FULL TRANSCRIPT of Bible Study - 2 Thessalonians 2:9
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Shaun SFGH Church Leader
Recorded on the Day
Outline
- 00:00:32 — Bible Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12
- 00:01:20 — Initial Reflection: Tone and Hope within a Dark Passage
- 00:02:05 — Teaching: Structure and Focus of the Passage
- 00:03:00 — Exposition: The Lawless One and Satan’s Activity
- 00:05:10 — Teaching: Nature of the Antichrist’s Power
- 00:07:05 — Teaching: Temptation of Christ as Context for Satan’s Authority
- 00:09:20 — Q&A: “Why” Questions—Suffering, Deception, and Purpose
- 00:11:00 — Teaching: Trusting God and Spiritual Warfare (Ephesians 6)
- 00:12:30 — Discussion: The Seriousness of Satan’s Power and False Miracles
- 00:14:10 — Teaching: Clarifying “False Signs and Wonders”
- 00:16:15 — Cross-References: Revelation—Signs, Fire from Heaven, and the Image
- 00:19:00 — Cross-References: The Beast’s Wound and Apparent Resurrection
- 00:21:30 — Teaching: Christian Discernment—Knowing Good from Evil
- 00:23:20 — Discussion: Political Analogies and Speculations about the Antichrist
- 00:25:10 — Reading and Discussion: Revelation 13:15 and the Speaking Image
- 00:26:30 — Exhortation: Personal Responsibility and Discernment
- 00:26:50 — Teaching: Focus on Christ over Politics and Man-made Ideologies
- 00:31:20 — Teaching: Engagement without Idolatry; Navigating Moral Grey Areas
- 00:34:25 — Teaching: Do Not Panic—Scriptural Roadmap for the End Times
- 00:38:00 — Practical Discernment: Gambling and Stewardship
- 00:41:30 — Testimony: Standing on Scripture under Pressure (Prison Ministry)
- 00:45:15 — Teaching: Idolatry and Civil Religion—Lessons from Daniel
- 00:49:00 — Teaching: Subtlety of Deception and Need for Scriptural Anchoring
- 00:53:20 — Concern: The Church, Tradition, and Scripture
- 00:57:50 — Teaching: Love as the Mark of Discipleship; Guarding the Church Now
- 01:00:00 — Discussion: Interpreting Societal Change—Cumulative Curve
- 01:00:20 — Clarification and Apology: Passing the Floor to Solomon
- 01:00:25 — Discussion: Politics, Faith, and Christian Participation
- 01:01:05 — Encouragement: Voting and Impact on Future Generations
- 01:01:25 — Teaching: God’s Sovereignty over History and Politics
- 01:02:15 — Theology: Control, Voting, and the Rise of Evil in End Times
- 01:03:40 — Testimony: Trust God, Live by Scripture; Personal Choice on Voting
- 01:03:45 — Comment: “The best of man is still man at his best”
- 01:03:55 — Statement: “Dead men don’t vote”
- 01:04:45 — Balance: Putting God First; Encouraging Others to Vote
- 01:05:25 — Teaching: God’s Interest in Those in Power; Pray for Leaders
- 01:06:05 — Biblical Examples: Nebuchadnezzar and Assyria
- 01:07:10 — Application: God May Use Voters; Personal Calling to Focus on Scripture
- 01:08:45 — Examples: Esther and Mordecai—Proximity to Power and Participation
- 01:09:20 — Teaching: Influence, Engagement Without Withdrawal
- 01:09:55 — Individual Choices: Different Callings; Voting as Conscience Permits
- 01:10:30 — Practice: Casting Votes Despite Outcomes
- 01:11:25 — Teaching: Interconnectedness—Rely on God, Not People
- 01:11:55 — Prayer: Closing Prayer by Dave
- 01:12:40 — Farewell: Concluding Remarks on a Good Debate
Main Transcript
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:00:00
Right, we’re going to move on tonight to 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12. It’s straightforward stuff, continuing from last week. I’ll read it and then we’ll dive in. It does what it says on the tin. I don’t think there’s anything complicated, but we’ll go through it verse by verse.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:00:32
Depending on how much anyone wants to contribute, we might or might not go off on a tangent. Verses 9 to 12 say: “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 refuse 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.”
