The Restrainer Revealed
A Biblical Archaeological Excavation of 2 Thessalonians 2
Transformed by Grace - From Romans 7 to Romans 8
Romans 7:24-25:
“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Romans 8:1-2:
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
This archaeological dig—my journey into 2 Thessalonians 2—didn’t begin with academic curiosity or theological debate.
It began with a Grace awakening. A gift from a very good God.
A revelation of God’s GOODNESS. Not just “good” as we casually use the word, but GOOD in the absolute, perfect, complete, transformative sense that can only come from the Father of Lights, in whom there is no shadow of turning.
We have seen His goodness. And it is absolutely, overwhelmingly, life-changingly GOOD.
The Framework of Our Discovery
This excavation stands on the foundation of Grace transformation Scripture gives us:
Ephesians 3:20:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”
I asked. I prayed. And He exceeded everything—revealing truths hidden in plain sight for 2,000 years.
1 Peter 5:10:
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will HIMSELF restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
We came weak, questioning, searching. He restored our understanding, made us firm in truth, steadfast in hope.
2 Corinthians 5:21:
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Not our righteousness. Not our wisdom. Not our strength. HIS. All HIS. HIS FULL MEASURE. Given to us by Grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Romans 12:1-2:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Our minds HAVE BEEN renewed. Our understanding transformed (past tense). Not by human effort, but by surrendering to His process of transformation.
Romans 5:17:
“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!”
We reign in Grace. Not in our own understanding. Not in our own strength. Not in our own wisdom.
We reign because HE reigns in us.
All For His Glory
Every discovery in this study—every insight, every connection, every revelation—is FOR HIS GLORY.
Period. End of story.
Not to showcase human intelligence.
Not to prove theological superiority.
Not to win debates or gain followers.
For HIS GLORY ALONE.
Because when we began this dig, we came as beggars:
- Empty-handed
- Weak
- Unable to save ourselves
- Desperate for truth
- Knowing we fall short
- Completely depraved of any goodness apart from Him
- Absolutely dependent on His revelation
And that’s exactly where He meets us.
In our weakness, His strength is perfected.
In our poverty, His riches overflow.
In our blindness, His light shines brightest.
What You’re About to Discover
This is not another theological treatise arguing from human wisdom.
This is the testimony of what happens when Scripture interprets Scripture, when Grace opens blind eyes, when the Holy Spirit illuminates what has always been there but couldn’t be seen until “the time of the end.”
You’re about to discover:
- Who (or What) the Restrainer really is (and isn’t)
- Why the grammatical shift from neuter to masculine matters profoundly
- The connection between Stars, Lampstands, and Divine Governance
- Why removal can be GOOD (redemptive) or BAD (judgment)
- The Philadelphia key to being kept FROM the hour of trial
- The origin and impossibility of SELF in God’s Kingdom
- Why the Harpazo is about the Father’s glory, not human escape
- The cosmic rebellion spanning heaven and earth
- How Jesus reconciles ALL THINGS through the cross
But more than information, you’ll encounter TRANSFORMATION.
Because that’s what Grace does. It doesn’t just inform—it transforms.
Romans 8:29-30:
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
He called me to this excavation.
He justified the search for truth.
He is glorifying Himself through what He’s revealed.
A Word Before We Begin
I don’t come as an expert. I come as a lowly, unworthy, and weak witness. By His Grace alone… if you only knew.
I have become HIS WITNESS to what the Spirit of Truth reveals when hungry hearts seek with childlike faith, when theological pride is crucified, when human wisdom surrenders to Divine revelation. In other words, HE CRUSHED ME, PRAISE GOD. ME MUST DIE.
I don’t offer our credentials. I offer depravity, utter weakness, and full desperation.
I am absolutely, totally, and completely dependent on Jesus my LORD to reveal what I could never discover on my own–EVER!
I don’t claim special revelation outside Scripture. I claim Scripture interprets Scripture.
