Is The Bride the restrainer?

[Larry 2]

The Restrainer is what (or Who) is preventing the rise of Antichrist. In 2 Thess.2: the Restrainer would, I believe, have to an essential part of the Eternal Godhead as only One of the Holy Trinity would be strong enuf & all-powerful enuf to restrain the Devil. In Holy Writ, one of the essential tasks of the Blessed Holy Spirit is to do just that, ie, thwart evil & restrain sin. One should never attempt to overcome Satan lest by & thru the indwelling power of the Third Person of the Hly Trinity. And remember this: The Comforter has indeed come!

Hi Arthur. You make mention of God being the only one capable of restraining the devil, and of course that is true but at that time of the tribulation, God will be allowing him to wreak havoc as judgment on an unbelieving world, but the bride will be gone prior to that unprecedented time of temptation to come upon all the world. Now in the first three and one half years of the tribulation there will be saints there will be present but protected.

Revelation 9:4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And of course the Holy Spirit does the sealing.

John 16:8 And when He (The Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. The Holy Spirit will always be here for mankind.

[OneLight]

We will be called at the last trumpet, which is at the end of the great tribulation, not the beginning of the great tribulation.

I'm not sure where you get the last trump sounding at the end of the tribulation, because considering the following scripture where elect are concerned during the millennium, there must be a last trump after the millennium, though if there's a last trump there must also be previous trumps.

Isaiah 65:20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

I am not sure what these verses have to do with the last trumpet. Consider the following:

This is all before the millennium.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Revelation 11:15

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

There are parts prior to the millennium and some that are not. When we look at 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. This time applies to eternity beginning after the millennium.

My friend, did you not read the verse in Revelation where it says that at the Seventh Trumpet "there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”" Everything is put under His feet at that time. This is all before His return. In fact, very little is written about what the millennium is going to be like.

What I was attempting to show with Isaiah 65:20 is that if there are elect dying during the millennium, by necessity there will also be a resurrection and trump for them. And there is also a resurrection of the dead at the end of the millennium destined for the great white throne judgment.

Isaiah 65:20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

Regardless of all our differences in doctrine, it will change nothing that will affect us. Be ready for it? Live each day of our lives as if today we will meet our Savior and God will make all things right. I plan on being taken from tribulation but that's also up to God.

If you read Isaiah 65:17-26 you will see in verse 17 it says "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind." The New Heaven and the New Earth is after the Millennium, after the Great White Thrown Judgment. It is not during at all. Reread Revelation 20 thru 22.

[mizzdy]

Yet, all through the New Testament, the church is called the bride, a feminine word, not a he, a manly word.

Not really at all pertaining to the thread but did you know the Ruach Hakodesh, the Holy Spirit is also a feminine word, not something we might think or see about the Spirit.

Many words have a feminine base, but the Holy Spirit is always spoken of as a He, is He not?

Yes and each time its refering to Yeshua or YHWH who sends and gives the power through His Spirit, that doesn't change the fact that Ruach Kodesh is feminine. Wisdom is spoken of a she in Proverbs, I dont see that its assigning a gender to it either the Spirit or wisdom, but that both come straight from Him.

[He giveth more grace]

Did someone say yet, the Bride is never referred to as a he, but always in the feminine, so I would say the Holy Spirit is the restrainer.

[Larry 2]

I am bailing out of this topic - Thanks everyone.

[Retrobyter]

Shalom, mizzdy.

Yet, all through the New Testament, the church is called the bride, a feminine word, not a he, a manly word.

Not really at all pertaining to the thread but did you know the Ruach Hakodesh, the Holy Spirit is also a feminine word, not something we might think or see about the Spirit.

Many words have a feminine base, but the Holy Spirit is always spoken of as a He, is He not?

Yes and each time its refering to Yeshua or YHWH who sends and gives the power through His Spirit, that doesn't change the fact that Ruach Kodesh is feminine. Wisdom is spoken of a she in Proverbs, I dont see that its assigning a gender to it either the Spirit or wisdom, but that both come straight from Him.

Wisdom does not EQUAL the Ruach haQodesh. (It's a "qof" by the way, not a "kaf.") I had a preacher once back in the early 80s who had this view point and called them the Ideal Family. I came to the conclusion back then that it was grasping at straws and wasn't really necessary. (I believe that's how the Roman Catholics got started putting Miryam or Mary on such a high pedestal as to call her the "Mother of God." They wanted an "Ideal Family," too.) However, Eloheinu (our God) does exhibit ALL the traits of a ideal parent, male or female, father or mother.

Wisdom, being an abstract concept, will have naturally feminine gender in the Hebrew language. Concrete things are often masculine in gender. (That's not a rule, nor is it always the case; it's just an observation.) However, both the words "Ruach" (meaning "Wind" or "Breath" or "Spirit") and the adjective "Qodesh" (meaning "Holy" or "Awe-Inspiring" or "Clean") are masculine words. The feminine form of "Holy" is "Qadeshah" with an ending "hei." You don't have to make the Scriptures politically correct or gender neutral. Just trust God to be able to comfort His children as easily as He might lead them into battle!

[mizzdy]

Shalom, mizzdy.

Yet, all through the New Testament, the church is called the bride, a feminine word, not a he, a manly word.

Not really at all pertaining to the thread but did you know the Ruach Hakodesh, the Holy Spirit is also a feminine word, not something we might think or see about the Spirit.

Many words have a feminine base, but the Holy Spirit is always spoken of as a He, is He not?

