Paul tells his Thessalonian 'children' about a time when God shall remove the one who restrains 'the man of lawlessness". This evil entity will then flourish for a season with apparently limitless power. Bad news? No. Necessary-to-Hear-News if the Church of the End Times is to be of full service to Him. (The 'man of lawlessness' is restrained NOW? Whoa! What's the measure of dysfunction, persecution and sin going to be like at his release from bondage?)

1. XIX
II Thessalonians 2
Apostasy
Revelation
Judgment

2. Pertinent Points

3. Pertinent Points
II Thess 2 represents Paul’s followup to earlier
teaching about the Day of the Lord, the Rapture
and the Resurrection.
Paul means to correct some misunderstandings
he’s heard have lingered about the Day of the
Lord.
Remember, Paul says this is elementary stuff!

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6. Paul Launches His Topic
Paul
announces a
new topic . . .
Now
1.
we request you,
brethren, with regard to the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ and our
gathering together to Him, 2. that
you not be quickly shaken from your
composure or be disturbed either by
a spirit or a message or a letter as if
from us, to the effect that the day of
the Lord has come.

7. Paul Launches His Topic
Paul has something for the
Thessalonians to do . . .
we request you
1. Now
,
brethren, with regard to the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ and our
gathering together to Him,
2. that you not be quickly shaken from
your composure or be disturbed either
by a spirit or a message or a letter as if
from us, to the effect that the day of the
Lord has come.

8. Paul Launches His Topic
. . . regarding something
having to do with the Rapture
and Resurrection . . .
with regard to the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our gathering together to Him,
1. Now we request you, brethren,
2. that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed
either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect
that the day of the Lord has come.

9. 1. Now we request you, brethren, with
regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ and our gathering together to Him,
that you not be
quickly shaken from
your composure
2.
or be disturbed either by a spirit or a
message or a letter as if from us,
to the effect that the
day of the Lord has
come.
The Thessalonians
must reject the notion
that the Day of the
Lord had already
come.
The Thessalonians
have not been left
behind, as some of
them must have
thought.

10. 3) . . . a forged letter
bearing Paul’s
signature!

11. 1. Now we request you, brethren, with
regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2. that you not be quickly shaken from
your composure or be disturbed
either by a spirit or a
message or a letter
as if from us,
to the effect that the day of the Lord has
come.
3) . . . a forged letter
bearing Paul’s
signature!

12. 1. Now we request you, brethren, with
regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2. that you not be quickly shaken from
your composure or be disturbed
either by a spirit or a
message or a letter
as if from us,
Paul states three
possible avenues of
their deception:
to the effect that the day of the Lord has
come.
3) . . . a forged letter
bearing Paul’s
signature!

13. 1. Now we request you, brethren, with
regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2. that you not be quickly shaken from
your composure or be disturbed
either by a spirit or a
message or a letter
as if from us,
to the effect that the day of the Lord has
come.
Paul states three
possible avenues of
their deception:
1) Contact with the
spirit world . . .
2) . . . A bogus message
or even . . .
3) . . . a forged letter
bearing Paul’s
signature!

14. 1. Now we request you, brethren, with
regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2. that you not be quickly shaken from your
composure or be disturbed either by a spirit
or a message or a letter as if from us, to the
effect that the day of the Lord has come.
3. Let no one in any
way deceive you . . . .
Whoa!!! This
phrasing sounds
familiar!

15. PLEASE tell me this warning reminds
you of the steady stream of warnings
Christ gave us in the Olivet Discourse!
Question: Of all the dangers believers will
face in the End Times, which danger ranks
numero uno according to Jesus in Mark 13??

