“Restrained Now”
“Restrained Now”
Blessings folk!
Have you been thinking about these things that Paul told the Thessalonians?
Remember, they had just heard the gospel and believed.
They had just begun to receive the Word.
And yet, this is information that Paul taught.
Hummm…
Makes one think that perhaps we would do well to learn it also.
Read the passage again…
2 Th 2:6-7
And you know what restrains him now,
so that in his time he will be revealed.
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.
The “him” in verse 6 the man of lawlessness mentioned in the previous verses.
Think about that.
Read what is said.
He, the man of lawlessness, is restrained now…at the time of the writing.
He was restrained…and still is…so that in his time he will be revealed.
He was and is…and has yet to be revealed.
In verse 7 we see that something is at work - the mystery of lawlessness.
This mystery is at work, yet restrained.
A “he” is restraining now.
Still is.
Restraining will continue until “he” is taken out of the way.
Hang on…
We saw yesterday that the NASB2020 capitalized “He”, thereby inferring that is the Lord Jesus referenced in this passage.
Nope.
Wrong.
Very common belief, though.
Some believe the “He” is the Holy Spirit.
No.
The “he” should be lower-case.
Read Daniel 12:1…in several translations…
Dan 12:1
At that time
Michael, the great prince
who stands watch over your people,
will rise up.
There will be a time of distress
such as never has occurred
since nations came into being until that time.
But at that time all your people
who are found written in the book will escape.
CSB
Dan 12:1
And at that time shall Michael stand up,
the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:
and there shall be a time of trouble,
such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time:
and at that time thy people shall be delivered,
every one that shall be found written in the book.
KJV
Dan 12:1
“Now at that time Michael,
the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people,
will arise.
And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred
since there was a nation until that time;
and at that time your people,
everyone who is found written in the book,
will be rescued.
What is being said in Daniel 12:1?
What does this have to do with what Paul is telling the Thessalonians?
Good stuff…
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