One Possible Identity of the Restrainer of 2nd Thessalonians

[Guest]

 

 

Most Christians that I have heard discuss the restrainer, believe it is the Holy Spirit. Is this a certainty? Is it indicated? Is it even the best guess? Watch this series for another plausible option. This is part one of this series. By Omegaman 3.0

 

 

 

August 27, 2011 - Part Two of this series is

 

August 27, 2011 - Part Three

 

[Daena]

Hi I cant watch these videos because I have quite a slow internet connection at the moment. So who do you believe is the restrainer? Thanks.

-Daena.

[wyguy]

Yep - I believe the restrainer is the body of believers - the Church.

[Guest]

Hi I cant watch these videos because I have quite a slow internet connection at the moment. So who do you believe is the restrainer? Thanks.

-Daena.

Hello Daena,

Thank you for the question. Currently, I am inclined to think that it might be Michael the arch-angel. Since you cannot watch the video, you can see essentially the same material from this transcript of a bible study I gave on the topic.

Just answering "Micheal", is not much of answer, it is just one of many opinions possible. However, if you read the study text, I think you might conclude that the evidence, while not proof positive, is more substantial for Micheal that for anyone or anything else.

However, it needs to be said that inspite of the case than can be made for Michael, it is still only speculation, as are all other possibilities. This is not a tremendously important theological topic in my view, so I present it as an interesting possibility that is not often considered.

[Guest]

Yep - I believe the restrainer is the body of believers - the Church.

That is one opinion wyguy, now why not bless us with your biblical reasons for that conclusion? I am sure that those who visit this topic, would be interested to know the reasons for other theories as well.

[SonofLight]

 

 

Most Christians that I have heard discuss the restrainer, believe it is the Holy Spirit. Is this a certainty? Is it indicated? Is it even the best guess? Watch this series for another plausible option. This is part one of this series. By Omegaman 3.0

 

Part Two of this series is

I agree...the restrainer is the true church of God the revelated sanctified yet to be glorified saints still here on earth

[unworthydude]

Satan is the restrainer. He must bring about the apostacy and the antichrist before Christ comes back.

The context is directly talking to when Christ will come back. He will not come until the lawless one comes first. The lawless one is the 'restrainer' to Christ's coming. The rumors were that Christ had already come and Paul is dealing with that false rumor by telling them that the antichrist must come first. Keep in mind the subject that Paul is talking about as he refers back to it throughout the context. The subject is "regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus." I am going to highlight the subject reference points as it should bring back to your mind what Paul was dealing with.. Read it with this subject in mind.

2Th 2:1 Now we ask you, brothers, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and our gathering together to him,
2Th 2:2 not to be so quickly upset or alarmed when someone claims that we said, either by some spirit, conversation, or letter that the Day of the Lord has already come.
2Th 2:3 Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, for it will not come unless the rebellion takes place first and the man of sin, who is destined for destruction, is revealed.
2Th 2:4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god and object of worship. As a result, he seats himself in the sanctuary of God and himself declares that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Don't you remember that I repeatedly told you about these things when I was still with you?
2Th 2:6 You know what it is that is now holding him back, so that he will be revealed when his time comes.
2Th 2:7 For the secret of this lawlessness is already at work, but only until the person now holding it back gets out of the way.
2Th 2:8 Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy with the breath of his mouth, rendering him powerless by the manifestation of his coming.
2Th 2:9 The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous signs, lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 and every type of evil to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them.
2Th 2:11 For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.
2Th 2:12 Then all who have not believed the truth but have taken pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned.

Satan and his lawlessness is the person now holding Jesus back. There must be a fulfillment of sin. Similarly, you can see how God is waiting for their sin to come to fruition in the Old Testament.

• Gen 15:16  And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

Speaking directly about the antichrist in Daniel, we can see that this is exactly what is happening.

• Dan 8:23  And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise.

He has been decreed to carry out God's plan of judgment on Israel. This time frame is what is preventing Jesus from returning.

Dan_11:36  "And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.

John also states that the anti-christ is coming and yet in the world now. This anti-christ spirit is Satan. Jesus Christ is 'holding back' until Satan has been revealed in the lawless one and then Jesus will come back to destroy him. John makes it clear that "this is how we know" we are in the last times.

• 1Jn_4:3 But every spirit who does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist. You have heard that he is coming, and now he is already in the world.
• 1Jn_2:18 Little children, it is the last hour. Just as you heard that an antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.

Both writers make it clear that the church has been told about the antichrist.

• 2Th 2:6 You know what it is
• 1 Jn 4:3 You have heard that he is coming,
• 1Jn_2:18  Just as you heard

 

Edited January 19, 2016 by unworthydude

[HAZARD]

On ‎27‎/‎08‎/‎2011 at 11:45 PM, wyguy said:

Yep - I believe the restrainer is the body of believers - the Church.

 

Correct,

It is very important to understand that the church will be taken out of the world before the Antichrist is revealed and before the tribulation begins!

 

The bible clearly states that the hinderer of lawlessness must be removed before the Antichrist is revealed,  2 Thess. 2:7-8, For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. V. 8, And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

There are only there things in the world today that hinder lawlessness. They are the church, the Holy Spirit and human governments. The hinderer that will be taken out of the world must refer to one of these three things. It could not refer to the Holy Spirit and governments for neither will be taken out of the world. It is clear that governments will not be taken for the Antichrist will reign over the ten kingdoms during the tribulation (Dan. 7:23-24; Rev. 17:8-17). The Holy Spirit will be here during the tribulation, so He could not be the hinderer taken (Acts. 2:16-21; John 14:16; Rev. 7:14; 12:17; 19:10; Zech. 12:10).

 

The Church will be taken out of the world,  (1 Thess. 4:16; Eph. 5:26-27; 1 Cor. 15:51-58), so this must be the hinderer referred to.

 

If you cannot understand how the church could be referred to as "he," see Eph. 2:15; 4:13 where the church is called a "man."

[Omegaman 3.0]

On 7/6/2016 at 5:27 PM, HAZARD said:

It is very important to understand that the church will be taken out of the world before the Antichrist is revealed and before the tribulation begins!

I am not certain how important that is, but it is certainly difficult (or impossible) to prove that from scripture. It is a very common speculation though, since the time of J.N, Darby, and especially the introduction of the Scofield reference Bible into American seminaries. In that, because of the notes (not the Bible text) a generation of Bible students became pastors, the dispensational premillennialism and the pre-trib rapture concept took root and became popular in modern Christianity.