When Will the Antichrist Appear? Signs of the Great Deception—And What’s Holding Him Back
In Second Thessalonians 2:6, Paul said, “And now ye know what withholdeth [or restrains] that he might be revealed in his time.”
The word “revealed” in verse 6, referring to the Antichrist, comes from the Greek word apokalupto, and it pictures a veil that has been suddenly removed to expose what was behind the veil that had been concealed or hidden from view. Paul’s use of this word means that a day is coming at the conclusion of the age when the restraining force that has been stalling, delaying, and postponing the floodgates of evil from being unleashed will be taken out of the way. When that removal occurs, this evil leader and the wickedness that accompanies him will make an entrance onto the world stage.
Second Thessalonians 2:6 says the revealing of the Antichrist will happen in his “time,” a word translated from the Greek word kairos. This emphatically tells us that there is a prophetic, appointed moment when the restraining force will be removed, and the manifestation of the Antichrist will quickly occur. At that time, the veil that has concealed his identity will be removed, and he will step out from behind the curtain to reveal himself to the world.
There is an appointed time when the Antichrist will make his appearance center stage before the world. And, as you will see, this “time” will come when the restraining force that has been stalling, delaying, and postponing the advent of the Antichrist and all the evil that will accompany him has been removed.
In the moment the restrainer is removed, the curtains will be pulled back, and the Antichrist’s identity will be made known to the world. The world will not necessarily perceive him as the Antichrist, but as a man suited for the age and in sync with a world that has tossed aside all moral restraints and the law of God. But the removal of the restrainer will trigger the moment when this evil person finally steps onto the world stage to obtain global attention.
Taking into account all the nuances in each Greek word in Second Thessalonians 2:6, the Renner Interpretive Version (RIV) of this verse says:
Now in light of everything I’ve told you before, you ought to be well aware by now that there is a supernatural force at work, preventing the materialization of this person and the disclosure of his identity. This restraining force I’m referring to is so strong that it is currently putting on the brakes and holding back the unveiling of this wicked person, stalling and postponing his manifestation. But when the right moment comes, this evil one will no longer be withheld, and he will emerge on the world scene. The screen that has been hiding his true identity and guarding him from world view will suddenly be pulled back and will evaporate — and he will step out on center stage to let everyone know who he is.
A Secret Plan is Being Executed Right Now
But in Second Thessalonians 2:7, Paul tells us, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.”
What is the “mystery of iniquity?” The word “mystery,” as we’ve already seen, is the Greek word musterion, a word that communicates the idea of a higher knowledge. Specifically, it can refer to that which is known only by a limited number of individuals — or it can picture a knowledge that is not available to the general public, but
only to those who have been specially initiated and invested with insight. It is a plan, thought, or arrangement that is held in the hands of a few. In this case, the word implies a secret plan, or some type of secret arrangement known to spiritual powers, but held so confidentially or surreptitiously that they are able to execute the plan without anyone catching on to what they are doing.
And once again, the word “iniquity” comes from the Greek word anomia, which depicts a people or a world that is without law or lawless. It pictures people who possess no fixed moral standards living in a lawless world, free from the “outdated” voice of the Bible. The use of “iniquity” (anomia) in the same phrase as “mystery” (musterion) tells us that the current state of affairs in our time is the result of a secret plan set in motion long ago. Current society did not accidentally arrive at its present sad state of affairs. Its downward trend has been strategically orchestrated step by step, year by year, and century by century by a devious satanic plan designed to prepare the way for the Man of Lawlessness.
The word “already” in this verse confirms this is a plan that has been working for a long time. The word “work” is translated from the Greek word energeo, which describes something energized. It pictures a force propelling something forward or an energy that ignites a process and facilitates it all the way to its conclusion. As used here, it describes a secret plan that has been supernaturally energized to keep things moving toward the fulfillment of its demonic agenda over the ages, like a dark force propelling something toward its pre-planned conclusion.
Certainly, it’s true that believers of every generation have had to deal with issues of moral degradation and societal ills in the world around them. But in the last of the last days, it will seem that all restraints will be thrown off and society will gallop on a collision course with disaster. And the closer we get to the end, the deeper this lost world will sink into deception and depravity.
But rather than fear or run looking for a place to hide, we must press into Christ and clothe ourselves with the power of the Holy Spirit so we can make a mark for eternity in as many lives as possible before this current age ends. The opportunity before us is remarkable and unprecedented. But we must also stay alert to the fact that we are living in the last minutes of the age, relatively speaking, when the devil is attempting to groom and modify society as a whole so that it will receive the Man of Lawlessness.
