As expected, Marco Quintana (DevoreTruth) parrots Jacob Prasch's faulty view of the Restrainer of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2:5-8. The error comes at the end of Quintana's rather tedious teaching, during the final ten minutes or so.
The view that identifies the Holy Spirit as the Restrainer of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 originated with John Nelson Darby and is predominantly a pre-tribulation rapture assertion. Prior to Darby, this view was completely unknown. Paul does not specifically identify the Restrainer due to the fact that he had previously identified him to the Thessalonian church.
The view that identifies the Holy Spirit as the Restrainer of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 originated with John Nelson Darby and is predominantly a pre-tribulation rapture assertion. Prior to Darby, this view was completely unknown. Paul does not specifically identify the Restrainer due to the fact that he had previously identified him to the Thessalonian church.
The Restrainer is referred to both in the neuter (what verse 6) and masculine gender (he verse 7). Colin Nicholl's ground breaking research and journal article "Michael, The Restrainer Removed (2 Thess. 2:6-7)" {2000} is a vital resource on this subject:
Alan Kurschner: "Nicholl believes the best explanation is recognizing the Greek can use the neuter gender to refer to a person while the emphasis is on an exceptional quality of the individual (e.g., 1 Cor 11:5; 1 Cor 1:27–28; Gal 3:22; John 3:6; 17:24; 1 John 5:1–4; Matt 12:6). Thus, the neuter in verse 6 refers to Michael with a focus on his restraining ministry, while the masculine in verse 7 refers to Michael himself." {1}
THE PROBLEMThe view of Jacob Prasch and his parrot Marco Quintana is completely illogical. According to Prasch, lawlessness is restrained during the entirety of 70th week of Daniel.
The passage in 2 Thessalonians 2 indicates that certain things must happen before the Restrainer ceases to restrain. The rebellion (apostasy) must occur first, and then the Antichrist will take his seat in the temple of God proclaiming himself to be God. This happens at the mid point of the week. The man who is destined to become the Antichrist will be preparing to fulfil his vile destiny prior to the mid point of the 70th week, but not until the then will he become possessed by Satan, set up the abomination of desolation and be revealed. (Daniel 7:25; 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). Hence it is the mid point of the 70th week that the Restrainer is taken out of the way.. not during the entire 70th week as Prasch teaches! {2} This leaves us with a proverbial "elephant in the room" that Prasch has never bothered to address.
Quintana also parrots Prasch's now infamous Intra-Seal "Pentecost is reversed" argument. John 14 gives us the reason for Jesus departure: I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2-4). The scriptures do not indicate that Jesus' return necessitates a reversal of Pentecost and the departure of the Holy Spirit. Intra-Seal is pseudo theology; Prasch's own heinous concoction that is easily and completely debunked by the scriptures.
A more likely answer to the question of the Restrainer lies in the book of Daniel, in a parallel verse to Matthew 24:15-22; Daniel 12:1; Zechariah 13. Although I would not be dogmatic about his identity, it appears that Michael stops restraining half way through the 70th week when the abomination of desolation occurs: Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:7-10, 12-14; Jude 1:9.
Alan Kurschner (Eschatos Ministries) submits six reasons why he believes that Michael is the likely candidate for the Restrainer:
1. Contemporary Jewish literature during Paul’s time viewed the characteristics of Michael having eschatological pre-eminence as the chief opponent of Satan and Restrainer of God’s people.
2. Michael is viewed as a celestial restrainer of God’s people in Daniel 10–12, the passage serving as the source for Paul’s exposition in 2 Thessalonians 2:3–8.
3. Daniel’s use of the Hebrew term ʿmd comports with the ceasing activity of the restrainer in 2 Thessalonians 2:6–7.
4. The Greek term parerchomai in Daniel 12:1 of the Septuagint (LXX) means, 'to pass by,' which corresponds with the ceasing of restraint in 2 Thessalonians 2:6–7.
5. Early Rabbinic interpretation of Daniel 12:1 perceived Michael as 'passing aside' or 'withdrawing' just after Antichrist’s establishment near or at the temple mount (Dan 11:45), and just before the eschatological unequaled tribulation against God’s people (Dan 12:1).
