Reading
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
We often see people around us or in the news who seem completely blind to obvious spiritual truths. They can't see that we're sinners, that our hearts are desperately wicked, that we can't save ourselves, or that we need a Saviour.
We might wonder how anyone could be so easily deceived by the world's false promises or the latest cultural trends to "follow your heart," that "everyone is good," "you can do it," and there are many ways to "paradise."
And it's sobering to realize that persistent rebellion against God eventually leads to a hardened heart that can no longer distinguish right from wrong.
The Apostle Paul describes a coming time when "that Wicked" — the Antichrist — will be revealed (v. 8). This person will use "lying wonders" to trick or further deceive those who have already rejected the Gospel (v. 9) because they fell for the lies of the world.
The tragedy here isn't just the deception itself, but why it happens: these people "received not the love of the truth" (v. 10). They didn't just miss the facts; they actively refused to love the truth (Jesus Christ and the Gospel), which is the only way to be saved, not through works.
Because of this stubborn refusal, God sends a "strong delusion" (v. 11). This word "delusion" refers to a wandering or a departure from the right path. It’s a judicial or "just" act where God gives people over to the very lies they preferred over His Word. When we take "pleasure in unrighteousness" rather than in God's holiness, we lose our spiritual compass (v. 12).
This reminds us that our witness to the world is urgent. People aren't just mistaken; they're in danger of reaching a point where they can no longer see the light of the Savior.
Let’s hold fast to the Bible as our absolute authority and pray that our lives reflect a genuine love for the truth that draws others to the Lord.
Dear Heavenly Father, forgive us for the times when we treat Your truth lightly or let the world’s distractions dull our spiritual senses. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth and protects us from the many deceptions of this age. Please give us the grace to love Your Word more than our own desires and help us share the Gospel clearly with those who are wandering in darkness. In Jesus' name.
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By JerryS on April 9, 2026 in collaboration with AI: prompted, revised, edited, organized, and formatted by JerryS. For devotional purposes only. All Bible references are from the King James Bible unless otherwise noted.
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Discussion
We often see people around us or in the news who seem completely blind to obvious spiritual truths. They can't see that we're sinners, that our hearts are desperately wicked, that we can't save ourselves, or that we need a Saviour.
We might wonder how anyone could be so easily deceived by the world's false promises or the latest cultural trends to "follow your heart," that "everyone is good," "you can do it," and there are many ways to "paradise."
And it's sobering to realize that persistent rebellion against God eventually leads to a hardened heart that can no longer distinguish right from wrong.
The Apostle Paul describes a coming time when "that Wicked" — the Antichrist — will be revealed (v. 8). This person will use "lying wonders" to trick or further deceive those who have already rejected the Gospel (v. 9) because they fell for the lies of the world.
The tragedy here isn't just the deception itself, but why it happens: these people "received not the love of the truth" (v. 10). They didn't just miss the facts; they actively refused to love the truth (Jesus Christ and the Gospel), which is the only way to be saved, not through works.
Because of this stubborn refusal, God sends a "strong delusion" (v. 11). This word "delusion" refers to a wandering or a departure from the right path. It’s a judicial or "just" act where God gives people over to the very lies they preferred over His Word. When we take "pleasure in unrighteousness" rather than in God's holiness, we lose our spiritual compass (v. 12).
This reminds us that our witness to the world is urgent. People aren't just mistaken; they're in danger of reaching a point where they can no longer see the light of the Savior.
Let’s hold fast to the Bible as our absolute authority and pray that our lives reflect a genuine love for the truth that draws others to the Lord.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, forgive us for the times when we treat Your truth lightly or let the world’s distractions dull our spiritual senses. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth and protects us from the many deceptions of this age. Please give us the grace to love Your Word more than our own desires and help us share the Gospel clearly with those who are wandering in darkness. In Jesus' name.
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By JerryS on April 9, 2026 in collaboration with AI: prompted, revised, edited, organized, and formatted by JerryS. For devotional purposes only. All Bible references are from the King James Bible unless otherwise noted.
