Caged Animals

2 Thessalonians 2-Part 4
And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.    2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 NAS


LET IT GLOW

Last week we took our grandchildren to a drive through safari in our local area. I must say, the Lord had a sense of humor when He created some animals, like the baboon's hairdo, long legged camels and emus, stripes on tigers and zebras, the sound made by the zebras, rhino's big and unbalanced head with horns, a sleeping sloth with its head between its legs, long haired yak, the alligator's big mouth, and the Texas longhorn cattle, just to name a few. Some of the animals were allowed to roam freely on the property while others were in cages. To those, the cage was their home, where they ate, slept, and lived. These animals were restrained from roaming around, which would have resulted in attacking and killing other animals, such as the lions, tigers, and wolves. We know those are hunters.
Satan is like a caged animal, restrained from doing his attacking. One day he will be let out, unrestrained.

Charles Swindoll, in his book, Steadfast Christianity, says:

There will come a time when the Restrainer is taken out of the way and lawlessness runs wild and rampant in the streets. Ours is a day of grace in which sin, to the large degree, is restrained. It is a day when God does not deal directly with human sin. However, there will come a time when He will step on the scene to deal definitively with sin. And that will be a time of great destruction.

Did you notice the phrase "in his time" in our verse?  I like to do things on my own time table, have my own plans, going and doing as I wish. Actually, though, when it comes right down to it, God is in control of all things. He is Sovereign, not me. When you believe that, there is peace.

"The reason for the restraint was so that Antichrist would be revealed at God's appointed time and no sooner, just as was Christ, because God controls Satan," stated The MacArthur Bible Commentary.

We don't know who will be the Antichrist, nor when his time will come, so I need to be ready always. I need to help others get ready, too. (Since I believe in the Rapture, I believe Christians will not be here during this time of the release of the Antichrist.)


LET IT GROW

Do you recall the story of Noah? He's the one who built the giant ark so his family and all animals could be saved from the flood covering the whole earth.

Swindoll tells us:
In Genesis 6:3, the Holy Spirit is represented as striving with wicked mankind during the days of Noah, when the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever." When man's wickedness exhausted God's long-suffering mercy, His wrath spilled over the earth in judgment. the situation of the end times seems to parallel the days of Noah (Matt. 24:37-39). Today, the Holy Spirit restrains man's lawlessness chiefly through the Chruch (John 16:7-11). Because of His presence in us, we function as the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13-16). When the Church is "gathered together" and taken to be with Christ in the air, the salt and light will be withdrawn. Then every vestige of goodness will decay; every remnant of truth, unravel. It is at that time when the man of lawlessness will take center stage.

The spirit of lawlessness is already in our society because Satan is here inticing men to sin, along with our sin nature. It was there in the time of the Thessalonians, too. Have you thought, along with me, that our world can't get any worse than it already is? Well it can and will.

"The one who wants to take the place reserved for Jesus, God's Son and our Savior, opposes God. Satan  wants to be "The God of the universe," but he never will  be.

"The spirit of such a man is already in operation (1John 2:18), but the man who fullly embodies that spirit has not come, according to The MacArthur Bible Commentary.

Dear friend, strive to live a holy and righteous live. Our God is still on His throne, ruling the universe, and He always will. Revelation 19 tells us the One called "Faithful" and "True" will be riding a white horse judging and making war. His name is "The Word of God," and "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords." We will gather together unto the supper of the great God.

Hallejuah! The time is coming when all shall see Him as He is. And the Devil will be cast into the bottomless pit and shut up, in Rev. 20.
Praise the Lord Jesus and God our Father!


LET IT GO

Don't join in with those who are lawless and living a sinful lifestyle, but stay close to the One who is merciful and pure.

Trust in the One who has time and everyone in His control.

Stay seated at the feet of my Lord Jesus.