Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ 2 Thessalonians

[Pointy Head]

What is Biblical difference between Spirit, demons & fallen angels?

One day I asked someone what is this Man of Sin? If he will be a human soldier of Satan, the final rebellion against God from Mankind, why 2 Thessalonians 2 says that he was restrained by something since BACK IN PAUL'S TIME so that he might come in his own time.

5Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?6And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.

If he is a human, his age must have same limit like ours. So there should be no way that he has been kept alive since then.

To which I got the answer that Antichrist/Man of Sin is a spirit which is being restrained. So as the title says, I wish to know the difference between Spirit, demons, fallen angels.

Or do you believe that we are living in Short season where Satan is loosed to deceive the nations meaning that Man of sin thing has already happened years ago.

[jimwalton]

> What is Biblical difference between Spirit, demons & fallen angels?

They are all spirit beings, though of completely different sorts, just as there are organic beings of completely different sorts (cells, trees, humans, etc.)

In general, the Spirit is the divine Person of the Trinity, omnipresent, and completely non-corporeal.

Demons are very limited spiritual beings who serve to create physical and mental chaos. It seems to be the only power they have. Their
goals is to be agents of disruption and disorder.

Angels are messengers, and therefore fallen angels are messengers who serve Satan. They are not demons and have nothing in common with the demon world.

> what is this Man of Sin?

The man of sin is regarded by many to be speaking of the anti-Christ. Back in Paul's day, there were people and movements that were distinctly and violently anti-christ, but it is believed that in the last day the full manifestation of the anti-Christ will appear with unmitigated blasphemy and evil.

If he is a human, his age must have same limit like ours. So there should be no way that he has been kept alive since then.
It is the spirit of anti-christ that has been kept alive through the ages. You'll notice that v. 7 says this power of lawlessness is already at work. That power has continued through the millennia.

> To which I got the answer that Antichrist/Man of Sin is a spirit which is being restrained.

It is my considered opinion that the AntiChrist/Man of Sin will be an individual who represents an ideology and is the figurehead for a movement. It is not my opinion that he will be a spirit. Rather, he will be a human who rises to power at the appointed time.

> Or do you believe that we are living in Short season where Satan is loosed to deceive the nations meaning that Man of sin thing has already happened years ago.

I believe that Satan has always been at work through the ages, and that powers (human, spiritual, political, philosophical, ideological) have always been at work against Christ and His kingdom as well. I don't believe, however, that the AntiChrist has shown himself (if he's around yet; if it's time yet) or specifically that it happened years ago. We have yet to see this person emerge in the spotlight. People are actively watching and making guesses at who the AntiChrist will be. It is not yet known, nor is it known if it will happen in our lifetimes. We stay alert to the signs.

[Pointy Head]

By man of sin thing already happened, I meant that all of this happened already around 110 AD as Lord said This generation (the people he was talking to) shall not pass until all of these things are fulfilled, even those who pierced Lord will see his coming, he said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power."

I agree the only prophecy which was difficult to get fulfilled back then was that Gospel will be taught in every nation then end will come

[jimwalton]

> around 110 AD as Lord said

I assume you know there is a great amount of debate around this saying of Jesus, and it's not at all a settled matter as you seem to be implying. I have in my notes 7 major interpretations of this saying. it probably refers to the vindication of His person and prophetic message in the transfiguration, His death, resurrection, and in the fall of Jerusalem in 70. But those events have nothing to do with the man of sin mentioned in 2 Thes. 2. Paul says that don't be deceived into thinking this has already happened (2 Thes. 2.3, written in around 52). Paul's "day of apostasy" and the revelation of the man of lawlessness speak of an event parallel between this day and the Day of the Lord, which has not yet happened, even in our day. This "man doomed to destruction" (2.3) is not Satan, but instead to one distinct person who is doing the work of Satan. This has no particular fulfillment at the destruction of the Temple; it points to someone future.

> I agree the only prophecy which was difficult to get fulfilled back then was that Gospel will be taught in every nation then end will come

Mt. 24.14. This could easily be proverbial in nature rather than prophetic. If it refers to the first century, it could mean that Paul will have infused the Empire with the gospel, and the apostles would have all dispersed the message to Egypt, India, Persia, and beyond. Proverbially it could also mean nothing more than it is a gospel message for everyone. If it refers to the End Times, we can see that present-day technology has brought this about. Just 223 languages account for more than half the world's population. The Bible has been translated into about 5000 of the world's 7000 languages.