In 1 Thess, Paul talked about the rapture of the church. However, some people among the Thessalonian church believed “the day of the Lord has come.” (v.2) “The day of the Lord” is an Old Testament term referring to the end times. This period consists of God’s judgment and the restoration of Israel. In the New Testament, it refers to the Tribulation and the 2nd Advent of Christ.
Some false teachers taught that they were already in the day of the Lord. This would imply they had missed the Rapture. But Paul told us, “For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed.” (v.3) The man of lawlessness is also known as the Antichrist. And the Antichrist is now restrained but restrainer will be “taken out of the way” later (v. 7). Although Paul did not explain who this restrainer is, we know only the Holy Spirit has the power to restrain Satan. At the rapture of the church (1 Thess 4:13-18), the work of the Holy Spirit through the church is also removed.
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