The apostle Paul prophesied the two end time signs which will undoubtedly cause believers to know that the day of God’s wrath is at hand: one is a certain falling away, the other is an unveiling of the son of perdition. “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 (2Thessalonians 2:3)." This message seeks to examine who the son of perdition is, for once the identity of this man has been revealed, then the “falling away” is made clear. The son of perdition is also referred to as, Lucifer, however, since the prophecy concerning Lucifer is written in Hebrew, and the prophecy concerning the son of perdition is written in Greek, proof as to whether or not these two accounts are prophesying truths about the same person, must be discerned. Before examining these two prophecies, understand that whenever a leader of God's people fails to surrender unto the authority of God's word, it is reported that the leader is trying to save the world by his own power, and God likens it to setting up oneself to be a god (Psalm 82). A patten denouncing this unscrupulous behavior is written in the book of Job wherein God reprimands Job, asking him to gird up his loins like a man, and explain how he intends to save the world (Job chapter 40).
Remember that our objective is to find out if the account of Lucifer agrees with the account of son of perdition. The reason for trying to prove that these two accounts are indeed testifying truths about the same person, is because Paul implied that discovering the identity of the son of perdition is an end time sign, and additional understanding concerning this end time sign is tucked away in an old testament account, of Lucifer. Note that both of these accounts insist that a certain leader will be reigning over God's people, and that this leader will not surrender himself unto the authority of God's word; and both of these accounts identify that this leader will be taken out of the way.
Remember that our objective is to find out if the account of Lucifer agrees with the account of son of perdition. The reason for trying to prove that these two accounts are indeed testifying truths about the same person, is because Paul implied that discovering the identity of the son of perdition is an end time sign, and additional understanding concerning this end time sign is tucked away in an old testament account, of Lucifer. Note that both of these accounts insist that a certain leader will be reigning over God's people, and that this leader will not surrender himself unto the authority of God's word; and both of these accounts identify that this leader will be taken out of the way.
“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, shewing himself that he is God. Remember… that I told you these things… only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way (2Thessalonians 2:3-7).”
“O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God… I will be like the most High, Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man… that opened not the house of his prisoners (Isaiah 14:12-17)?” Other conquests that Lucifer is credited with, include: making earth to tremble, shaking the kingdoms, and destroying the religions. “They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof (Isaiah 14:16-17)?”
Lucifer has been reigning over God's people in accordance with God’s word, for the word of God testifies that, if, and when God's people disregarded his ways and broke his covenant, that God would set his face against them, and he would cause their enemies to reign over them (Leviticus 26:14-17). Even people who are trusting in the new covenant are not exempt from this law of punishment and correction. To best understand these things, it is necessary to understand the parable meaning of the word, rod. In prophecy the word, rod, was used to represent leaders lifting up their voices and guiding God's people in the way that they want them to believe. See how this understanding gives new meaning to a promise which was made against David. “I have found David… His seed will I make to endure for ever… If his children forsake my law… then I will visit their transgression with the rod (Psalm 89:20-32).” That very same promise of punishment was testified again for a second time, only this time the evidence clearly indicates that the rod is of men: “If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men (2Samuel 7:14).” Lucifer's mighty voice is the rod that has been reigning over God's people. “He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth (Isaiah 11:4).”
Lucifer's message condones religion's divisive denominational practices. His voice of authority is based upon God's word (Isaiah 14:6). “He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white (Joel 1:7).” Upon hearing Lucifer's message, righteous priests discerned that their own religiously motivated speeches were based upon shameful motives. In other words, God used Lucifer's message to bring down the loftiness of many deceived leaders, for they were glorifying the idea that salvation was based upon whether or not a person had certain religious beliefs. The strong guidance of Lucifer's message was primarily based upon truths that Lucifer had learned from the covenant message: Lucifer's mistake is that he is withholding the controversial parts of the covenant message, for he is still respecting a law from the Christian religion. Therefore God has withdrawn his presence from Lucifer, and he is without the Holy Spirit. “Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols… How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations (Isaiah 14:11-12)!”
In order to successfully navigate the prophecies of Lucifer, it is necessary for believers to understand the parable meanings of the words, death, and sleep. In prophecy, spiritual death occurs if believers transgress against God’s word. In other words, in the day that a follower of Jesus Christ makes a deliberate and conscious decision to do something that is sinful in God’s eyes, God withdraws his Holy Spirit from them, and they die spiritually. God's word declares that transgressors are as dead men, saying that they dwell in hell. “We are in desolate places as dead men (Isaiah 59:10).” “The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead (Proverbs 21:16).” Lucifer is a Christian leader who has been deliberately telling lies, therefore he is transgressing against God, and he is spiritually dead.
God sees a difference between believers that are spiritually dead because of transgression, and those who have fallen asleep. Sleepers are believers which have read the scriptures, and they have some understanding of end times, however they have stopped studying God's word to know what the sealed prophetic message should really mean. Sleepers may enjoy hearing someone speak about end times, or they may like to read books about these things, but they are not studying the scriptures for the purpose of increasing their own end time understanding. Priests that have fallen sleep are easily offended if anyone dares to try and show them something new pertaining to prophecy. “Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets (Zechariah 7:7)?”