And when it does, the beauty, symmetry, and perfect wisdom of God’s Word shines like gold refined in fire.
The Posture of This Study
Like a child. Simple. Trusting. Believing.
Like the thief on the cross. Nothing to offer but need. No time for religious performance. Just raw, desperate faith.
Like the Apostle Paul. Counting all things as loss compared to knowing Christ. Forgetting what lies behind, pressing forward toward the prize.
Like Philadelphia. Little strength. Keeping His word. Not denying His name. Patient endurance.
Not like Laodicea. Not self-sufficient. Not self-satisfied. Not rich in my own eyes.
But I am like a beggar who’s found bread. And I can’t help but share it.
The Truth About Faith and Oil
One correction before we proceed: The oil in the lamps is not “more Holy Spirit.”
You cannot have “more” or “less” of God’s Spirit. He is perfect, complete, lacking nothing. You cannot earn Him, increase Him, or divide Him into degrees.
The oil represents FAITH—the gift of Grace that believes.
What is Jesus looking for when He comes?
Luke 18:8:
“However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
FAITH. Simple, childlike, desperate, dependent FAITH.
The wise virgins had faith that kept burning. Faith that waited. Faith that watched. Faith that believed even when the Bridegroom delayed.
Faith given as a gift. Faith that is His Grace from beginning to end. Grace and Faith ARE ONE. FAITH and GRACE cannot be separated.
Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Now, Let’s Dig
With hearts full of gratitude, minds renewed by the Holy Spirit of Truth given by Grace, and armed with HIS FAITH, He will illuminate His Word. Let’s uncover what He’s GIVEN TO US, HIS SEEKERS TO FIND.
Not for our glory. For HIS.
Soli Deo Gloria.
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Part 1: The Question That Demands An Answer
2 Thessalonians 2:6-7:
“And now you know what is holding him back (to katechon), so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but THE ONE who now holds it back (ho katechon) will continue to do so till HE is taken out of the way.”
For 2,000 years, theologians have debated: WHO or WHAT is the Restrainer?
Common theories:
The Holy Spirit (most popular)
Human government/Rome
The Archangel Michael
Paul himself
The preaching of the Gospel
But what if Scripture interprets Scripture and reveals something more precise?
What if the Restrainer is Divine Governance operating through both heavenly (angelic) and earthly (Church) dimensions, unified under Christ’s authority?
Let’s dig.
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Part 2: The Greek Grammar - Neuter AND Masculine
The Critical Detail Everyone Notices But Few Explain
Verse 6: (to katechon) - NEUTER “WHAT is restraining”
Verse 7: (ho katechon) - MASCULINE “HE WHO is restraining”
Why does Paul switch from neuter to masculine?
This isn’t random. This isn’t accidental. This is intentional grammatical theology.
The Solution: Corporate Entity (Neuter) With Personal Agent (Masculine)
What (neuter) = The FUNCTION/OFFICE - Divine governance/restraining power
He (masculine) = The AGENT - Christ working through His governmental structure
This explains the grammatical shift perfectly!
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Part 3: The Stars and the Lampstands - Revelation 1
The Vision John Received
In Revelation Chapter One John reveals the image of THE RESTRAINER…
Revelation 1:12-13, 16, 20:
“I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man… In his right hand he held seven stars… The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”
The Critical Distinction
LAMPSTANDS (lychniai) = THE CHURCHES (ALL OF THEM, FOR ALL NATIONS AND TIMES). God’s PEACE, given to humanity through King Jesus is total and complete, and this COMPLETE PEACE includes PEACE between Heaven and Earth.
- Corporate bodies
- Neither male nor female (Galatians 3:28)
- Neither Jew nor Greek
- Unified in Christ
STARS (asteres) = ANGELIC MESSENGERS
- Held in Christ’s RIGHT HAND (position of authority and power)
- Divine administrators appointed by God
- Minister to churches regionally
- Led by the Holy Spirit (Spirit of Truth)
- Follow Jesus as King
- Empowered ministers (like human ministers, but angelic)
- Part of God’s Heavenly Administration—His Governance and Courts
The Biblical Evidence for Angelic Ministers
The Greek word: (angelos) = messenger/angel
This word is used for BOTH:
- Heavenly angels
- Human messengers/ministers
But in Revelation 1:20, the context strongly suggests angelic beings—Divine administrators appointed by God to minister to the churches regionally.
