1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2 CEB)
This usage of rebellion is translated from the Greek word apostasia and in some translations rendered as apostasy. This Greek word apostasia is used only twice in the Bible. Lets examine the other instance to aid our understanding:
They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to reject (apostasia) Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to live according to our customs. (Acts 21:21)
In this passage, the believers tell Paul about a rumor that he is teaching the people to reject, or rebel, against Moses. Upon hearing this, Paul goes out of his way to participate in a Nazirite vow . This is to prove his obedience to God's Law given through Moses. The full context is here: Acts 21:17-24 .
For this reason it might be reasonable to conclude that the rebellion could be against the Law given through Moses.
According to the remainder of the 2 Thessalonian 2:3 passage, this rebellion (against Moses?) will cause a man of lawlessness to be revealed.
the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
What does a man of lawlessness look like? Wouldn't he be a man that would take us away from God's Law?
Continuing with verse 4, we see that this man will be seen as God and will take a seat in God's temple.
4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
God's temple? Haven't we learned via 1 Corinthians that we are God's temple? Could the temple in this warning be inside us -- our very heart?
If this is true, then this rebellion (from Moses?) will occur because a Lawless man is believed to be God and allowed to reign from the throne of our heart.
Sound absurd? This can certainly happen and is instituted by Father himself described later in vs 11:
This is why God will send them an influence (delusion) that will mislead them so that they will believe the lie.
I beg you to be on your guard against this rebellion! Please beware of any man, believed to be God, who you would let reign from the throne of your heart and take you away from God's Law that He gave through Moses.
According to Father's Messiah, we know that God's Law given through Moses is good:
19 Therefore, whoever ignores one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called the lowest in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps these commands and teaches people to keep them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5)
