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;
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, shewing himself that he is God.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
One of the misconceptions of Christians in the last days is the expectation (shared with the Jews) that before the coming of the Lord, a third temple will be built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The internet claims that Jews are fully prepared for the construction of the temple. Everything is ready up to the last nail, and it will only take a command to assemble the temple in no time. Even musical instruments are already stored.
Even if the third temple were to be built, it definitely does not relate to end-time prophecies. There is not a single direct text about this event anywhere! If this fact had occurred, not only Paul but also other Apostles would have mentioned it, and the Book of Revelation would have had to provide all the details.
Since the veil in the temple was torn in two, the significance of temple service has been abolished. The Bible also teaches us that:
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:17
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
It is the human heart (i.e., its core, its self) that has become the temple since the coming of the Lord. Once, Jesus said in anger to the Jews, “See, your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:38).
We read that the Day of the Lord will not come until the “man of sin” or the Antichrist is revealed, and he, in turn, with the advent of the apostasy, will try to infiltrate the hearts of many people. This is mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.
Why is it important to understand this? Such misconceptions relax a person and do not allow them to clearly see the changing times and the onset of the end times and the beginning of the great tribulation!
Often in the comments, Christians cite the verse: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (Matthew 25:13).
Why, they ask, bother about these things? Pay attention: Paul boldly reasons about the day of the Lord and its signs. We cannot and should not specify the exact day, but we must be able to distinguish the times! Paul also says that the “man of sin” or the Antichrist will “be revealed”!
Conclusion: This means that we should discuss this and find signs of how this Antichrist “will be revealed.” And from the moment he “is revealed,” 42 months will pass until the coming of the Lord.
We cannot specify the exact day, but we can approximate how much time will pass!
There are only two authentic signs to determine the beginning of the great tribulation. This is the first of the two – the “man of sin” or the “beast” from Revelation 13 will be revealed after receiving a deadly wound “by the sword” and astonishingly surviving it!
Only then, during the great tribulation, the image of this beast will be created, to which people will worship. Christians who have fallen under his delusion may also be involved (this is an assumption). This is described in Revelation 13.
May the Lord keep you!