The world is largely unaware that a satanic agenda is being executed right under their noses. Regardless, a massive undertaking is being executed to lead the world into a state of epic lawlessness so it will more readily embrace this Satan-inspired individual. At this very moment, everything is being primed and prepared for that time. And in the midst of this profound worldwide shift, we will witness things changing around us more and more. Evil spiritual forces will seek to set an entire spectrum of destructive fires, designed to consume as many lives as possible. But as Paul stated, until it is time for the Antichrist to be revealed, a restraining force will be present in the earth to stall the manifestation of this evil one.
The Mystery of Iniquity is a Precursor to the Revealing of The Antichrist — There’s Just One Obstacle to His Appearing…
Looking again at Second Thessalonians 2:7, Paul said, “…Only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” The word “only” is the Greek word monon, which means alone, only, or no one else. And the word “now” is the Greek word arti, which means now, just now, at this moment, or in the immediate present. The meaning of these two words explicitly tells us that there is only one restraining force at this very moment that is holding back the mystery of iniquity from being fully activated on the earth — or only one thing is stopping the Antichrist from being revealed and taking control of everything.
Paul used the word “let” in Second Thessalonians 2:7 to describe this restraining force. He said, “…only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” This old English word “let,” or “letteth,” is translated from the Greek word katecho — the same Greek word translated “withholdeth” in verse 6 to picture the restraining force that is stalling and postponing this end-time evil leader and the unprecedented wickedness that will accompany him.
In each instance, the words “letteth” and “let” are a translation of the word katecho, which means to hold down, to hold back, to prevent, to suppress, to restrain, or to hinder. Herein, Paul stated that not only has the restrainer been restraining in the past, but this restrainer also “will let” — in other words, will continue to be a restraining force — in the future. This means whoever this restraining force is, was active at the time Paul was writing, and it will continue to be active all the way to the end of the age. Paul declared that there has been and will be a supernatural restrainer holding back and preventing the forces of evil from fully taking control.
Paul stated that the Antichrist will not be revealed “…until he [the restrainer] be taken out of the way” (2 Thessalonians 2:7). The word “until” is the Greek word heos, and it means until that precise moment. The words “be taken” are an interpretation of the Greek word genetai, which is a form of ginomai, a word that describes a surprising event or something that happens suddenly or unexpectedly and totally takes one off guard.
In this phrase, Paul declared that the restrainer will suddenly disappear, suddenly be removed, or suddenly be “taken out of the way.” The words “taken out of the way” are an interpretation of the Greek words ek mesou. The word ek means out, and the word mesou, which is a form of the Greek word mesos, depicts the middle of things. As a phrase, it means the restrainer will:
suddenly and surprisingly disappear.
be removed.
suddenly and surprisingly be taken out of the midst of everything.
When this day comes, this hindering force that has continuously delayed the worldwide domination of evil and lawlessness will be removed from the earth. It will be as though this force is suddenly lifted out of the middle of everything — and at that moment, the evil forces that have long been suppressed will no longer be held back, but will be freed, and their wicked plans, purposes, and desires will be abruptly energized. These events will come quickly and with no hesitation once the restrainer is out of the picture.
But from his use of the word mesou, Paul indicated that whoever or whatever this restrainer is, its presence can currently be found in the midst of everything, or in every facet of society. And only when this restrainer is removed, “…then shall that Wicked be revealed…” (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
The word “then” is a translation of the Greek word tote, which means then or at that precise moment, and it describes what will immediately take place once the restrainer has disappeared from the midst of everything. Paul said that once this great restraining force has suddenly disappeared, that is precisely the synchronized moment when the curtain that has concealed the Antichrist will be pulled back, and he will be revealed to the world.
Combining the meaning of all these original Greek words in Second Thessalonians 2:7, the Renner Interpretive Version (RIV) of this passage reads as follows:
These secretive, surreptitious dark events have been covertly in the making for a long time, yet the world at large doesn’t realize that a secret plan is being executed right under their own noses. The only thing that has kept this plan from being already consummated is the restraining force that has been holding it all back until now. But one day this force will be removed from the picture — and when that happens, these iniquitous events will quickly transpire. The removal of this restraining force will signal the moment when the Lawless One will finally make his grand appearance to the world.
Thus, the manifestation of the Antichrist and every dark thing that he will bring to the world, will only become known after the restrainer has disappeared and has been removed from the scene. As long as this restraining force is still present in the earth, it will be used by God to “withholdeth” (2 Thessalonians 2:6), or hold back, the appearance of the Antichrist and the full onslaught of evil that will accompany him at the end of the age.
