Chance (19 Jan 2020)
"Who Is The Restrainer?"


Hello John and Doves,

I would like to take another look at 2 Thessalonians 2.

2 Thessalonians 2:1  "Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him..." -this sounds like Paul is referring to the Rapture - 'our being gathered to Him".

Paul goes on to write:  "...For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first/the rebellion takes place first...." 2 Thessalonians 2:3

There are differing thoughts on what this 'apostasy' or 'rebellion' is.  Such as - this could be what is happening now with abortions, gay marriage, transgenders, strong anti-Christian sentiment, antisemitism; the anti-God attacks on marriage, babies, gender; or it could be the Churches 'doing their own' thing and not following the Bible - making up their own 'Christian religion' along with approving of abortions, gay marriage, transgenders, etc with the large drop in church attendance/membership - people are leaving the churches.  Add these to the huge divisions going on now - between Liberal and Conservative, not just in the United States, but other countries as well.  These firmly divided sides could easily bring on civil wars.

All of these 'thoughts' on apostasy and rebellion boil down to God vs satan, good vs evil.  And there seems to be little to no exchange of members now on the two sides.  The sides are being firmed up as the line has become more prominent.

Paul continues:  "For that day will not come until ...the man of lawlessness is revealed - the one who brings destruction (the son of perdition).  He opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God." 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4

Paul then writes about something that is restraining this 'son of perdition', "And you know what is now restraining him, so that he will be revealed at the proper time.  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now restrains it (holds it back) will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way."  2 Thessalonians 2:6,7

The restrainer is removed so judgment can come, so the antichrist , the lawless one can be revealed.  The political system is ready, the financial system is ready, the religious system is ready, the military system is getting ready. 

So who is the one who now restrains?  Some believe this 'restrainer' is Michael the Archangel; some believe he is the Holy Spirit; I heard Amir Tsarfati say it's 'Christians' that are the restrainer - the true believers that believe the Truth (and Amir believes that the antichrist won't be revealed until the true believers are raptured; see the link below.). The restrainer is keeping the son of perdition from being revealed...until the time is right on the prophetic time table.

And could 'the restrainer' be using a man to help hold back the forces of evil?  Or could 'the restrainer' be a man?  (ὁ κατέχων[ho katechōn] , “He who now restrains” - masculine.)  Hmmm.

Lance Wallnau, was on the Jim Bakker show recently, and he got me to thinking again about who 'the restrainer' of 2 Thessalonians is that Paul tells us about.  I have mostly believed that 'the restrainer' is those who believe in Christ - the true Church.

Lance was talking about President Trump and what is going on in the United States with all the evil that is being released and spreading.  He noted that the sides are lining up of good vs evil, God vs the devil.  He said that President Trump 'is the wrecking ball to political correctness'.  That Trump is our FIRE WALL. That he has been chosen by God as was King Cyrus to help Israel.  King Cyrus was given power by God to disarm his enemies to prevent them from attacking his country.  Trump is holding back our enemies from attacking us.

Trump is holding back the evil in our country.  He stands between us and the total moral destruction of our country. and he is preventing other countries, like North Korea, Russia, etc from attacking us.  He is holding back the evil, allowing us, the believers in Christ, the chance to repair our education system, our health care system, our political parties, the media, etc. - to take our country back.  But, as Lance, noted, we don't have much time.

The BIG election is November this year.  I'm not seeing much of a show of force of the believers in Christ taking back the education system, the political parties, the media, our churches - there is only about ten months left to change things...I don't see it happening.  I believe, unless God wants to give us more time as in four more years, we as a nation haven't repented in sack cloth and ashes, we have not freed our country from the spirit of antichrist that pervades our politics, our schools, our churches, etc.  If there is no rallied, strong move to push back this spirit of antichrist, will God allow President Trump to serve four more years?  If Christians don't heed the call....

It is the Christians that prayed and fasted and 'repented in sack cloth and ashes' to move the Hand of God - to get Trump into the office of the president.  God heard our prayers.  I feel He is giving America a second chance with President Trump.

Lance said we are seeing the maturation of the wheat and the tares!!!

Lance went on to say, that this restraint is going all over the world with President Trump - with North Korea, with China, with Russia, with Iran... Trump is preventing wars across the world.  Too many countries are afraid of what Trump will do.  Trump is a formidable force in NATO and the U.N. - having great influence over these world groups/organizations.  I picture Trump as the boy with his finger in the hole in the dike.

As Lance was talking, I couldn't help but compare President Trump to 'the restrainer' of 2 Thessalonians.  The prayers of the Christ believing people are keeping Trump in his position of power, helping him; Trump is definitely being used by God for the protection of America, Israel, and the world.  We have never seen the likes of this before.  The true believers have God's ear on this!

And what would happen if Trump is removed from office?  Lance said that all the good that Trump has done will be reversed!  The power given to him by God to hold back North Korea, China, Iran will be gone freeing these countries up to do whatever evil they wish.

Lance did not mention the restrainer, this is just what I was thinking when he was talking about how much evil President Trump was holding back here and around the world.

So how could 'the restrainer' be removed, IF he is President Trump?  Impeachment is still an on going option.  The Rapture is another (if Trump is a believer, he will be taken; if Trump is not a believer, the evil people left will remove him one way or the other.)  Or he could loose in the electoral college 2020.  Or he could become ill or die.  There are multiple ways for him to be removed from office.

IF 'the restrainer' is 'true believers'/the Church - which is backing President Trump - the Rapture will remove the true believers.  And the support of President Trump will be gone.  He will fall.

Many rabbis in Israel compare President Trump to King Cyrus - they see the similarities, the historical and biblical connection.  And many of America's pastors are saying Trump was placed in office by God for God's purpose for such a time as this.

The restrainer is removed because the people did not receive the love of the Truth; God will send them a strong delusion.  The spirit of antichrist will take over and all the demons of Hell will be unleashed.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

Maranatha!

Chance

Amir Tsarfati - The Restrainer - part 1 - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4rcKAWCOgU
Amir Tsarfati - The Restrainer - part 2 - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVPVTtu5MwQ