Who restrains the appearance of the Antichrist until his time comes?
Common View:
The Holy Spirit or the Spirit-filled Church. The idea is that when the Rapture occurs, this “restraining influence” will be removed which allows the AC to be revealed.
Problems with the Common View:
-The Spirit will still be aiding (Trib) saints on the earth during the Trib: Mark 13:11
-Paul never speaks of the ministry of Church or Spirit in mysterious terms as he does here:
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed… 2 Thes 2:3-8
-There is no second or third witness in Scripture to this view that I know of.
Clues:
-Paul says “Remember ye not…” and “now ye know…” This seems to suggest the answer is given elsewhere in the Scriptures.
-The male pronoun “he” is not used in the Greek for the Restrainer as it is in English. Only the definite article “the.” This is one reason some suggest the Holy Spirit.
Possible Answer:
The Archangel Michael.
In the book of Daniel he is called the Prince of the children of Israel and his “standing up” is connected with the commencement of Jacob’s Trouble in Daniel 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…
It is also mentioned that he has a “holding” ministry in Daniel 10:21: But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: (by Paul??) and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.
Michael is also involved when the Dragon gets thrown down to earth in the middle of the Tribulation: Rev 12:7-9
(The Pre-wrath folks put forth this theory as well due to their incorrect assumption that the church is still around for most of the Trib.)
Pre-trib folks want the Restrainer to be the Church because otherwise 2 Thes 2 reads like the Abomination (vs 4) must occur before the Day of Christ (vs 2-3), which in other passages is equated with the Rapture. (Another way they get around this is to prefer the broader phrase “Day of the Lord.”)
However, if you look closely at these verses, you will see that the Antichrist is not revealed BY the Abomination, but is identified as the same entity that DOES the Abomination. Don’t forget, his career will be half over by the time the Abomination occurs.
This leaves the possibility that he could be revealed by other means, perhaps the confirming of the covenant mentioned in Dan 9:27. With this passage in 2 Thes 2 in addition to I Thes 5:2-4, it is very possible that the Pre-trib Rapture may not be a signless event after all.
Children of the Day 