Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. [2 Thessalonians 2:5-10 NASB]
When Paul was in Thessalonica, he told them all about the end times, in detail, so that they knew everything that he referenced. Unfortunately for us, he didn't repeat all of those teachings in his letters, so that there is now a lot of speculation and, in some cases, vicious disputes about the meaning of the prophesies.
Paul said, "And you know what restrains him now." He is referring, of course to the rise of the Antichrist. The Thessalonians knew what restrains him, but we do not. We can only speculate. And there are a lot of theories.
Those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture believe this is referring to the church. They say that when the church is taken out of the way, the lawless one will arise. The problem I have with this theory is that only a few verses earlier, Paul said;
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, [2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 NASB]
The man of lawlessness must be revealed before "our gathering together to Him." Which means he is revealed before the rapture.
Some say that the Holy Spirit will leave the earth to make way for the Antichrist. But God is Omnipresent; there is no place His Spirit does not exist. And if He stopped His work on earth, then there would be not tribulation saints.
Others make it a purely political climate. As long as the world governments restrain him, he will not come to power.
We know that all things happen according God's timing. It seems to me that when it's time for the Antichrist to rise, God will make sure the political climate, as well as the religious climate of the world is ready for him. It is possible that God is the one who is holding him back, and when the time is right, God will be "taken out of the way". Not in the sense of being physically removed, but in the sense that He will no longer restrain him.
When the Antichrist arrives, he will show signs and wonders, and will deceive many (see Revelation 13:11-18). Jesus said,
“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. [Matthew 24:24 NASB]
Whether it be the Antichrist in the end days, or false prophets in the days before the end days (that would be now), we must not seek after signs and wonders. The sign of a true prophet is not the miracles he performs, but the truth of his message. From the earliest days of the church, false prophets have tried to lead people away from the faith, or discourage them from following the truth.
Paul said that there would be an apostasy in the end times. "Apostasy" means "a falling away from the faith". People fall away when their faith doesn't line up with reality. I have known of Christians who lose their faith when they become sick, or when a loved one dies, because they have a concept of a God who is a "genie" who grants their wishes and makes sure nothing bad will ever happen to them.
Imagine a world where the majority of Christians believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. They suddenly find themselves in a world controlled by the Antichrist, and in the midst of the Great Tribulation. One of their foundational beliefs has been shattered; and if the the pre-tribulation rapture is untrue, what else is untrue? A great many will be shaken in their faith, and many will fall away.
Whether you agree with my interpretation of scripture or not; whether we are living in the end-times or not, it is essential that you not allow yourself to be shaken in your faith. Put your faith in the person of God, and not the teachings of men. Don't be so adamant about any doctrine that you can't consider the alternatives and be persuaded by scripture. You should know what you believe and why you believe it, but you should also be teachable. There is always more to learn. In this life. "we know in part... [1 Corinthians 13:9 NASB]
Father, I pray that You will give me wisdom, that I may keep my eyes open to the unfolding of prophecy, and understanding of the scriptures. If these events are to unfold in my lifetime, I pray that You will give me the strength to endure.
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