Hebrews 1:14:
“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
These angelic messengers:
- Are held in Christ’s RIGHT HAND (position of authority)
- Minister to churches regionally
- Are led by the Holy Spirit (Spirit of Truth)
- Follow Jesus as King
- Are empowered ministers (like human ministers, but angelic)
- Are part of God’s Heavenly Administration—His Governance and Courts
Psalm 103:20-21:
“Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.”
Daniel 10:13, 21:
“But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me… but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.)”
Angels are assigned to regions, nations, and peoples as part of God’s governmental structure.
Revelation 1:4:
“Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne.”
The sevenfold Spirit empowers and directs these angelic administrators, who in turn minister to the churches under their care.
This understanding fits the Revelation 2-3 pattern:
- Each message is “to the angel OF the church in [city]”
- Not “to the church,” but “to the ANGEL of the church”
- Suggesting a divine administrator responsible for that REGIONAL church
The Stars (angelic messengers) work in perfect harmony with:
- The Holy Spirit (who leads them)
- Jesus (who holds them)
- The Lampstands (churches they serve)
Together, they represent God’s complete governmental structure:
- Stars = Angelic administration/heavenly governance
- Lampstands = Church/earthly witness
- Holy Spirit = Empowerment and direction of both
- Christ = Head over all
This is vital for understanding the Restrainer: Divine governance operates through BOTH heavenly (angelic) and earthly (Church) dimensions, unified under Christ’s authority.
The Lampstand’s Purpose
Exodus 25:31-37 - The original Tabernacle lampstand:
- Made of pure gold
- Seven branches
- Provided LIGHT in the Holy Place
- Kept burning continually
- Represented God’s PRESENCE and GOVERNANCE
Zechariah 4:1-6 - The lampstand vision:
“Then he said to me, ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty.’”
The lampstand operates by the SPIRIT, but represents GOVERNANCE.
Jesus Walks AMONG the Lampstands
Revelation 1:13:
“Among the lampstands was someone like a son of man”
Revelation 2:1:
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.”
Critical insight: Jesus doesn’t just observe the lampstands. He walks AMONG them. He operates THROUGH them. He governs BY them. By His Grace we are IN CHRIST.
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Part 4: The Removal of the Lampstand - Good or Bad?
Revelation 2:5 - To Ephesus
“Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”
Traditional interpretation: Removal = judgment/punishment
BUT - let’s reconsider:
Can Removal Be Redemptive?
Question: If a church REPENTS (as warned), what happens?
Answer: The lampstand is NOT removed. It stays and shines.
But if removal DOES happen - could it ever be GOOD?
Consider: There are TWO types of removal:
1. DISCIPLINARY Removal (Judgment)
- Church refuses to repent
- Loses its witness/authority
- Spiritual darkness prevails in that location
- This is BAD
2. REDEMPTIVE Removal (Harpazo)
- Church remains faithful (like Philadelphia)
- Kept from the hour of trial
- Caught up to meet the Lord
- This is GOOD - the BEST thing ever!
Removal doesn’t always equal judgment!
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Part 5: The Philadelphia Key - Revelation 3:7-13
The Church That Escapes
Revelation 3:10:
“Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial (tereso ek tes horas tou peirasmou) that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.”
Critical Greek: (ek) = “OUT OF, FROM”
Not “through” (dia)
Not “in” (en)
But OUT OF (ek)
Philadelphia = Kept OUT OF the hour of trial
This is REMOVAL - but GOOD removal!
What Made Philadelphia Different?
