THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE END:

A Biblical and Theological Understanding of the Role and Work

of the Holy Spirit in Eschatology

Gregory Peterson
Seminar in Pneumatology
10/24/2012
Box #132
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Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1
Futuristic Premillennial Theology ............................................................................................... 2
CHART: Futuristic Premillennialism ..................................................................................... 4
The Work of The Spirit in the Old Testament and New Testament ........................................ 5
Old Testament ............................................................................................................................. 5
New Testament ............................................................................................................................ 7
The Work of The Spirit in the Rapture ...................................................................................... 8
Resurrection of Church Saints by the Power of the Spirit .......................................................... 8
Restraining Power of the Spirit Removed ................................................................................. 10
The Work of The Spirit in the Tribulation ............................................................................... 15
Saving Power of the Spirit ........................................................................................................ 16
Protecting Power of the Spirit ................................................................................................... 19
Witnessing Power of the Spirit.................................................................................................. 21
The Work of The Spirit in the Millennium .............................................................................. 23
Regeneration of the Holy Spirit ................................................................................................ 24
Indwelling of the Holy Spirit .................................................................................................... 25
The Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit ................................................................................ 26
The Work of The Spirit in the Eternal State ............................................................................ 26
The Definite Work of the Holy Spirit ....................................................................................... 27
The Probable Work of the Holy Spirit ...................................................................................... 28
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 29
CHART: The Eschatology of the Holy Spirit ........................................................................... 30
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 31
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Introduction

The doctrine of the future work of the Holy Spirit has attracted practically no attention in

existing works on theology and in books on the Holy Spirit. An understanding of this doctrine in

older theologies such as Shedd,1 Strong,2 Berkhof,3 and Hodge4 is a search in vain. In newer

theologies such as Grudem,5 Enns,6 Reymond,7 Bray,8 and Geisler,9 the Holy Spirit’s person and

work are discussed in great detail, but His ministry in the End is found missing. Furthermore,

works specifically on the Holy Spirit such as Kuyper,10 Smeaton,11 Cummings,12 Pentecost,13

Pink,14 Ferguson,15 and Cole16 there is practically no mention of the doctrine.17 As to what

attributes to this, John Walvoord believes, “the chief factor causing this defect is the three-way

1
William G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, 3 vols. (New York: Scribner, 1891).
2
Augustus H. Strong, Systematic Theology (Westwood, NJ: Revell, 1907).
3
L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1939).
4
Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, 3 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1940).
5
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 1994).
6
Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology. Rev. ed. (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2008).
7
Robert L. Reymond, A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith. 2nd ed. (Nashville: Thomas
Nelson, 1998).
8
Gerald Bray, God is Love: A Biblical and Systematic Theology (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2012).
9
Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology: In One Volume (Grand Rapids: Bethany House Publishing,
2011).
10
Abraham Kuyper, The Work of the Holy Spirit (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1900).
11
George Smeaton, The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1889).
12
James Elder Cummings, Through the Eternal Spirit (London: S. W. Partridge, 1891).
13
J. Dwight Pentecost, The Divine Comforter (Westwood, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1963).
14
Arthur Pink, The Holy Spirit (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1970).
15
Sinclair B. Ferguson, The Holy Spirit (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996).
16
Graham A. Cole, He Who Gives Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007).
17
This does not suggest that there is no work or writing in this area; just a lack of prominence within the
majority of Holy Spirit writing. Examples of books that make special attention to the Holy Spirit’s role in
Eschatology are John F. Walvoord, The Holy Spirit (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 1991), Charles C. Ryrie,
The Holy Spirit (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1997), Robert G. Gromacki, “Part IV: The Holy Spirit” in
Understanding Christian Theology. Edited by Charles R. Swindol and Roy B. Zuck (Nashville: Nelson Reference,
2003), 391-538, and Willard R. Simmons, The Biblical Anthology of the Spirit of God (West Sacramento, CA: Grace
Publishing, 2006).
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division in the treatment of eschatology itself.”18 Walvoord elaborates,

“The postmillennial theory holds that the prophesied millennium will be fulfilled
in the present age through preaching the Gospel or a “spiritual” return of Christ. If
this theory be held, of course, the present ministries of the Spirit will continue
through the age and culminate in the conclusion of all things in the final
judgment. There is, in this theory, no need of treating the eschatology of the Holy
Spirit. A similar situation is found among the writings of the so-called
amillennialist view, i.e., that the present age will continue and issue into the
eternal state without any millennium. Only the premillennialist, who anticipates a
millennium on earth after Christ returns to set up His kingdom, can be expected to
consider the doctrine and furnish an exposition of it. In the writing of
premillennial teachers and theologians there is also, however, a surprising neglect
of this doctrine.”19

