Does the man of sin have to be revealed before the Rapture? Many people argue that he must be revealed beforehand, and that the rapture cannot occur until he is revealed, because the apostle Paul wrote: "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, the man doomed to destruction." (2Th 2:3).
The word revealed is the Greek verb apokalupto, related to the Greek noun apokalupsis found in the book of Revelation 1:1, which is an unveiling. What kind of unveiling or uncovering of a hidden mystery was the book of Revelation? It is a supernatural one of the Spirit that the Father gave to Jesus to show His servants, and which Jesus sent His angel to tell John, in order to pass that along to the Lord's servants. It was not a news story broadcast to the world, but a supernatural apokalupsis.
Therefore, we must understand what Paul meant when he said the man of lawlessness must first be revealed (v. apokalupto) before we are gathered to the Lord. Some try to make this passage be about the Second Coming of the Lord at the end of the Great Tribulation, interpreting it that way so as to mean that by that point in time, obviously the antichrist has been revealed. But I don't see it that way. I see it like this. What is the criteria that must be met in order for the man of sin to be "revealed"? Does it have to be broadcast on the news that this is the antichrist? Does he have to come out on CNN wearing a name tag that says, "So-and-so the antichrist"? Or is it something else less obvious to the whole world, but known and recognized by the saints with ears to hear and eyes to see? I think it is the latter, something totally supernatural like the way the book of Revelation was given (eg.., through a vision or even dreams).
Furthermore, the other question is when does this revelation have to occur to fulfill what Paul stated in 2 Thessalonians 2:3? Does it have to occur weeks or months beforehand? I believe it has already been revealed, but in terms of a more public way that more people will recognize, what if that were to happen the day of the rapture or the day before? What if the man of lawlessness were to be in the news immediately before or on the day of the rapture, having signed a 7-year peace treaty for Israel and Palestine?
The advantage of this timing and method demonstrates the wisdom of God. The naysaying, apostate Christians with a mere form of godliness, who deny the power of God (2 Timothy 3:5), who say that the rapture cannot happen yet, since the man of sin has not been revealed, are not aware that God has already revealed it to His servants according to Amos 3:7, as I have already stated. And secondly they have not stopped to consider that the antichrist could be revealed immediately before the rapture, while they are going about their routine business, before they have a chance to receive news of it, until it is too late for them, because they have already missed the rapture. That is exactly what I believe will happen.
As I have already written about, Macron announced earlier this month that he and Crown Prince Bin Salman will co-chair the Two-State Solution conference at the upcoming UN Summit in NYC the week of September 23rd, right during the period when the rapture is supposed to occur, according to Many Revelations Concerning the September 2025 Rapture, and they will sign a 7-year peace treaty. If Bin Salman is the antichrist, as brother Joshua says the Lord showed him in a vision, then that would fulfill 2 Thessalonians 2:3 in a more public way, which may be so late that the naysayers will not realize it in time, and they will be stuck having to endure the Great Tribulation.
Paul goes on to say in that passage (2 Thes 2:3) that the one who holds back or restrains must continue to restrain the secret power of lawlessness that has actively been working diabolically in the world since the first century, so that he is revealed only at the proper time of GOD's choosing, not the choosing of the antichrist. The restrainer is the Holy Spirit in the Bride of Christ, and when He is removed, then the antichrist will be fully revealed to everyone, but I think he has already been revealed through the Lord's servants to the saints who are watching and listening, and that he will be more publicly revealed at the very last moments before the rapture, such as the day before the rapture (or the same day), as we are seeing play out in the news right now. and about which I have written in my article, Seven-year Peace Deal at September UN Summit.
Closing Words
In closing, I think this completely demolishes the argument that many are making that the rapture cannot occur this month or at any point until the man of sin is revealed, and it puts the naysayers on notice, who are using that argument to deny the imminence of the Lord's soon return.
I recommend that you please take this to the Lord in prayer, and ask Him to confirm to you for yourself whether what I am saying is from Him or not. The Holy Spirit will be faithful to reveal it to you, if you humble yourself and ask the Lord, according to Jeremiah 29:13 and 33:3. Let's not be like the Sadducees and Pharisees, whom Jesus criticized as hypocrites, because they could not interpret the signs of the times, even though they could discern weather patterns in the sky (Mt 16:3; Luke 12:56).
We should always be ready for Jesus' return at any time, watching, praying, and keeping our lamps burning (see video); but I think these many confirmations should put us all on high alert for the rapture this September. I am not saying the rapture will occur in September, although I think the probability is extremely high that He will do so. In fact, I think the chances of the rapture not occurring this year are approaching zero, and I would be very surprised if it doesn't happen. I sense in my spirit, as most of us do, that the time of the rapture is very near, and certainly hope it happens this fall.
Whether you believe it or not, one thing is for sure -- Jesus is coming back soon! You need to get your life right with Jesus right now. Give your life to Jesus before the rapture happens and before the Great Tribulation begins. Repent and return to the Lord with fasting and prayer, seeking His face with all your heart, proving your repentance by your deeds.
Attribution Notice: Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission.
Author's note: You must take responsibility for your own actions. Nobody knows the day or the hour, and in no way am I date setting. This is only to provide you with information, so that you can make your own decisions, for which you will be accountable to God.
Also see Seven-Year Peace Deal at September UN Summit?, Many Revelations Concerning September 2025 Rapture, Jacob's Trouble About to Be Fulfilled, Advance Preparations for the Bride of Christ, No Man Knows the Day or the Hour - The Feast of Trumpets, How to Prepare for the Rapture, Woman has Vision of New Jerusalem - Jesus Coming Soon!, The Error of Rapture Date Setting, Noah and Lot Parallels with Rapture, Are You Rapture Ready?, Rapture Dreams: Jesus is Coming Soon!, God Gives Little Girl Revelations of Christ's Return, The Timing of the Rapture, The Great Shaking of 2025, and Warning Dream: The Tribulation Follows Rapture, Left-Behind Christians Hunted. You may also visit our Signs of the Times Directory, and access my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.
Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus. Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15). He preached that we must repent and believe.
Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International. He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org
