2 Thessalonians 2:3-4: Let no man deceive you by any means (Mt. 24:4-5, 11, 24; 2 Jn. 1:7; Rev. 12:9; 13:14; 18:23): for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first (the apostasy - 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 4:3-4; etc.), and that Man of Sin be revealed, the Son of Perdition (the Antichrist - Dan. 7:8; 8:23; 9:26; 11:21, 36; Mt. 24:4-28; Rev. 13:1-10; etc.); who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God" (the Abomination of Desolation - Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; Rev. 13:1-18; etc.).
2 Thessalonians 2:5-9: "Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things (Paul's message to them was that the risen Jesus is the Christ - Acts. 17:3)? And now ye know what withholdeth ("what" used here is not a person but a thing) that he might be revealed (the Beast, a.k.a. the Little Horn, the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, and the Antichrist - see v.3 above) in his time (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; Rom. 11:25; Rev. 13:1-18; etc.). For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way (the "thing" of v. 6 is called "He" in v. 7 - most believe that since the Rapture will occur prior to the revealing of the Antichrist, and because the Church is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, "it" refers to the Church, and "He" refers to the restraining work of the Holy Spirit within the Church). And then shall that Wicked (one) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming (Isa. 11:4; Dan. 7:10-11; Hos. 6:5; Mt. 24:29-31; Rev. 19:11-21; etc.): even (also) him (the False Prophet), whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" (Rev. 13:13-15).
Just as in this passage, the Book of Revelation is literal and sequential!
That which occurs on Earth is based upon time; that which occurs in heaven is not!
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