Why hasn’t the Antichrist been revealed?
The answer is obvious.
Who is the Restrainer?
It’s obvious if we will invest a little time in God’s Word.
I was asked a question last week, which the person hoped would be a “yes” or “no” answer. It’s just not that simple though.
My friend asked,
“Do you say - with SO many - that when The Church is raptured the Holy Spirit leaves with the raptured and is no longer present in the world?”
I love my friend. I love the discussions I have with my friend and brother, Kent. He and I are dedicated to uncovering the truths found in God’s word. He is the epitome of one with whom “iron sharpens iron” is an accurate statement. Take a look at the entire verse.
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
(Proverbs 27:17)
He and I hold very different views on eschatology. I’m solidly pre-tribulation and he is pre-wrath.
I began my journey on the road to my current beliefs as a boy in the Catholic Church.
Hal Lindsay had written a best seller, “The Late Great Planet Earth” and even we had a copy at home. It was very different from the Catholic eschatology, which is a preterist view. For preterists, the book of Revelation is merely an allegory or metaphor for events that had transpired around AD 70. For Catholics too, the events had already happened.
I got saved in 1979, coming to Christ at a Catholic Charismatic meeting. Within a couple years I began going to church at Calvary Chapel.
Calvary Chapel holds a Pre-Trib eschatology, but I wasn’t convinced. I held a Mid-Trib view until somewhere around 1990. Then my view began to falter. I began to see too many contradictions to the Word of God, and little by little I was less sure.
In 1994 I was a pastoral intern at Calvary Chapel Chico and requested the “pastors wanted” list that Calvary Chapel Outreach put together.
I had to tell them I was mostly mid-trib in my views, but that I would teach all the views and relay the position of Calvary Chapel. I promised to tell listeners to do their own due diligence, and come to their own conclusions.
I was accepted, and began receiving the monthly list of Calvary Chapels and Church Plants that were seeking pastors. I was on the hook to study now.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)
The Path Towards a More Literal Eschatology
Things that helped move me from a particular mid-trib eschatology into the pre-trib camp are related to my friend’s inquiry.
In 1 &2 Thessalonians the original recipients of the letter were concerned that the gathering of the Church prior to the Great Tribulation had already occurred.
The mockers were making the rounds and casting doubt. “Where is the promise of His Coming? Everything has continued the same since the beginning”
Paul was able to address their concerns, and mine, when he wrote to them.
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 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.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholds that he might be revealed in his time.
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who just now withholds will restrain, until he be taken out of the midst.
(2 Thessalonians 2:1-7)
Hence my friends question.
“Do you say - with SO many - that when The Church is raptured the Holy Spirit leaves….?”
The Thessalonians Already Knew the Answer!
Remember, Thessalonians were told they already knew the one that prevented the man of sin from proclaiming himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped.
...For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who just now withholds will restrain, until he be taken out of the midst.
The one question that only the pre-trib camp seems able to answer is “Who is the restrainer, the one who withholds?”
Go ahead. Ask your friends about this passage. Who do they say this restraining one is? The answer is more important than most will admit to.
Here are some of the requirements of the restrainer.
It must be a masculine person. “He who withholds”
It must be someone who has the ability and authority to restrain the man of sin. Even Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. (Jude 1:9) Only God can rebuke Satan. The man of sin will be Satan incarnate. The one who comes “in the place or instead of” Christ. The Antichrist.
It cannot be the Church, since she is the bride of Christ.
It cannot be the Catholic Church. She too is feminine in personality and pronouns.
It cannot be the Law.
It cannot be the Antichrist or Satan. “But he (Jesus), knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.”
(Luke 11:17-18)
The Restrainer must stop restraining before the Antichrist can be revealed. Notice the Thessalonians were told that the restrainer must be taken or removed from out of the midst (of them)
I believe that the only one who can restrain the man of sin will be one of the persons of the Trinity.
Whew!
Now with all of the backstory out of the way, lets get on with the show.
