Part Three
A few months ago while reading an article in the Prophesy in the news magazine, entitled “Rapturitis Affliction or Comfort?” I decided to examine their premise of a pre-tribulation rapture verses a post-tribulation rapture. I was particularly fascinated about their interpretation of “falling away” in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10. I had never read or heard of the explanation that “falling away” means “a departure” as they claim. The article referred to a book by Dr. E. Schuyler English entitled Re-Thinking the Rapture.
Dr. English points out the four tribulation viewpoints, which he believes are argued from the perspective of tradition and belief. “(1) Pre-tribulationism which maintains that our lord will come for his own, the dead in Christ and a living generation of believers, before the Tribulation is ushered in;
(2) Mid-tribulationism, whose proponents teach that the translation of the Church will take place halfway through Daniel’s Seventieth Week, at the sounding of the seventh trumpet of Revelation; (3) Post-tribulationism, which suggests that it will be after the period of Jacob’s trouble, at the same general time as Christ returns in power, that He will rapture the Church; (4) Partial-Rapturism, which holds that only a portion of the church will be taken up before the Tribulation, those who are looking for Christ’s coming, the balance being left until midway through this prophetic week or until its end.” Dr. English argued in favor of a pre-tribulation viewpoint although he pointed out one’s viewpoint does not involve salvation. It is his definition of “falling away” as meaning “a spatial departure” rather than an apostasy that I want us to explore.
Let’s read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 and then examine the Scriptural meaning of “falling away.”
2Th 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2Th 2:2 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.
2Th 2:3 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,
2Th 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
2Th 2:5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?
2Th 2:6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.
2Th 2:7 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.
2Th 2:8 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;
2Th 2:9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
2Th 2:10 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.
Most Bible commentators teach that “falling away” refers to the Church going into apostasy or a religious departure before the Antichrist will be revealed. However, most Pre-tribulationists believe “falling away” refers to a spatial departure or the rapture which traces back to Dr. English? We need to look particularly at verses one through three in context.
2Th 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2Th 2:2 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.
2Th 2:3 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,
We see that Paul is making a request for the Thessalonian Christians to remain calm in regard to “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him.” Pre-tribulationists and post- tribulationists agree this is referring to the rapture described in I Thessalonians 4:13-17.
The word coming is used many times in the New Testament to refer to the return of Christ. It can also be used of the Rapture as in 1 Thess. 4:15 as well as the return of Christ to earth at the end of the Tribulation in 2 Thess. 2:8 and is translated parousia.
G3952 παρουσία parousia par-oo-see'-ah
From the present participle of G3918; a being near, that is, advent (often, return; specifically of Christ to punish Jerusalem, or finally the wicked); (by implication) physical aspect: - coming, presence.
Because Paul clearly identifies the Rapture with the phrase “our gathering together to Him,” pre-tribulationists have difficulty with the addition of parousia to “our gathering together.” This is due to their belief that these are two separate events happening seven years apart.
G1997 ἐπισυναγωγή episunagōgē
ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay' From G1996; a complete collection; specifically a Christian meeting (for worship): - assembling (gathering) together.
As we learned earlier, the phrase “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him” involves two nouns joined by kai with the definite article preceding only the first noun. This single article joining both parousia and episunagoge are understood as depicting one complex event. Therefore attempting to make a distinction between the coming and the gathering is in defiance of the syntax.
Fallen Away
Apostasy or Departure
G646 ἀποστασία apostasia ap-os-tas-ee'-ah
Feminine of the same as G647; defection from truth (properly the state), (“apostasy”): - falling away, forsake.
G647 ἀποστάσιον apostasion
ap-os-tas'-ee-on
Neuter of a (presumed) adjective from a derivative of G868; properly something separative, that is, (specifically) divorce: - (writing of) divorcement.
