11) Who is the restrainer spoken of in 2 Thess 2:7
2 Thess 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.
2 Thess 2:8 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:
Who is the restrainer? Most pre-tribulation rapturists believe the restrainer is either the church or the Holy Spirit--with the majority leaning toward the Holy Spirit. Their explanation goes something like this: the restrainer is the Holy Spirit, and antichrist cannot be revealed until the Spirit is removed. Since the Spirit indwells all believers, then when the Holy Spirit is removed, so is the church. Well that certainly is an interesting view, there's only one problem with it. Again, this argument lacks any biblical support whatsoever. First of all, there is no verse in the Bible that calls the Holy Spirit a restrainer of sin, and certainly in this verse there is absolutely no indication of this. But there is one being in the Bible who is specifically called a restrainer.
Daniel 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
Daniel 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
Scholars agree that this verse is talking about Michael the archangel. In his relationship to Israel he is called Michael your prince.
Daniel 10:21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and [there is] none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.
The word holdeth there in the Hebrew can be translated restrainer. The name itself means Who is like God? And the prophet Daniel is told that Michael is the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Both Christian and Jewish scholars believe that Michael, the archangel has a special guardian relationship over the children of Israel.
Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
In the Midrash, a Jewish book of interpretations, it says this about Michael,
"The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Michael, 'you are silent? You do not defend my children.'"
Now remember we said that at the midpoint of the 70th week, there was a war in heaven? Remember? And who did the war involve? Michael and Satan--Rev 12:7-17. And do you remember immediately what Satan did after he was thrown to the earth? He persecuted the woman, verse 13.
Go back to Daniel 12:1. The phrase "stand up" is agreed to be accurately translated "stand aside" or " to be inactive" (this according to Rashi--one of Israel's greatest scholars). Michael, in chapter 10:13,21, had earlier fought for Israel, but now is stepping aside or being inactive as a restrainer. When, according to 12:1, does this happen? At the midpoint. How do we know this? Look at what he says: "After Michael steps aside, there will be a time of trouble, such as never was..." Does this sound familiar? Look at what Jesus says after the Abomination occurs
Matt 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
There is no doubt what is happening here. Michael, who is Israel's protector, will fight with Satan, and cast him down to the earth. He will step aside at the midpoint of the 70th week, and allow Satan to indwell the antichrist, cause him to desecrate the temple and then severely persecute Israel (and us by the way).
Now, lets go back to 2 Thess 2:7
2 Thess 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.
The word hindereth means to hold down, and the phrase taken out of the way means to step aside. So according to Paul here, the restrainer, will continue to restrain, until he steps aside. Exactly what Daniel tells us will happen. And according to Paul, when does this happen? Well, look at the context of the chapter. It's when antichrist exalts himself in the temple, precisely in the middle of the 70th week.
No, there is no evidence that the Holy Spirit, the church, or human government is the restrainer. But as I have shown, there is strong evidence to suggest that the restrainer that Paul is speaking of, is none other than Michael, the archangel.