I will include translation into the Scriptures. If I don't make any sense, just say so.
Verse 6 says that there is a restrainer, keeping the appearance of the anti-christ at bay. All true Christians have the Holy Spirit within us. What is keeping the tribulation from starting? Us. How? By prayer and taking the power from the enemy through prayer, doing what God wants us to do, and by rebuking the satanic/demonic influence. Scripture states that in 'Jesus Name satan has to flee.' When you have the world's Christians praying for souls, the solving of problems within our world, all hell cannot break loose because we are more powerful than they are. If we are removed, satan has cart blanche. That's when he can make his move and have his representative....his son, rise up with answers to the 'world's problems.'
Verse 7 says that the mystery of lawlessness is apparent all over the world. All you have to do is turn on your tv or read a newspaper. That only He (and the h was capitalized in Scripture) who is restraining, holding back, etc. will continue to restrain and hold back until He is taken out of the picture. This time in history will only be known by Almighty God the Father. Even Jesus said when He walked the earth that He didn't know the day or hour. Once He is taken out of the way, satan will push the anti-christ into the spotlight. Now, the Holy Spirit dwells within us. The Holy Spirit goes anywhere He wants, but Jesus' kids, who are saved by Grace, again have the Holy Spirit within us. He teaches, comforts, helps us pray to Almighty God, like Jesus did when He walked the earth. Now, how do you get the Holy Spirit who dwells in us out of the picture? He takes us out of the way....the rapture.
Verse 8 says that 'then the lawless one' (anti-christ), will be revealed. We won't know who he is, unless the Lord allows us to see. I hope not. But he will rise out of the Old Roman Empire. He could be an Arab since Jesus is Jewish. Jesus, when He comes back on a white horse will destroy with His breath. That's when He throws the anti-christ and the false prophet into the lake of fire....alive. Rev. 19: 20 - Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. The two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Man, I can almost hear their screams now.)
Hopefully that helped. I prayed before I posted. You may think I'm a crack pot!
Of course you're not a crack pot! LOL!! Many people believe as you do, I think most christians believe in the pre-tribulation rapture. But, take a look at this.
Luke 17:20-37
[20] Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, [21] nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."
[22] Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. [23] Men will tell you, 'There he is!' or 'Here he is!' Do not go running off after them. [24] For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. [25] But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
[26] "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. [27] People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
[28] "It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. [29] But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
[30] "It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. [31] On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. [32] Remember Lot's wife! [33] Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. [34] I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. [35] Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left."
I look at these verses and, to me, it means that the righteous will be taken right before Armageddon, the destruction of this system. I just don't see any scriptures that show that we will be taken before the tribulation begins. I"ve love to be proven wrong, I don't enjoy the thought of having to live through the tribulation, but I really believe that we will have to endure it.
Matt 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
"I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years" (Rev. 20:4-6).
"He was given power to make war against THE SAINTS and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast -- all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. He who has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of THE SAINTS" (Rev. 13:7-10).
"They overcame him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death" (Rev. 12:11)
Clearly, these verses show that there will be many christians alive during the tribulation, and they will be rescued right before the end, just like it was in the days of noah, God sealed up the ark and then the end came. I think it's going to come down the same way, unfortunately, we will have to live through it and many of us will be killed.
I do participate in alot of online christian forums, and the majority of people believe in the pre-tribulation rapture. Nothing wrong with believing that, but what if it doesn't' happen? I worry about the faith of my brothers and sisters who believe it 100%. Will their faith be weakened if it doesn't come down that way? Will they be spiritually, emotionally and physically prepared for what they will have to endure if the rapture does not come till the end? I do think about these things, and I do think that alot of christians will fall away if things don't pan out like they are planning on. I always think on planning for the worst and hoping for the best.