G868 ἀφίστημι aphistēmi af-is'-tay-mee
From G575 and G2476; to remove, that is, (actively) instigate to revolt; usually (reflexively) to desist, desert, etc.: - depart, draw (fall) away, refrain, withdraw self.
The first event that must take place before the Day of the Lord is “the apostasy.” That the apostasy comes before the Day of the Lord is made clear by the direct statement of verse three “it will not come unless the apostasy comes first.” However, as the italics in the NASB indicate, the words “it will not come” have been added, but clearly refers to verse two: “the day of the Lord has come” or “is present.” Therefore, Paul is understood to mean that the Day of the Lord is not present unless first both the apostasy comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed.
The majority today understands apostasia as religious apostasy. But, there are questions whether the participants in this apostasy are professing believers, Jews, or non-Christians.
Also there are those who take apostasia to be an actual revolt or rebellion against God in the sense of a revolt against the governing authorities, which have been instituted by God.
Finally, there are those who understand apostasia as a reference to the Rapture. It is this last view, which we are concerned with.
Proponents of the Rapture view have generally appealed to early English Bibles, noting that they translated apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 as “departing.” According to Dr. English, William Tyndale’s version of the New Testament, translated and published in1526, renders apostasia, a departure. The Coverdale Bible in 1535, and the Geneva Bible in 1537, also render apostasia as departure. The inference of the translation as “departing” in earlier versions is that pre-tribulationists believe they give support or credence to the Rapture view since they can be understood to be referring to a spatial departure.
Actually, the translations of these earlier versions are not important in settling the meaning of apostasia as departure or apostasy. For one thing, the translation “departing” does not give any more credence to the Rapture view since our English word departing can be used in both a spatial and nonspatial sense. In Hebrews 3:12 the King James Version says: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Obviously, this “departing” is not a spatial one. Many examples can be cited from the King James Version. There are other early versions which also translate Hebrews 3:12 as “depart.” The use of this English word to translate apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:2 does not mean that these versions were less inclined to the idea of “religious departure” as the correct understanding of the term. By translating apostasia with words that can refer to a spatial departing as well as a figurative one (i.e., religious apostasy), early English translators do not provide us with any clear evidence of their understanding of the term in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Also, there is no other positive evidence that they would have understood the “departing” in any other sense than a figurative one. And, no evidence is found that anyone in the church ever understood apostasia to refer to a spatial departure until rather recent times. In fact, the translation of the King James Version, “falling away,” probably reflects how the passage was generally understood at that time.
Other than 2 Thessalonians 2:3, apostasia is found only one other time in the New Testament in Acts 21:21 where the word forsake is Strong’s G646. That verse reads in part “and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses. Bible scholars agree that apostasia here refers to religious apostasy. In the Septuagint, apostasia is found five times: Joshua 22:22; 2 Chronicles 29:19; 33:19; Jeremiah 2:19; and 1 Maccabees 2:15.
In every one of these instances from the Old Testament, the meaning of apostasia is religious or political defection. In koine literature, (i.e. Septuagint, and New Testament Greek translation) only the idea of religious or political defection is found. There is no example of spatial departure given. The Liddell and Scott lexicon (1843), lists the primary meaning of apostasia as defection and revolt and gives departure and disappearance as a secondary meaning. And, the only examples given for this Secondary meaning as departure comes from the 5th century A.D.
Even though our English translation “departure” can refer to a spatial departure, there is no evidence that this is the intended meaning of the word in those early Bible versions in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The argument that apostasia itself could have that meaning in this verse seems unlikely. Apostasia, in these early versions, most likely refers to a religious apostasy, and therefore its occurrence in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 should not be used as evidence for the pre-tribulational Rapture.
THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS
The second event which must precede the Day of the Lord is the revelation of the “man of lawlessness.” The manuscripts are divided on whether he is the “man of sin” or “man of lawlessness.” Because sin to YHVH is lawlessness or opposition to Torah, the difference is probably not that important. As 1John 3:4 says, everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
This “man of lawlessness” is further described as the “son of destruction.” The same expression is used of Judas Iscariot in John 17:12. Although it can be fascinating, it is probably pointless to attempt to identify this person with someone in the past or present. Paul is talking about a future “man of lawlessness” connected with the events surrounding the Second Coming. And, this person will not be revealed until that time.
