◄ 2 Thessalonians 2:8 ►
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival.
Study Bible
And then
This phrase indicates a sequence of events, suggesting a divine timeline. The Greek word "τότε" (tote) implies a specific moment in God's sovereign plan. It reassures believers that God is in control, orchestrating history according to His purpose.

the lawless one
The term "lawless one" comes from the Greek "ἄνομος" (anomos), meaning without law or in defiance of divine law. This figure is often associated with the Antichrist, representing ultimate rebellion against God. Historically, this reflects the ongoing struggle between good and evil, a theme prevalent throughout Scripture.

will be revealed
The Greek word "ἀποκαλύπτω" (apokalypto) means to uncover or disclose. This unveiling is not just a physical appearance but a revelation of true nature and intent. It serves as a warning to believers to remain vigilant and discerning in their faith.

whom the Lord Jesus
This phrase centers on the authority and power of Jesus Christ. "Κύριος Ἰησοῦς" (Kyrios Iesous) emphasizes His lordship and divinity. Historically, this affirms the early Christian confession of Jesus as Lord, a title that denotes supreme authority over all creation.

will slay
The Greek "ἀναιρέω" (anaireo) means to take away or destroy. This action by Jesus signifies His ultimate victory over evil. It is a reminder of the hope believers have in Christ's return and His power to defeat all that opposes God.

with the breath of His mouth
This imagery is powerful, drawing from the Hebrew concept of "ruach" (spirit, breath) as life-giving and authoritative. It echoes the creation narrative where God's breath brings life, and here, it signifies the effortless power of Christ's word to conquer evil.

and annihilate
The Greek "καταργέω" (katargeo) means to render inactive or abolish. This term underscores the total and final defeat of the lawless one. It reassures believers of the complete eradication of evil at Christ's return.

by the majesty of His arrival
The word "παρουσία" (parousia) refers to the coming or presence, often used in the New Testament to describe Christ's second coming. "Majesty" highlights the glory and splendor of this event. Historically, this reflects the Christian hope and anticipation of Christ's triumphant return, a central tenet of the faith.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Lawless One
A figure of evil and opposition to God, often associated with the Antichrist in Christian eschatology. This person embodies rebellion against divine law and is a central figure in end-times prophecy.

2. The Lord Jesus
The central figure of Christianity, believed to be the Son of God and the Savior. In this context, He is depicted as the ultimate victor over evil, demonstrating His divine power and authority.

3. The Breath of His Mouth
Symbolic of the power and authority of Jesus' word. In biblical terms, breath often signifies life and spirit, indicating that Jesus' spoken word is sufficient to defeat evil.

4. The Majesty of His Arrival
Refers to the second coming of Christ, a future event in Christian eschatology where Jesus returns in glory and power to judge the world and establish His kingdom.

5. Revealing of the Lawless One
An event in the end-times account where the identity and actions of the lawless one become apparent, setting the stage for the final confrontation between good and evil.
Teaching Points
The Power of Christ's Word
Jesus' word is powerful and authoritative, capable of defeating evil. Believers are encouraged to trust in the power of Scripture and the promises of Christ.

The Certainty of Christ's Victory
The ultimate victory of Jesus over evil is assured. This provides hope and assurance to Christians facing trials and opposition in the present age.

The Reality of Spiritual Warfare
The revealing of the lawless one highlights the ongoing spiritual battle between good and evil. Christians are called to be vigilant and prepared, standing firm in their faith.

The Importance of Eschatological Awareness
Understanding end-times prophecy can strengthen faith and encourage believers to live with an eternal perspective, focusing on the coming kingdom of God.

Living in Light of Christ's Return
The majesty of Christ's arrival should inspire believers to live holy and godly lives, anticipating His return with readiness and expectation.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of Jesus defeating the lawless one with the "breath of His mouth" influence your understanding of the power of God's word in your life?

2. In what ways can the certainty of Christ's victory over evil provide comfort and encouragement in your current circumstances?

3. How can you remain vigilant and prepared for spiritual warfare in your daily life, as suggested by the revealing of the lawless one?

4. What practical steps can you take to live with an eternal perspective, in anticipation of the majesty of Christ's arrival?

5. How do the connections between 2 Thessalonians 2:8 and other scriptures like Isaiah 11:4 and Revelation 19:15 enhance your understanding of biblical prophecy and its relevance today?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Revelation 19:15
This verse describes Jesus wielding a sharp sword from His mouth, symbolizing His word's power to judge and conquer nations, similar to the imagery in 2 Thessalonians 2:8.