6. Revelation 12:7–17 supports viewing Michael as the Restrainer because it links the cessation of Michael’s war against the dragon with the unprecedented persecution of God’s people, which is consistent with 2 Thessalonians 2:6–7 and Daniel 11:45–12:1. {3}
Although I favour the pre-wrath view that Michael is the Restrainer, I believe that any attempt to identify the Restrainer unequivocally is purely speculative and goes beyond what is written.
2. https://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com/2016/07/busted-jacob-praschs-presumptous.html
3. https://www.alankurschner.com/2017/03/24/6-reasons-why-michael-is-the-restrainer/
Further Links
https://readingacts.com/2012/12/03/what-who-is-the-restrainer-in-2-thessalonians-2/
https://www.tmin.org/pdfs/The%20Restrainer.pdf
As men who know and teach principles of hermeneutics I'm amazed how well they ignore the context surrounding the restrainer. That would make their teaching a pretext as their is nothing definitely tying the Holy Spirit to the role of restrainer in scripture. As you said, their is more biblical evidence linking Michael as the Restrainer when Scripture is compared with Scripture in the verses you posted. Perhaps, Quintana and Prasch are fulfilling the events said to happen before the revealing of the Anitchrist by apostatizing and leading others astray with presuppositions rather than Biblical fact.
ReplyDeleteMarco Quintana has made a great mistake getting mixed up with Prasch Mike. He needs to learn how to think for himself, and he needs to pray about his unwholesome association with Prasch before it is too late.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Hi Treena,
ReplyDeleteGiven that only God is omnipotent and omnipresent, and given that the source of all divine power is to be found in the Holy Spirit, and given that any effective restraining influence will have to be universally applied and, finally, accepting that angels are the instruments of God’s will - I would intelligently ‘guess’ that, one way or another, the Restrainer is the Holy Spirit.
God Bless
Jack
To my mind there is no reason why God should not give Michael (an angel) authority to restrain Satan (a fallen angel). Unlike the Holy Spirit, Satan is neither omnipotent or omnipresent.
ReplyDelete2 Thessalonians 2 - "the mystery of lawlessness" is no doubt connected to the "man of lawlessness" i.e. the Antichrist. The effective "restraining" appears not to be "universal" but is rather a particular battle going on in the heavenlies between Michael and his angels and the dragon (Satan) and his angels. Once he is thrown down to earth, then Satan's influence becomes "universal" i.e. worldwide:
7Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the
dragon and his angels fought back, 8but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” (Revelation 12:9).
Yes Treena - I fully understand where you're coming from - and you might very well be correct.
ReplyDeleteMy 'guess' was based on the assumption that the 'restraining influence' would have to have been applied universally to the hearts and minds of every person walking the earth - and that would require the Holy Spirit's omnipresence.
At the end of the day the important issue is to recognise that God is in control - and, no matter the vessel, His eternal power is insurmountable.
God Bless
Jack
I wonder, if you compared both gentalmens material with dicerment? And second thing, I believe, if one would open heart and understood the real nature of Elohim, would not need to presume who, or what is The Restrainer. God bless.
ReplyDeleteThe assumption is that the restrainer is restraining the man of lawlessness, but that is not what it says. It only establishes that there is a relationship between the one restraining and the revealing of the man of lawlessness.
ReplyDeleteI have problems with the Michael theory simply because there is nothing in Daniel that describes Michael doing what is described in 2 Thessalonians 2. He doesn't get out of anything's way. Michael is not enigmatic to the Jews, and the use of cryptic language seems unnecessary.
I have a problem with the Holy Spirit theory because scripture establishes an increase in Holy Spirit and power of Christ activity. Joel 2:28-29. Revelation 12:10.
2 Corinthians 12:4 Could be the source of the mystery.
2 Thessalonians 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
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:
Please note the unknowns:
iniquity - ?
mystery - ?
restrain - restrains what or against what?
out of the way - whose way?
1. Revelation 12:1-9 The dragon fights against his ejection from heaven.
2. Revelation 12:10-12 Heaven rejoices because the accuser is OUT OF ITS WAY.
3. Revelation 13:1-4 The beast is unveiled.
The restrainer is Satan.
I am not dogmatic about Michael being the restrainer Philip.. but I am sure it is not Satan. God bless.
ReplyDelete