In Matthew 24:15, we do know Jesus spoke of the "abomination of desolation" standing in the holy place, and that He was referring to Daniel's prophecy. In Daniel 11:31 it is prophesied that the Antichrist will enter the Temple and place an object in the Holy Place.
Mark 13:14 of the Olivet Discourse also implies an inanimate object being set up in the Holy Place. This might refer to the "image of the Beast" in Revelation or perhaps, it could refer to a throne on which the Antichrist will sit. Either way, there is no doubt that Daniel, Jesus, and Paul spoke of the same event. We know from both Daniel 9:27 and 12:11 that this event will occur three and a half years before the second coming, or in the middle of the tribulation.
This is another problem for pre-tribulationists because the very sign that Paul placed before Jesus' coming for us actually occurs 3.5 years after the tribulation begins in their scenario! It is also further evidence that Paul was relying on Jesus' teaching in this passage.
WHO OR WHAT IS THE RESTRAINER?
Now we need to particularly look at verses six and seven of 2nd Thessalonians 2.
2Th 2:6
And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be
revealed.
2Th 2:7
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.
Let’s look at some of the various
interpretations of who or what the restrainer seems to have been.
The earliest
interpretation was the Roman Empire. This was the view of Tertullian, a
late second century Latin writer. Some people think that Irenaeus and Hippolytus
also believed it was the Roman Empire. However, their writings indicate that
while they thought Rome must fall first, they got this idea from
Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great image, not from Paul's discussion of the
restrainer. They understood the legs of iron as being the Roman Empire. Since
the ten toes represented the 10 kings that give their authority to the Beast,
they concluded that the Roman Empire would dissolve into ten kingdoms, after
which the Antichrist would arise. This is not the same as Rome being what
restrains the appearance of Antichrist. After Constantine made Christianity a
state sponsored religion in the fourth century, writers commonly held that Rome
was the restrainer. Others have interpreted the restrainer as referring to human
government in general. Since Roman’s 13:1-2 says in part,
“the powers that be are ordained of God,”
human laws are seen as keeping this wicked force in check.
In Thessalonians two, Paul indicates that someone is withholding the "mystery of iniquity" and that once this person moves "out of the way," the Antichrist will be revealed. Pre-tribulationists claim the Holy Spirit is the restrainer. They believe His influence, through the "Church," keeps the revelation of Antichrist and his demonic kingdom in check. They believe the Holy Spirit, along with the Church will be removed before the Antichrist can be revealed.
Pre-tribulationists ASSUME several
things that are not stated in Scripture. Paul doesn’t say who the restrainer
is. Pre-tribulationists are assuming it is the Holy Spirit. Scripture does not
say where the restrainer goes when he is "taken out of the way." Pre-
tribulationists assume He goes to heaven. They are also
assuming that the "Church" will then be raptured to heaven
because she is indwelled by the Holy Spirit.
This pre-tribulation reasoning
depends upon a positive identification of the restrainer as the Holy Spirit.
What is their basis for concluding that the restrainer is the Holy Spirit? Many
pre-tribulationists base their assumptions on Scofield. According to Scofield,
the process of elimination requires this view. He says the Holy Spirit is the
only one who could do the job. Since the restraining influence has been at work
from the time of the Apostles to the present, the restrainer must be eternal and
supernatural. He along with others believed that the Holy Spirit is the only one
who could fit these criteria.
