To the OP question, I believe that is what it is describing.
As pertains to the Greek Apostasia: Excerpt from Liberty University.
S THE RAPTURE IN 2 THESSALONIANS 2:3?Tom's Perspectives
by Thomas Ice
Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes
first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,—2 Thessalonians 2:3
I believe that there is a strong possibility that 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is speaking of the
rapture. What do I mean? Some pretribulationists, like myself, think that the Greek
noun apostasia, usually translated “apostasy,” is a reference to the rapture and should be
translated “departure.” Thus, this passage would be saying that the day of the Lord
will not come until the rapture comes before it. If apostasia is a reference to a physical
departure, then 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is strong evidence for pretribulationism.
THE MEANING OF APOSTASIA
Excerpts to follow for brevity:
The Greek noun apostasia is only used twice in the New Testament. In addition to 2
Thessalonians 2:3, it occurs in Acts 21:21 ....
....Kenneth Wuest, a Greek scholar from Moody Bible Institute added the following
contextual support to taking apostasia as a physical departure:
But then hee apostasia of which Paul is speaking, precedes the revelation of
Antichrist in his true identity, and is to katechon that which holds back his
- 4 -
revelation (2:6).
The hee apostasia, therefore, cannot be either a general
apostasy in Christendom which does precede the coming of Antichrist, nor
can it be the particular apostasy which is the result of his activities in making
himself the alone object of worship. Furthermore, that which holds back his
revelation (vs. 3) is vitally connected with hoo katechoon (vs. 7), He who holds
back the same event. The latter is, in my opinion, the Holy Spirit and His
activities in the Church. All of which means that I am driven to the
inescapable conclusion that the
hee apostasia (vs. 3) refers to the Rapture of the
Church which precedes the Day of the Lord, and holds back the revelation of
the Man of Sin who ushers in the world-aspect of that period.12
CONCLUSION
The fact that apostasia most likely has the meaning of physical departure is a clear
support for pretribulationism. If this is true, (Dr. Tim LaHaye and I believe that it is),
then it means that a clear prophetic sequence is laid out by Paul early in his Apostolic
ministry. Paul teaches in 2 Thessalonians 2 that the rapture will occur first, before the
Day of the Lord commences. It is not until after the beginning of the Day of the Lord
that the Antichrist is released, resulting in the events described by him in chapter 2 of 2
Thessalonians. This is the only interpretation that provides hope for a discomforted
people. Maranatha!