Daily Reading for Monday, October 7, 2024
Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."
Meditation:
Reference(s):
1 The Review and Herald, July 31, 1888.
2 Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 125.
"The man of sin was to arise, and do his work of exaltation and blasphemy, before the brethren could look for the coming of Christ. That great event was to be preceded by a falling away. There would be revealed a form of Antichrist, and the leaven of apostasy was to work with increasing power to the end of time. We are not to be surprised beyond measure to see the widespread declension of faith and piety."1
"Christ is the only true standard of character, and he who sets himself up as a standard for others is putting himself in the place of Christ. And since the Father 'hath committed all judgment unto the Son' (John 5:22), whoever presumes to judge the motives of others is again usurping the prerogative of the Son of God. These would-be judges and critics are placing themselves on the side of antichrist, 'who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God' (2 Thessalonians 2:4)."2