If the Holy Spirit leaves earth at
the beginning of the tribulation, how could the multitudes be saved in the
tribulation? No one can be saved apart from the drawing and convicting influence
of the Spirit of YHVH. Also, how could 144,000 Jews evangelize the world in
seven years, without the power and presence of the Holy Spirit? The
"Church" has been unsuccessful in nearly two thousand years with the
Holy Spirit? The Word of God clearly teaches in Mark 13:9-11, that Christians in
the tribulation will be empowered by the Holy Spirit! And that the Holy Spirit
will be INDWELLING them.
These verses only say that someone is
withholding the revelation of the Antichrist. When the restrainer moves
"out of the way" (of the "mystery of iniquity"), the
Antichrist will be revealed. The restrainer is not identified in these verses,
and there is no indication that the restrainer will go to heaven at this time.
Scofield is not correct in claiming that only the Holy Spirit can fit the
conditions established in these verses.
Let’s look at some of the criterion
in order to see if the Holy Spirit, Human Government, or Rome can be the
Restrainer Paul mentions in Thessalonians.
The restrainer is spoken of in the
neuter gender in verse 6 of Thessalonians, “what is restraining.” In verse 7, the restrainer is
referred to using the singular masculine personal pronoun, “He
who now restrains.” The first criterion is that the restrainer is properly
spoken of both in the neuter gender and the singular masculine gender. The
restrainer is both an “it” and a “he.”
According to verse 7 the “mystery
of iniquity” was already working in the first century. Since Paul spoke of the
restraining in the present tense, and projected this into the future until the
Antichrist is revealed, we can reason that the restrainer has been active for at
least 2000 years. Therefore, the restrainer must be a being that has lived for
at least this period of time.
The restrainer is hindering what Paul
calls the “mystery of iniquity” and
not the “Man of Sin” himself. Obviously, the “Man of Sin,” the
Antichrist was not alive in the first century. The essence of Paul's statement
indicates that the “mystery of iniquity” is some kind of demonic force that
seeks to bring about the revelation of the Man of Sin. John adds some clarity
for us in 1 John 4:1-3.
1Jn 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether
they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;
1Jn 4:3
and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the
spirit of the antichrist, of which you
have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
John says they knew that the
“spirit of Antichrist” was coming. He informs them that this “spirit”
was already working at the time. The third criterion is the restrainer seems to
be able to deal directly with spiritual powers on a spiritual plane, rather than
in the physical realm. Therefore it is most likely that the restrainer is a
spiritual being since he is restraining a spiritual being.
4. The Greek word for "restrain" or
"withhold" in this passage means to physically grab and hold down. The
restrainer deals directly in hand to hand combat with the demonic forces.
5. The restrainer must be more powerful than the one he is
restraining, or have greater authority. Otherwise, how could he be successfully
restraining for at least 2000 years?
Of the various views previously
mentioned for the “restrainer,” Rome doesn’t fit since Rome fell many
centuries ago. The Man of Sin is still not on the scene and Rome certainly
didn’t have the ability to deal directly with demonic powers. It also fails
the masculine singular pronoun criterion.
Human government has continued for
the required time, but, like Rome, it fails to fit the masculine singular
personal pronoun (he). And, like
Rome, it also fails in the ability to
deal with demonic powers directly. Furthermore, human government will
continue in the tribulation, and laws will continue to be enforced. If human
government were the restrainer, Paul's words would imply that human government
would come to an end before the Man of Sin is revealed. We know this is not true
according to Revelation and Daniel. Also, like Rome, human government seems to
fail to have sufficient power to keep demonic forces in check, even if it could
operate in that realm somehow. In fact, it probably invites demonic activity.
The Holy Spirit fits most of the
criteria, certainly being able to deal with demonic forces on a spiritual plane,
and having the necessary power. The Holy Spirit is eternal, so He has no
difficulty with the long time element. However, the Holy Spirit is not typically
spoken of in the neuter gender of (WHAT is restraining). The Holy Spirit isn’t
pictured as directly restraining evil in Scripture, or hands-on wrestling
directly with the demonic powers. Certainly, the Holy Spirit is a counter-force
to Satan according to
1John 4:4 “greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”
But, this refers to the Holy Spirit's influence on US, giving us the ability to
overcome the adversary in our personal lives.
