Bible Questions Answered:
“What is it in Thessalonians that
holds back lawlessness?”
Hyacinth/ Rome Italy
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
II Thessalonians 2:1-12 NLT
1 Now, dear
brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet Him.
2 Don’t be so
easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of The Lord
has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have
had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us.
3 Don’t be
fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a
great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is
revealed—the one who brings destruction.
4 He will exalt
himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of
worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he
himself is God.
5 Don’t you
remember that I told you about all this when I was with you?
6 And you know
what (Who)
is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes.
7 For this
lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret
until The One who is holding it back steps out of the
way.
8 Then the man
of lawlessness will be revealed, but The Lord Jesus will kill him
with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of His
coming.
9 This man will
come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and
miracles.
10 He will use
every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to
destruction, because they refuse to love and accept The Truth that
would save them.
11 So God will
cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies.
12 Then they
will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing The Truth.
II Thessalonians 2:1-12 KJV
1 Now we
beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by
our gathering together unto Him,
2 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.
3 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;
4 Who opposeth
and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is
worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing
himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye
not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye
know what (Who)
with holdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the
mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now
letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way.
8 And then
shall that Wicked be revealed, whom The Lord shall consume with The
Spirit Of His Mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His
coming:
9 Even him,
whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs
and lying wonders,
10 And with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they
received not the love of The Truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this
cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a
lie:
12 That they
all might be damned who believed not The Truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.
Some have thought it Civil Authority
(In Paul's day, Rome)/ some have thought it to be The Word, or the
gospel, and to be sure it is through The Word, that we may make combat
with they enemy!
Civil governments, come and go, but The
Word, is everlasting.
The Word:
Joshua 1:8 KJV (Spiritual
Victory.)
This book of the law shall not
depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and
night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is
written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and
then thou shalt have good success.
Psalm 19:9-11 KJV (Reward)
9 The fear of The Lord is clean,
enduring for ever: the judgments of The Lord are True and Righteous
altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than
gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the
honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant
warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Jeremiah 5:14 KJV (Flame of
fire.)
Wherefore thus saith The Lord God Of
Hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make My words in
thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
Jeremiah 23:29 KJV (Hammer)
Is not My Word like as a fire? saith
The Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Ezekiel 37:7 KJV (Word of Life)
So I prophesied as I was commanded:
and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the
bones came together, bone to his bone.
Matthew 7:24 KJV (Success)
Therefore whosoever heareth these
sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man,
which built his house upon a Rock:
Luke 11:28 KJV (Blessed)
But He said, Yea rather, blessed are
they that hear The Word Of God, and keep it.
John 5:24 KJV (Blessed hearers
of The Word.)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life.
John 8:31 KJV (True
Discipleship.)
Then said Jesus to those Jews which
believed on Him, If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples
indeed;
Romans 1:16 KJV (Saving Word)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Revelation 1:3 KJV (Faithful
Watchers.)
Blessed is he that readeth, and they
that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are
written therein: for the time is at hand.
Is it The Word, that is holding back
the evil spirit of lawlessness (iniquity)?
Yes, But it is God The Holy Spirit,
who is wielding it!
Ephesians 6:17 KJV (Weapon of
defense.)
And take the helmet of salvation,
and The Sword Of The Spirit, which is The Word Of
God:
Hebrews 4:12 KJV (Sword)
For The Word Of God is quick,
and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even
to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
II Thessalonians
2:6,7 NLT
6 And you know
what (Who)
is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes.
7 For this
lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret
until The One who is holding it back steps out of the
way.
II Thessalonians
2:6,7 KJV
6 And now ye
know what (Who)
withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the
mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now
letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
The Word, here tells us that it is “someone,” who is holding back
lawlessness, and that is
God The Holy Spirit!
God The Holy Spirit, is omnipresent (Everywhere existent.).
Psalm 139:8 KJV
If I ascend up
into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou
art there.
Our God created the universe, and there is no place where He is not!
Deuteronomy 4:35
KJV
Know therefore
this day, and consider it in thine heart, that The Lord he is God in
heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
Jeremiah 23:24
KJV
Can any hide
himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith The Lord. Do
not I fill heaven and earth? saith The Lord.
“But pastor,
it says the Holy Spirit will be taken away.”
II Thessalonians
2:7 KJV
For the
mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now
letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way.
Better rendering:
II Thessalonians
2:7 NLT
For this
lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret
until The One who is holding it back steps out of
the way.
The Holy Spirit is God, therefore there is no where, where He is not,
knowing this, we come to understand as the New Living Translation has
translated this verse.
God The Holy Spirit, “steps out of the way, “ of being a
“restrainer,” against evil, (Changing of office.)
Today, God's Holy Spirit is blocking the full extent of evil!
“Oh pastor, you don't know what you are saying, look how evil our
world is!”
Yes, it is tremendously evil, and yet, this world has only seen the
tip of the iceberg of evil.
There soon is coming a day, God's people having been removed, when
Satan and his son (the anti-christ) will rule this fallen world....
Genesis 6:5 KJV
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and
that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually.
The day that is coming will make the sins of Sodom and Gomorah look
like a Sunday School picnic.
God The Holy Spirit, during this time known as The Day Of Jacobs
Trouble, or The Tribulation, will cease His restraining sin
(blocking, holding it back.) But yes many will be saved in the
tribulation, a work of God The Holy Spirit.
Revelation 6:11 KJV (Tribulation Martyrs.)
And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said
unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their
fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they
were, should be fulfilled.
The dregs of sin will be drunken to its fullest, darkest evil, will be reality.
Any lie, no matter how great, will be held to.
II Thessalonians 2:11,12 KJV
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that
they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not The Truth, but
had pleasure in unrighteousness.
“So pastor, knowing all this, whats our game plan today?”
Dear saints of The Living God, listen to the Apostle Paul, he tells
us!
Ephesians 5:18 KJV
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled
with The Spirit;
Allow God The Holy Spirit, to have every access to your life, fill
your life with God The Holy spirit and with The Word Of God, and be a
part of the offence team, chasing out evil, as long as we the
church of The Lord Jesus Christ are here.
Leviticus 26:7,8 KJV (The Christian's Sword, The Word Of God.)
7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you
by The Sword.
8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you
shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before
you by The Sword.
Joshua 23:10 KJV
One man of you shall chase a thousand: for The Lord your God, He
it is that fighteth for you, as He hath promised you.
Matthew 28:18-20 KJV
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given
unto Me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.
