Will the Holy Spirit leave?
Some people have been told that God’s Holy Spirit will be taken out of the world during the end of this age. This belief is based primarily on the misunderstanding of one scripture (2 Thessalonians 2: 7).
No Longer Holding Back the Evil One
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. (2 Thessalonians 2: 5-8)
The Holy Spirit of God is the one who has the power to hold back Satan. The Great Tribulation begins when the one who holds back Satan is “taken out of the way.” This does not mean that the Holy Spirit will be taken from the earth – it means that the Holy Spirit will no longer hold back Satan when the time comes to fully release Satan. The Holy Spirit will still on be the earth because it is still needed for other purposes.
Special Purposes During the End Times
The Holy Spirit will be involved in protecting the 2 witnesses of God at the Temple during the 1,260 days that they witness/prophesy during the great tribulation. (Revelation 11: 1-14)
3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” (Revelation 11: 3)
The Holy Spirit will be involved in assisting faithful Christians to endure what will happen to large numbers of them (e.g. captivity and/or martyrdom) during the great tribulation. (Revelation 13: 10) (Revelation 14: 12-13) (Revelation 20: 4)
12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. (Revelation 14: 12)
And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. (Revelation 20: 4)
The Holy Spirit will be involved in sealing the 144,000 Jews who will witness for Jesus Christ (Yeshua) during the time that God’s wrath is poured out onto the world. (Revelation 7: 1-8) (Revelation 14: 1-5)
3 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. (Revelation 7: 3-4)
Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. (Revelation 14: 1)
Ongoing Purposes
The Holy Spirit of God is described as having specific qualities and purposes:
- The Holy Spirit was involved in the creation of the world. (Genesis 1: 2)
- The Holy Spirit is poured out from God. (Joel 2: 28-29)
- The Holy Spirit is ever-present. (Psalm 139: 7-10)
- The Holy Spirit guides God’s holy people. (Matthew 3: 17)
- The Holy Spirit indwells God’s holy people. (John 7: 37-39) (Acts 7: 55) (Acts 10: 38)
- The Holy Spirit teaches and reminds God’s holy people. (John 14: 26)
- The Holy Spirit intercedes for God’s holy people. (Romans 8: 26)
- The Holy Spirit gives joy. (Luke 10:21)
- The Holy Spirit speaks truth. (1 Corinthians 12: 3)
- The Holy Spirit provides fellowship. (2 Corinthians 13: 14)
- The Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to God’s holy people. (1 Corinthians 12: 4-11)
- The Holy Spirit helps people to understand the things of God. (1 Corinthians 2: 14)
- The Holy Spirit must never be blasphemed (the unforgiveable sin). (Matthew 12: 30-32)
- The Holy Spirit permanently seals those who belong to God. (Ephesians 1: 13-14)
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1: 13-14)
What Happens Next
When the Holy Spirit no longer holds back the evil one, things on this earth will change dramatically. There will be a Rebellion in heaven, the Antichrist will be revealed, and the Great Tribulation will begin.
The Rebellion Will Occur
3 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. (2 Thessalonians 2: 3)
Revelation 12 describes a war in heaven: Satan and his angels will battle God’s angels. Satan will lose. He will be thrown out of heaven and cast onto the earth. He will be furious and he will direct his rage toward God’s people (read Revelation 12: 12-17).
The Antichrist Will be Revealed
4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2: 4)
Satan will give his power and authority to the beast and the Antichrist (read Revelation 13: 2). With the help of Satan, the Antichrist will severely persecute God’s people, blaspheme God, and exalt himself to be worshiped.
The Holy Spirit is Present
The Holy Spirit will still be on the earth during the Great Tribulation and the Wrath of God because there are still Christians on the earth during that time. During the time of great distress many of God’s children will be persecuted, taken captive, and/or martyred – but God will not abandon His children. He will not take His Holy Spirit from them.
God is Still in Control
Even though God will allow evil to wield more power during the end of this age, God is still in control.
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