The Holy Spirit's presence does indirectly hinder the activity of demonic
powers, but Paul seems to be painting a picture of more direct hands-on
intervention with the demonic powers.
Since none of those mentioned seem to
fit the criterion that Paul discussed, who or what is the Restrainer?
During the reign of Cyrus, King of
Persia, an angel appeared to Daniel to reveal the future to him. He informed
Daniel that he had been delayed twenty-one days because of a struggle with the
prince of Persia. Then he told Daniel that he had to return to the struggle with
the prince of Persia, and afterward he would wrestle with the prince of Greece.
Dan 10:12
Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first
day that you set your heart on understanding this
and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come
in response to your words.
Dan 10:13
"But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for
twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help
me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.
Dan 10:14
"Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to
your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future."
Dan 10:20
Then he said, "Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now
return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold,
the prince of Greece is about to come.
Dan 10:21
"However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth.
Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces
except Michael your prince.
The angel wasn’t referring to the
human rulers of Persia and Greece because a human ruler or king cannot
physically fight with an angel, or hold back an angel from coming to Daniel.
Besides, the same angel in Dan. 11:1 said he stood to confirm
and strengthen the first Medo-Persian King from the very first year
of the Persian Empire. This angel was helping the human Persian king, and at the
same time was wrestling against the “prince of Persia. It seems obvious to
conclude that the prince of Persia was a demonic spirit that sought to make the
kingdom of Persia to do its sinister order. And, this angel had been assigned to
restrain it.
Also, the angel said he was returning
to the fight with the prince of Persia after he left Daniel. After that, the
prince of Grecia would come. If we follow the succession of Kingdoms in Daniel,
we see that the Greeks were to come after the Persians, followed by the Romans.
It is apparent that the angel was
fighting with a series of demonic powers that sought to influence these
successive kingdoms for evil.
If there was a prince of Persia
during the time the Persians ruled the known world, followed by a prince of
Greece when Alexander the Great came to power and conquered the Persians, it is
safe to assume that there would be a prince of Rome also. And that the angel
would be engaged in the struggle with that demonic force as well. Let’s look
again at verse 21 to see what the angel said to Daniel about Michael,
“However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there
is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces
except Michael your prince. The expression “Michael your Prince” is in
reference to Israel's Prince. Earlier in verse 14, the same angel said to
Daniel, “Now I have come to give you an
understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the
vision pertains to the days yet future.”
So, it is clear that “Michael your
Prince” is most definitely Israel's Prince. The word “holdeth” means to
hold down, or to restrain. Earlier, in verse 13, the angel said that Michael had
to come and help him while wrestling with the prince of Persia. Michael seems to
be superior to this angel at least in strength, and probably in rank. From the
angel's words in this passage we can conclude that angels, and Michael in
particular, are engaged in restraining demonic powers that seek to influence and
control human government for evil purposes. Since, at least Persia and Greece
are named in the succession of
kingdoms leading to the Antichrist, we can conclude that this restraining
activity was ongoing over these successive kingdoms. Michael is definitely
identified as the restrainer here.
The same angel continued his
conversation with Daniel through chapter 11, revealing many details about the
world kingdoms from Daniel's time until the final kingdom of the Antichrist. In
Daniel 12:1, he concluded by again referring to Michael in connection with the
coming tribulation.
Dan 12:1
"Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard
over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress
such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that
time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.
It is Michael and his forces that
have been HOLDING at bay the demonic spirits which attempt to control the world
empires. We already saw that Michael was named as Israel's prince. And here we
see the same thing stated. Michael stands for Daniel's people as Israel's
defender. Michael will stand up and the time of trouble will begin. What is
meant by Michael's standing up? The Hebrew word could mean stand still or cease
his restraining activity. Since the same word is used in reference to his
standing for Israel, it seems to imply that Michael will take a defensive stance
regarding Israel at the time the great tribulation begins. Apparently, Michael
will cease his offensive role as restrainer of the demonic princes and focus on
a purely defensive role as Israel's protector during the tribulation.