16. PLEASE tell me this warning reminds
you of the steady stream of warnings
Christ gave us in the Olivet Discourse!
Question: Of all the dangers believers will
face in the End Times, which danger ranks
numero uno according to Jesus in Mark 13??
DECEPTION

17. 1. Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering
together to Him, 2. that you not be quickly
shaken from your composure or be disturbed
either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if
from us, to the effect that the day of the
Lord has come.
3. Let no one in any way
deceive you, for it will
not come unless the
apostasy comes
first, and the man of
lawlessness is
revealed . . .
1. “it” = the Day of Lord1. “it” = ???
our ‘gathering’ to Him!
2. 2. Unless how many
Unless TWO events
happen first:
events happen?
One) ‘The’ Apostasy
Two) A Revealing of ‘the’
man of lawlessness

18. EVENT #1:
‘The’ Apostasy:
Definition: A falling away of something or someone
seemingly known to the Thessalonian readers, for Paul
refers to ‘ the’ apostasy and gives no other explanation.
Candidates For Apostasy:
“Weak” uncommitted Christians
“Weak” uncommitted orthodox Jews
Rhino Republicans trying ‘to get something done’
A limiting influence on the man of lawlessness

19. 1. Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2. that you not be quickly
shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a
message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has
come. 3. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless
the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed the son
of destruction, 4. who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called
god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God,
displaying himself as being God.
5. Do you not remember
that while I was still with
you, I was telling you these
things?
6. And you know what
restrains him now, so that
in his time he will be
revealed.
“Do you not remember”:
Paul refers them to a
prior knowledge of what
restrains the ‘Man of
Lawlessness’, then and
(presumably?) now!
“SO” indicates a causeand-effect relationship
between an ongoing
restraint’s falling away
and this ‘Man of
Lawlessness’ being
revealed!

20. 7. 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. 8. Then
that lawless one
will be revealed.
“ALREADY” indicates that
agents of ‘lawlessness’ try
hard NOW to impose their
will on the earth.
“HE” tells us that what
restrains lawlessness
exists as a person, not a
mere force or principle or a
weakness on Satan’s part.

21. 7. 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. 8. Then that
lawless one will be
revealed
“UNTIL” further indicates a
TIME relationship between
a present restraint and a
point in the future when
the Restrainer is taken out
of the way.
“THEN” deepens the
cause-and-effect
relationship between a
present Restrainer’s falling
away and the Man of
Lawlessness being
revealed!

22. EVENT #1 (cont’d):
The Restrainer:
A person (“he”) strong enough to limit the evil influence
of Hell on Earthly situations.
Candidates For Restrainer:
(Known Guesses)
The Church ( favored by Pre/Mid Tribulationist)
Holy Spirit ( favored by Pre/Mid Tribulationist)
Archangel Michael (often favored by post-tribbers(?) and
Marv Rosenthall)
Another divine but unnamed spiritual agent

23. EVENT #1 (cont’d):
The Restrainer:
A person (“he”) strong enough to limit the evil influence
of hell.
On Choosing A Candidate
Paul never tells us who restrains.
Known guesses each and all suffer from some
biblical defects and challenges
Known guesses seem crafted to serve each
guesser’s view of the Rapture’s timing
I’m not dogmatic about it, though I’m drawn to
the Archangel Michael as a candidate!

24. Here’s a brief pause in the analysis
for a suggestion:
IMO, nobody short of the event is going to truly
nail down the identity of The Restrainer. As of
now, I am enamored of Rosenthal’s analysis in
support of the notion that it’s Michael, the
Archangel. And there’s a contrary analysis you can
sample, as well.
Click on either of the two hyperlinks above and go
get down in the weeds if you’ve a mind to. You’ll
learn lots and suffer no harm!

25. Here’s a brief pause in the analysis
for a suggestion:
IMO, nobody short of the event is going to truly
nail down the identity of The Restrainer. As of
now, I am enamored of Rosenthal’s analysis in
support of the notion that it’s Michael, the
Archangel. And there’s a contrary analysis you can
sample, as well.
Click on either of the two hyperlinks above and go
get down in the weeds if you’ve a mind to. You’ll
learn lots and suffer no harm!

26. Here’s a brief pause in the analysis
for a suggestion:
IMO, nobody short of the event is going to truly
nail down the identity of The Restrainer. As of
now, I am enamored of Rosenthal’s analysis in
support of the notion that it’s Michael, the
Archangel. And there’s aicontrary analysis you can
ness . . .
ack to bus as well.
Now, b
sample,
Click on either of the two hyperlinks above and go
get down in the weeds if you’ve a mind to. You’ll
learn lots and suffer no harm!

