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:
We don’t hear a thing when we see the fluff from a dandelion flowing gracefully through the air with the wind, dancing until it eventually drops softly to the ground. You don’t hear it fall; instead, you witness the subtle evidence of its delicate descent scattered across the earth. This phenomenon is no different from the topic we are discussing today. We don’t see the Holy Spirit, the invisible yet powerful force that guides and empowers believers, but we clearly see the transformative results of His work manifested in our lives and in the world around us. It is through the Holy Spirit that born-again believers are emboldened to act in love, produce good fruit, and share the message of hope with others. He is responsible for stirring the hearts of the unsaved, drawing them toward faith and redemption. His holy presence is invaluable, serving as the barrier standing between the imminent Rapture and the unsettling start of the seven-year Tribulation, a time foretold in Scripture that reshapes existence and reveals the urgency of being born-again before it is too late.
As we’ve discovered, the timing of the Rapture remains a divine mystery. Scripture reminds us that the one who ‘now restrains’ will continue to do so until He is taken out of the way. Because the Holy Spirit lives within every believer, His presence acts as a barrier against darkness. Without Him, the world would descend into the same unchecked evil seen in the days of Noah—a time so dire that only eight people were spared from destruction. Incredible! It is a sobering reminder of God’s holiness and His grace toward the faithful.
The Holy Spirit currently acts as a barrier, keeping the Antichrist from the world stage. Once the Rapture occurs, the Church Age concludes, and the Spirit’s work will transition back to an Old Testament-style empowerment. This shift ushers in ‘the time of Jacob’s Trouble,’ moving the spotlight back to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. While the door to salvation stays open for everyone, God’s primary dealings will be with His original covenant people. If you want to know where we are in God’s timeline, look to Israel.
Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
The post-Rapture world will shift its focus entirely back to Israel, marking a period of unprecedented upheaval. Without the Church and the Holy Spirit’s restraint to hold back the darkness, the stage is set for a ‘Great Deception.’ Deceiving spirits will use human vessels to broadcast a lie so moving that it will draw the entire world under its spell.
The unveiling of the Antichrist cannot occur until after the Rapture. As Scripture notes, the ‘mystery of iniquity’ is already active among us; global chaos and moral decay do not materialize overnight, but build steadily over time. We see the shadows of the Antichrist’s spirit across our daily news cycles even now. The only barrier preventing his full appearance is the restraining power of the Holy Spirit. Once that restraint is lifted through the Rapture of the Church, the ‘man of lawlessness’ will be revealed, granted free rein over a world prepared for his arrival.
Friend, born again Christians will not see the Antichrist in his role as Revelation describes. The epitome of the evil of this world is hindered right now thanks to the Holy Spirit. But once His power of restraint is removed with the Rapture of the church, the church age will end and the Time of Jacob’s Trouble will begin, also known as Daniel’s 70th week. The Antichrist will cut loose his evil influence and one will be hard pressed to find anything good.
I am trying to describe these events as simply as I can so that it is easily understood by those who are not born again. It may sound strange to you but with even just a little faith, you can be saved. This event is not something believers have to worry about because we will be in Heaven with Christ! But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