Revelation 12 gives us more insight
regarding Michael's activity at this time.
Rev 12:7
And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the
dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war,
Rev 12:8
and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found
for them in heaven.
Rev 12:9
And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called
the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the
earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Rev 12:10
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and
the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come,
for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before
our God day and night.
Rev 12:11
"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because
of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced
with death.
Rev 12:12
"For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe
to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great
wrath, knowing that he has only a short
time."
Rev 12:13
And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he
persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
Rev 12:14
But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she
could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she *was nourished for a time
and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
Rev 12:15
And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the
woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.
Rev 12:16
But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank
up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.
Rev 12:17
So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with
the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the
testimony of Jesus.
No doubt this passage was meant to
bring to mind Daniel 12:1 because the timing of Daniel's standing up is at the
beginning of the “time of trouble.” Jesus referred to this verse in Matt.
24:21, calling it “great tribulation” following the “abomination of
desolation.
hen we examine Paul's words in 2nd
Thessalonians 2, we see that he too referred to precisely the same time,
describing the “abomination of desolation” as the Man of Sin taking his seat
in the Temple claiming to be God. This is how he will be “revealed” once the
restrainer moves out of the way of the “mystery of iniquity.”
The word “withhold” or
“restrain” in 2nd Thessalonians 2:6-8 are translated from the
Greek word "katecho," literally; "to
grasp and hold down." The restrainer is holding down the “mystery
of iniquity.” At the time Michael and His angels throw Satan and his demons
down to the earth, and Michael takes a defensive stand for Israel's remnant that
are in the wilderness. The restraint will be removed from the “mystery of
iniquity,” allowing the Beast to emerge unrestrained on the scene allowing the
“abomination of desolation.” Jesus twice quoted from this vision of Daniel
in His Mount Olivet Discourse, connecting the Antichrist to the final king in
Daniel's vision, and identifying the “time of trouble” with the “great
tribulation,” in Daniel 12:1 and Matthew 24:21. Since Paul's remarks about the
Man of Sin sitting in the Temple parallel Jesus’ mention of the “abomination
of desolation” spoken of by Daniel the prophet, it is very likely that Paul had
Michael in mind when he spoke of the restrainer.
Michael and his army of angels fit
all of the grammatical concerns.
The angelic army is neuter, and Michael their commander is singular masculine.
Michael and his angels have been around for over 2000 years, so they fit the
time frame requirement. Michael and his angels are the perfect candidate to deal
directly with spiritual entities, since they are spiritual beings. Michael is
clearly seen in Scripture as the counter force to Satan, the one who contends
directly with the Devil as in Jude 1:9.
Jud 1:9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil
and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing
judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
And Michael and his army of angels
are more powerful than Satan and his demons, as illustrated by their winning the
“war in heaven,” and casting Satan and his demons down to the earth.
Michael and his angels are certainly
the best fit by far. Daniel 10 clearly show that Michael is engaged in this type
of activity. There are no similar passages that can be found for the role of the
Holy Spirit. Therefore, Michael is by far the best choice. And in my opinion,
the only possible choice.
If Michael is the restrainer, the
whole pre-tribulation argument from 2 Thessalonians 2 collapses. Not only does
the passage say nothing of the restrainer going to heaven, but there is no
reason to suppose that the Holy Spirit or the Church is even in view. Finally, IF
Paul was referring to the Holy Spirit, and implying that the Church would be
taken to heaven before the Antichrist is revealed, he would be directly
contradicting what he had just written in verses 1-3. There he said that “our
gathering together unto Him” will not occur until AFTER the apostasy and the revelation of the Man of Sin.