2 Thessalonians 2
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
Much of Biblical end-times interpretation assumes that the Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt. Politically, this is impossible because Islam's third holiest shrine, the Dome of the Rock is built on top of it.
For 2000 years, much of Christendom has focused on the rebuilding of King Solomon's physical temple in Jerusalem. This event would trigger the rapid beginning of the end.
However I believe this is a giant mistake by Bible scholars. It is similar to how much of Judaism rejected Jesus because he wasn't a macho warrior (in the expected mold of King David or the rebel Judas Maccabeus) who would set his people free from the shackles of the Roman Empire.
Instead, I believe that passages like this instead refer to our bodies or to be more specific, our minds.
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body,"
Recently there has been a flurry of advances in mind control. Without using surgical implants, just wearing a cap with electrodes, these are possible:
1) Your mood can be gauged (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22263019)
2) Your thoughts can be coordinated to control devices. A wheelchair, toy helicopter, video games (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22263019)
I believe that the last piece in the puzzle is to release hormones to induce pleasure or pain. This will happen again, through non surgical means such as an interface to the skin or a metallic tattoo made up of circuitry.
In other words, when the antichrist "sets himself up in God's temple", it will be on the throne of our minds and control of our bodies.
Perhaps like Pavlov's dog, people will be trained; reading of the antichrist's writings or listening to his speeches will trigger intense pleasure from the hormones released into the system. Similarly, pain will be induced when one reads the Bible or says things against the antichrist.
Imagine if he is set up in one person's temple (or mind/body) and extend this to millions or billions of followers. Their thoughts, actions and feelings will be slave to their master. Devices and gadgets - even weapons will be interfaced with their thoughts; how powerful!
This will be another type of temple - the collective temple of his followers. A hint is given in this verse
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[Or into a temple of the Spirit] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
the antithesis of this holy temple of the Holy Spirit would be the temple of the antichrist's followers formed by their minds and bodies. When this happens, I believe that God will come to save His people.