Isaiah 11:4
This Old Testament prophecy speaks of the Messiah striking the earth with the rod of His mouth, aligning with the concept of Jesus defeating the lawless one with His breath.

Daniel 7:26
This passage discusses the judgment and destruction of a blasphemous ruler, paralleling the fate of the lawless one as described in 2 Thessalonians.
Sermons
Antichrist2 Thessalonians 2:8
The Christian Revelation of LifeNewman Smyth, D. D.2 Thessalonians 2:8
The Means of the Destruction of AntichristC. Lee.2 Thessalonians 2:8
AntichristR. Finlayson 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
The Rise of the Apostasy and the Revelation of the Man of Sin Must Precede the Second AdventT. Croskery 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8
The Man of SinB.C. Caffin 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12
The Mystery of LawlessnessW.F. Adeney 2 Thessalonians 2:7, 8
People
Paul, Thessalonians
Places
Thessalonica
Topics
Anger, Annul, Appearance, Appearing, Awful, Breath, Brightness, Bring, Consume, Death, Destroy, Destruction, Evil, Kill, Lawless, Manifestation, Mouth, Nought, Overthrow, Overwhelm, Presence, Revealed, Revelation, Slay, Spirit, Splendor, Splendour, Sweep, Tempest, Utterly, Wicked
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Thessalonians 2:8

     1130   God, sovereignty
     2024   Christ, glory of
     2372   Christ, victory
     2565   Christ, second coming
     4804   breath
     5167   mouth
     5290   defeat
     5295   destruction
     5598   victory, over spiritual forces
     6201   imperfection, and God's purposes
     8738   evil, victory over
     9130   future, the

2 Thessalonians 2:3-8

     8729   enemies, of Christ

2 Thessalonians 2:3-10

     4125   Satan, agents of
     8703   antinomianism

2 Thessalonians 2:6-10

     9115   antichrist, the

Library
Everlasting Consolation and Good Hope
'Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace. 17. Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.'--2 THESS. ii. 16, 17. This is the second of the four brief prayers which, as I pointed out in my last sermon, break the current of Paul's teaching in this letter, and witness to the depth of his affection to his Thessalonian converts. We do not know the special circumstances …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Election
Now, first, I shall speak a little concerning the truthfulness of this doctrine: "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation." Secondly, I shall try to prove that this election is absolute: "He hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation," not for sanctification, but "through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." Thirdly, this election is eternal, because the text says, "God hath from the beginning chosen you." Fourthly, it is personal: "He hath chosen you." Then we …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

Grace and Holiness.
"Now God Himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end He may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints."--1 THESS. iii. 11-13. There are few more precious subjects for meditation and imitation than the prayers and intercessions of the great Apostle. …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
BY JOHN BUNYAN PREFATORY REMARKS BY THE EDITOR This important treatise was prepared for the press, and left by the author, at his decease, to the care of his surviving friend for publication. It first appeared in a collection of his works in folio, 1692; and although a subject of universal interest; most admirably elucidated; no edition has been published in a separate form. Antichrist has agitated the Christian world from the earliest ages; and his craft has been to mislead the thoughtless, by …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Sixteenth Day. Holiness and Truth.
Make them holy in the Truth: Thy word is Truth.'--John xvii. 17. 'God chose you unto salvation in sanctification and belief of the Truth.'--2 Thess. ii. 12. The chief means of sanctification that God uses is His word. And yet how much there is of reading and studying, of teaching and preaching the word, that has almost no effect in making men holy. It is not the word that sanctifies; it is God Himself who alone can sanctify. Nor is it simply through the word that God does it, but through …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Colossians iii. 17
Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. This, like the other general rules of the gospel, is familiar enough to us all in its own words; but we are very apt to forbear making the application of it. In fact, he who were to apply it perfectly would be a perfect Christian: for a life of which every word and deed were said and done in the name of the Lord Jesus, would be a life indeed worthy of the children of God, and such …
Thomas Arnold—The Christian Life

Approbation and Blessing.
"Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."--2 THESS. i. ii, 12. Two words sum up the Christian life--Grace and Glory; and both are associated with the two Comings of the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace particularly with the first Coming, …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

