Identity of the BEAST: The Restrainer

The Restrainer

"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;
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.
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2 Thessalonians 2:2,3,6

Now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. Verse 6 reveals to us that the spirit of the antichrist was being restrained in Paul’s time. It was already here.
It is called “the mystery of lawlessness.”
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. vs.7 NKJV
Q: Why is it “the mystery of lawlessness?”
A: Because, “the mystery of lawlessness“ is a system where people think they are keeping the law when they are actually breaking it.

Q: Who is the one that, at that time, was restraining the mystery of lawlessness?

A: It was the Roman Empire.
It was restrained by this pagan power that had control of the world, so the spirit, the mystery of lawlessness, the antichrist power could not be revealed.
---But Paul said, After the one who is presently restraining him is taken out of the way, then it will be revealed. The Roman Empire was taken out of the way.
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.
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2 Thessalonians 2:8-11."

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