He who restraineth???

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by kclee4jc

II Thessalonians 2:7
"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth (Greek-restraineth) will let until he be taken out of the way"

Who is restraining?

What is he restraining?

Where will he be taken to when he is taken out of the way?

Could the restrainer be speaking about Christ's restraining power through the Holy Spirit, restraining the devil until the end of the church age?

II Thessalonians 2:7
"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth (Greek-restraineth) will let until he be taken out of the way"

From a Preterist perspective, could the restrainer be connected to Christ's having bound Satan? In Amillennial Preterism the angel in the beginning of Revelation 20 is interpreted as being a symbol of Christ who is the "messenger (angel) of the covenant" (Malachi 3:1). As part of Christ's ministry he not only preaches the Gospel but He also binds the strong man, and restrains Satan for the symbolic 1,000 years (or church age).

Revelation 20:1-3
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

At the end of the symbolic 1,000 years (or church age) we read:

Revelation 20:7-11
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Many who embrace Amillennialism believe that at the end of the church age (or Millennium) Satan is loosed, and unites the world in a final form of Antichrist. But just as these enemies of God surround the saints, and the beloved city, fire comes down from God out of Heaven and devours them. Could there be a parallel in II Thessalonians?

II Thessalonians 2:3-8
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 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:

Thoughts?