Volume 24, Issue 1 _________________________________Bible Prophecy Ministry


A World Without Restraints. . .Page 2



      II Peter 3:7 says: But the heavens and the earth, which are now ( present ), by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgement
and the perdition of ungodly men.

      It is only by the Word (Jesus) that this world even now is being sustained; but because of the evil that has caused its ruin, it is reserved unto a fiery death, as well as all creatures who remain under the stains of evil, and therefore allied with the evil one.

      The question people should be asking themselves isn't, "Why does God permit evil"; but in reality they ought to be concerned with the relevant question, "When is he going to render judgement against evil?"

      Nahum 1:2-7 indicate that God is a jealous God, who is slow to anger, but is also a revenger of all who commit evil, and he will not at all acquit anyone that rejects his merciful plan of redemption.

      The history of Israel demonstrates to us that God has imparted to humanity his law to act as a Restrainer to evil in our world. Every civil code of governance in the world reflects the wisdom that God instituted through the Mosaic law. Without this code of ethics, evil would have engulfed our world to such a monstrous degree that it would parallel that of the pre-Flood societies.

      Beyond that, Jesus instituted the Church to act as a great Restraining influence in our world by taking the message of hope and Grace to mankind all over the world. Jesus further insisted that his message of divine salvation should be extended to every corner of the globe before the destruction of evil should ever be enacted. I can't think of a more loving testament by a God of Love!

      But still, the Church has been admonished with a sense of urgency and a notice of alarm, for when it comes to pass that the Church has Fallen Away from its first love, then, it is apparent that the Son of Perdition is lurking in the shadows.

      In the book of II Thessalonians we are exposed to the reality of the restraining work of a supernatural powered entity; often deduced to be either the Holy Spirit, or the Church itself.

      II Thessalonians 2:7 states: For the Mystery of Iniquity doth already work: only "HE" who now letteth will let, until "HE" be taken out of the way.

      Paul indicates that this great restraining power will diminish in that capacity, and actually withdraw from obstructing the mystical working powers that operate behind the mystery of iniquity. (evil)

      This personage is personified as working in unison with the providential plan of God's historical designs to withold the evil one until God's longsuffering shall have endured to the point that God's spirit has come to the point of finishing its striving with mankind.

      God's words from the pre-flood world are just as strong today as they were in Noah's time, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man": God has continued to strive with mankind since the flood days, but alas Jesus own statement about the last days rings clear; "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be again when his Spirit shall cease to strive with man again".

      The "Day of the Lord" cannot ever commence until the time arrives when God deems it to be necessary to conclude his mission of striving. At that point, in conjunction with the mystery of God, the great restrainer shall in like accord withdraw from its function as the divine inhibitor of evil in this world; thus setting the stage for the unleashing of Demonic and Satanic onslaught of the Great Tribulation period.

      Restrain means to limit, or to restrict and to hold back the expression of something.

      Jesus relates in John 16:8 that the Restraining work of the Holy Spirit has been charged with the duty of reproving the world of sin and evil. The Holy Spirit has many functions; comforter, teacher; but among his multiple functions is the restraint of evil, and also the Evil One (SATAN) and his protege, the man of sin!

      II Thessalonians 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that "HE" ( antichrist ) might be revealed in his time.

      The "He" that is now restraining evil in the world is indeed the Holy Spirit! However, the functioning body that the Holy Spirit resides within to effect the restraining influence is the Church itself.

      The Holy Spirit, like God; is omnipresent; capable of being present in all places simultaneously. Thus the object being removed preceding the Day of the Lord is none other than the Church. The Holy Spirit however is unconstrained by time-space limitations. The Spirit was present at creation, moving over the waters; even then performing a function in conjunction with God's cosmological engineering of the universe.

      Why do you suppose God included this information concerning the Great Restrainer in this connection to the day of the Lord, and the withholding of the Evil one?

      God wants people to know that there is coming a day when there shall be absolutely no restraint whatsoever to the capabilities of the Evil One! Restraints will all be gone!

      The Great Tribulation era is a time when the evil forces of hell shall be permitted a period of prevalent domination on this earth, unlike anything heretofore.

      Revelation chapter 6 details the appearance of the four horsemen of the Appocolypse, riding forth upon the world stage causing war, famine, pestilence, and death. Revelation chapter 9 reveals that a general of Satan's rebellion (Abaddon) shall be allowed a permit to unleash a horde of about 400,000,000 fallen angels out of their imprisonment in the abyss. Finally in the chapters of 12 and 13 the Antichrist, the man of sin, makes his appearance, and leads the whole world to join in the ultimate act of evil.

      Finally in Revelation 14:19 God puts an end to the dominion of evil minded men. God does not wish for anyone to be among this crowd of sinful revelers. He is forewarning us today that His Restrainer shall not always strive with man to compel them to accept his manifest demonstration of Love on Calvary! Someday all Hell will be turned loose on a world that has no respect for "His Only Well-beloved Son"!

      Now I repeat the question from the parable of the vineyard owner; "What shall the Lord of the vineyard do to those who killed his son", or reject him?

      "The Lord will not at all acquit the Wicked and Evil"

      The world is at enmity with God. It aspires to be free of God's restraining influences on their escapade of self exaltation and freedom. The natural world is wholly enamored with its expression of individuality; and will not tolerate a God that restricts, or inhibits its party time!

      The only reason that the Ten Commandments are a controversial issue in our society today is primarily because the world, being aligned with Satan; will not tolerate the God of creation insinuating that there is a force of evil in the world to be shunned.

      Revelation 11:12 portrays a world that is completely devoid of God's restrictions on its freewheeling life style. The world unites and throws a party when God's last vestige of restraint has been expunged. The world’s inhabitants shall send gifts to one another, and make merriment because of that fact. This is a Party that is unrestrained! Men shall be wholly free to live and let live without any restraints whatsoever!

      But, little does the world realize the ramifications of rejecting the striving spirit of God. The snare will have been set for all those who relish in the concept of a world without the influence of a righteous God.

      II Thessalonians 2:8-12 specifically indicate that after the Great Restrainer is withdrawn, that a grand delusion will be perpetrated upon an unsuspecting world, which by then will have already exhausted the treasury of God's loving hand of gracious longsuffering patience.

      Whereas a world that had been blessed with the ever present preservative light of truth, it will now find it all the more difficult to exempt themselves from following a master deceiver and dictator. Revelation 13 reveals to us that the Antichrist will exercise full economic, political and religious control over the entire world, thus making extremely difficult for mankind to oppose the Evil One!

      Romans 1:32 portrays a picture of natural man living in a state of self-pleasure while denying that there even is a righteous God. They exchange the truth for a lie! Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness!

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