Revelation 3:8:
“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”
Philadelphia’s characteristics:
- Little strength (weak, humble, dependent on God)
- Kept His word (obedient)
- Did not deny His name (faithful witness)
- Patient endurance (v. 10)
NO mention of:
- SELF-importance
- SELF-sufficiency
- SELF-righteousness
- SELF-governance
They recognized their weakness and depended on HIM!
The Promise to Philadelphia
Revelation 3:12:
“The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.”
They are kept FROM the hour of trial AND given eternal security - “never again will they leave.”
This is the Harpazo promise!
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Part 6: The Absence of SELF in the Trinity
The Impossibility of SELF in Godhead
There is NO SELF in the Trinity. NONE. It is IMPOSSIBLE.
John 5:19:
“Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.’”
John 5:30:
“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.’”
John 8:28:
“So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.’”
John 14:10:
“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”
John 16:13-14 (The Holy Spirit):
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into ALL TRUTH. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.”
The Pattern:
- Father does nothing apart from Son and Spirit
- Son does nothing apart from Father and Spirit
- Spirit does nothing apart from Father and Son
Perfect unity. Perfect submission. Perfect love. NO SELF.
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Part 7: The Origin of SELF - The Fall of Satan and Humanity
Satan: The First SELF
Isaiah 14:12-14:
“How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”
Five “I WILLs” = Five expressions of SELF
Ezekiel 28:17:
“Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.”
Satan’s sin: SELF
- SELF-exaltation
- SELF-will
- SELF-glorification
- SELF-governance
He wanted to be like God WITHOUT being submitted TO God.
The Cause of Satan’s Rebellion
Satan was jealous of humanity being made in God’s image as His children, above the angels.
Hebrews 1:14:
“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
Angels were created to SERVE humanity.
Hebrews 2:5:
“It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking.”
The coming Kingdom will NOT be ruled by angels, but by redeemed HUMANITY reigning with Christ!
Satan’s jealousy:
- Humanity made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27)
- Humanity given dominion over earth (Genesis 1:28)
- Humanity destined to judge angels (1 Corinthians 6:3)
- Humanity to inherit the Kingdom (Matthew 25:34)
Satan, full of SELF, couldn’t accept his role as servant to beings he deemed inferior.
Result: Rebellion, chaos, disorder, decay, death - all flowing from SELF.
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Part 8: Humanity’s Fall - The Introduction of SELF
The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
Genesis 2:16-17:
“And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.’”
The Temptation:
Genesis 3:4-5:
“‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be LIKE GOD, knowing good and evil for yourselves (emphasis added).’”
The core deception: You can be like God APART FROM God.
You can know good and evil for YOUR SELF.
You can determine right and wrong for YOUR SELF.
You can govern YOUR SELF.
The Result: Separation from God
Genesis 3:6-7:
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”
First mention of SELF-awareness:
- SELF-consciousness
- SELF-covering (works)
- SELF-justification
Genesis 3:8:
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”
Separation. Distance. Fear. Shame.
All because they chose SELF over dependence on God.
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Part 9: The Cosmic Rebellion - Heaven and Earth
The Divine Council Rebellion
The heavenly realm rebelled FIRST, and their rebellion spilled into humanity.
Deuteronomy 32:8-9 (ESV):
“When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of THE SONS OF GOD. But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.”
The structure:
- The LORD (YHWH) = Israel
- The Divine Council/“sons of God” = The nations
Psalm 82:1, 6-7:
“God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the ‘gods’… ‘I said, “You are ‘gods’; you are all sons of the Most High.” But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler.’”
The divine beings assigned to govern nations REBELLED and led nations into idolatry, becoming the “gods” worshiped by pagans.
Daniel 10:13, 20:
“But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days… Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come.”
Territorial spirits/“princes” = Rebellious members of the divine council.
The Corruption of the Human Seed
Genesis 6:1-4:
“When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose… The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them.”
