revealing the Antichrist

I can't say that I didn't see it coming.  I had stashed away somewhere in the cluttered drawers of my mental filing cabinet an enigmatic passage of Scripture which I knew that, one day, I would need to unravel its meaning and then fit that piece of the puzzle into its proper place in the grand scheme of my still-developing understanding of Bible prophecy.  Today was that day.
 
I have no plan to deal comprehensively, in this blog, with the very broad subject involving the Antichrist.  Whole books have been written on that subject; some of which ~ like so much else of what has been written involving Bible prophecy, as I have discovered, may have little to do with what the Bible actually says.  Ultimately, the only way we can know with certainty what the Bible teaches about anything, is by careful, systematic study of Scripture ~ guided, of course, by the One who wrote the Book.

Today, I was pleased to read several comments submitted in response to my recent post titled, "a compilation of signs of Christ's coming".  All of those comments were related to the appearing of the Antichrist.  But the main focus involved the question: When would the Antichrist appear ~ before, or after, the Rapture?  That was when I realized I was going to have to wrestle with that small (but important) fragment of Scripture, in 2 Thessalonians, which I had long tucked away in my mental filing cabinet; as follows:

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....   (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) 

I want to limit myself, in this essay, to answer four (4) specific questions, namely:

1. What is meant in the above passage, by the phrase, "the day of Christ"?  Is that a reference to the Rapture?  Or is it, rather, another way of referring to what in most other places in Scripture is called, "the day of the LORD"?  Is "the day of Christ" the same thing as "the day of the LORD" ~ or is that something different?
2. What does the phrase, "...that man of sin be revealed," mean?  "Revealed" ~ to whom?  And if we may discern to whom the Antichrist must be "revealed," that answer, in turn, may then help us to understand something more about what that phrase means.
3. When shall the Antichrist be "revealed" ~ relative to the Rapture: before, or after that?
4. Finally, what is meant by the phrase, "...a falling away"?

In the context of the above-quoted verses of Scripture, Paul (by the Holy Ghost) apparently was concerned to comfort the minds of that body of believers whom he thus addressed.  Moreover, when those three verses are considered in their fuller context (following all of chapter 1), it is beyond dispute that Paul's purpose was to encourage and comfort those, suffering believers, at Thessalonica .

Paul's words, "...we beseech you," is as if Paul and his fellow minister-companions reached out their hands to take the Thessalonian Christians by their hands, in order to lead those hurting souls to fix their gaze upon a singularly wonderful, and promised, Event, namely: "...the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and...our gathering together unto him".  Is that not a clear reference to the Rapture?  It is as if Paul said (if I may paraphrase), "O, Church, fix your eyes upon Jesus, and remember what Christ has promised us!  He's coming for us; and, when he comes, he's going to gather us together unto himself !  Our suffering shall then be ended, forever!"  All of that (com)passion is bound up in those three words, "...we beseech you".  The Holy Ghost does not use words frivolously.

Paul's reference to the Rapture was clearly intended to comfort the minds of the believers.  The Rapture is not a troubling thought to Christ's true disciples; but it is our "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13).  That fact is essential, in order to understand what Paul next wrote (in verse 2 and following):

"...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."

The phrase, "the day of Christ," then, cannot refer to the Rapture.  For, their certain expectation of the Rapture, is what Paul had just pointed their thoughts to, in order not to trouble them but, rather, to console and to comfort them (in the midst of their afflictions)!

Therefore, we may very reasonably conclude that the phrase, "the day of Christ" must be identical with "the day of the LORD".  Which conclusion shall be further verified by the context of what follows in the Scripture text:

"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...."

The phrase, "that day," means "the day of Christ".  "That day" ~ "the day of Christ" ("the day of the LORD") ~ is obviously something which was indeed troubling to the minds of the believers at Thessalonica.  And rightly so: for, "that day" is intimately connected with some very bad things, namely: "a falling away"; and, "that man of sin be[ing] revealed".

Let me very briefly deal with the phrase, "...a falling away".  That happens to be something I have studied extensively.  Whereas it has been suggested by some, that, because that phrase (in Greek it is a single word) can be translated and/or interpreted to mean "a departing"; thus, the phrase, "a falling away" may be understood as being a reference to the Rapture.  Yet, I do not agree with that view ~ although I very definitely believe that the Rapture shall occur before the day of the LORD (pre-Tribulation, so-called).

I did earlier say that the Holy Ghost uses words with precision.  We are not going to "fall" in any sense of that word, at the Rapture.  But we shall be "caught up" (1 Thess. 4:17).  It is precisely the case, however, that all those shall "fall away", who turn their backs upon the truth of God ~ which is the true meaning of the Greek word there used (ajpostasi÷a pronounced apostasia), from which we get our English word "apostasy".  "Apostasy" means to "defect from the truth".  Importantly, we know about that great Apostasy not only from prophetic Scripture, but, tragically, we have been living witnesses of that great "falling away" ~ which has been steadily and rapidly expanding throughout formerly Christian lands, for at least the past century and more.  That "falling away" is not coming; but it already covers with gross darkness what once were Christian nations.

The great "falling away" (Apostasy) is very far advanced; and we know that we stand at the threshold of Christ's return.  But when shall the Antichrist be revealed?  That is the question to which we now turn.

