Does God actually send delusions?

Question

2 Thessalonians 2:11 KJV: And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

It seems that this verse is translated the same way across every translation. https://biblehub.com/2_thessalonians/2-11.htm

Answer 1

There is a difference between God sending a delusion and God Himself actually deluding people.

Revelation 4:8 [all ESV]

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come."

God is Holy. He never does evil. But God does use the devil, "the father of lies." John 8:44

Job 1:12

"Behold, all that he has is in your hand."

God gives authority to Satan for Satan to do Satan's work against Job.

Satan's work is evil and destructive. Satan uses God given power to destroy Job's property and family as in Job 1:13-22, but God is holy. God has a holy motive for putting Job through this testing. Job comes through it bearing witness to his trust in God not being destroyed. Job blesses [speaks well of] the LORD.

From Job 1:21-22

".. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD."

God sent a delusion, the appearance, that God did not look after Job. But God also gave Job the faith to overcome the delusion.

From Luke 22:22

"For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed."

"Satan entered into Judas" [Luke 22:3] and God determined it. "The Son of Man goes", here God determined the events of Jesus' life by determining what Satan and Judas did. Satan might have looked as though Satan was winning over Jesus, but that would be a delusion. Satan was not winning, Satan was being used to achieve the Father's purpose in sending Jesus to be the Saviour of the world. [1 John 4:14].

Acts 2:23

"this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men."

God used lawless hands to bring about His definite plan.

God sends, controls and determines what evil does, inorder to achieve His, God's, holy ends.

2 Thessalonians 2:12

"in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

One of God's ends is the condemnation of these unbelivers. And to gain their delusion God gives "the lawless one" some space, but when God's plan is achieved, "the Lord Jesus will kill [the lawless one] with the breath of his mouth...". [2 Thess 2:7-12]. God allows the delusion only as long as it suits Him.

Answer 2

In the original Greek, the word "πέμπει" (pempei) translated as “send” has the usage: I send, transmit, permit to go, put forth. So, one interpretation is that God allows or permits a strong delusion to occur. This would suggest that God doesn’t actively deceive people, but rather allows them to be deceived as a consequence of their own choices.

The Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible says:

Shall send, [ pempei (G3992), 'sends'] - 'is sending' the "delusion" already. Those who reject the truth, God gives up in righteous judgment to Satan's delusions (Isaiah 6:9; Rom. 1:24-26:28 ). They first cast off "the love of tim truth," then given up by God, they settle down into 'believing the lie:' an awful climax (1 Kings 22:22-11; Job 12:16; Ezekiel 14:9; Matthew 24:5; Matthew 24:11; 1 Timothy 4:1).

Strong delusion, [ energeian (G1753) planees (G4106)] - 'an effectual (energizing) working of error' answering to the energizing "working of Satan" (2 Thessalonians 2:9), contrasted with the Holy Spirit's 'effectual (energizing) working' in believers (Ephesians 1:19).

Believe a lie - Greek, 'the lie' which Antichrist tells, appealing to his miracles as proofs (2 Thessalonians 2:9).

This delusion is sent because they did not love the truth that God might save them. The lesson we learn here it that the choice of falsehood over truth is serious business because it leads to deep delusion.

I believe that it’s important to note that this delusion is described as a “strong” or “powerful” delusion. This seems to suggest that the delusion is so compelling that those who are subject to it are fully convinced by the lie.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible says this:

God shall send them strong delusion - Greek: "energy of deceit;" a Hebraism, meaning strong deceit, The agency of God is here distinctly recognised, in accordance with the uniform statements of the Scriptures, respecting evil; compare Exodus 7:13; Exodus 9:12; Exodus 10:1, Exodus 10:20, Exodus 10:27; Exodus 11:10; Exodus 14:8. Isaiah 45:7. On the nature of this agency, see the notes on John 12:40. It is not necessary here to suppose that there was any positive influence on the part of God in causing this delusion to come upon them, but all the force of the language will be met, as well as the reasoning of the apostle, by supposing that God withdrew all restraint, and suffered men simply to show that they did not love the truth. God often places people in circumstances to develop their own nature, and it cannot be shown to be wrong that He should do so. If people have no love of the truth, and no desire to be saved, it is not improper that they should be allowed to manifest this. How it happened that they had no "love of the truth," is a different question, to which the remarks of the apostle do not appertain; compare Romans 9:17-18, note; Romans 1:24, note.

