“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 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. 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 2:1-4 (NIV)
Antichrist(Beast) is to reveal himself:
In the above verses many things are explained together which will be helpful to explain why the Day of the Lord, which is the Second Coming of Jesus, did not happen yet and what incident should precede for that grand occasion to happen. Yes, the Day of the Lord will happen only when the man of lawlessness, the Antichrist(Beast) will come and rebel against all of the Lord God’s commandments and will exalt himself above God and will love to sit in God’s temple calling himself God. This is the character of Satan who wanted to put a throne above God and rule the universe. Isaiah 14:12-15(NIV); Revelation 13:11-18(NIV)
“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NIV)
Holy Spirit is holding Antichrist(Beast) back:
“And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 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. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of his coming.” 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 (NIV)
These verses are saying here that we all will be knowing what is holding the lawless one, the Antichrist(Beast), that is the presence of the Holy Spirit in the world and the work He does through the anointed. Glory to God! The spirit of the Antichrist(Beast) is at work even now through some people who are listening to him but he is not able to come out openly. So as long as it takes for the Rapture to happen and the saints leave the earth, Antichrist(Beast) cannot manifest himself. And when the Antichrist(Beast) comes out, the Lord Jesus will come physically to earth the second time and overthrow him with His breath and destroy him with His Glory. Hallelujah! Revelation 17:8-14(NIV) Revelation 19:11-21(NIV)