Now he moves on to observe that this power, here described as the secret power of lawlessness, is not simply a future threat but a present reality. The verb at work (energeitai) is the same one that is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 and implies some kind of supernatural activity, whether it be divine (Matt. 14:2; Mark 6:14; 1 Cor. 12:6, 11; Gal. 2:8; 3:5; Eph. 1:11, 20; 3:20; Phil. 2:13; Col. 1:29) or evil (Eph. 2:2; 2 Thess. 2:9). Paul does not suggest that this secret power is divine but only that it is supernatural, and, according to the context, malignant and satanic (v. 9). For this reason, the apostle calls this power the secret power of lawlessness. This secret power aligns itself with “the man of lawlessness” (v. 3) and represents his power in the world before the time of his revelation (cf. 1 John 2:18, which speaks of the antichrists who prefigure the antichrist).[viii]
This same commentary now continues with the challenge of identifying the restrainer. Before the revelation of “the lawless one” (v. 8) one more event must take place: but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. Here the power that “seizes” (to katechon of v. 6) is presented as a person, “the one who seizes” or “the one who is possessed” (ho katechōn—masculine), the reference being to the one demonically possessed or the one who possesses, that being Satan himself (v. 9). This figure does not “hold it back” but rather prefigures and anticipates the revelation of “the lawless one.” The apostle underlines the limited nature of the work of the “one who seizes” by stating that he will be taken out of the way. The NIV implies that some other power will take him out of the way (passive voice). There is no indication within the immediate context that tells them or us the identity of the agent that undertakes his removal. What person or power are the apostles talking about? Since no agent is indicated, it may be just as possible that we should understand the expression as active and not passive. The same expression is found in Plutarch in his life of Timoleon (5.4), who “made up his mind to live by himself, apart from the world (ek mesou genomenos).” If the sense in the present verse is active, “the one who seizes” retires from the scene of his own will in order to permit the revelation of the more terrifying figure of “the lawless one.” The text in no way indicates where “the one who seizes” retires to but only emphasizes that he will give way to “the lawless one.” Whatever the sense, this observation would signal to the Thessalonians that the end was not immediately on them (v. 2) because “the one who seizes” was still active, as they themselves could witness. That which prefigured the coming of “the lawless one” was still present. Whether we understand the final clause of v. 7 as active or passive, the verse in no way indicates that the Holy Spirit or the church will in some way be taken out of the world. This is hardly an adequate foundation for the commonly held teaching that the rapture of the church will happen sometime before the antichrist is revealed![ix] (Emphasis Added)
Within the context of our discussion, would not a satanic Gaia womb first possess the Son of Perdition, nurture him to maturation, and then give way to his birth at his time of revealing? This may have been the plan of the enemy from Genesis 3 forward. Could this also mean that Nimrod was a premature birth of the Son of Perdition (from the perspective of the Kingdom of Darkness) and, thus, explains his failure to succeed at the original Tower of Babel? Now this Iniquity Force is more cautious and will ensure this time around that its satanic seed is fully matured and the world stage is perfectly set before his revealing.
What Does the Future Hold?
I believe we can expect two things in the days ahead:
Darkness or the Iniquity Force will seek every opportunity to increase its influence on planet Earth.
The Holy Spirit will work to awaken the Remnant (those saints that the Iniquity Force has put to sleep), will nurture them, and will empower them for end-time ministry.
My friends, this is not a time to cower in fear; rather, it is a time to shake off spiritual slumber and press into God with a fervor that can very well define this generation.
1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1-2
Heaven is waiting for those that will disconnect from the Iniquity Force, through the proper application of the blood of Jesus, and press into a higher manifestation of the Kingdom of God, until a new level of God’s glory is released in their lives. May each one of us find the grace of God to press through!