Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. This is the Lamp and Light broadcast coming to you from Central Baptist Church in beautiful Ocala, FL. Lamp and Light is a ministry that takes a book of the Bible, verse by verse, teaching it as it is, to men as they are, without compromise or apologies, while at the same time speaking the truth in love. giving the lamp and light to all. Yesterday in our study of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, we were talking about the reason that there seems always to be a tyrannical leader in every generation. Let's listen to Dr. Bloom's thoughts on this subject today. And now, here is our teacher and radio pastor, Dr. Andy Bloom. Jesus said in Revelation 3 that it was the overcomers that would sit down in his throne with him, in his personal throne, that is. Not everybody that's in heaven is going to sit in that throne. Not everybody that's in heaven is going to have crowns. Some will be saved so as by fire. Now, the lowest man in heaven is going to be better off than the greatest guy in hell, but nonetheless, he has shame. I don't think that we really grasp how great that shame is. I read Revelation 21 where the tears are dried from their eyes, but that's after the thousand-year millennium. We've been in heaven over a thousand years, and I think there's going to be some tears in heaven for some time, up until after the white throne judgment, and then he wipes the tears from our eyes. Have you considered, as Daniel chapter 12 speaks of those that turn men to righteousness, shall shine as the stars forever. And turning others to righteousness is not saying how many people I got to receive Christ. Maybe like Noah, and only eight people received Christ in 120 years. Turning many to righteousness is showing them the way of salvation, turning them to Christ. They still have to make a decision. I can't make a decision for them. They have to make a decision. But my responsibility is to turn them to righteousness. And then we shine as the stars forever. So let's reiterate this saving gospel to a lost and dying world. Let's reiterate to them that Jesus Christ is coming again, that he's coming again soon. Let's be his witness, my friend. And yes, there may be a cost. All those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. That matter is clear. and that may include you may include me but let us let us stand true now let's look at verses six and seven and we see the prophecies overseer there it says and now you know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time for the mystery of iniquity doth already work only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way now What withholdeth and what letteth? Now, I need you to understand withhold and letteth are the same Greek word. Satan does not know the day or the time of the rapture. Like us, he can know when it's near, maybe even at the doors. The reasons that we've had over the years, a Hitler, a Stalin, a Hussein, a Bin Laden, The reason that we've had those is Satan never knows when the time is going to be, and so he prepares men in every generation. The what that withholdeth and letteth is the Holy Spirit. Now, it is the Holy Spirit that withholdeth the Antichrist from being revealed in his time. The word now shows that they knew what kept the Antichrist from being revealed until God's time. This is although the mystery of iniquity is already at work. But the saved, we who have received Christ as our personal Savior, through the local church, and by the way, Thessalonica is a local church, and this letter is addressed to a local church, and we should be serving the Lord through a local church, a biblical local church that preaches the Word, that is. And so, the mystery of iniquity is that word. You and I as Christians are to be light and salt in this world. God uses us to prevent total lawlessness, corruption, and decay. He uses us through our witness. These are religious folks who call us that have Bible standards of righteousness. They call us legalists. But in that day, homosexuals, drugs, and by the way, the word sorcery is sometimes you see in the New Testament, has the idea of black magic in association with the use of drugs. I'm alarmed at many of the cartoons that they have on television these days for the children, that so much of the magic and the black magic is And I think it's preparing the young minds of these children for that day. And so, in that day to come, when we're taken out of the way, the homosexual, the drugs, and whatever else has been restrained is now freed. Now, the wording is interesting here. The word mystery here in our text here in 2 Thessalonians. chapter 2 and verse 7. That word mystery denotes something hidden, secret information or doctrine, which the initiates are to keep secret. Iniquity means transgression of the law or lawless. There's no governing standard or moral. And then we're told it worketh. It's a Greek word, energia, from which we get our word, energy. There is a strong energetic force behind this secret plan of lawlessness. But they can't do anything about it until the Holy Spirit allows it. Now, their battle is two-pronged, that is, the battle by the Antichrist and that prophet that serves with him, that false prophet. Their two-pronged battle is political and religious. He's a God of forces who has set himself up to be worshipped. If the Holy Spirit right now did not let, by that word we mean did not hold back, The mystery of iniquity and lawlessness would now have full sway, as it will, in the system of Antichrist, as guided by Satan in the Tribulation. Now, this world is wicked that you and I are living in, there's no doubt about it. And yet, as wicked as it is, it has not hit the level of wickedness that it will hit. Until then, the Holy Spirit does not permit it. And by many new evangelical thoughts today, the Holy Spirit must be a legalist because he doesn't permit the total lawlessness. He doesn't permit the total iniquity until he be taken out of the way. Now interesting here that the word he is used as a neuter to show spirit. And it's an aorist subjunctive middle. Now I know that sounds deep, but it's really not. That just simply means the Holy Spirit is acting on Himself. The Holy Spirit is taking Himself out of the way. In other words, we're talking about the rapture. He's taking us up out of the way. And when we are raptured, then the mystery of iniquity is revealed. But it's not until the Holy Spirit being removed from the world that Satan's program is suddenly allowed to go without restraint, so that the devil may do his evil, dastardly deeds. Now, no specific time is given. It is all in his time, that is, in the Lord's time. I'm reminded of 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 51 through 53. Great verses for we as Christians. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. There's not a partial rapture, it's all of us. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible, boy, we are corruptible, aren't we? For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Oh, what a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, when I look upon his face, the one who saved me by his grace. Oh, what a day. And let's pray for that day. Let's pray thy kingdom come. Even the Greek language shows the accuracy of this doctrine that we're teaching. The people of God is taken up, and then the restraining is taken out of the way. Now, sometimes I feel like Jesus must have felt in John chapter 8, verses 44 and 45, when he's speaking to those religious Pharisees, those New Evangelicals, he says, Ye are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." Now many won't believe the message that we have for them. Many won't believe this message I've been teaching to you straight from the Word of God. So what are we to do? Are we to quit? No, we still need to keep on keeping on. I'm reminded of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 verse 15. He says, the more I love, the less I'd be loved. You know, I think today of children, we see them playing out in our streets. Maybe you see them riding in on buses in your church. They may be affected by this one day. Do we care? If the Lord were to rapture us in the next couple of days, some of those children you see could be fighting at Armageddon. That's why our witness is so necessary. What will your family think through all eternity if you withhold telling them about Christ, or you will not stand for right when those who call themselves Christians stand forever, but you keep quiet just to keep peace in the family. Now, think about that. Should you be quiet to keep peace when they're not being quiet about their doctrine, about what they do? Why should you be quiet? It's a time to stand, not to retreat. Are you more concerned about what they think now than what they will think throughout all eternity? Do you actually believe in eternity? Is your comfort zone now more important to you than when you're in eternity? This is your radio pastor, Pastor Andy Bloom saying, may the Word of God be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your pathway today. We want to thank you for listening to the Lamp and Light broadcast. If you would like a CD or cassette tape of today's message by Dr. Blumen, send us your name, mailing address, the radio station by which you are listening, the date of the broadcast, and a gift of $5 to Lamp and Light Broadcast, 1714 Southeast 36th Avenue, Ocala, Florida, 34471. We also welcome your comments on the broadcast and Bible questions. Again, you may write us at the same address which is 1714 Southeast 36th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471. You may also visit us on the web at www.centralbaptistocala.org No grace. Click to the lamp and light. Again, that web address is www.centralbaptistocla.org with no grace. This is your announcer, Jerry Banks, saying, May God's peace be with all that are in Christ Jesus.