The rebellion of divine beings infected the human SEED:
- Genetic corruption
- Mixing of divine/human
- Producing Nephilim (giants/fallen ones)
- Attempt to destroy the pure human line through which Messiah would come
This is why the Flood was necessary - to preserve Noah’s line: “Noah was blameless in his generation (DNA bloodline)” (Genesis 6:9) - his bloodline was uncorrupted.
Heaven and Earth Both Under Judgment
Colossians 1:20:
“And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Both realms need reconciliation!
Ephesians 6:12:
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
The battle is COSMIC - heaven AND earth.
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Part 10: Jesus - The Peace Between Heaven and Earth
The Reconciliation of All Things
Ephesians 1:9-10:
“He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”
Ephesians 2:14-16:
“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility… His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.”
Colossians 2:15:
“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
Jesus’ work:
- Defeats Satan and rebellious divine beings
- Redeems fallen humanity
- Reconciles Heaven and Earth
- Restores God’s Kingdom governance
- Replaces SELF with SUBMISSION to Father
The cross = peace treaty between heaven and earth, signed in blood.
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Part 11: The Harpazo - Not About Us, About HIM
The True Purpose of the Rapture
The Harpazo is NOT primarily about humanity - it’s about the FATHER and His GLORY.
It’s about:
1. Restoration of the Divine Family
Ephesians 1:4-5:
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”
The Father is restoring His FAMILY:
- Humanity made in His image
- Adopted as sons and daughters
- Brought back into perfect relationship
- United with obedient angels under Christ’s headship
2. Redemption, Reconciliation, Restoration
Romans 8:19-23:
“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”
All creation groans for the REVEALING of God’s sons!
The Harpazo:
- REDEEMS fallen humanity
- RECONCILES heaven and earth
- RESTORES God’s Kingdom governance
- REVEALS God’s glory through human weakness
3. God’s Glory Through Human Weakness
2 Corinthians 12:9:
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”
1 Corinthians 1:27-29:
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”
The Harpazo proves:
- God saves by GRACE, not human merit
- God glorifies HIMSELF through weak vessels
- God’s power is perfected in human weakness
- God’s wisdom confounds worldly wisdom
Philadelphia had “little strength” - and that’s exactly why they’re kept from the hour of trial!
They recognized their weakness and depended on HIM, not SELF.
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Part 12: The Restrainer Reconsidered - The Corrected Foundation
What IS the Restrainer?
2 Thessalonians 2:6-7:
“And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.”
Based on the corrected foundation:
The Restrainer = Divine Governance Through
- The Church (Lampstands) - earthly witness
- Angelic Administrators (Stars) - heavenly governance
- Empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit
- Unified under Christ’s authority
More specifically:
WHAT restrains (neuter): The FUNCTION of divine governance - both angelic and ecclesial working together
WHO restrains (masculine): The AGENT - Christ operating through His complete governmental structure
When removed:
- The LAMPSTANDS are taken (Harpazo of Philadelphia-type churches)
- The STARS (angelic governance over regions) are withdrawn
- Divine governance THROUGH THE CHURCH and its angelic administration is removed
- Lawlessness is unleashed
The Correction: It’s Not Either/Or, It’s Both/And
The Restrainer is:
- The FUNCTION of divine governance (lampstands + stars)
- OPERATED BY Christ (who holds the stars and walks among lampstands)
- EMPOWERED BY the Holy Spirit
- THROUGH both angelic and human dimensions
- FAITH IN UNITY as one governmental structure
When the Church is raptured:
- The lampstands are removed FROM EARTH
- The angelic administrators assigned to those churches are withdrawn
- Divine governance through this unified structure CEASES
- The Holy Spirit continues working, but WITHOUT the Church’s corporate witness or its angelic oversight
- Restraint is removed, lawlessness explodes
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Part 13: Two in a Field/Bed - One Taken, One Left
The Separation
Matthew 24:40-41:
“Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.”
Luke 17:34-35:
“I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”
What Determines Who Is Taken?
