Bible Study
October 16, 2025 (CSB)
2 Thessalonians 2:6 – 12 (CSB)
“Lawlessness”
“And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, 8 and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and will bring him to nothing at the appearance of his coming.”
What currently is restraining the Antichrist? One author has listed the following: human government, preaching of the gospel, the binding of Satan, the providence of God, the Jewish state, the Holy Spirit, and Michael.
Whatever is holding Satan back must be divinely supernatural. Each of those mentioned above could be considered, however one might argue human government. One thing for certain the man of destruction will not and cannot come until God releases the restraining power at work today. The reason for the restraint is that God will release it at the appointed time.
We can all admit whether a Christ Follower or not that evil is prevalent in our world today. However, the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist) had yet to be loosed to do his destruction. The spirit of the man is already in operation but the man who embodies the spirit has not yet come. This most likely refers to the rapture of the church or the taking away of the church from the world. The restraint will be in place until the Antichrist is revealed at the midpoint of the seven year Tribulation period when he is revealed in week forty-two.
In the middle of the seven year period God removes the restraint and Satan who has been behind the lawlessness is finally allowed to fulfill his desire to imitate God by indwelling the man of lawlessness.
He will be destroyed at God’s hand and will cast alive into the lake of fire along with the false prophet.
God Bless.
Asbury Chapel 