The result of this has been that there has been little understanding of the nature of the

ministries of the Spirit in the prophesied period of tribulation, in the millennium, and in the

eternal state. Some probably wish to not make any dogmatic statements concerning this doctrine

because of the seemingly lack of Scriptural clarity, but the truth is that the Word of God, written

by the Spirit of God, has shown forth His dynamic work for the future. Therefore, I wish to

propose that a proper study of the Holy Spirit’s work in the End Times period (spanning from

Rapture to Millennium) will show that he is continually active in convicting, saving, sanctifying,

and glorifying men and women, as well as continuing to be active in the lives of glorified saints

in the Eternal State. It is to this task that I now turn.

Futuristic Premillennial Theology

In the opinion of this writer, Futuristic (or sometimes dispensational20) Premillennialism

(from now on FP) is the proper view to hold for the Eschaton and is assumed as the basis for the

discussion, therefore a brief understanding of FP is warranted.

18
Walvoord, The Holy Spirit, 227.
19
Ibid.
20
“Dispensationalism, a broader term than ‘Futuristic Premillennialism,’ distinctively sees a major contrast
between God’s past and future dealings with national Israel and His dealings with the church. Futuristic
Premillennialism serves as a more focused term than dispensationalism when addressing prophetic issues.” (John
 3

The Scriptures prophesy that a seven-year tribulation (foreseen in Dan 9:27) will precede a

thousand year period (Rev 20:1-6) during which time, Christ will reign on the throne of David

(Lk 1:32). Immediately previous to the time of tribulation, all the dead saints will rise from their

graves and all the living members of the church shall be caught up with them to meet Christ in

the clouds (1 Cor 15:51-52; 1 Thess 4:15-17,) known as "the Rapture."21 During this time of

tribulation, there will be three-and-a-half years of false world peace under an Antichrist figure

(Dan 7:8; Rev 13:1-8) who will establish a world-church (Rev 17:1-15), followed by three-and-

a-half years of greater suffering, known as the “great tribulation” (Matt 24:21; Rev 6:12-18:24).

At the end of this period, Christ will return (Matt 24:27-31; Rev 19:11-21), judge the world (Eze

20:33-38; Matt 25:31; Jude 14-15), bind Satan for one thousand years (Rev 20:1-3), and raise the

Old Testament and tribulation saints from the dead (Dan 12:2; Rev 20:4).

At this time, the literal thousand year millennial reign will begin and Christ will reign

politically over the earth from His capitol in Jerusalem (Isa 2:3; Rev 20:6). Throughout His

reign, there will be no war (Isa 2:4), only peace, including all natures of animals dwelling in

harmony (Isa 11:6-9). At the end of this era of peace, Satan will be released and instigate a

colossal (but futile) rebellion against God (Rev 20:7-9). After this fated battle, Satan and the

wicked are cast into the lake of fire for eternity (Rev 20:10), while the righteous proceed into

their eternal state in the realm of the new heaven and the new earth (Rev 21:1ff).

MacArthur, “Preface” in Christ’s Prophetic Plans, eds. John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue [Chicago: Moody,
2012], 9-10.)
21
The view presented here is the majority view of FP. Other views of the rapture include post-tribulation
rapture, partial-rapture, mid-tribulation rapture, and prewrath rapture. For a good over view and critique of each of
these, see Paul N. Benware, Understanding End Times Prophecy, rev. ed. (Chicago: Moody, 2006), 207-291 &
Robert P. Lightner, The Last Days Handbook (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1990), 57-71. Cf. Stanley N. Gundry, ed.,
Three Views on the Rapture (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 1996).
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A good visual understanding is as follows:22

CHART: Futuristic Premillennialism

By this description and chart, FPists would agree. Yet, what about the Holy Spirit?

Throughout the description and visual above, God the Father and God the Son (Jesus Christ), are

the focus. Rightfully they should be since Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords, as well as

God the Father’s spews forth His stored up wrath. Moreover, it makes biblical sense that the

Holy Spirit’s work is mostly unseen in light of his role in always pointing away from Himself (Jn

15:26; 1 Tim 3:16). However, with this two out of three Trinity understanding, the Bible student

will surely miss out on the wonders of the work of the Holy Spirit while the Father and Son are

on display. A proper study and understanding must arise to have the full Trinitarian perspective

of the End.

There is one more preliminary work before I jump into exactly what the Spirit will be

doing in the End Times. In order to understand the future work of the Spirit, it is imperative to

look in the past at the work of the Spirit in the Old Testament and the church age.