Sleeping is iniquity, because iniquity means that believers are making the same mistakes that their forefathers made. “They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words (Jeremiah 11:10).” “The Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity (Isaiah 26:21).” Because sleepers dwell in iniquity, scripture says that they lie in their graves. “O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves… and you shall know that I am Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and have brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and you shall live: then shall you know that I the Lord have spoken it, and preformed it (Ezekiel 37:12-14).”
Once a believer has fallen asleep, only God can raise him up again. “As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of sleep (Job 14:11-12).” Sleeping is credited with quieting the earth, because everyone who has fallen asleep is not interested in finding out the truths which were reserved for end times: They lie down in their own understandings, which are primarily the understandings of their predecessors. “All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, everyone in his own house (Isaiah 14:18).” “We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest… O Lord… How long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem? …Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease (Zechariah 1:11-15).”
There amid the prophecies of Lucifer, God published the news that Lucifer has lain himself down among those who are either spiritually dead, or asleep. “Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even the chief ones of the earth: it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations (Isaiah 14:8-9).” Lucifer’s ruin came about because he allowed his own lies to keep him from serving the Lord with a pure heart, and with a clean conscience. “Who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully (Psalm 24:3-4).”
“Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name (Psalm 142:7).” When Lucifer does the Lord's will, then all of his iniquities and transgressions will be forgiven him, and he will receive the power of the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 18:22). But in order for this to happen, Lucifer must forsake the counsel of his fellows. “Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness (Proverbs 25:5).”
Lucifer’s message was as a filthy rag before the Lord's eyes, because it contained lies. Therefore God is calling upon Lucifer to destroy his own teachings. “Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities (Isaiah 14:21).” When Lucifer makes his decision to obey God, then God will cast him out of the grave, and he will be given a new name. "Lucifer... thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable BRANCH (Isaiah 14:19)." "Behold the man whose name is THE BRANCH: and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and he shall sit and rule upon his throne: and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both (Zechariah 6:12-13).” “Thus saith the Lord… to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee (Isaiah 49:7).”
“I will raise unto David a righteous BRANCH (Jeremiah 23:5).” “There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a BRANCH shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord… He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked (Isaiah 11:1-4).” “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever (Isaiah 9:7).” Witnessing the Branch’s righteous actions will cause many of his followers to rise up from their graves. “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead (Isaiah 26:19).”
“Their slain shall also be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcasses (Isaiah 34:3).” Rewards are forthcoming for believers that will listen to the Branch's messages, for his messages cooperate with God’s word. These rewards are not based upon anyone's prior deeds, nor upon prior accomplishments. These rewards are given for the purpose of causing others to understand the revealed truths of prophecy, and for testimonies. They will convince the naysayers that they must cooperate with God's message. “I will save you from all your uncleannesses: I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel (Ezekiel 36:29-32).”
“My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distill as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as showers upon the grass (Deuteronomy 32:2).” Lucifer was purposed to walk before the Lord, to prepare the way for the new covenant. Lucifer's doctrine is what God referred to as, the former, or in other words, the first rain, while the Branch's doctrine is the latter rain. “He hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month (Joel 2:23).” “I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain (Deuteronomy 11:14).” “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and you turn aside… then the Lord’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up heaven, that there be no rain (Deuteronomy 11:16-17).”
Logically, the covenant message is the Lord’s latter rain. “His going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth (Hosea 6:3).” “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth (Psalm 72:6).” “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord created it (Isaiah 45:8).” Who is better equipped to deliver the covenant message than "The Branch" and those whom he hath influenced and taught, for these are the people that have been following after the covenant message. “He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain (2Samuel 23:4).”
“My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips (Psalm 89:34).” End time curses and the punishments of correction will certainly come upon men, but before these judgments happen, seven years were required to allow time for hearing priests to prepare themselves, as well as their congregations. “Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah… Hear this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not… This people have a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest (Jeremiah 5:20-24).” Because God waited for seven years before pouring out the prophesied curse, some priests have already fallen away from the Lord, for they ceased from following after the newly revealed truths of prophecy. “Thou hast played the harlot… Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hast a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed (Jeremiah 3:1-3).” But every priest that listened to Lucifer's message, and studied and prayed, and gave up some of their religious ways, will receive the rewards of righteousness. “Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2).” “The seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And it shall come to pass, that… I will save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong (Zechariah 8:12-13).”
In conclusion: This lesson provides evidence and proof that the son of perdition, and Lucifer are just two other prophesied names that apply to the man that is best known by the parable name of, the Assyrian. And now that the identity of the son of perdition has been revealed, the other sign, the "falling away," is made apparent. The "falling away" which is discernible as an end time sign, is that of God's people falling away from the traditional practices of their religion, in order to follow after the Lord, and accept the new and better way that God has prepared for his children. “The former things are passed away… I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful (Revelation 21:4-5).” In other words, the "falling away" that is prophesied as an end time sign, isn't just about the people that are turning away from God, and failing to do his will, but it's also about the changes in traditional religious teachings that are occurring because leaders have heard some of the newly revealed truths of prophecy, and they are changing their ways. They are falling away from the rules of traditional religion, and it is a noticeable sign. Therefore rejoice exceedingly, for by evidencing these two prophesied end time signs, believers can know, with certainty, that the kingdom of God is at hand! "'Be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy (Isaiah 65:18).""And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down (Isaiah 34:4)."