27. 3. Let no one in any way
deceive you, for it will not
come unless the apostasy
comes first, and the
EVENT #2:
man of lawlessness
is revealed, the son of
Someone referred to as
“the man of lawlessness”
gets revealed . . .
destruction, 4. who opposes
and exalts himself above
every so-called god or
object of worship, so that
he takes his seat in the
temple of God, displaying
himself as being God.
After the Apostasy
Hmmmmm . . . Wonder
who could fit that
description?

28. EVENT #2:
The Revealing:
The Man of Lawlessness:
Son of Destruction
Exalts himself above God
Demands worship in a rebuilt temple
Presents himself as God Almighty
Works in accord with activity of Satan
Has all power, signs and false wonders
Uses all the deception of wickedness for those
who perish

29. In Daniel, we meet this ‘man of
lawlessness’ under names like
‘the Little Horn,’ ‘ the Despicable
Person’
In John’s epistles and in his
Revelation, we encounter him
under the name: The AntiChrist!

30. Satan’s Followers: Doomed
10. and with all the deception
of wickedness . . .
A deadly snare
. . . for those who perish . .
For a specific group
. . . because they did not
receive the love of the
truth so as to be saved.
With a specific failing

31. Satan’s Followers: Doomed
10 and with all the deception
of wickedness for those who
perish, because they did not
receive the love of the truth
so as to be saved.
11. For this reason God
will send upon them a
deluding influence so that
they will believe what is
false,
Consider God’s
Justice and Mercy:
God seals believers,
honoring our embrace
of the Truth.
God blinds those who
have rejected the Truth,
honoring their choice,
too: Satan and the
lawless Antichrist.

32. Satan’s Followers: Doomed
12. in order that they all
may be judged who did not
believe the truth, but took
pleasure in wickedness.
Consider the
seriousness of
the end times:
A prior rejection of Christ
gains an early judgment
God binds them–heart and soul– to
an unbreakable allegiance to Satan’s
final manifestation of wickedness, the
Antichrist. What an awful judgment.

33. Full Disclosure
The KJV translates II Thessalonians 2’s
opening differently than my NASB does . . .
Now we beseech you, brethren,
BY the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and by our gathering together unto him,
In the KJV, the Rapture and Resurrection
become the BASIS of Paul’s request.

34. Full Disclosure
The KJV translates II Thessalonians 2’s
The NASB differently than my NASB does . . .
opening opens Chapter 2 this way:
Now we you, brethren, WITH
“Now we requestbeseech you, brethren,
BY the coming of our of our Lord Christ,
REGARD TO the coming Lord Jesus Jesus
Christ and our gathering to Him . . unto him,
and by
gathering together .”
In thethe KJV,the Rapture and the Resurrection
NASB, the Rapture and Resurrection
In
become the SUBJECT ofof Paul’s request. its
Paul’s request, not
become the BASIS
BASIS.!

35. Full Disclosure
Why, oh why, does this matter?
Well, if the Rapture and Resurrection form
Paul’s SUBJECT in Chapter 2, then Paul’s subsequent
narrative CLEARLY locates both these events deep
in the Tribulation/70th Week .
If the Rapture and Resurrection form
only the BASIS of Paul’s request in Chapter
2, their time location becomes, not
pretribulational, exactly, only less
immediately obvious.

36. Full Disclosure
The Background of This Difference:
Same original Greek wording for both KJV
and ‘modern’ translations
KJV translators used Classical Greek
interpretation rules-that’s all they knew in 1600!
Modern translators use actual 1st Century
Greek interpretation rules-they’d learned these
language ‘upgrades’ by 1900 and can now
correct ‘by’ to ‘with regard to’.

37. NEXT:
XX: APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH:
Paul warns Timothy about the
winnowing of the Church
Search th
e
Table of C
ontents
for Other
Offerings
In
This Serie
s