22
Blue Letter Bible, “Premillennialism,” Blueletterbible.com, http://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/dispre.
html (accessed September 28, 2012).
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The Work of The Spirit in the Old Testament and New Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament includes about 100 references to the Holy Spirit.23 Some of them are

difficult to distinguish if it actually is the Holy Spirit or just God’s essence. Yet even with this

difficulty, the New Testament is clear that the Holy Spirit was very active in the Old Testament

(cf. Acts 7:51; 2 Pet 1:21) which can be seen in three areas of activity.

First, the Holy Spirit was active in creation. Before “the worlds were prepared by the

word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible (Heb 11:3), when

the whole mass of inanimate matter lay "without form and void," Genesis 2:1 says, "the Spirit of

God moved upon the face of the waters." This passage points to the beginning of creation and

God’s Spirit in creating order, purpose, and beauty,24 which is the activity of the Spirit (cf. 1 Cor

14:40). Other passages also ascribe the work of creation to His immediate agency (Job 26:13), as

well as continuing to be a life-giving Spirit (Job 33:4; Ps 104:29-30; cf. Isa 32:15).

A second area in which the Holy Spirit was active in the Old Testament was in

Revelation. The Old Testament prophets declare that they spoke by means of the Spirit. For

example, King David, in his final oracle speaking about his perception of his prophetic role, said,

"the Spirit of the LORD spoke by me" (2 Sam 23:2). Another example would be the prophets of

God, who were infamous in stating, “Thus says the LORD” (cf. Ex 4:22; Isa 45:18; Jer 2:2; Mic

3:8).25

In the New Testament, many passages attribute Old Testament Scriptures to the Spirit

(Matt 22:34; Acts 1:16; 4:25; 2 Tim 3:16). Probably the clearest reference is in 1 Peter 1:

23
Gromacki, “The Holy Spirit,” 430.
24
Ferguson writes: “What is of interest is that the activity of the divine ruach is precisely that of extending
God’s presence into creation in such a way as to order and complete what has been planned in the mind of God.”
(Sinclair B. Ferguson, The Holy Spirit [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996], 12).
25
There are over 400 uses of “Thus says the LORD,” which is why only a few are mentioned above.
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“Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you

searched and investigated carefully. They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ

within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for

Christ and his subsequent glory” (1 Pet 1:10-11, emphasis mine). Peter continues a few verses

later, “no prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, for no

prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke

from God” (1:20-21). “On the basis on such references,” Ryrie concludes, “it is quite scriptural

to conclude that the Holy Spirit had a large place in the giving of God’s revelation.”26

A final area in which the Holy Spirit was active in the Old Testament is with people. This

work can be labeled in four areas. First, the Holy Spirit strove with men against sin (Gen 6:3; cf

Ps 51:11). The importance of this is crucial: “Without this the world would either destroy itself

or be destroyed.”27 Secondly, the Holy Spirit strove with Israel (Neh 9:30; Acts 7:51). Stephen at

his martyrdom said, “You stiff-necked people…you always resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51).

Third, The Holy Spirit equipped people for specific tasks,28 such as Joseph (“in whom is the

Spirit of God,” Gen 41:3829), the Tabernacle artisans (Exod 31:3-5, to facilitate covenant

worship), the Elders of Israel (Num 11:16-17, Moses couldn’t do everything for the people, so

God gave his Spirit to these men to help him), Gideon (6:34), Samson (Judg 14:5-6; 15:14-15),

the Prophets (Num 24:2; Ezek 2:2), and Saul (1 Sam 10:10; 11:6; 16:14; 19:20-24).

26
Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, 43.
27
Ferguson, The Holy Spirit, 247.
28
This is a mission-specific enabling that that is often temporary and does not indicate regeneration. King
Saul is probably the best example (cf. 1 Sam 16:13 and Ps 51:11). See Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, 55-58; Simmons,
Anthology, 118-119; C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans Publishing, 1963); 104, 196-99, Gromacki, “The Holy Spirit,” 391-538; and Millard J. Erickson,
Christian Theology. 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998), 883.
29
This is not a slam-dunk reference, but at least Pharaoh attributes what Joseph did to Joseph’s God.
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Finally, the Holy Spirit regenerated sinners. Though no passage of the Old Testament

specifically states such, this conclusion can be made inductively with some confidence based on

actual examples and other doctrines.30 Moses refers to “circumcision of the heart” (Deut 10:16;

30:6). Ruth claims that the LORD became “my God,’ therefore turning from the Moabite god

Chemosh (Ruth 1:14-17; 2:12), Naaman made a confession of faith and a conscious decision to

obey the LORD (2 Kings 5:15-17). Rahab, the prostitute, was saved for her faith, then

commended as a hero of the faith (Josh 2, 6; Heb 11:31). The Ninevites repented from their sins

and became followers of the LORD (Jon 3), along with sailors to Tarshish (Jon 1). All of these

examples are people who are sinners at enmity with God (Rom 5:8) and by nature children of

wrath (Eph 2:3) in need of the Spirit's enabling to turn toward the true God.