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:01:20
It’s a dark passage—very heavy. There’s nothing hidden in those verses, but they’re dark for those who won’t accept God’s truth. For us, they’re not dark because they don’t apply to us; they apply to people who won’t accept God’s truth. When I looked at it, there’s a glimmer of hope amid the darkness for us, and we’ll get to that.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:02:05
In essence, you can break these four verses down into two parts—well, three quarters and a quarter. The vast majority is about what’s going to happen to those who don’t take Christ as Saviour, who fall for the lie and follow the Antichrist or the false beast. That’s predominantly what the passage is about. There’s a little bit about the flip side—what happens to Christians—but the focus is on those who don’t believe in Christ. The opening sentence—“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders”—is straightforward, though it could spark debate.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:03:00
That says the lawless one, which is the Antichrist—we’ve determined that in previous weeks—will be an actual event. The main thing is that person is going to be a man. As Christ was a man but carried the full Godhead within himself, the Antichrist likewise will be a man but will carry the full authority and power of Satan.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:05:10
So he’s going to be a mockery of Christ—a mirror image in the worst way. He will be a man carrying all the power of Satan. The real power behind the Antichrist is Satan. If you take Satan out of the equation, he’s just a man—and he will be a man. The Bible is clear: he’s going to be imbued with supernatural powers. Verse 9 tells you the three aspects Satan will imbue him with: power, false signs, and wonders. Two are closely related—false signs and wonders; power is separate. Let’s tackle “power” first. The Antichrist turns up—we know from Thessalonians, from what Paul told us—he’ll appear in Jerusalem, in the third temple, and declare himself God or at least a man of power in that place. That will spark the final three and a half years of the tribulation. The word “power” here means total power—both worldly and supernatural.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:07:05
Satan will give him that power. The most striking example of Satan offering power is the temptation of Christ in the wilderness. After Jesus was baptised, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness, and for forty days Satan tried to tempt Christ off the path of our salvation. It’s amazing that Christ stood up to that temptation as a man. In Luke 4:5–6, the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time—a supernatural vision. Satan tempted Christ to become the first Antichrist. Thank God he resisted, because without that we wouldn’t have been saved. Jesus stood firm.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:09:20
That shows Satan has been given authority by God not only to be a prince of this world, but to deliver glory and authority to whomever he chooses. Ultimately, that will be the Antichrist. Unlike Jesus, who said “Away from me” and refused temptation, the Antichrist will grasp it and run with it. So that’s the first aspect.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:11:00
Any comments, or can I move on? The question I don’t like asking—nor being asked—is: why? Why do we have to go through this? Why is this to take place? It appears there’s nothing good going to come out of this—people being damned to hell, deceived. You think, why does God… It’s the bigger question. I get asked that a lot in prison. We don’t always get an answer—certainly not at the time. You don’t get an answer.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:12:30
You might get one later. The first thing I’d say is we need to trust God that he knows what he’s doing. Even if we can’t see it, and it doesn’t make sense, if there were an easier route I’m sure God would have taken it. So the first thing is trust and faith. The second thing is Ephesians 6: we’re not battling against flesh and blood; we’re in a spiritual battle against authorities, dominions, and powers—evil forces in the heavenly places. The “why” is because we’re at war.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:13:00
The truth is we’re at war.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:12:30
It demonstrates the total power of Satan—something people dabble with and imagine will never have any real effect. In some respects, because of Satan’s own doing, he’s become a bit of a figure of fun. Yet this is going to be so serious and devastating—miracles and signs—people will say, “No man can do these signs except God be with him.” Remember what Nicodemus said. People will ask the same question: nobody could do that unless empowered by God—he must be God.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:14:10
It’s not just about power. Power’s part of it—he needs control and worldly power as well as supernatural power. The other bit is signs and wonders. “Signs and wonders” here go together. It says these are false signs and wonders. “False” doesn’t mean magician’s trickery where everyone knows it’s fake. The word is the same word used of Jesus’s miracles.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:16:15
