WHO ARE THE DECEIVED?

Is it possible for born again believers to know the identity of the Antichrist prior to being removed from earth via the Rapture?  Most students of the Bible would say no.  They would give 2 Thes. 2:3 as the basis for their swift response.  However, the context of the passage is not about the Antichrist, but about the Rapture of the Church (v. 1) and the Second Coming of the Lord (v. 2).  Notice that the Antichrist sits in power between those two events!  2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 says, 

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him (the Rapture), that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand (the Second Coming).

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first (I believe this is referring to the "catching away" of the Church of Philadelphia - Rev. 3:7-13 AND the apostasy of the Church of Laodicea - Rev. 3:14-22), and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God (his revealing TO ISRAEL will occur when, half way through the seven-year agreement with Israel, he commits the abomination of desolation spoken by the prophet Daniel - Dan. 9:27; 12:11; Mt. 24:15; Rev. 13:5-8). 

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let (only the Holy Spirit can restrain him), until He be taken out of the way (most believe this occurs at the Rapture of the Church). 

And then shall that Wicked (one) be revealed (again, to Israel as the true Church is gone), whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:  even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish (Rev. 13:1-18); because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (Christians can know, but unbelievers will not believe us because they reject the Gospel)."

Look up the name El Hassan bin Talal!