The Holy Spirit is the Restrainer
I believe the Holy Spirit is the restrainer, but I do not believe the Holy Spirit leaves and is no longer present in the world. That would mean that God would need to deny a part of himself during the Seven Years Tribulation.
God would devolve from a Trinity into merely a Duo.
What is the mission of the Holy Spirit? We know that many will come to Christ, but we come to Christ by the Holy Spirit.
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
(John 16:7-11)
Where is the Holy Spirit found in the Earth today?
In the Church.
Prior to Pentecost, the Holy Spirit inspired man, gave prophecy to man, and influenced man. Prior to Pentecost, the Holy Spirit only came upon man.
It is only after Christ that the Holy Spirit dwelt in a man. This is one of the attributes of the Christian that no other dispensation previously enjoyed. After Pentecost, we are told that if we do not have the Holy Spirit, we are not of God.
If you do not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, you are not saved. You cannot be a true Christian without the Holy Spirit.
How can the Holy Spirit be removed from the midst of the Earth if He is not removed entirely?
Salt and Light?
If salt loses it savor it is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. If you do not have the Spirit you cannot be that salt.
The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance in Christ, the promise and seal of Christ’s possession of us as believers. Romans 8:9 tells us “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His”
Some may want to become pugilistic and say, “The Spirit of Christ is not the same as the Holy Spirit” but I would retort the burden of proof lies with the naysayer.
Consider the words of Jesus Christ when He appeared to the believers gathered in the upper room after his death and resurrection. Tell me it was not Christ’s to give the Spirit.
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit:
(John 20:19-22)
Every Church age believer must be filled with the indwelling Holy Spirit. If you do not have the Holy Spirit you are none of His.
Let’s return to the original question.
“Do you say - with SO many - that when The Church is raptured the Holy Spirit leaves with the raptured and is no longer present in the world?”
My simplest answer should be obvious to all the readers now. No! I do not say, with SO many, that when The Church is raptured the Holy Spirit leaves with the raptured and is no longer present in the world.
I say that at the Rapture of the Church every single Holy Spirit filled person will be taken from out of the midst of the world. For at least a moment, the presence of the Holy Spirit indwelling mankind will leave with the raptured Church.
The Holy Spirit in the Church will no longer be in anyone! There will be no salt or light for at least a moment. There will be no restrainer acting through the Church. All hell will break loose. The Antichrist will no longer be restrained. All of these things, for at least a moment.
I’ve read and studied the Book of Revelation, and many of the Old Testament passages, and none of them seem to suggest that believers will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It may be that the world returns to the former dispensational form of salvation. Saved by faith, but without the Holy Spirit in their persons anymore.
But the Holy Spirit Himself will not have left the Earth.
Today is the Day of Salvation
Not since Noah’s Flood will there be a greater need for the conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come among mankind than at the moment the Church departs and the Antichrist is no longer restrained.
Man’s greatest need will still be the salvation that comes through Christ alone. The Holy Spirit’s mission will be needed more than ever before. This will literally be mankind’s last chance to get right with God.
As we see the world and its systems grower darker daily, as the day draws closer, and we see the Day approaching, today is the day to repent.
It’s as simple as A-B-C
Acknowledge to God that you have broken his law, you have sinned.
Believe on Jesus Christ for Salvation. Jesus Christ died on the Cross to pay for your sins, dying in your place, and rose again the Third Day. His shed blood is sufficient to pay for your sin. There is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood.
Confess your sins to God and you will be forgiven. You’ll be cleansed from all unrighteousness. You will have eternal life.
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
(1 John 1:5-10)
If this is the end of all things, then perhaps one of the most important question a Christian can ask is “Who is the restrainer?”. At the moment His presence is taken out of the midst of the world, all hell will break loose.
Stop wasting time trying to prove the Antichrist is revealed before the rapture of the Church. That’s pointless until you can answer who it is that restrains the Antichrist.
Paul told the Thessalonians that they would know who that restrainer is, that it was obvious to them even as new believers. It was so obvious that Paul felt no need to educate any of his readers.
It should be obvious to us as well.
Very nice job James. Totally agree with who the restrainer is.