Answer 3

I'm assuming the OP question is about the meaning of the word πλάνη (delusion). And, of course, "Would God do this?"

What is a delusion?

A delusion is a false fixed belief that is not amenable to change in light of conflicting evidence. (Wikipedia)

From LSJ by way of Logeion, the Greek word is:

πλᾰν-η, ἡ,

wandering, roaming, Hdt. 1.30, 2.103, 116: freq. in A. Pr., in sg., 622, 784, al.: in pl., τηλέπλανοι, πολύπλανοι πλάναι, 576 (lyr.), 585 (lyr.), cf. Ar. V. 873 (lyr.).

discursive treatment, ἡ διὰ παντὸς διέξοδος καὶ π. Pl. Prm. 136e; ἡ π. τοῦ λόγου Id. Lg. 683a.

metaph., going astray, βίοτος ἀνθρώπων π. E. Fr. 659.8; π. καὶ ἄνοια Pl. Phd. 81a; πλάνης ἔμπλεῳ Id. R. 505c; ἡ περὶ τὰ χρώματα π. τῆς ὄψεως the illusion, ib. 602c; πολλὴν ἔχει . . πλάνην irregularity, Arist. EN 1094b16; πολλὰς ἀπορίας ἔχει καὶ π. Id. de An. 402a21; ἡ κατὰ τὰς αἰσθήσεις π. Epicur. Nat. 28 Fr. 7; π. καὶ παραλογισμός Phld. Rh. 1.30S., cf. Diog.Oen. 33.

deceit, imposture, LXX Pr. 14.8, Ev.Matt. 27.64.

Notice what I'll call "sleight of hand" with those bolded glosses, especially the first entry. It's like a person has wandered off-track because they believe something to be true that actually isn't. This concept applies to all 10 occurrences of this word in the New Testament. And, in fact, in many of the occurrences of this word the thing that should have been believed is a bit obvious. Like a person walking down a well-worn trail and somehow they go off-track.

The way I explain this verse is to suggest that 'illusion' fits the definition just as well, in this context. I suggest illusion since the English delusion carries with it a sense of evil, the idea of being deceitful. The Greek word πλάνη doesn't have that sense. The evil intent, when πλάνη is used, is provided by the context. In Greek, 'deceitful' is a different word, the word ἀπάτη (deceit). And that word is used in verse 10.

In other words, picture a magician. He does an illusion. People's amazement is evidence of their believing the illusion. However, those who know how the magician does the trick are amazed at his skill. Dai Vernon was a very good example of amazing magical skill. You could name a card, and he'd pick that card off the top of the deck (or so it seemed).

The point is that there are two different people in the audience: those who believe, are entertained by the magic and even deluded into thinking, "That's magic!" And those who believe the skill. This is Paul' point, though not about a magician. It's about an illusion and the two different types of people who see the illusion. Notice that that is exactly what Paul says in the very next sentence. He separates out one group of people from the other.

[I]n order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. (NASB20)

What is that illusion? Good question. It's something that the Holy God can send (and so, is a good thing), but taking pleasure in it instead of taking pleasure in the God who sent it, and who he is, brings judgement. So, don't focus on the illusion, focus on the Master Illusionist.

If you know the Magician, you won't believe the illusion.

So, yes, God actually does send an delusion (aka illusion).

Answer 4

The Bible does portray God as sending delusions at times. (Whether God actually does so is another question.) Perhaps the clearest example is found in the episode of God putting a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets, as described by the prophet Micaiah in 2 Kings 22.

I saw the Lord seated on his throne, with the whole host of heaven standing to his right and to his left. 20 The Lord asked: Who will deceive Ahab, so that he will go up and fall on Ramoth-gilead? And one said this, another that, 21 until this spirit came forth and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked: How? 22 He answered, ‘I will go forth and become a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord replied: You shall succeed in deceiving him. Go forth and do this.