NOT:
- Church membership
- Religious activity
- Public reputation
- External works
BUT:
- Internal heart condition
- Relationship with Christ
- Faith vs. SELF
- Philadelphia character vs. Laodicean character
Revelation 3:15-17 (Laodicea - the SELF-sufficient church):
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot… You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
Laodicea = SELF-sufficient, SELF-satisfied, SELF-deceived
Philadelphia = Weak, dependent, faithful
The difference: SELF vs. SURRENDER
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Part 14: Can a Church Repent and Still Be Taken?
The Question: If Ephesus repents, does it miss the Harpazo?
Answer: Repentance QUALIFIES you for the Harpazo!
Revelation 2:5:
“If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”
The warning assumes: If you DO repent, your lampstand REMAINS - and when the time comes, you’ll be part of the good removal (Harpazo)!
1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Repentance:
- Cleanses us
- Restores us
- Qualifies us
- Prepares us for the Bridegroom
The five wise virgins (Matthew 25:1-13):
- Had oil = FAITH (not “more Holy Spirit”)
- Kept lamps burning (maintained readiness through faith)
- Were READY when the Bridegroom Jesus came
- Went in with Jesus to the wedding
Critical clarification on the oil:
The oil does NOT represent “more Holy Spirit” or “degrees of Holy Spirit.”
This is impossible because:
- The Holy Spirit is PERFECT—nothing missing, nothing lacking, nothing broken
- You cannot have “more” or “less” of God’s perfection
- The Holy Spirit cannot be divided into degrees of holiness
- One cannot earn the Holy Spirit by acting good or holy
- The Holy Spirit is given by Grace alone through Christ alone
- We cannot be “half in Christ and half out of Christ”
So what IS the extra oil?
FAITH.
Luke 18:8:
“However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Jesus is looking for FAITH. Will He find it?
The oil = Faith—simple, childlike, believing faith that:
- Trusts unconditionally (like a child)
- Believes without seeing (like the thief on the cross)
- Depends completely on Him (like Philadelphia’s “little strength”)
- Has a love for the TRUTH
The TRUTH being:
- All humanity falls short (Romans 3:23)
- We are desperate for a Savior (Romans 7:24)
- We are totally depraved of any goodness apart from Him (Romans 3:10-12)
- We are filthy, unrighteous beggars (Isaiah 64:6)
- We are absolutely weak and unable to save ourselves (Romans 5:6)
- We can only offer our sinfulness toward our salvation (Romans 5:8)
Wise virgins simply BELIEVE. Nothing more, nothing less.
And even that faith is a gift of His Grace:
Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Romans 12:3:
“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith GOD HAS distributed to each of you.”
The process is ALL Him:
- He calls us (Romans 8:30)
- He justifies us (Romans 8:30)
- He sanctifies us (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
- He will glorify us (Romans 8:30)
All so that the Father receives the GLORY.
Churches that repent are churches that return to simple faith—becoming Philadelphia-type churches kept FROM the hour of trial.
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Part 15: The Self-Governance Contradiction
The Impossibility of Human Self-Governance
“SELF” and “GOVERN” are opposites.
Governance requires:
- Authority OVER self
- Submission TO a higher power
- Law ABOVE personal will
- Accountability BEYOND self
“Self-governance” is an oxymoron because:
- Self wants what self wants
- Self has no authority over self
- Self cannot judge self objectively
- Self always excuses self
The Biblical Witness
Judges 21:25:
“In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.”
Result: Chaos. Moral decay. Violence. Anarchy.
Proverbs 14:12:
“There is a way that appears to be right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”
Jeremiah 17:9:
“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
Self-governance = Self-deception = Self-destruction
The World’s Competing Self-Governances
Current global system:
- Democracy (people govern themselves)
- Socialism (collective governs itself)
- Communism (state governs for the people)
- Capitalism (market governs itself)
- Anarchism (no governance)
All variations of the SAME LIE: “We can govern ourselves without God.”