It means that when he comes, he will present himself with power and authority, like Jesus did—“Who is this man who can say these things?”—and he will perform what will appear to be miracles. We will know they are opposed to God, but people looking from the outside will say, “Wow, this is amazing—we’ve got to follow him,” because he presents signs and wonders. They will appear miraculous—same word as for Jesus—but they are ungodly and meant to deceive the world. When you think of someone like Donald Trump—the media coverage can be sycophantic. Someone like Trump exhibits the power side—authority, accepting glorification, and he might accept worship if offered—but he has no miracles.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:19:00
By miracles, I don’t mean bringing peace or worldly achievements. The word used is specifically the same as for Jesus—healing-type signs that make people say, “That’s miraculous,” and they’ll attribute it to God rather than Satan. In Revelation—Revelation 13:5 and 13:13–15—there’s reference to a false resurrection. When he comes with false signs and wonders, Satan is pulling out all the stops—bells and whistles—performing miracles people will fall for and believe are divine, but they will have no good effect because they are ungodly. You look worried—let me read it.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:21:30
Revelation 13:5: “The beast”—the Antichrist—“was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months…” In Revelation 13, it will perform great signs—even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. By the signs it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast, it will deceive those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image of the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. Earlier in Revelation 13… [reading continues briefly].
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:23:20
“Then I stood on the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns…”
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:23:20
That’s Satan giving the Antichrist power.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:23:20
That’s it—mortally wounded. Right, you can stop there.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:25:10
Then later in Revelation 13:15 it says…
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:25:10
“…it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:25:10
Yes. In 13:13–15 it reiterates: telling them to make an image of the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. Most commentaries say whether it’s a true resurrection or a fake one pulled off by Satan, it will be sold as one. “Mortally wounded” means a death blow. Most scholars concur: the beast receives a death blow in the first three and a half years, and people think he’s going to die. Whether that’s an actual resurrection or faked, the beast will be mortally wounded and appear to resurrect. So the Antichrist will mock Jesus Christ in every way possible. It’s mentioned twice in Revelation. The point is: the Antichrist will exhibit not only physical power but seemingly miraculous acts that are ungodly. People will say, “I’ve got to worship him.” They may see a false resurrection—the beast mortally wounded and coming back—a grotesque mockery of Christ. And if you think about it, Satan would do that.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:26:30
From our point of view as Christians, we need to know what is good, holy, and righteous. We need to concentrate on what is good so that if we see something opposite, we know it’s not of God; it’s of the devil. We know there is one Jesus Christ.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:26:30
Yes. There isn’t going to be another—only a mockery of him.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:26:30
We need to be aware of what is good. If we see a miraculous sign, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s God-given. We need to know that the miraculous sign works good in humanity, rather than evil. We need to strengthen the line between what is good and what is not good—resolve the grey areas and say, “That is righteous; this is not.” It could be anything—you could ask, is it right to follow a political party? Is it right to be a supporter of Labour, the Conservative Party, or even Nigel Farage’s lot? Is it right? We need to sort it out in our heads. These are worldly organisations.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:26:30
There are three strands of thought. One is that the Antichrist might be someone like Donald Trump—a political power figure who becomes distorted—and you could imagine him accepting worship if given. Another theory is that the Antichrist will come from the Jewish nation—tribe of Dan. I’m not sure that’s correct, but it’s an interpretation; there’d be a religious element, and you could imagine some Jews thinking it’s the Messiah because, as far as they’re concerned, the Messiah has never come. We know he has, but the Jews did not accept Jesus as Messiah. Another strand of thought is that the Antichrist is Islamic; they have a Mahdi who is to come.
