Dear Doves,

 

2 Thessalonians 2:6-9

"And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. for the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders."

 

The 'pre-tribulation' rapture proponents would have you believe that there is a three and one-half (3 1/2) year gap of time BETWEEN the aforementioned Scripture and the next Scripture:

 

Revelation 13:2 & 5

"The dragon gave him his power, his throne and great authority. And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.'

 

 

The pre-tribulation rapture proponents would have you believe that the restrainer is taken out of the way BEFORE the 70th Week of Daniel begins thereby releasing the restraint on the anti-Christ a full three and one-half (3 1/2) years BEFORE his being given power for his forty-two month authority on earth. What is the anti-Christ doing for those 3 1/2 years between the restraint being released before the 70th Week begins and his being given his forty-two month authority three and one-half years later? It makes no sense!

 

I believe the phrase "revealed in his own time" means that he is revealed 'at the time' Satan gives him his power and authority forty-two months before the Second Coming of the Lord.

 

I believe the phrase "taken out of the way" means that he is restrained 'until the time' of the rapture which is forty-two months before the Second Coming of the Lord.

 

Luke 17:26

"As it was in the days of Noah, SO IT WILL BE ALSO IN THE DAYS OF THE SON OF MAN. .....the day that Noah entered the arc the flood came and destroyed them all.

 

Luke 17:28

"Likewise as IT WAS ALSO in the days of Lot ......on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.

 

Luke 17:30

"Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed."

 

There was no three and one-half year period of time between the 'removal' of Noah and Lot and the time of the 'wrath of God' coming down from heaven. It was on the very day!  So also will it be the day the restrainer is taken out of the way. There will be no three and one-half year period of time between the rapture of the Church and Satan coming down from heaven to give his power, throne and great authority to the anti-Christ. It will also be on the same day!

 

According to Your Word, come Lord Jesus!

 

Bruce Warner