Yes and each time its refering to Yeshua or YHWH who sends and gives the power through His Spirit, that doesn't change the fact that Ruach Kodesh is feminine. Wisdom is spoken of a she in Proverbs, I dont see that its assigning a gender to it either the Spirit or wisdom, but that both come straight from Him.

Wisdom does not EQUAL the Ruach haQodesh. (It's a "qof" by the way, not a "kaf.") I had a preacher once back in the early 80s who had this view point and called them the Ideal Family. I came to the conclusion back then that it was grasping at straws and wasn't really necessary. (I believe that's how the Roman Catholics got started putting Miryam or Mary on such a high pedestal as to call her the "Mother of God." They wanted an "Ideal Family," too.) However, Eloheinu (our God) does exhibit ALL the traits of a ideal parent, male or female, father or mother.

Wisdom, being an abstract concept, will have naturally feminine gender in the Hebrew language. Concrete things are often masculine in gender. (That's not a rule, nor is it always the case; it's just an observation.) However, both the words "Ruach" (meaning "Wind" or "Breath" or "Spirit") and the adjective "Qodesh" (meaning "Holy" or "Awe-Inspiring" or "Clean") are masculine words. The feminine form of "Holy" is "Qadeshah" with an ending "hei." You don't have to make the Scriptures politically correct or gender neutral. Just trust God to be able to comfort His children as easily as He might lead them into battle!

I was not saying anything about anything being equal my dear brother, just pointing out that the words were feminine and wisdom was seen as feminine in Psa. Wasnt in any way trying to give a grammar or linguistic lesson. YHWH is indeed all of that there is no doubt. I am not a Hebrew scholar, yet I do know how to find the wordages and such things and when I get stuck I take to my friends who are truly scholars as well as laymen in the field. Its great to know people who know Hebrew and Greek as well a they do English! makes for digging into His word so much more exciting!

[pilgrim49]

Is the Bride the restrainer of the Man of Sin?

Although most think the church is the restrainer but as already noted the church is female “feminine,” the Bride of Christ. Whereas, the Restrainer is “He;” male (2 Thess. 2:7). Besides, the church cannot even restrain herself. It is said that over 50% of what is called evangelical Christians denies that Christ is the only way to heaven.

For me conclusive evidence is Jo. 16:8 where the Lord said of the Holy Spirit:

"And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: …”

Without that conviction in the hearts of men, the floodgates of evil in mankind will overflow and all restraint will be removed.

Also, after the rapture the Holy Spirit is absent and all reverts back to where each one will be judged by their works rather than the new birth by the Holy Spirit. That is clearly seen in the Lords teaching on judgment when the He comes and establishes the kingdom. Those are judged by their works.

Now we can promise the immediate indwelling of the Holy Spirit to everyone who comes to Christ. But after the Holy Spirit leaves with the rapture, those who preach the Gospel of the Kingdom can make no such promise. Those who pass the judgments of their works and are admitted into the kingdom will afterwards receive the Holy Spirit.

The prophet Joel had spoken of when the kingdom of Israel is re-established the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh which certainly cannot be speaking of this dispensation and most certainly not the tribulation. To those who claim that the present church is the kingdom, as with so many things, they have no explanation. It is common knowledge that the Holy Spirit would be given to those who would enter the kingdom (Jo. 3:3, 5; Isa. 32:15; 44:3; Ez. 36:27; 37:14; Zech. 12:10; Joel 2:28 29 and Acts 2:17-18).

It is certain evidence from the above that the Holy Spirit is not indwelling those in the tribulation if He is to indwell them after they enter the kingdom. And that is in harmony with Paul’s statement that the “the Restrainer” who would be the Holy Spirit (He) will be removed with the church before the tribulation begins.

It is also seen in the letters to the seven Jewish assemblies in the tribulation. In Rev. 2 and 3 it is clearly seen that all seven assemblies will be judged according to their works (he that overcomes) because they have not the indwelling Holy Spirit as believers do today. Their judgments await the coming of the Lord when He will establish the kingdom and then will receive the Holy Spirit as mentioned earlier. However, we in the present church have already overcome in Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of our redemption (Eph. 1:13-14).

The same judgment of works is seen in the Lord’s teaching in the parables of when He comes to establish the kingdom. In Matt. 10:7; and in v. 22 the Lord says the same of those who survive the tribulation where it is said of those entering the kingdom “…he who endures to the end….”

But we who in this dispensation of grace are already have a citizenship in heaven.

May the Lord bless

In His grace

Pilgrim49

[karaoke]

Re: 2 Messages, 1 Day- Your Discernment

FIRST MESSAGE FROM MAURICE SKLAR:

“And now you know WHAT IS RESTRAINING him (from being revealed at this time) (the antichrist); it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own (appointed time). For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, (BUT IS) RESTRAINED ONLY UNTIL HE (OR THAT) WHICH RESTRAINS IS TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY. And then the lawless one (the antichrist) will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by His appearing at His coming.”

2 Thessalonians 2:6- 8 (Amplified Bible)

More at link above I am working on the link.

The Restrainer is the Spirit of God. Satans power was nailed to the cross by the Lord Jesus. when Jesus accendend into heaven He sent the Holy Spirit into the world to restrain satans ability to hender the gospel and decieve mankind. When the gospel has been preached to each and every one whom the Lord calls to himself, this is the time when the Restrainer( the Spirit of God) will be lifted, and satan will be loosed on the earth to do as he pleases without God being in the way( some call this time the great tribulation). On the last day, this is when the Lord comes to destroy the wicked.

Edited March 30, 2012 by karaoke