Solomon — 00:26:30
What I’m saying is I think we have to work this out for ourselves—Solomon…
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:26:50
For me, a political party is a danger if it takes our eyes off the Lord Jesus Christ. Their ideas are man-made, not God-given. If we get carried away with man-given ideas, we lose sight of God.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:31:20
To clarify, I agree with Brian. He’s not saying don’t vote.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:31:20
No, I’m not saying that. I’m not saying don’t vote.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:31:20
He’s saying don’t get carried away with it.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:31:20
Exactly—don’t get carried away. It’s about the level you give it. If it takes you away from worshipping God—if we start “worshipping” Donald Trump, Keir Starmer, Nigel Farage, or whoever, thinking they’re the greatest thing since sliced bread—we’ve lost sight of God. We must keep our eyes on Him.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:31:20
In the world we live in—never mind when the Antichrist comes—we need a clear idea of what is good and what God wants us to do.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:31:20
And who we’re ultimately following. The closer we get to the end, the more we need to focus on Christ. We always need to focus on Him, but as the end draws nearer—“Look up, because thy salvation draws near”—deception will increase. We must focus more on Christ. It’s a kind of upward spiral.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:34:25
Now there are so many grey areas. We can often see what’s clearly good and clearly evil, but there’s a growing mass in between that’s grey—neither obviously good nor bad. We have to resolve this. The question isn’t just “Is it right for us?” but, as Sean said, “Will this help me serve God?” If it helps me serve God—that being my primary purpose—it clarifies those grey areas that lie between what’s totally good and totally bad.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:34:25
We’re going to face difficult choices. Paul tells us in Thessalonians: don’t panic about these things, because it won’t happen until you see the Antichrist standing in the temple. We’re not there yet, because there’s no temple and no Antichrist standing there. So don’t panic. That’s the takeaway from Thessalonians: God’s in control.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:38:00
He knows what He’s doing. Thessalonians, Daniel, Revelation, and the Olivet Discourse give us a roadmap to Jesus Christ and how to respond when difficult times come. Every path points to Jesus Christ. He’s our compass. If we keep pointing toward true north—Jesus Christ—we won’t get lost. We’re not there yet; there’s nothing to panic about. We know what we’re looking for. When it comes, it will be obvious. We’ll say, “Why are you falling for it?” because we won’t be deceived. When the Antichrist stands in the temple, declares himself God, and performs miracles, we will recognise him: “You’re not Jesus Christ; you’re Satan in disguise—the Antichrist.” We won’t fall for that deceit. Sadly, the world will.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:38:00
Take a simple example: should I place a bet—should I gamble? Gambling itself might seem neutral, but where it leads matters. Is it honouring to God? You’re stepping into something where you don’t know where it will take you. You’re also using resources God has given you—should those be used to put money into a rich man’s pocket? It’s just an example, but we must resolve these things in our minds.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:41:30
Keep Christ at the very centre of your vision. Ask: what would Christ do?
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:41:30
If you base your decisions on Scripture, you won’t go far wrong, because Scripture covers most cases. An example from prison ministry: I’ve been asked to do things—by a Muslim managing chaplain—that are not scriptural. I told him, “I’m not doing it.” If that means walking away from prison, I will, because what I’m being asked to do is against Scripture in several places. Other Christians are struggling with it too; some are standing firm, some have sadly capitulated. Paul says when the Antichrist comes it will be obvious to Christians what is Christlike and what is not, because God has already told us in Scripture. If we base our decisions on Scripture, there’s no reason to panic and no reason to go wrong, because Scripture is always right. The world is often wrong. In the secular world people might say I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, but I’m viewing it from a scriptural perspective. If it’s not scriptural, I’m not doing it. When the end comes, whatever the Antichrist presents as truth, weigh it against Scripture. If it goes against Scripture, it’s clearly a lie. The closer we get to the end, the more we must base decisions on Scripture, because it will be easy to be deceived and follow the crowd. But following the crowd is not necessarily right.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:45:15
Following the crowd is usually not the right thing to do.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:45:15
Yes—but following Scripture is the right thing to do. We won’t always know the specifics; the Bible doesn’t name every modern issue. But we can hold everything up to Scripture. In Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar built a great statue and ordered people to bow when the instruments played—my Bible even says “bagpipe,” which must have sounded interesting. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused: “Do what you want; we are not bowing.” Scripture forbids bowing to false images. So when the Antichrist comes and presents false miracles, we’ll know they’re false; we won’t be deceived. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the world will be, because it will be subtle.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:49:00
