Pre-Trib, Pre-Mil - Satan doesn't know when Christ is returning

[SPF]

For me thats speculation.. a huge jump to say its Michael.

As far as I understand the position, the leading candidates for the restrainer have been the Holy Spirit or the universal Church. Why would you consider Michael as the restrainer to be a "huge" jump?

To me it makes more sense than either the HS or the Church. The reason would be that (as far as I understand the position) after the rapture, people are actually still able to come to Christ, they just have the endure the tribulation. This means that the Holy Spirit hasn't actually left, because He's going to indwell everyone who comes to Christ. This also means that there is still a remnant of the Church.

Michael however, as the established angel in Scripture who carries out the will of God makes the most sense to me. He quite literally can be told to stop and taken out of the way.

 

[Prabhanjan Bag]

This question is for those of you in the camp that believe in a rapture, it can be pre-trib or mid-trib, and that the 1,000 year reign is literal.

Jesus said that nobody knew when He was going to return. So we take that to mean that it could be today, or it could be 20 years from now, or it could still be another 500-2,000 years off, we just don't know.

But what strikes me is that if we don't know, then doesn't that also mean that Satan doesn't know? And if Satan doesn't know when Christ is returning, then that necessarily must mean that Satan doesn't know who the anti-Christ is, right?

I had a professor in college who held an interesting view which I wonder how those of you who hold to rapture would view.

I'm sure you have all memorized II Thessalonians 2 as that is a major passage concerning this. I want to specifically look at verse 7 - For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

This professor held that the one who restrained the man of lawlessness [the anti-Christ] was actually not the Holy Spirit, nor the Church, which are the standard interpretations - but the angel Michael. We seen in Scripture that Michael is the angel that basically carries out God's will, and Gabriel is more of the messenger.

So the picture he painted looks like this - Satan doesn't know when the end is, he's not privy to that information any more than we are. But his goal is of course the same - keep as many people away from Christ as possible and do as many terrible things as possible.

Thus, Satan influences people, raises people up to do terrible things. So we have a man like Hitler come to power, does bad things, but God looks over at Michael and says, "Not yet", so Michael steps in and the potential anti-Christ is stopped. Someone else comes to power, does terrible things, God looks over at Michael and says "Not yet", and so he is stopped.

But one day, someone will come to power, Michael will glance over at God, and God won't tell Michael to intervene. And viola, you have your anti-Christ.

Thoughts?

If we think Satan knows the time when the Anti-Christ will come then it will be in clear violation of Christ's statement that says " But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." Mark 13:32 (KJV)
" But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."Mat.24:36
Any human speculation about the time of the second coming of Christ is erroneous.
Secondly, as we all know that Satan is the fallen angel and he is repeatedly defeated by Jesus Christ. This shows that he is in no way smarter than Jesus.
" 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:" 2 Thessalonians 2:8 (KJV)
I personally feel that we need not worry about the exact time of his coming if we are restored to him. Only we can boldly say to him come Lord Jesus any time you like, I am prepared to receive you.
"He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! Rev.22:20
So it is a grace period for us to prepare ourselves if we are not prepared yet.