Here is what I am thinking. Bible tells us that here are only two things that must take place
before the antichrist comes.
1.The Falling Away
"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." 2Thess.2:3
2. The removal of the Holy Spirit's restraining power must be taken out of the way (Rapture) and the
Church will be able to restrain evil no more.
"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth
will let, until he be taken out of the way. 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." 2Thess.2:7
The word apostasia is used for the the phrase Falling away. It can mean a
falling away from faith (military rebellion), and/or a physical departure.
Here is how I see it. The "Falling Away" is the Rapture of the Church.
Instantly they are "departed" and the next thing that would take place is
an instant falling away from the faith.
All the people that will be left behind will be "luke warm" so called
Christians. In other words the church goers. Because they are luke warm means they are not born again.
Instantly after we are gone they will soak up, accept and become part of the New Age movement.
"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue
thee out of my mouth.Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with
goods, and have need of nothing; (Name it claim it faith movement) and
knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind,
and naked."
Now what we will then have is a physical departure of the Church and the
the instant falling away into apostasy of all church goers left behind. So
for me, the Falling Away has a double meaning.
The Falling Away has to take place in order that the antichrist be reviled. After the Rapture there will be no physical (the Church) or (Spiritual) presence on earth to restrain evil. There will be no light on the earth to guard against false and misleading doctrines of demons. This is why God at the time of the Rapture will as he has done in the past, will then withdraw and hand over the world to satan and the lusts of men.
2Thess. 2:8-12 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:Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Once we are Raptured out, God will then give them over to the antichrist. The delusion will be that he is the The Messiah and the Second Coming. Also note in scripture that there is NO second chance for those that refuse the truth of Jesus Christ now. The second the Rapture takes place, they are locked in to suffer through the Tribulation and they may "be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
Only those who have never rejected the gospel will have a chance to find salvation but will be left behind to go through the Great Tribulation. Since the Holy Spirit will not indwell these saints, they will not be born again. Therefore they can not be referred to as Christians, only as saints or believers.
As I have said, the Falling Away can mean "military rebellion." Now try to imagine the non-born-again church goers realising with great shock that they are left behind. After the shock wears off, deep anger and hatred for God will then set in. This will instantly create the largest and most massive rebellion against God ever seen on earth ever in it's history! Once this takes place, the way for the antichrist will be wide open! Is it any wonder that he receives a crown and goes forth to conquer.
"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." Rev. 6:2
With influence of the Holy Spirit now absent, the people of the world will crown the antichrist to go forth and destroy those who will come to the Lord during the Tribulation. All man's hate against God and all His believers will be focused in the antichrist as he will be the strong arm that will go forth to conquer them much like the Roman leader Nero did in the past. Once in power, the antichrist will now be able to go after and crush God's elect the Jews.
"For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their hooves in pieces." Zech. 11:16
The moment that we are departed from the earth (Rapture/Falling Away), the great and horrible rebellion against God (apostasia) will begin. As for us who are born again and saved by the blood of Jesus we,
"...wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." 1Th 1:10
"Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." Rom. 5:9
"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." 1Th 5:9
But for the rebellious unsaved,
"...the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." Rom. 1:18
"But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." Rom. 2:5
"But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath." Rom. 2:8
Because we are saved from wrath in Christ, we will never suffer from the wrath of God in hell or upon the earth during the great judgment known as the Tribulation, the Great Day of His Wrath.
Richard Vizzutti