“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders…“

The coming of the lawless one

Satan will submit a substitute for the coming of Christ in the Tribulation, a parody of Christ’s coming–the “coming” of the “lawless one”–the superman of the Tribulation.

is according to the working of Satan,

When the superman of the Tribulation comes, he will come as an agent and with the power of the spirit of Satan. The word “working” in the phrase “the working of Satan” means energizing operation. The superman will come with the energizing operation of Satan, with demon-possession powers.

Those who follow this superman will engage in satanic activity and function, operating with his energy and force (Revelation 13:11-18). This may mean that the superman and his followers will operate under demon possession.

with all

The word “all” indicates that the “lawless one” uses many different kinds of supernatural methods. Satan has a big bag of tricks by which he will deceive the world.

power, signs, and lying wonders

The world will buy into Satan’s bogus systems by three schemes of imitation:

1) “power” [miracle],
2) “signs” [a miracle that makes some specific point] and
3) “lying wonders” [the impact of awe upon the world as they see these miracles].

It will be obvious to the world that the superman operates under the supernatural power of Satan. This power transmits falsehood at its heart (John 8:44).

Many people do not recognize that Satan can execute miracles. He does it today by religious miracles. The only thing that will save people from his deceptive miracles is the bald, plain, unvarnished Word of God. People who depend on their feelings to determine truth are vulnerable to his trickery. Just as we are subject to an optical illusion, so we are at risk to the illusions of the Devil if we depend on our own resources.

The New Testament always combines “signs and wonders” because these miracles make people marvel at their spectacle. The design of all this is satanic deception so that the world will buy into his program.

We might wonder why the world en masse would follow a world dictator. The answer is in his satanic deceptive power. He has a great spin machine. His propaganda will be powerful and extensive because it will be religious and with spiritual emphasis. This power will convince nations throughout the world to follow him and his system of government.

“And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’” (Revelation 13:3-4).

God established the credentials of Christianity by power, signs, and wonders. Satan subtly uses the very same means to deceive the world. The restraining power of the church indwelt by the Holy Spirit is gone in the Tribulation, so satanic powers have free reign in the world.

Principle:

In our fallen nature, error draws itself to us quicker than the truth.

Application:

People have a proclivity to believe a lie quicker than the truth. Error draws people for the insidious reason that it appeals to their fallen nature. That is why many people today fall for heresy.

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).