The Ancient Witnesses

82 • The Ancient Witnesses: A Journey to Discover Our Sacred Roots

Almighty. 17 These became the principalities and powers opposed to God’s eternal purposes, and their presence is the mystery of iniquity.” Mentor read from the lectern Bible, For the mystery of iniquity is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 18 “I’ve always wondered what that verse means,” said Joseph, so Mentor continued, “This mystery of iniquity , or of lawlessness , is Satan’s plan and purpose which sprang into action at his rebellion, soon after his creation as an angel. Few biblical passages describe the entrance of evil into God’s good creation. There is a brief description in Ephesians 19 of Christ’s triumph at his resurrection over rebellious forces in the cosmos. When Christ ascended on high he led a host of captives…. “These hints concerning the mystery of iniquity are drawn from longer reflections on evil found in the Hebrew Scriptures, 20 especially the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 18 From 2 Thess. 2:7 NKJV. We understand the meaning of this phrase by examining passages that speak of “the mystery of Christ” (Eph.3.4) as His eternal purposes (Eph.1.9), namely, His plan of salvation (Rom.11:25; 16:25; 1 Cor.15:51). In those passages, mystery speaks of God’s eternal purposes which were hidden but now have been made known, with special reference to the fulfillment of that purpose.” F.F. Bruce, 1 and 2 Thessalonians . Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 45 (Dallas: Word, 1998), 170, emphasis in original. 17 Rev.12:7-12.

19 Namely, in Eph. 3.8

20 That is, the Old Testament.