It shows that the Jews did not worship the image,That they died(like they said they would) to keep them from polluting the Temple with their images. It also has that the ones who "did worship" those ensigns(wars,6.6.1) did so after the Temple was burnt(not before) by Romans(not the Jews), and win/won the war. Do the ones that worship the image,receive the mark,have the name ect. win the war at the coming of our Lord or do they loose according the Scripture?
It appears you are conflating two separate passages and events. Rev 13 and 2 Thes 2 do not go together although they are related in time. 2 Thes 2 starts off talking about the Day of Christ. But before the Day of Christ can come, Apostate Israel falls away from the faith. The falling away can be religious or political. I've been assuming that the Jews grew increasingly wicked right up to their destruction but there is another possibility that may work better. The falling away may more accurately be their rebellion against Rome.
The “rebellion” or
apostasia of v. 3 as a rebellion certainly fits. For example, Josephus calls Israel’s rebellion against Rome during the Jewish War an
apostasia (Josephus
Life 4.9.10;
The Wars of the Jews 2.2.7; 2.16.4; 7.4.2; 7.6.1). Though there was certainly a religious falling away or rebellion which led to Israel’s punishment at the end of the age during the Jewish War, the apostasy or rebellion of v.3 had not transpired at the time of 2 Thessalonians composition so this
apostasia or rebellion could not be Israel’s first century religious apostasy as the sin for which the Jews were punished had begun long before 2 Thessalonians 2 was written and was on going and cumulative (Mt 23:35-36). The apostasy or rebellion mentioned in this verse is more likely Israel’s apostasy or rebellion against Rome in A.D. 66 which brought about the Jewish War, the day of the Lord.
Now let's deal with Titus, the Man of Sin, the Man of Destruction. Let's look at YLT version where he is also called the son of destruction. Titus certainly fits this description:
3 let not any one deceive you in any manner, because -- if the falling away may not come first, and the man of sin be revealed -- the son of the destruction,
4 who is opposing and is raising himself up above all called God or worshiped, so that he in the sanctuary of God as God hath sat down, shewing himself off that he is God -- [the day doth not come].
So, what does the Man of Sin do?
1. He opposes and raises himself up above all called God or worshiped.
- This was true of all the Caesars.
2. He goes into the sanctuary of God (Holy of Holies).
-
Josephus says that Titus entered the Holy of Holies with his generals in A.D. 70. War 6-4-7, "And now, since Caesar was no way able to restrain the enthusiastic fury of the soldiers, and the fire proceeded on more and more, he went into the holy place of the temple, with his commanders, and saw it..."
3. He shows himself off that he is God.
- Josephus says that these ensigns were worshiped by the Romans in the Jewish Temple! This is idolatrous worship and nothing in 2 Thes 2 says it would be Jews doing the worshiping. When Titus’ image on the
numina legionum was set up in the Temple and worshiped as a god we can see how clearly Titus “displayed himself as a god” in explicit fulfillment of 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
Later we are told the Man of Sin deceives and those he deceives, perish. We can cover this deception later if you are still not convinced. The short of it is, Titus does everything Paul credits the Man of Sin for doing. If the Man of Sin is future, a new temple is required and another invasion of Israel must take place. The flavor of Paul's second letter was, "Not yet, but soon." He gives no indication that the Day of Christ (Period of Divine Judgment) is thousands of years off.
Revelation 13 is about the adulterous affair between Jerusalem and Rome - their codependent sick alliance that existed BEFORE their destruction.
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