Despite Micaiah's efforts to the contrary, Ahab was indeed deceived by the lying spirit that God had sent. The situation in 1 Thess. 2 is even more disturbing because the plain sense of the text is that God facilitates the success of the Lawless One, whose power springs from Satan (vs. 9) in order ultimately to condemn those who have not believed.

9 The lawless one will be revealed... the one whose coming springs from the power of Satan in every mighty deed and in signs and wonders that lie, 10 and in every wicked deceit for those who are perishing because they have not accepted the love of truth so that they may be saved. 11 Therefore, God is sending them a deceiving power so that they may believe the lie, 12 that all who have not believed the truth but have approved wrongdoing may be condemned.

Conclusion: whether God actually sends delusions to achieve the divine will is a theological question on which there will be differing opinions. (I tend to agree agree with Levan Gigineishvili that God does not do so.) However, it is hard to argue that the Bible does not quite clearly state that God does this in some instances.

Answer 5

¹⁹Then Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD:
I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. ²⁰And the LORD said, 'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?'
So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. ²¹Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will persuade him.'
²²The LORD said to him, 'In what way?'
So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.'
And the LORD said, 'You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.'
²³Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you."
_{1 Kings 22:19-23 (NKJ)}

What do you do with such a passage?

Here is how I make sense of it. In Micaiah's vision, he mentions:

1. "all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left"
   The only logical reason for mentioning 'His right hand' and 'His left hand' is to indicate that the host of heaven is divided into two categories (as are all God's sentient creatures) -- those whose hearts are inclined toward evil (the left),⁽¹⁾ and those who hearts are inclined towards good (the right).⁽²⁾ I'm sure there are some who might see the left as good and the right as evil, but it would have no impact on the narrative.

2. "And the LORD said, 'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?'"
   God asks this question of the entire host -- those whose hearts are inclined towards evil, and those whose hearts are inclined towards good.

3. "a spirit came forward"
   There is no indication in the text concerning which side of the throne this spirit was standing, so it is left for the reader to decide.

4. "I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets."
   The desire of this spirit's heart is deception.

5. "You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so."
   The LORD allows the spirit to do what the spirit's heart was moved to do.

Why did the LORD want Ahab to fall at Ramoth Gilead?

³⁰Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him.
³¹And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him. ³²Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. ³³And Ahab made a wooden image.
Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
_{1 Kings 16:30-33 (NKJ)}

Micaiah says, "Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours,", but his narrative clearly shows that the spirit wasn't commanded to perform a task, rather, the spirit had the LORD's 'permission' to act according to the spirits own inclination.

The LORD must deal with evil,⁽¹⁾ and will use the spirits that move men and angels to bring about His justice, and what better way to do that than allow those whose hearts are bent on evil to perpetrate their evil against the perpetrators of evil.

Concluseion

The agents of the delusion Paul speaks of, will be people whose mouths have been filled by lying spirits, whom the LORD has given permission to do what their hearts will move them to do. Those who believe the lies will be those in whose hearts the Spirit of God does not dwell, for He alone can protect against such deception.

---

Notes:

1. Hebrew: רַע (Strong's H7451 - raʿ)
   wickedness, mischief, hurt, trouble, affliction, ill, adversity, harm

2. Hebrew: טוֹב (Strong's H2896 - ṭôḇ)
   goodness, betterment, wellness, merriment, fairness, prosperity, wealth, beauty, favour, gladness.

Answer 6

No, He does not send delusion to anybody; and, moreover, He cannot send delusion to anybody. It is a manner of the Biblical metaphoric language. For instance, in the Lord's prayer you read: "Lead us not into temptation"; does it mean that God can lead somebody to temptation? Of course it is foolish to think so, because God does not tempt anybody (James 1:13). Simply, "lead us not into temptation" means "strengthen and protect us so that we may not fall into temptation". Similarly, "He sent them a strong delusion" means that since they did not obey Him, they made themselves bereft of His protection by this very disobedience and fell into a delusional mindset.