2 Thessalonians 2:12

that they all might be damned who believed not the truth that they may be judged is what the Apostle says.

Here is the further, judicial purpose of the great imposture. God intends that men who are so disposed should "believe the lie," so that their false belief may be a touchstone and demonstration of their falseness. Men without love of truth naturally believe the lie when it comes; there is nothing else for them. And this is a terrible judgement upon them. As Christ came at first "for judgement into this world" (John 9:39, &c.), by His presence discriminating the lovers of truth and falsehood, so it will be with Antichrist at his coming. He will attract his like; and this attraction will be the exposure of their hatred of the truth. Comp. Romans 2:8: "To those who obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness … wrath and indignation."

This is not yet the Last Judgement, and it is possible that some under this retribution may yet repent, seeing how shameful is the delusion into which they have fallen by rejecting Christ.

all(probably all together, in the Greek) marks the universal range of this judgement; the delusion takes effect everywhere; it will be the one thing in which the enemies of Christ agree, and it furnishes a decisive test of their character. Comp. "the mark of the Wild Beast" in Revelation 13:3; Revelation 13:16: "The whole earth wondered after the beast … All that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written in the Lamb's book of life."

That they had pleasure in unrighteousnesexplains the readiness of these unhappy men to accept the "deceit of unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:10). They are credulous of that which falls in with their evil inclination. Wicked men are the dupes of wickedness. Comp. Romans 1:32, where the fact that men not only do the vilest things, but "take pleasure inthose who do them," adds the finishing touch to the Apostle's black picture. Such an one does wrong not through force of passion or example or habit, but out of sheer delight in wrong. "The light that is in him has become darkness." He says with Milton's Satan,

"Farewell remorse, all good to me is lost;

Evil be thou my good!"

Men of this type will welcome eagerly the reign of Antichrist. But their triumph will prove shortlived.