Waiting for the Right Time. 2 Thessalonians 2:5-7.
Dear Aliens and Strangers,
Having explained that the Day of the Lord will not come until the Man of Lawlessness has been revealed, Paul goes on to explain that there is a time for that revelation, and it is not yet.
Reminder (v. 5). When Paul was in Thessalonica, he taught them about “these things.” He wanted them to be informed, precisely so that they would be able to tell when someone was deceiving them. One of the areas of biblical teaching that is prone to abuse is the End Times. The key to remaining on the right path is to avoid being dogmatic and identifying specific Bible prophecies with specific historical events or persons.
Restraint (vv. 6-7). The Man of Lawlessness could not be revealed yet. This was because there was
Something Restraining Him (v. 6). Whatever it was, the Thessalonians knew it, because Paul had had told them “these things” (v. 5). We do not have their privilege and can only guess what they had been taught. Commonly suggested possibilities include the Roman government of the time – an unlikely possibility because the government itself was a source of persecution for the church. The other possibility is the church as the body of Christ. This could act as a restraint because of the focus on holiness and make it impossible for the Man of Lawlessness to fully implement his lawlessness. We cannot be dogmatic about this, though, and we cannot ask the Apostle Paul for clarification.
Someone Restraining Him (v. 7). There is not just something, there is also someone who restrains. The possibility exists that the “what” and the “who” are one and the same. The other possibility is that the two are linked. If we identify the “what” as the church, then the most likely identity of the “who” is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit indwells believers and is a motivation to obey God, convicting “the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). What this would suggest is that a time is coming when the Holy Spirit will be “out of the way.” One explanation of that would be the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). This would end the church age and usher in a time when the world would be “free” to rebel, without restraint.
While we cannot be dogmatic, we must be alert to the possibility. Are you ready, should the trumpet sound? It would be a disaster of unquantifiable proportions to be left behind, in a world where evil is no longer restrained.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.