The mystery
Posted by appolus on October 1, 2019
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.(2Th 2:7)
Most of the saints know that in this letter to the Thessalonians, Paul, in part, is putting at ease their fears that they may have missed the second coming of the Lord. In verse seven we see something of a mystery. It speaks of “He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” Now, in my NKJV the “He,” is capitalized and this tells us who they think the restrainer is. There are many theories out there which include the restrainer being the Roman Empire or human government and so on. I personally believe that the “He,” is indeed the Holy Spirit. I don’t want to go into detail as to why I believe that, you can do your own research, but enough to say that this is what I believe.
Now, how does this correspond to my belief that there is no pre-tribulation rapture? If we as a Body, the Body of Christ will go through the great tribulation, and I believe that we will, where is the Holy Spirit if He has been “taken out of the way?” First of all, if the Scripture had said that He was taken out, then it may make more sense especially for those who do believe in a pre trib rapture. The Church would be raptured, the Holy Spirit would be gone and the world would be left without either. Now this idea has its own problems, which I do not intend to go into as this is not an intense study on the subject. Enough to say that it is problematic at the very least. So, the Scriptures do not say that He is taken out, it says that He is taken out of the way.
So let me suggest this for your consideration. The Church will go through the Tribulation, at least in part perhaps more. The Church will be required, at some point after the great falling away, to take the mark of the beast in order to buy and sell. The world will, but the genuine saints will not. Now as the saints cannot buy or sell, they have been effectively taken out of society, this remnant people. Even if there were hundreds of millions of us, and there may well be, it will still be a tiny minority of the general population of the world. Now we know a couple of things for certain about the mark, we know that without it we can neither buy nor sell. We also know that those who take it, the vast majority of the world, can never be redeemed. They will go to hell.
Now I want you to imagine a time where the mark has been taken by most and rejected by a minority, a remnant if you like. Scripture tells us that after He who had been restraining is taken out of the way, then the lawless one will be revealed. After the lawless one is revealed the world now knows, supernaturally, that the mark they have taken has guaranteed that they are going to hell, there is no way out of that and they now know it. What will the world look like at that point? If you knew you were, for a certain, going to hell, and lets say you hated your neighbor, why not kill your neighbor? What if you lusted after your neighbor’s wife? What would prevent you from “taking,” her? Lawlessness on a scale never even imagined would break out. The people would be without restraint, their conscience would no longer operate because it has been taken out of the way, taken out of them. The Holy Spirit is still on the earth because He is still leading and guiding the Church and they have never needed Him more than they need Him now because a hopeless, lawless people, led by the lawless one Himself hate them with a perfect hatred and set out to destroy them completely. And in this time, such has never been before, the Lord must shorten those days lest every saint in the world is destroyed.
If the restraining force in the world is the conscience of men, and that restraining force is removed and is replaced by a certain hopelessness, a certain knowledge of an eternal hell awaiting them, what will happen to our thin veneer of civility? Civilization itself only exists in our day because of the light of God in men. Take away that light, remove the Body of Christ from society and remove the consciences of men through searing or simply departing and you are left with a darkness never before experienced or contemplated by the world. There is a reason that the Lord is calling His bride to get ready, to be prepared, to have their vessels filled for such a time as this. This evil day will truly be something that has not even entered into the minds of men. We have been called to stand in the evil day. Only by having the oil in our vessels will we be able to stand, and having done all to stand. Only by having this light in us will we be able to resist a darkness never even imagined. It’s the fool that thinks he does not have to be prepared. it was the foolish virgins that found themselves, in that day, outside, locked out, to forever dwell in eternal darkness. Let us prepare ourselves.
A Call To The Remnant 
bcparkison said
I prayerfully pray you are wrong.
appolus said
It would be nice if I was, but at least in terms of the Word of God, there is nothing to suggest anything like a pre-trib rapture, we should be prepared………….bro Frank
Robert Price said
In Revelation, the spirit of peace is removed from the earth and everyone starts killing each other. Of course this happened in the OT at a few instances when armies fought internally with each other at the Lord’s beckoning. When the Spirit is “removed” from His work on the earth with sinful men and there is no more striving with the consciences of such men, then their natural depravity moves into a seared conscience stage and all sin and evil is unleashed and the devil has his way with mankind. Just my thoughts.
Robert Taylor said
Brother Frank….This is the mst interesting, and thought provoking article that I have read for quite a while. I have read many peoples opinion on who the “restrainer” is, but your observation that the restrainer is likely “The conscience of men” is the best that I have ever heard. I believe you have got it right brother Frank. This has opened up a whole new line of thinking for me. Good word brother.
appolus said
I believe the Holy Spirit opened up my heart to this just a few days ago……………………bro Frank
Rebecca said
Jesus warned us not to be deceived. There are many ways to be deceived … many believe the deception will be someone saying ” he is ‘the’ Christ’ come … and that is true but that scripture reveals so much more … many do say and believe Jesus is the Christ and yet they teach and believe and walk heresy … a combination of a little truth and a lot of lies. The Bible sits dusty on the shelf … man is revered instead of God.Sin is over looked to full pews.
Preparation is through His Word which is illuminated by His Spirit. The we must live the truth …
I was reading a book titled Jacob by David Roper in which one of the first chapters he asks a question, “What is your price?” I contemplated that question and still do. We have to face the mirror now and ask ourselves that question? We have to look inward and ask The Holy Spirit to show any sin … GOD is faithful to finish the work He has begun. I want to stand face to face with my Savior and have Him say “well done.”
Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup but what would we have been ale to see if we had been able to look over his shoulder? We could see that he was preparing for the exchange a long time before he took the bowl from his brother. Hebrews tells us he was a profane man. He showed contempt for the holy. Pornumi / immorality originally meant ‘to sell.’ As all things in scripture it was written for our example. We need to look inside and let the Holy Spirit strip us now bit by bit of what ever would cause us to drift away or to sell our birthright for a cup of soup.
I think of Peter who denied Christ but once filled with the Holy Spirit proclaimed the truth with power … we will be witnesses … scripture says Elijah will come before the great day of the LORD. When I read the prophets I see the WORD comes to them and they proclaim truth with warning. Wickedness is and has been here since the garden fall …. we see a distinct line of separation which cuts through scripture: Abel and Cain … … … then GOD provided Seth. We could sift scripture to write a comparison chart all the way through so this I know: GOD will preserve HIS lineage as He has all through all history. There is always a prepared remnant.
I also know to agree there is not a pre trib rapture … the saints will go through much tribulation. There will be martyrs and if we just look to the middle east we see it is happening already. But in the midst of great tribulation and martyrdom the LORD is adding to His body. We must truly believe the promises and the warnings outlined in His Word… Jesus said ” Remember, I have told you ahead of time.” We must count the cost and we must be prepared to stand. We must have His Word buried deep inside … we must have a relationship with Jesus not religious ritual.
I write too much but my heart burns … Noah preached 120 years and no one listened. Jeremiah was told to speak whether they listen or not. Ezekiel was told he would have blood on his hands if he did not warn. So it is imperative we prepare ourselves and we speak Truth as we live it.
Rebecca
appolus said
Amen sister, we are compelled to speak the truth in love, it is a fire in our bones………………..bro Frank