What is the mystery of lawlessness?

2Th 2:

3 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, 4 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.

Denote this special man of lawlessness as M1.

5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.

M1 is working behind the scenes now but he will be revealed visibly in the future. M1 is probably Satan.

7 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.

Denote the restrainer as R1.

A G3466-mystery in the Bible always points to something in the spiritual reality. Both M1 and R1 belongs to the spiritual realm for now. At the appointed time, the R1 will be removed.

8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,

M1 will be visible. He is probably the final Antichrist figure.

whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,

When the time comes, the invisible M1 will become visible as a human agent empowered and energized by Satan.

10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Many people will be misled by M1.

What is the 'mystery of lawlessness'?

It is the hidden, organized, spiritual power of rebellion against God that is already actively operating in the world, working to establish a global system in opposition to God. This power is currently being restrained by God's appointment. Still, it is actively working to deceive humanity and prepare the world for the ultimate counterfeit ruler, the Antichrist, who will be visibly defeated by Jesus at his second coming.