All heading toward the SAME END: One-world government under Antichrist
The only thing preventing this collapse into total lawlessness: THE RESTRAINER—God’s Divine Governance through the Church (Lampstands) and angelic administration (Stars)
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Part 16: The Restrainer CANNOT Be the Holy Spirit
The Critical Insight: The Holy Spirit Works DURING Tribulation
Evidence the Holy Spirit remains active:
1. The Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:3-12)
- Prophesy for 1,260 days
- Perform miracles (fire from mouths, stop rain, turn water to blood)
- Empowered by the Holy Spirit (like Elijah and Moses)
- Cannot operate without the Spirit
2. The 144,000 Jewish Evangelists (Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5)
- Sealed by God on their foreheads
- Preach the Gospel during Tribulation
- Bring multitudes to salvation
- Must be Spirit-empowered to fulfill this mission
3. The Mighty Angel with the Eternal Gospel (Revelation 14:6-7)
“Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people.”
- Gospel proclaimed worldwide during Tribulation
- Gospel requires the Spirit’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
4. Tribulation Saints Saved (Revelation 7:9-14)
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne… These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
How can people be saved during the Tribulation if the Holy Spirit is gone?
John 6:44:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.”
Romans 8:9:
“You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”
Salvation REQUIRES the Holy Spirit!
If the Holy Spirit were removed, NO ONE could be saved during the Tribulation.
Therefore, the Restrainer CANNOT be the Holy Spirit.
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Part 17: The Removal - “Taken Out of the Way”
2 Thessalonians 2:7
“For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way (ek mesou genetai).”
Greek analysis:
(ek) = “out of”
(mesou) = “the midst”
(genetai) = “becomes, happens, occurs”
Literal: “until out of the midst he becomes/is taken”
This describes REMOVAL from the midst of something—exactly what happens at the Rapture!
The Rapture Connection
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up (harpagesometha) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
“Caught up” = SNATCHED AWAY, SEIZED, REMOVED
Same concept as “taken out of the way” in 2 Thessalonians 2:7!
The Timeline Confirms It
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3:
“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him (kai hemon episynagoges)… Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed.”
Sequence:
Church gathered to Christ (Rapture) - v. 1
Restrainer removed - v. 7
Man of lawlessness revealed - v. 3, 8
The gathering (Rapture) happens BEFORE the Day of the Lord (Tribulation) begins!
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Part 18: The Pattern of Lot and Noah
Righteous Removed Before Judgment
Genesis 18:22-33 - Abraham intercedes for Sodom:
- God won’t destroy if 10 righteous found
- Righteous presence RESTRAINS judgment
Genesis 19:22 - Angel to Lot:
“But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it.”
Judgment CANNOT fall until the righteous are removed!
2 Peter 2:4-9:
“If he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man… then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.”
Pattern: Righteous removed → Judgment falls
Church removed → Tribulation begins
Matthew 24:37-39:
“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.”
Noah and family safe in ark BEFORE flood came.
Church safe with Christ BEFORE Tribulation begins.
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Part 19: The Final Timeline - Corrected
The Sequence
1. Church Age (Now)
- Lampstands (churches) shine on earth
- Stars (angelic administrators) govern regions
- Holy Spirit empowers both dimensions
- Divine governance restrains lawlessness
- Philadelphia types being prepared
- Laodicean types being warned
2. Harpazo (Imminent - Redemptive Removal)
- Philadelphia-type believers caught up
- Lampstands removed FROM EARTH (good removal!)
- Stars (angelic governance) withdrawn from regions
- Divine governance through this unified structure is withdrawn
- Holy Spirit remains but works differently (no Church, no angelic regional administration)
- Restraint lifted
3. Tribulation (7 years)
- Lawlessness unleashed
- Antichrist revealed (2 Thess 2:8)
- SELF-governance reaches its conclusion
- Holy Spirit works through:
- Two Witnesses (Rev 11)
- 144,000 Jewish evangelists (Rev 7, 14)
- Angel with eternal gospel (Rev 14:6)
- Multitudes saved, but at great cost (martyrdom)
4. Second Coming
- Christ returns WITH His saints (us!)
