THE REDEEMER MAGAZINE- The Magazine for Thinking Christians.

Foreword: This article is written to give the reader the Keys in identifying who or what The Man of Sin was according to the book of Daniel. To get a fair assessment on the text in the New Testament Scriptues; they must be kept in a 1st century context. To remove them from the 1st century context causes the confusion and the wrong identification that exists among those whose 21st century mindset is futuristic. No! as you will find out the Man of Sin is not in our future but instead is a far gone entity.

THE REDEEMER®- VOLUME 37 ****EDITION 3- OMPS® INC. 2014
 All articles in this magazine are written in whole or part by Otis T. Williams Sr. Th.D.....© 2014  These articles are the literary properties of Otis Media Publications Syndication Inc.©

Who Is The Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2 and Daniel 7?

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THE REVEALING OF THE MAN OF SIN
             According to the New Testament the Man of Sin would be revealed before the coming of the Lord would occur. The Thessalonians erroneously believed that Christ had come in there day 2 Thessolonia 2:2. But Paul gives the sign of the son of perdition that they would know for a certainty when that day would come so there would be no doubt of mistaking when that event would occur. The mystery of iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2;7), Paul says was already at work which lets us know that there was already something going on in their day related to the coming of the man of sin. Now who is the man of sin? Most commentators take cues of the man of sin from the prophecies of the Book of Daniel chapter seven related to the little horn. What can be known of this little horn or the man of sin can be enshrouded in apocalyptic language and symbolism of the Old Testament prophets. However; when compared to new evidence in the New Testament and some common knowledge from history the identity of the man of sin becomes less obscure.

KEYS TO IDENTIFYING THE “LITTLE HORN”
         The first historical clue is his rise among the fourth beast of Daniel is generally excepted to be the Roman empire. This tells us that we should look for him in ancient history and not in our present day nor in the immediate or distant future. In addition he likewise witnesses the fall of three ancient world powers, Babylon, Medo-Persia & Greece. Often a mistake is made to suggest that the little horn is one of the ten horns that comes up and it is also mistakenly believed that the three horns belong to the ten horns but each of those are separate. There is the little horn, the ten horns, and the three horns beast.  All are separate and can be seen if you carefully follow through Daniel chapter seven 1-8.
        It is my understanding that the three horns represents the first nations which are Babylon, Medo-Persia & Greece. With the fourth horn being the Roman Empire and the little horn being the man of sin. So from this we can determine that the little horn is not an individual but an entity capable of surviving three world empires. Our conclusion is that he like them was also a national power.
         Another key is that the persecution of the saints was the focus of the activity of this little horn in the last days. His primary activity focus on the Saints and the Kingdom of God. “I was watching and the same horn was making war against the Saints and prevailing against them” Daniel Chapter seven Verse twenty two. This would place the activity against the Christians that lived in the days of Rome. He prevails in defeating Christians until he is stopped by the coming of the Ancient of days who renders a judgement in favor of the Saints. I suggest that Christ is the Ancient of days. The reference to the Ancient of days is the judge who comes on the clouds which is similar to the term which describes Jesus in the New Testament. It says that all judgement had been committed unto Him-John chapter five verse 25. He also told Caiaphas that He would return on the clouds clearly referring to the prophecy of Daniel chapter seven verses 9 through 13. For this reason Caiaphas ordered that he should be put to death  for blasphemy. The high priest knew that this was Christ’s claim to be both deity and fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy. The man of sin in 2nd Thessalonians was also to be destroyed by the brightness of the Lord’s coming -2nd Thessalonians 2 verse 8. This means we have both the man of sin and the little horn of Daniels prophecy destroyed at the time by the same one who comes on the clouds. In addition this confirms that our historical frame work is correct for both the time of the Roman Empire and the persecution of Christians which were well established during the time of the Thessolonian epistles. 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 verses 4 through 6 and also chapter 2 verses 14-16.
            Christ returned in the clouds in 70 AD according to Matthew chapter 24 and the parallel chapters of Mark 13 and Luke 21. All speaks of Christ coming on the clouds with the fall of the Temple and the overthrow of the Jewish state by the Romans. Matthew 24:3, 30-34, also Luke 21:20-22. Ancient Israel had survived the Babylonian, Medo-Persian & Grecian Empire fall. They were in subjection to Rome and they hated the Christians. Their influence in the Temple of God sitting with the authority of Moses is also evident from Matthew chapter 23 where Jesus said the Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. In other words they had Moses authority and He said therefore all things that they bid you do those observe but do not after their works. In essence he was saying they claim this authority in the Temple and were yet not themselves following the teaching of Moses. It is also determined that it is they who were targets of Jesus’ barbaric rebukes for murdering the Prophets and the Saints.  

        In Matthew 23 Jesus asks them which of the prophets has your Father not slain? Therefore you be witnesses that you are the sons of those who killed the prophets. And talking to the Jews; Jesus said Matthew 23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: he also goes on to say;

Matthew 23:35:That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36:Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
And then Jesus identifies the little horn;

37:O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! So now I contend that the rulers of Jerusalem/Judism was those who crucified the Lord of Glory. This is what Paul states in

1st Corinthians 2:6-8. 6:Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7:But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8:Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  Paul tied the responsibility of the killing of the Lord to the rulers of the age/the rulers of Israel. This is not to say that Rome didn’t have any partake of the matter but it was the jews that cried out that they had no king but Caesar and said away with him “Let Him be crucified.”
          The Jewish rulers along with the nation that rejected Him is identified with Paul’s man of sin according to the context. So there you have it; the little horn, the man of sin and the mystery of iniquity cannot be separated. Paul pens the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy concerning the little horn.
           Isn’t it amazing now we can bring the scriptures alive when we study.
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Who Is The Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2 and Daniel 7?

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All articles in this magazine are written in whole or part by Dr. Otis T. Williams Sr. Th.D.....© 2014  These articles are the literary properties of Otis Media Publications Syndication Inc.©