We have to recognise the subtlety. Satan goes about as a roaring lion, but he’s also like the serpent and even presents himself as an angel of light. We might get partway down a path and then realise, “Should I be going this way? Where is this leading?” We must have a method—Scripture as our main guide. Also ask, what would Jesus do in this situation? What did He do? Did He follow political parties? Did He gamble? No. Scripture is our main guide, and we follow Jesus—His teaching. I’m more conscious of this now, not only regarding the future, but now—these massive grey areas are increasing. In Victorian times, Christianity felt culturally defined—church attendance, clear norms. That’s not the case now.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:53:20
You said last week that people’s hearts are growing cold and they’re falling away.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:53:20
It’s more subtle now, and Satan is very active—even within the church. I believe Satan is active within the Church of England. People are being led into places God doesn’t want them to be. I’m not making a political point.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:53:20
This is important, and I’ll close on this: Satan will sell a lie as truth over generations so subtly that we don’t notice it until it’s too late. Broadly, it’s already too late in society. Look around—society is crumbling. It’s not Christian, not coming to church, doesn’t know the Bible, and is falling away in droves. Even institutions presented as Christian—like the Church of England, which I traditionally considered a stronghold—I’d suggest are not now. In Africa—Nigeria, for instance—there’s a looming split with the Church of England to do with women in ministry. Whether you agree or not, the Bible is quite clear on it. The Church of England has appointed, for the first time, a woman primate as Archbishop. The rest of the Anglican Communion outside Britain is threatening to split the Church of England, saying it’s not scriptural—you can’t do it. They’re trying to stick to Scripture. Within churches, subtle influences are working to break churches up. That’s happening now in the Church of England and in churches worldwide.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 00:57:50
Of course it can happen. We don’t have a monopoly on truth; we haven’t got everything sorted out. It can happen within our own church. We’ve seen churches split and disappear because someone demanded their own way. That’s not how we operate—we serve one another in love. We don’t force opinions; we teach one another in love. If love isn’t visible or gets corrupted, then that church becomes of no value. “How shall men know that you are my disciples? That you love one another.” If that love disappears or is corrupted, Satan has a foothold. We must be on our guard. This isn’t only talking about end times.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 00:57:50
It’s talking about now.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 01:00:00
It’s talking about now, because…
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:00:00
Some think it’s a light switch—you just turn it on—but this is slow. In mathematics, it’s called a cumulative curve. It starts off gently, then grows steeper. This will build as we get closer to the end times. It started thousands of years ago.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 01:00:20
Sorry, I’ve taken away from you, Solomon.
Solomon — 01:00:25
I think I got his points. He balanced everything—he drew the balance—and failed to part the politics and vote, giving the unbeliever the upper hand in government. I think there’s a statistic presently that the majority of people in government are unbelievers.
Solomon — 01:00:55
Not just unbelievers, they are Muslims. So definitely, Christians refuse to play their own role in politics—maybe, drawing balance during the time of casting their vote.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:01:05
Yeah.
Solomon — 01:01:10
It’s drawing balance that encourages people to go out.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:01:15
There’s nothing wrong with voting.
Solomon — 01:01:20
If you leave it with them—if you say it doesn’t matter and you’re not going to vote—you’re giving them that one vote to control your life, even the destiny of the generations coming.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:01:25
Can I just finish on this, and then I’m going to hand over to Dave for prayer? The first time I came to this church for a Bible study, Brian was leading it, and we were in Ruth. Sometimes you struggle to see where God’s in it. But the underlying theme that runs through Ruth is: in all the horrible things that happened in that time, God was ultimately in control.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:02:15
Whether we vote or whether we don’t, God is in control. We can try to control our destiny by voting people in whom we think will be beneficial for society—and there’s nothing wrong with doing that—but you have to understand, ultimately, God is going to let Satan take control. You can vote for who you want; it won’t make any difference to God’s plan. God is going to let Satan take control.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:02:45
Bad people are going to take over—that is a given in Scripture—and we, as men, cannot control that. We might be able to slow it down a little and vote other people in, but ultimately God said this is what’s going to happen. We have to focus on God, trust God, know that bad things are going to happen, but we can put our faith in God because He knows what He’s doing, and our salvation is assured. Keep living by Scripture. There’s nothing wrong with voting as we go along, but we must live life by Scripture rather than putting a political person on a pedestal. They’re not going to get us out of trouble—even if we vote the “right” people in—because ultimately the Antichrist is going to take over, stand in that temple, and declare himself God, whoever we vote in. So just trust God ultimately. Keep voting, but trust in God.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 01:03:40
The best of man is still man at his best.
