By: Robert Serreyn
Question? Can you kindly explain 2 Thessalonians 2:6-9?
(2 Thessalonians 2:6-8) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. (7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he 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.
Answer:
These verses are somwhat confusing, the christian MUST REMEMBER that the time setting of when these things spoken of in these verses will be taking place is going to be right at the end of the church age.
V3 speaks of a FALLING AWAY (rapture) that will take place first.
V6: Withholdeth – is a reference to the Rapture, He= The Holy Spirit.
V7: Mystery of iniquity (translated as Man of Sin in V3) = Satan.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first (Rapture) , and that man of sin (Satan / Anti – Christ)) be revealed, the son of perdition.
Letteth Will Let is confusing, the word WILL LET in the KJV are both italicized meaning that they both WERE NOT in the original manuscripts but WERE ADDED by the translators.
The Word LETTETH should have been translated as WITHHOLDETH rendering the verse as:
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now WITHHOLDETH, until he be taken out of the way.
The word HE = the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is HOLDING BACK…
#1 >- The wrath of God that he will pour out upon those who DID NOT trust Christ as their saviour and have been left behind to go through the seven year tribulation period.
#2 – The evil and chaos that satan will unlesh upon all those left behind
When the Rapture takes place THEN the Holy Spirit who indwells EVERY BELIEVER will be taken out of the way as V7 states.
V8 – That WICKED be revealed = Satan, and he reveals himself at the middle (31/2 yrs) of the Seven Year Tribulation Period as the Anti-Christ where he makes EVERYONE take his mark 666.
(Revelation 13:16,17) And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: (17) And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
CONSUME = to Judge
SPIRIT OF HIS MOUTH = The Word Of God.
The Lord Jesus WILL Judge satan by HIS WORD and and put a end (destroy) satan’s operations
The Brightness of the Lord’s coming is refering to the 2nd Coming of Christ NOT THE RAPTURE.
(Jude 1:14) And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.
V9 – WHOSE COMING = The Lord Jesus Christ
(Revelation 19:11-16) And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (12) His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (13) And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (14) And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (16) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
After the working of Satan = the 2nd Coming of the Lord Jesus at the end of the Seven Year Tribulation Period to establish his One Thousand Year Kingdom here on earth.
In Conclusion:
As stated in V8 when the Lord Jesus returns all of the chaos, and evil that satan and those that followed him did WILL BE Judged by Christ at his return.
(Matthew 25:33-41) And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. (34) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (35) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: (36) Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (37) Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? (38) When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? (39) Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? (40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (41) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH