What is the power of deception that God will send in the time of the Antichrist? 

Good morning, Father Angelo.

I wanted to know, in the scriptures it says that God will send a “power of deception.” What does it mean? 

Answer from the priest

Dear brother,

1. In the previous translation of the Bible (the one from 1974), the expression “power of deception” was used. In the new one (the 2008 version), it is referred to as “strong delusion“

2. This is discussed concerning the coming of the Antichrist.

It is Paul who speaks about it in the second letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 2, verse 11.

3.Hhere is the full text: “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, 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.

Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?

And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12).

4. This passage is not easy to interpret, also because Paul refers to things said directly to the Thessalonians, such as: “Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?” (v.5).

In any case, as recalled by the Jerusalem Bible, since those faithful were expecting the return of the Lord at any moment, Paul specifies that “the return is not imminent and will be preceded by recognizable signs.

The recognizable signs will generally be apostasy and specifically the one called Antichrist, who is presented here with three names: the man of iniquity, the son of perdition, and the adversary.”

5. The general apostasy had already been spoken about by Our Lord: “Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name.

Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another.

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold.

But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Mt 24:9-14).

As you can see, here apostasy is added as a second sign that will precede the end of the world: the Gospel proclaimed throughout the world.

Regarding the last great tribulation, Jesus said: “And if those days had not been shortened, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect they will be shortened… False messiahs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform signs and wonders so great as to deceive, if that were possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you beforehand” (Matthew 24:22-25).

6. St. Paul emphasizes that “the mystery of iniquity is already at work; only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.”

There is something for now that restrains Christ’s coming and the manifestation of the Antichrist.

What restrains in Greek is called o catékon.

The Jerusalem Bible comments: “Paul attributes the delay of the parousia to something or someone that restrains: a force or a person that prevents the manifestation of the Antichrist (which must precede the parousia). The allusion should have been understood by the recipients of the letter, but for us it remains an enigma despite numerous explanations proposed.”

7. In any case, the Antichrist, who will be a man, will act with power given by Satan who will help him perform all sorts of miracles, signs, and wonders that are called deceptive – false and lying – both because they are only apparent and because they are intended to deceive people and draw them away from truth and faith. Only God can perform true miracles.

Well, in that time God will send a force of seduction or a power of deception in the sense that He will allow the Antichrist to perform false miracles and for people to believe lies and adhere to his false doctrine.

This is the power of deception operated by Satan so that those who did not want to believe in Jesus Christ’s miracles will believe in Satan’s false miracles and be damned.

8. However, although the Antichrist may seem strong and invincible, he will be exterminated by Jesus Christ. St. Paul says that “the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and bring him to nothing by the appearance of his coming.”

Finally, note that this general apostasy will not touch all men but only a part because it says that all those who “did not believe in truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” will be condemned.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to explain and comment on this passage of Scripture concerning the end times.

I bless you and remember you in my prayers.

Father Angelo

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