Dennise — 01:03:45
Mr Smith, as Christians, we’re dead to the world. Dead men don’t vote.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:03:55
Before we pray, I’ll share something. Three years ago, I decided I wasn’t going to vote. It’s not because I don’t care who gets into power. I decided rather than watch Sunday politics and decide who’s going to be best, I would trust in God. Whoever’s in power, they don’t deliver. I decided that whoever’s in power, I’m not interested.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:04:45
I’m going to trust in God and spend my time reading Scripture. I’ll focus on Christ. I trust Jesus will guide me, whoever’s in power. Ultimately, God will put in power whom God wants to put in power, irrespective of my vote. So I made a personal decision—and I’m not suggesting anybody should follow me—that I was going to concentrate purely on God, and I’m not bothered about politics. But that was my decision.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 01:05:05
Because you put God first, and as far as you’re concerned, that’s the way you want to be.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:05:15
Yes.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 01:05:20
And that’s a perfect example of what you’ve just said.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:05:25
Yeah. But I still encouraged my wife to vote, and my wife did vote. I made a personal decision that any time I’ve got, I’ll spend focusing on Christ rather than on things around me.
Solomon — 01:05:45
I’m not saying—you truly drew balance to it. You drew balance to it; I understand very well. That’s why I’m saying that God is not uninterested—God is always in power.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:06:05
No, no—the people who are in power, God allowed to be in power.
Solomon — 01:06:15
I know He said we should pray for those in power. If He’s not interested in those in power, He wouldn’t ask us not to participate.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:06:25
God uses men around us differently to achieve His ends. God put Nebuchadnezzar in power—the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem. God put the Assyrians in power to punish the Israelite nation—not Judah, but Israel, the ten tribes. God puts people, good and bad, in power. There’s nobody in power who hasn’t been put in power by God.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:07:10
Both good and bad. If you look at all the kings in the Bible, there were good kings, and there were bad kings like Ahab—terrible—and Jezebel. But God still put him in power. So God’s definitely interested in who’s in power. He may use men to vote people into power. He may give you a heart and a will to vote to put somebody in power. But ultimately that person is in power because God allows it. He might use you to vote to put them into power because God’s ultimately in control of everything—who’s in power, who’s not in power. And if He needs, let’s say, Nigel Farage to be in power—whether he’s good or bad is irrelevant—if God decides he needs to be in power to bring something about, He will cause men to vote him into power. I’ve just made a personal choice that I’m better used taking Scripture and bringing it to people wherever I can—however badly I might do it at times.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:08:45
I think that’s okay. That’s a personal choice of mine. I encouraged my wife to vote, and I would encourage you to vote, but for me personally I’ve decided not to. Maybe that’s God using me however God wants to use me. But I would encourage everybody to vote.
Solomon — 01:08:45
If Esther was not a believer, the children of Israel would all have died, because God used Esther to intervene. She was close to power. He did, but He also used Mordecai. They were close to power. They didn’t run away because of evil in government; they participated. Mordecai worked with them while Esther herself was inside.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:09:20
My dad always used to say, no man’s an island. We’re all surrounded by people, and whatever we do, we influence others. Whatever I do or don’t do, I will influence other people—it’s inevitable. We all feed into society in one way or another. I’m not saying—and I don’t think Brian’s saying either—withdraw from life and don’t get involved. Neither of us are saying that.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 01:09:55
It’s the lengths that you go to, and the way you put it in your heart and mind and life. If that takes over and pushes Christ out, then you’ve got to think seriously. Like Sean said: “I’d rather devote my time to finding out more about Christ than worrying about voting.” That’s a good example of putting Christ first. But that doesn’t mean everybody should do that.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:10:30
I’m just saying that’s right for me—for Sean that’s right. For other people, it may be different.
