2 Thessalonians 2:
[SUP]1[/SUP] Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, [SUP]2[/SUP] That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. [SUP]3[/SUP] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; [SUP]4[/SUP] 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. [SUP]5[/SUP] Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? [SUP]6[/SUP] And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. [SUP]7[/SUP] For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. [SUP]8[/SUP] And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [SUP]9[/SUP] Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, [SUP]10[/SUP] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [SUP]11[/SUP] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [SUP]12[/SUP] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
According to the 'grammar of the language'...
The phrase 'what withholdeth' in verse 6 refers back to 'except there come a falling away first' in verse 3 - meaning - the 'man of sin' ( verse 3 ) will not be revealed until there has first been a falling away - or, 'apostasy' ( Strongs: G646 ); in effect, the "holding back" of the 'apostasy' is what "holds back" the 'revealing' [ of the 'man of sin' ]. So then, the 'he' ( x2 ) in verse 7 is [ that which is ] "holding back" the 'apostasy'. When 'he' is 'taken out of the way', the 'apostasy' then
proceeds -- after which, the 'man of sin' is 'revealed'.
The idea of 'he' in verse 7 being [ the
power that is ] "restraining the full force of sin" ( directly ) is
not in the passage. Yes, there is a lot going on that is indicated in verse 9; however, that is not what the "restraining" is about. What is being "restrained" ( directly ) is the 'apostasy' - not "the power of Satan"...
I think Holly is definitely right about one thing. And, it is evidenced by the phrase 'For the mystery of iniquity doth already work' in verse 7. What is being "restrained" ( directly ) is not sin or evil - neither 'in part' nor 'in full'.
Since the Holy Spirit is required for salvation, I do not believe that the Holy Spirit will be "totally removed from the Earth" as long as there is anyone on the Earth who God is giving any more opportunity to be saved.
Order of Events:
apostasy
revealing
coming