The Edict of Banishment, 1729-1736.
But Zinzendorf was not long allowed to tread the primrose path of peace. As the news of his proceedings spread in Germany, many orthodox Lutherans began to regard him as a nuisance, a heretic, and a disturber of the peace; and one critic made the elegant remark: "When Count Zinzendorf flies up into the air, anyone who pulls him down by the legs will do him a great service." He was accused of many crimes, and had many charges to answer. He was accused of founding a new sect, a society for laziness; …
J. E. Hutton—History of the Moravian Church

Fifteenth Day. The Holy Spirit.
But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believed on Him were to receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet: because Jesus was not yet glorified.'--John vii. 39. 'The Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things.'--John xiv. 26. 'God chose you to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.'--2 Thess. ii. 13. (See 1 Pet. i. 2.) It has sometimes been said, that while the Holiness of God stands out more prominently …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

The Calling of the Regenerate:
"Whom He did predestinate, them He also called."--Rom. viii. 30. In order to hear, the sinner, deaf by nature, must receive hearing ears. "He that hath ears let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Rev. ii. 7, 11, 17, 29; iii. 6, 13, 22). But by nature the sinner does not belong to these favored ones. This is a daily experience. Of two clerks in the same office, one obeys the call and the other rejects it; not because he despises it, but because he does not hear God's call in it. Hence …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

First Day. God's Call to Holiness.
Like as He which called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written, Ye shall be holy, for I am holy.'--1 Pet. i. 15, 16. The call of God is the manifestation in time of the purpose of eternity: 'Whom He predestinated, them He also called.' Believers are 'the called according to His purpose.' In His call He reveals to us what His thoughts and His will concerning us are, and what the life to which He invites us. In His call He makes clear to …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

The Third Wall.
The third wall falls of itself, as soon as the first two have fallen; for if the Pope acts contrary to the Scriptures, we are bound to stand by the Scriptures, to punish and to constrain him, according to Christ's commandment; "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every …
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

Perseverance of the Saints Proved.
The following considerations, taken together, seem to me to establish the truth of the doctrine in question beyond reasonable doubt. 1. God has from eternity resolved upon the salvation of all the elect. This we have seen. No one of this number will ever be lost. These are given to Christ from eternity, as a seed to serve him. The conversion, perseverance, and final salvation of the elect, we have seen to be secured. Their conversion, perseverance, and salvation, are secured by means of the grace …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Conflict and Comfort.
"For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ."--COL. ii. 1, 2. Although he was in prison the Apostle was constantly at work for his Master, and not least of all at the work of prayer. If ever the words …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

How Christ is to be Made Use Of, as the Way, for Sanctification in General.
Having shown how a poor soul, lying under the burden of sin and wrath, is to make use of Jesus Christ for righteousness and justification, and so to make use of him, go out to him, and apply him, as "he is made of God to us righteousness," 1 Cor. i. 30, and that but briefly. This whole great business being more fully and satisfactorily handled, in that forementioned great, though small treatise, viz. "The Christian's Great Interest," we shall now come and show, how a believer or a justified soul …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

The Holy Spirit Bringing Forth in the Believer Christlike Graces of Character.
There is a singular charm, a charm that one can scarcely explain, in the words of Paul in Gal. v. 22, 23, R. V., "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance." What a catalogue we have here of lovely moral characteristics. Paul tells us that they are the fruit of the Spirit, that is, if the Holy Spirit is given control of our lives, this is the fruit that He will bear. All real beauty of character, all real Christlikeness in us, …
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

Discerning Prayer.
INTRODUCTORY. BY D.W. WHITTLE. To recognize God's existence is to necessitate prayer to Him, by all intelligent creatures, or, a consciously living in sin and under condemnation of conscience, because they do not pray to Him. It would be horrible to admit the existence of a Supreme Being, with power and wisdom to create, and believe that the creatures he thought of consequence and importance enough to bring into existence, are not of enough consequence for him to pay any attention to in the troubles …
Various—The Wonders of Prayer

Concerning God's Purpose
1. God's purpose is the cause of salvation. THE third and last thing in the text, which I shall but briefly glance at, is the ground and origin of our effectual calling, in these words, "according to his purpose" (Eph. i. 11). Anselm renders it, According to his good will. Peter Martyr reads it, According to His decree. This purpose, or decree of God, is the fountainhead of our spiritual blessings. It is the impulsive cause of our vocation, justification, glorification. It is the highest link in …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

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