2 Thessalonians 2:3-7. 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, 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. 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. 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 insight given by the Holy Spirit so long ago to the apostle Paul for the assembly in Thessalonica will shortly be fulfilled. No doubt ‘the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction’ is already somewhere on the world’s stage. As yet he remains hidden, awaiting his oppertunity to come forth as some latter-day saviour. The present great global uncertainty is building up to the crisis that will provide the moment of his revelation widely across the whole world.

Almighty God is the one and only law giver, who formed all created things after His divine will and purpose. Lawlessness is that which denies and opposes to the utmost all that is the truth and reality of God. In this evil being there is no truth, only a deceitful opposition to all that is righteous, all that is Holy, all that testifies to the love and the goodness of God.

No doubt this totally evil being will at first be perceived as ‘an angel of light’, deceiving vast numbers and drawing their utmost admiration – even worship. Yet the real embodiment of all evil that he shall become may be masked for a while. Even many who profess to believe in Jesus may be wholly deceived. This ‘man of lawlessness, the son of destruction’ will be the beast, the Antichrist.

In these last days before the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, great numbers of people are aware that there is a force behind the elected governments of the world. This hidden and unelected oligarchy is constantly at work behind the scenes to influence, distort and recreate the facts. Much of today’s media is their mouthpiece. ‘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.

Revelation 12:1-4. A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were  seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.  And she gave birth to a son, a male child….’

The one who now restrains is found in Revelation 12. In vision the apostle John saw in heaven ‘a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. This woman is opposed by her arch enemy, ‘the great red dragon’. However, the dragon’s present focus is not upon the woman but upon the offspring she is about to give birth to.

And she gave birth to a son, a male child. Is the male child ‘he who now restrains’? Surely the one who now restrains is the Holy Spirit, yet He does not restrain directly, but through those of God’s devoted faithful ones who stand in the face of Satan that they may thwart and overcome him. ‘The male child’ will be composed of countless believers who, throughout history, have lived by faith in the power of the Living God.

Hebrews 11 recounts the faithfulness of many from Old Testament times. However, the last two verses of that chapter are significant. ‘And all of these, though they won divine approval by [means of] their faith, did not receive the fulfillment of what was promised, Because God had us in mind and had something better and greater in view for us, so that they [these heroes and heroines of faith] should not come to perfection apart from us [before we could join them]. Hebrews 11:39-40. AMP. Right now, in these last days, the number who compose this male child are being added to until the time set by God for his birth.

Those who are now restraining in the power of the Spirit are largely hidden from the general view. Yet, the Lord knows who they are and where they are; ‘For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His’. 2 Chronicles 16:9.

John 9:4-5. “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”

Regarding His death on the cross, Jesus told those who had come to capture Him in the garden of Gethsemane, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber? “While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.” Luke 22:52-53. On this occasion it was only night for those who thought they could once and for all quench ‘the Light of the world’. Yet the power of darkness, in the person of Satan and those who were doing his work, was forever defeated in this most mighty act of grace.

“….night is coming when no one can work.While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” Will there be a time when ‘the Light of the world’ will be taken away? Surely this will occur when the male child is taken up into heaven; when the Holy Spirit ‘who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way’ He who clothed the around one hundred and twenty in the upper room with power and authority from on high on the day of Pentecost will depart to make way for Satan’s short-lived evil rule over the earth.  During that final period of three and a half years on earth there will be night.

There will be great numbers of believers in whom the Spirit dwells left on earth, but to let their light shine will be to face certain martyrdom. Satan, through the beast and the false prophet, will take utter control over the earth. Yes! ‘night is coming when no one can work’..

May those who read and heed these words be found among God’s faithful ones who overcome Satan, the great red dragon, ‘because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death’. Revelation 12:11.

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