PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 253December 9, 2005
AN EXPOSITION OF II THESSALONIANS 2:1-12!
Part 4 (Same First Page on Each New Part)
II Thessalonians 2:7 – For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
I long ago lost count of the number of requests I have received about the identity of the “he’s” referred to by Paul in II Thessalonians 2:7. I did not reveal what I believed on the “he’s” for some time, and did not start to say what I believed about it until I made a trip to Kenya in 1999. Joel Cobb asked me what I thought about the he’s while I was lecturing in the Seminary there. As I had done so often in the past, I turned the question back on the asker, asking him to first tell me what he believed about it. Before that, when the asking person had told me what he or she believed, I would quickly say – well, that is what everyone else that asked me the question believes, so you are on solid ground. And, indeed, those who had asked me previously, all thought it referred to the Holy Spirit being taken out when the rapture came at the first of the week. But, much to my surprise, I was shocked to find that Joel Cobb believed what I believed about the Scripture and, as far as I know, still does. So, at age 73, knowing my time on this planet is limited, in this series I intend to offer my case as to who I believe the “he’s” represent in II Thessalonians 2:7. The reason I believe so many have asked me who it represents is this – down deep inside some, who have been taught the “he” is the Holy Spirit, there has been a suspicion it could be someone else.
I intend to exposit line by line from II Thessalonians 2:1 to 12 in order to make my case, and this will be the beginning sheet on each new Part until I finish it.
Please review Parts 1 to 3 before reading this continuing exposition of II Thessalonians 2:1-12.
II Thessalonians 2:3-5 – 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?
Verse 5 is the keynote of this exposition of verses 1 to 12 in this exposition of II Thessalonians 2, because it tells us that Paul had already given them the details when he was previously with them. He was simply reminding them of what he had already taught them. It would have been nice to have had a bug planted on the wall to have what he taught them on a recording. But we do have his first epistle to them, and some ideas can be gleaned as to what he taught them about some of the events which would occur shortly before the rapture.
I Thessalonians 5:1 – But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
They did not have any need for him to tell them again because he had told them before, and they should have a perfect understanding of the times and seasons which would be occurring before the rapture.
II Thessalonians 2:5 – Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
Acts 1:7 – And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
“The times” refers to the phases of the moon upon which the Hebrew calendar was based, and the sighting of the new moon began many of the Hebrew festivals. It simply means one cannot tell the month of the year the rapture will occur. “The seasons” refers to much the same as the Gentile calendar, that is, summer, winter, spring, and fall. It simply means we cannot tell whether the rapture will occur in summer, winter, spring, or fall.
In Matthew 24:36, Jesus makes it quite clear one cannot tell the day or the hour.
Matthew 24:36 – But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
So, what do all these Scriptures combined tell us what we cannot know about the time of the rapture – we are not able to tell the hour, the day, the week, the month or which one of the four seasons in which it will occur – and, by inference, we cannot know the year. But it does tell us we can know when it is near, because we know what events are prophesied to occur shortly before it happens, and it tells us why that is possible – because we are not the children of darkness – we are the children of light – and the day of the rapture should not catch us completely by surprise, as would be the case if a thief came into our home while we slept.
I Thessalonians 5:1-5 – But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. [2] For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. [3] For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. [4] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. [5] Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
When we see Israel heading into a time when they think they have attained a peace with safety, then one can know her time of travail, the tribulation period, is about to begin, and that the rapture is not in the far distant future.
II Thessalonians 2:5,6 – Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? [6] And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
The he is the antichrist and the subject addressed begs a question – why has he not already revealed himself?
In our next Update in this series, we will discuss what has been withholding him from revealing himself. The answer is found in verse 7. We know that the spirit of antichrist was already in the world when Paul wrote the epistle, but Israel was hardly having a time of “peace and safety” when he wrote it, and have not had such a status up to this day. The spirit of antichrist was being held back from being manifested as a flesh and blood man, and he will not be revealed until Israel believes it has achieved a condition of “peace and safety” – one which it will be able to control and maintain by its own power and expertise.
I John 4:3-6 – And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. [4] Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. [5] They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. [6] We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.