One of the most revealing titles given to the final enemy of G-d in Scripture is “the lawless one.” This designation is not accidental, nor is it merely rhetorical. It exposes a foundational truth often overlooked in modern theology: Hashem’s law has not been abolished, replaced, or rendered irrelevant. On the contrary, the very concept of “lawlessness” presupposes the continued existence and authority of divine law. If the law were truly done away with, the charge of lawlessness would be empty and incoherent.
The term translated “lawless” comes from the Greek anomia, meaning “without law” or “in defiance of law.” In the Jewish worldview of the first century, this word did not refer to Roman civil statutes or human legal systems. It referred to Torah—the revealed instruction of Hashem. Lawlessness, therefore, is not mere moral chaos or generic evil; it is rebellion against G-d’s revealed will.
This is why Scripture reserves the title “the lawless one” for the Antichrist figure rather than Satan himself. While the Adversary is the source of deception and rebellion, the lawless one is its ultimate human expression. His coming is said to be “according to the working of Satan,” meaning Satan empowers him, but the title belongs to the man who embodies open defiance of Hashem’s authority. Satan inspires lawlessness; the Antichrist institutionalizes it.
Importantly, the Antichrist is not portrayed as an anarchist who rejects all order. He enforces worship, controls commerce, and centralizes power. He does not oppose law as such—he opposes Hashem’s law. This distinction is crucial. Scripture consistently frames his rebellion not as resistance to human government, but as opposition to G-d Himself. He exalts himself, seeks worship, and attempts to redefine sacred times and laws. These are categories rooted squarely in Torah, not in human legislation.
This understanding aligns with the prophetic language found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. The enemy of G-d is repeatedly depicted as one who “changes times and law,” a phrase deeply connected to Hashem’s appointed times and commandments. The goal is not simply political domination but spiritual subversion—replacing G-d’s order with a counterfeit system that mimics authority while rejecting obedience to the Creator.
Yeshua Himself affirmed this framework when He warned that many would claim allegiance to Him while practicing anomia. His declaration—“Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness”—is striking. He does not accuse them of ignorance, ritual failure, or lack of belief, but of lawlessness. That charge only makes sense if Hashem’s law remains the standard by which faithfulness is measured. Yeshua does not distance Himself from the law; He uses it as the benchmark of genuine allegiance.
This exposes a theological inconsistency often found in claims that the law has been abolished. If Hashem’s law were no longer operative, the Antichrist could not be condemned for rejecting it, nor could Yeshua condemn individuals for practicing lawlessness. Lawlessness is only possible where law still stands. Rebellion presupposes authority. Defiance assumes a command that remains in force.
Defending Hashem’s law, therefore, is not about legalism or earning righteousness. It is about recognizing G-d’s kingship. Torah is not merely a list of rules; it is the revealed order of Hashem’s kingdom. To reject it is to reject His reign. The Antichrist is ultimately condemned not because he is powerful or deceptive, but because he openly defies the rule of G-d and leads others to do the same.
In this light, obedience to Hashem’s law is not bondage but loyalty. It is the covenantal response of a people who acknowledge G-d as King. The final conflict in Scripture is not between freedom and rules, but between submission to Hashem and self-exaltation. The lawless one stands as the ultimate example of the latter.
Thus, the title “the lawless one” unintentionally testifies to the enduring authority of Hashem’s law. It confirms that Torah remains the divine standard, the measure of righteousness, and the line that rebellion crosses. Far from being obsolete, Hashem’s law is central to the biblical narrative—from covenant, to Messiah, to the final judgment. And in the end, it is not the law that falls away, but the one who dares to stand against it.
Rabbi Yadin Rich
www.aveinu.com
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