2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Today we deal with a bit of prophesy.  I approach this with caution and with humility.  I want God's truth not my opinion here.  If I don't know, there will be no commentary.  I will let God's word stand on it's own...not that His word ever needed my help.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, ² not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. ³ Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. ⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

In those days teaching was going around that they had "missed the boat".  Paul is assuring them it is not true.  The "man of lawlessness" is the anti-christ.  I heard this of Hitler, and others through out history and I've even heard it spoken of concerning men alive and in power today.  The point is this man will oppose anything and everything that has anything to do with God.  It will be the worst time in history for believers everywhere, all over the world.
 
⁵ Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? ⁶ And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷ For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

God is holding it back.  Yes Satan is at work, but God is limiting his work.  And when God let's him go, Jesus is going to destroy him.  Notice it won't be a battle.  Jesus will do it by "the breath of his mouth" and "the splendor of his coming".  

⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹ For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie ¹² and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Signs and wonder will be performed to deceive, however heed the warning for the people in verse 10.  They refuse to believe, so God himself will deluded them.  In other words, they will reach a point where they will not be able to change their minds because God will not let them.  Don't be like them.  Believe the truth now.

My the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.