First, let me say there is nothing hidden in the word "revealed"; it means what everyone supposes that it means.  But that word does convey a most important idea: that is, that the identity of that individual is presently (and has for a very long time been) concealed.  Not only has the Antichrist's identity been concealed from the world but, also, from the Church.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Bible does reveal much concerning Antichrist's character, and somewhat (less) concerning his conduct during the so-called Tribulation; yet, the information which Scripture provides, concerning the Antichrist's identity, appears to be purposively cloaked in mystery.  Yet, at the same time, there is contained in Scripture enough such information, for the reason (so it appears to me) that some may thus be capable ~ in the future ~ to "identify" who (or, rather, "what") that Antichrist is.

Who might those persons be ~ in the future (during the Tribulation), who not only shall then need to know, but, importantly, God shall also be willing that they can know, the identity of the Antichrist?  It shall be that "remnant" of 144,000 Jewish persons, spoken of in the Revelation, to whom it shall be given to know who ~ and what ~ the Antichrist really is.

But that part of the discussion seems to miss the point entirely, does it not?  For, the text under discussion states: "...that day [the day of the LORD] shall not come, except . . . [first] that man of sin be revealed".  Nevertheless, we must understand why it is that God included in his Word certain identifying factors pertaining to the Antichrist; while, at the same time, God has evidently not yet been willing that anyone should be capable to identify such an individual ~ even though (I'm convinced) that individual even now is in the world.

This much we know for sure: 1) hitherto, God has concealed the identity of the Antichrist; and, 2) during the Tribulation, the Jewish Remnant shall then discern (by the Word ~ which, you will recall, will be proclaimed by the Two Witnesses) the true identity of the Antichrist.  What can be meant, then, by the "revealing" of the Antichrist prior to "the day of the LORD"?

I believe it must at least mean that the Antichrist shall emerge on the world scene as a "player", before "the day of the LORD" commences.  That does not mean, however, that anyone shall yet know ~ even then ~ that he is, in fact, "the Antichrist".  Only, that that evil individual shall then no longer be concealed ~ that is to say, he shall then no longer be "restrained" from acting.  Here, we must look ahead, in the text of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, to obtain certain needed information regarding this subject:

"And now ye know what withholdeth that he [Antichrist] might be revealed in his time.  7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [restrains] will let [restrain], until he [the Restrainer] 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."  (2 Thessalonians 2:6-12)

Let the Reader take the time to carefully read the above text ~ which is rich with necessary information.  We are there told that the "mystery of iniquity" is already at work in the world; although, someone (not something) is presently "restraining" that dark power.  (Concerning the archaic use of the word "let", above: If I "let" my child do any certain thing, I am the one who sets the limits with respect to just what my child may and may not do.  Thus, one who "lets" is nevertheless still in control.)

The Apostle John wrote, that there were "already many antichrists" present and at work in the world, during the days of the Apostles (1 John 2:18-22).  Nevertheless, "that Wicked" (capital 'W', meaning, the Antichrist) could not be "revealed" ~ UNTIL the "Restrainer" shall be "taken out of the way".  The Restrainer being "taken out of the way", is explicitly stated to be the pre-condition for "revealing" the Antichrist.  When, and/or how will the Holy Ghost (the Restrainer) be "taken out of the [devil's] way"?  Surely, not before the Rapture!  We can only conclude that the Holy Ghost will no longer restrain the dark power of the "mystery of iniquity", AFTER the Church is removed from the earth.  And "then shall that Wicked be revealed...."

Very significant, too, is what the text then reveals about the character and works of the Antichrist ~ that is, during the early days of his rise to world dominion.  Namely: by the will of God, the Antichrist shall rise to great prominence by means of unprecedented displays of (Satanic) power.  All of which shall be a fabulous ruse, a great Deception, intended to tempt the whole world to give their allegiance and their worship to the Antichrist and to his evil master Satan.  THAT is what is meant, according to the strict meaning of the text, by the "revealing" of the Antichrist.  Not that his true nature and purpose shall be exposed.  No.  But very nearly the opposite is true; which is to say, that the Antichrist shall be "revealed" (come out of the shadows, and no longer be "restrained"), for the purpose to deceive.  Therefore, his true identity and purpose must not yet, even then, be discovered.  

The Body of Christ, as far as I can discern, has no need to know (before the Rapture) who that Antichrist is or shall be.  For, the Antichrist CANNOT even begin his brief career of powerful deception, until and unless the Holy Ghost shall turn him loose in the world ~ with "all power and signs and lying wonders", etc, from the devil.  Such unrestrained manifestations of Satanic and demonic power, shall then be far more compelling than anything the world has ever before seen, of the devil's power.  

In sum, I believe the foregoing analysis, though admittedly brief, yet is sufficient to draw certain conclusions, as follows:

• "the day of Christ", mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:2, is identical with "the day of the LORD", that is, the Tribulation so-called;

• the Antichrist shall indeed be "revealed" PRIOR to the commencement of the Tribulation ~ and, for the purpose to deceive the world; though his true identity even then shall remain hidden, that is, to all but the Jewish Remnant;

• the Antichrist shall not be "revealed" until the "Restrainer" is "taken out of the way" ~ which, I conclude, must mean that the Antichrist cannot be "revealed" until AFTER the Rapture of the Church;

• (Caveat: there need not be any substantial "gap" in time, between the Rapture and the beginning of the Tribulation, in order for Antichrist to be "revealed" AFTER the Rapture but BEFORE the Tribulation.  Scripture does mention that, after the Seventh Seal is "opened", there will be "silence in heaven about the space of half an hour" . . . )

• the true Church has already witnessed the great Apostasy (the "falling away"); and, so, we confidently thus judge that "the day of Christ" is now very near;

• I now have one less unsolved fragment of Scripture ~ and one more, important piece of the puzzle . . . .  And I know right where it goes.