I have been observing the total rebellion against authority and the actions bordering on anarchy happening throughout our nation. I always try to to find scripture for what is happening in the world and to determine what my response to it should be.
I have been thinking about the “Spirit of Lawlessness”. So I looked into the Word to see what God has to say. This is far from a complete study. It is just some scriptures and some thoughts. The bullet points below the scriptures basically just take phrases from the scripture and make them easier to see. I use the Classic Amplified Bible. I started with dictionary definitions and then went onto whatever scripture came to mind. Hope you enjoy.
Lawlessness – Contrary to or without regard for the law, lawless violence. being without law; uncontrolled by a law; unbridled; unruly; unrestrained: lawless passion, a state of disorder due to a disregard of the law, anarchy, a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government). Synonyms: anarchy, outlawry.
Is God for lawlessness? Does God think it is a necessary part of change? I am not fully sure, but the scriptures below make me think He doesn’t really like it.
2 Chronicles 15:3-6 – Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and [in desperation earnestly] sought Him, He was found by them. And in those times there was no peace to him who went out nor to him who came in, but great and vexing afflictions and disturbances were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. Nation was broke in pieces against nation, and city against city, for God vexed and troubled them with all sorts of adversity. .
Judges 5:6-7 – After the days of Shamgar son of Anath, after the days of Jael the caravans ceased, travelers walked through byways. The villages were unoccupied and rulers ceased in Israel until you arose—you, Deborah, arose—a mother in Israel.
Being without law leads to trouble in a nation and in the very land they live in. Even the earth reacts to unrighteousness and rebellion to God’s laws and ways.
- In times of lawlessness, there is no peace to him who goes out or comes in.
- Times of lawlessness are times of great and vexing afflictions and disturbances upon all of the inhabitants.
- Lawless brings forth strife, people against people, nation against nation, city against city.
- All sorts of adversity follows adversity.
- In evil days, travel ceases, villages are unoccupied and rulers cease to rule.
- The highways lie waste and the wayfaring man ceases.
- Even the land mourns and languishes and withers away, fertile pastures become like a pasture.
What is our help in an evil time like this? When in their trouble they turned to the Lord, and in desperation earnestly sought Him, He was found by them. This will work in any evil time.
An interesting thought, most evil times come when people don’t know or live by truth, they live contrary to what God set up the earth and mankind to live by. We didn’t make the world, and we don’t get to decide what is right or wrong. It is built into creation. And when we go against it, we suffer the results. The fruit of our own deeds come upon us.
Isaiah 33:8-10 – The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceases. The enemy has broken the covenant, he has despised the cities and the witnesses, he regards no man. The land mourns and languishes, Lebanon is confounded and [its luxuriant verdure] withers away; Sharon [a fertile pasture region south of Mount Carmel] is like a desert, and Bashan [a broad, fertile plateau east of the Jordan River] and [Mount] Carmel shake off their leaves. Now will I arise, says the Lord. Now will I lift up Myself; now will I be exalted.
Now is a time that the Lord will arise. He will lift up Himself and be exalted. He will bring forth righteousness and truth once again.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 (Amplified) – For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, [but it is] restrained only until he who restrains is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one (the antichrist) will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by His appearing at His coming. The coming [of the lawless one, the antichrist] is through the activity and working of Satan and will be attended by great power and with all sorts of [pretended] miracles and signs and delusive marvels—[all of them] lying wonders— And by unlimited seduction to evil and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing (going to perdition) because they did not welcome the Truth but refused to love it that they might be saved. Therefore God sends upon them a misleading influence, a working of error and a strong delusion to make them believe what is false, in order that all may be judged and condemned who did not believe in [who refused to adhere to, trust in, and rely on] the Truth, but [instead] took pleasure in unrighteousness.
- The mystery of lawlessness (anomia – iniquity, unrighteousness, violation of law, wickedness) is already at work.
- And then the lawless one (anomos – without law, transgressor, wicked) will be revealed.
- Mystery of lawlessness – that hidden principle or rebellion against constituted authority.
The Antichrist is called the Lawless One. The spirit of antichrist is a spirit of lawlessness. This spirit has been present from the beginning, but seems to be increasing in these days. I don’t believe it is the day of the rising up and rule of The Anti-Christ. There is too much left to do on this earth. There are too many people left who don’t know God or understand His love. I believe we as the Church who know our authority need to “restrain” him and keep back the spirit of antichrist and lawlessness which is trying to gain control in our nation and not have our only hope be to escape and leave it all to the devil.
Do you think God waited all of these years for us to learn our authority only to “Rapture” us out when the going gets tough? Stop focusing on escape and start focusing instead on living in the overcoming power of God and winning the world around you.
Some things concerning the antichrist spirit:
- Unlimited seduction to evil.
- Wicked deception for those who do not welcome the truth.
- All will be judged who refuse to rely on the Truth but instead take pleasure in unrighteousness.
- Because they refuse the truth, God sends upon them a misleading influence, a working of error and a strong delusion to make them believe what is false.
- All stealing killing and destroying is of the devil (John 10:10). This is one way you can tell the source of things.
When the disciples asked Jesus what would be the sign of His coming and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3-4), The FIRST thing Jesus said was, BE CAREFUL THAT NO ONE MISLEADS YOU (DECEIVING YOU AND LEADING YOU INTO ERROR!). This tells me that one of the primary things happening near the end is great deception.
How do you avoid being deceived? Get filled with truth. Get into the word of God and stay in it and judge every thought and opinion by what is there. The Word of God, The Holy Bible, IS the final authority! The more thoroughly you know the Word and God Himself, the Author of the Word, the less likely you are to be deceived.
Stay away from everything that is full of lawlessness or rebellion against authority. Authority is very important to God, and has been since the beginning. For people to be able to live and function together, there has to be law. There have to be rules. Not all of the rules or laws are right. But we need to obey them for civilization to run smoothly.
James 1:19-20 – Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry. For man’s anger does not promote the righteousness God.
In conclusion, these thought and scriptures are what quickly came to me when thinking on this subject. You may have more to add. But take the time not just to form YOUR opinions and shout them out to everybody who will hear (and those who won’t); but take the time to get into the Word of God. Learn the nature of God. Learn the laws of God – not the religious rules and regulations that have been taught – but the truth of how God thinks, how God acts; learn His ways.
