Pastor Chris’ Corona Quarantine Epistles to the Flock of AIC Ngong Road, in Dispersion and Isolation. 18th. Edition.
Dear Elect of God,
Yesterday we looked in Revelation 13 at the possible identity of the two beasts and the Mark of the Beast. Today, we look at the indications of scripture, that it may not be time to expect the Beast to be revealed, yet. Please read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 and follow with me.
The believers of Thessaloniki (as it is known today. We know it as Thessalonica) were shaken by teaching that was going around, that the Second Coming had already happened. No, Paul says. First must come the “falling away” and the revelation of the “man of sin.” From the grammar, it is not clear if the rebellion and the revealing of the man of sin will happen together, but that is the natural understanding of the text.
The description of the man of sin is similar in wording to that of the Beast in Revelation 13 and also Daniel 7. We are looking at the same person here – the Antichrist. Paul says the Christians know what, and who, restraining, so that the man of lawlessness is not revealed. The believers back then knew, maybe because Paul had told them before, but you and I don’t. We are left with educated guesswork.
That means we cannot afford to be too dogmatic. Some possible options are the Roman empire, the archangel Michael and the Holy Spirit. My reasoned guess is the Holy Spirit. One can argue that the Holy Spirit is God and so cannot be removed. True, but the Holy Spirit was sent to the believers, as the gospel of John and Acts clearly tell us. If believers are removed from the earth, then it is possible that the Holy Spirit will be removed, too. This would leave the world “without a conscience,” in a manner of speaking.
The situation would revert to the Old Testament state, where the individual, rather than the body of believers, is the “temple” of the Holy Spirit. This is most likely the case. But whether so or not, there is no reason to believe that the restraint/restrainer has been removed. Until that happens, the man of lawlessness remains hidden and his Mark has to wait. Join me tomorrow for my tuppence on how the restraint/restrainer will be removed.
Your loving Pastor Chris.