None of those preceding despotic world rulers up till today have been that prophesied antichrist person. There is no mistaking him when he is revealed as it comes with spiritual power, lying signs and wonders. The mystery of lawlessness is at work in those rulers, but they are not him.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the [
d]mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only [
e]He who now restrains
will do so until He is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.