- Defeats Antichrist at Armageddon
- Establishes Millennial Kingdom
5. Millennium (1,000 years)
- Divine governance fully restored
- NO SELF-governance
- Christ reigns physically, we reign with Him
- Satan bound in Abyss
6. Final Rebellion & Judgment
- Satan released briefly
- Final rebellion crushed
- Great White Throne Judgment
- Death and Hades thrown into Lake of Fire
7. New Heaven and Earth
- Rebellion finally ended forever
- SELF forever eradicated
- Perfect submission to Father
- God’s family fully restored
- Glory forever and ever
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Conclusion: The Corrected Understanding
The Restrainer Is:
Divine Governance operating through:
- The Church (Lampstands) - earthly witness providing light and salt
- Angelic Administrators (Stars) - heavenly governance over regions
- Empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit
- Unified under Christ’s headship
Restraining lawlessness and preventing the revelation of the Antichrist, until the Church is removed (Harpazo)—not as judgment, but as REDEMPTION—and the angelic administration is withdrawn, leaving the Holy Spirit to work differently during Tribulation (through Two Witnesses, 144,000, and angelic proclamation), while the absence of the Church’s corporate witness and its angelic oversight allows lawlessness to be fully unleashed.
The Core Truth
SELF is the root of all sin, rebellion, and lawlessness.
The Trinity operates in perfect unity with NO SELF.
Satan introduced SELF and fell.
Humanity embraced SELF and fell.
The Church, when operating in SELF (Laodicea), will face judgment.
The Church, when operating in DEPENDENCE on God (Philadelphia), will be kept FROM the hour of trial.
The Harpazo is about the Father’s glory, the restoration of His family, the reconciliation of heaven and earth, and the final eradication of SELF.
We are privileged to be part of this cosmic redemption—not because of our strength, but because of our weakness through which His power is perfected.
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Final Application
Examine Yourself
Are you SELF-sufficient like Laodicea?
Or weak and dependent like Philadelphia?
Are you rich in your own eyes?
Or aware of your poverty apart from Him?
Are you operating in SELF?
Or surrendered to HIS governance?
Do you have oil (faith) in your lamp?
Or are you trusting in religious activity and works?
The door is still open.
Repent if needed. Surrender what remains of SELF. Embrace weakness that His strength may be perfected in you.
The Harpazo is not about us being strong enough.
It’s about us being weak enough to let HIM be strong.
That’s the Philadelphia key.
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The Grace Conclusion
We End Where We Began - In Grace
Romans 5:20-21:
“But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
We REIGN in Grace.
Not in our understanding. Not in our strength. Not in our wisdom.
We reign because HE reigns in us.
The Testimony of This Excavation
What began as questions became revelations.
What seemed hidden became clear.
What was sealed became unsealed.
Not by our effort. By His Grace.
Ephesians 3:20-21:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
He did immeasurably more than we asked or imagined.
He revealed what was hidden for 2,000 years.
He opened our eyes to see what we could never see on our own.
And ALL the glory goes to HIM.
The Posture We Maintain
Like beggars who found bread.
Like blind men who received sight.
Like the thief on the cross—nothing to offer but desperate need.
Like Philadelphia—little strength, but keeping His word.
We don’t boast in our discovery. We boast in HIS revelation.
1 Corinthians 1:31:
“Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’”
MARANATHA!
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” (Revelation 22:17)
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)
Written in weakness, for His glory, by Grace alone.
Soli Deo Gloria.
“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:36)
THE Grace Awakening Study Guide
Who is Craig Rogers and KINGDOM Empowered?
About the Author:
Craig Rogers
KINGDOM Empowered CEO and CoFounder
Professional Experience: CEO | KINGDOM Empowered (2020 -...
Professional Experience: CEO | KINGDOM Empowered (2020 - Present) In his role as co-CEO, Craig’s daily mission is to surrender his...