Brian Preston SFGH Church Elder — 01:10:45
I vote. I know it’s going to make absolutely no difference to what’s going to happen, but I vote and cast my vote. Why? Because someone along the line said, “We’re going to give you the vote.” Right—I’ll use it. But I know it’s not going to make a blind bit of difference to what actually happens. I’ve exercised my franchise, and my vote will not help anybody come to power. I never vote for powerful parties—I vote for minority parties—so I know I’m going to have no effect anyway.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:11:25
Ultimately, humanity’s like this, isn’t it? We’re all interconnected, and whatever we do, we’re interconnected. We’re not saying withdraw from society—no. And you’re right: Mordecai and Esther—their actions influenced governments. I don’t think my actions will influence governments, but my actions will influence other people. We are all connected. But ultimately, don’t rely on people; rely on God.
Dennise — 01:11:55
Amen, amen.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:12:00
And on that note, Dave…
Dave — 01:11:55
Once again, thank you for bringing us together tonight. Thank you, Father, for your words. We pray that you will bless us and bless your children. Amen. Father, we ask your blessing upon the prayers tonight. We ask now, Father, that you would take us to our homes in safety. We ask it in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.
Shaun SFGH Church Leader — 01:12:40
Amen. That was a good debate tonight, wasn’t it?
Scripture References
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12
- Luke 4:5–6
- Ephesians 6:10–12
- Revelation 13:1-5
- Revelation 13:13–15
- Daniel 3:1–18
- Matthew 24
- Mark 13
- Luke 21
- 1 Peter 5:8
- 2 Corinthians 11:14
- John 13:34–35
- Luke 21:28
- Romans 13:1–2
- 1 Kings 16:29–33
- Esther 4–8
- Psalm 146:3
Summary
Key Themes
- The Antichrist as the “lawless one” empowered by Satan with worldly and supernatural power.
- False signs and wonders that mimic Christ’s miracles, intended to deceive those who reject the truth.
- God’s judicial handing over—strong delusion—upon those who refuse to love the truth.
- Spiritual warfare as the context for suffering and deception; trust in God’s sovereignty.
- Christian discernment: recognise that not all miracles are from God; weigh everything against Scripture.
- Engagement in politics is permissible, but idolatry of leaders is forbidden. Keep Christ central.
- Do not panic about end times: Scripture gives clear markers; focus on Christ, our true north.
- Subtle deception within society and churches; guard the church through love and scriptural fidelity.
- Personal conscience and calling may lead to different levels of civic participation (e.g., voting or abstaining).
Memorable Quotes
- “It does what it says on the tin—there’s nothing particularly hidden in those verses.”
- “If you take Satan out of the equation, the Antichrist is just a man.”
- “Satan tempted Christ to become the first Antichrist—thank God he resisted.”
- “False signs and wonders here aren’t card tricks; they mimic the very word used for Jesus’s miracles.”
- “Every path points to Jesus Christ. He’s our compass—our true north.”
- “If it goes against Scripture, it’s clearly a lie.”
- “The best of man is still man at his best, so follow God not man.”
- “Don’t rely on people; rely on God.”
Special Highlights
- Careful distinction between “false” as morally opposed to God versus “fake” as mere trickery; the Antichrist’s signs may be genuinely supernatural yet ungodly.
- Cross-references to Revelation portray the beast’s authority, deceptive signs (including calling down fire), a speaking image, and a “mortally wounded” recovery that imitates resurrection.
- Practical examples of discernment: gambling and stewardship; refusing unscriptural directives in prison ministry.
- Historical and biblical models: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refusing idolatry; Esther and Mordecai participating near power for God’s purposes.
- Balanced discussion on voting: encouragement to vote without idolising politics; testimonies of choosing to abstain to prioritise Scripture.
- Concluding corporate prayer emphasising gratitude, blessing, safety, and reliance on Jesus.
Article recorded by Shaun Fereday, Prison Chaplain (Sessional) and Leader @SFGH Church
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