The bottom line is in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit operates in the background,

working in the hearts of sinners and in the foreground when special ministry/enabling is given.

New Testament
In the gospels, the Holy Spirit was involved in the birth of Christ (Matt 1:18; Lk 1:35), in

Christ’s anointing for messianic service (i.e., at his baptism [Luke 3:21-22]), filled him during

his temptations (Lk 4:1; Jn 3:34), and revealed the timing and nature of the beginning of that

ministry (Lk 4:14, 18). The Holy Spirit was also responsible for Christ’s ability to perform

miracles and cast out demons (Matt 12:28), and He was involved in both the death and

resurrection of Christ (Heb 9:14; Rom 1:4; 8:11).31 During the time of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus

promised to give the Holy Spirit to abide and indwell the church leaders and therefore the church

(Jn 14:16-17. 26).

30
William D. Barrick, “Living a New Life: Old Testament Teaching About Conversion,” MSJ 11, no. 1
(2000): 19-38.
31
Neill Q. Hamilton, The Holy Spirit and Eschatology in Paul (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1957), 14;
Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, 59-68.
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Just as Jesus promised, and in contrast32 to the Old Testament occasional indwelling, the

Spirit came at Pentecost (Acts 2). From that time on, it is suffice to say that the Spirit is involved

in the works of calling, regeneration, uniting the believer with Christ, indwelling, filling,

teaching, guiding, gifting, empowering, and sanctifying the believer.33 His primary ministry is to

mediate the presence of Christ and the knowledge of God to the believer (John 16:13-14).

With this understanding, it is the rest of this paper’s aim to look into the specifics of the

Holy Spirit’s work throughout the rest of prophetic history.

The Work of The Spirit in the Rapture

At the time of the Rapture (again, assuming a pretribulational rapture), the promise that

Jesus will build His church (Matt 16:18) will be complete. The church will consist of saved Jews

and saved Gentiles through the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:13; Eph 2:11-22). The

glorified Christ will visibly appear in the sky (therefore distinguishing between this event and

Christ’s Second Coming) and will bring the dead and living church saints into the presence of

His glory (1 Thess 4:13-18; also 1 Cor 15:51-53; cf. Jn 14:1-3; Phil 3:20; Tit 2:13; 1 Jn 3:1-3).34

The Holy Spirit’s work during this event is crucial as it involves both resurrection and removal

of restraining.

Resurrection of Church Saints by the Power of the Spirit

As mentioned above, the Holy Spirit was involved in both the death and resurrection of

Christ (Heb 9:14; Rom 1:4; 8:11). Due to this reality, “the Spirit which lay behind the

32
“The Holy Spirit’s Ministry Under The Old And New Covenants Compared,” Sovereign Grace
Fellowship of Canada, http://sgfcanada.com/files/frps/spirit-28-7.pdf (accessed October 10, 2012).
33
J. I. Packer, Keep in Step with the Spirit (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1984); Pink, The
Holy Spirit, 42-185; Ferguson, The Holy Spirit, 191-240; Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, 89-174; Pentecost, The Divine
Comforter, 120-192.
34
Benware, Understanding, 209-213.
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resurrection and exaltation of the Lord will also constitute the future life of believers.”35 In other

words, the same Spirit which raised Christ will also raise Christ’s saints. Granted, passages of

Scripture on the Spirit’s work during the saints resurrection are scarce,36 but are not completely

absent.

Probably the clearest teaching on the Holy Spirit’s work in the resurrection at the rapture

of the church is in the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans: “if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus

from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your

mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom 8:11). The clear understanding of this

passage is obvious. Due to the fact37 that the Holy Spirit was the agent of Christ’s resurrection

and lifted Jesus’ physical body out of death to give Him life, so also the Holy Spirit, who dwells

in the believer, gives life both now and on the day of resurrection. For the church, this is the day

of the Rapture.

Another passage that is crystal clear in the saint’s resurrection by the Spirit is Galatians

5:5, “For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.” “The hope of

righteousness” in the context is set as an opposite of the worthlessness of trusting in external,

religious activities to save (5:2-6). The apostle Paul points out that true believers already possess

an imputed righteous “by faith.” However, this righteousness is incomplete of total sanctification

and glorification. Believers in this life now are still waiting for the completed and perfect

righteousness that is yet to come, described by Paul in Romans: “For I consider that the

35
Hamilton, The Holy Spirit, 18.
36
Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans in PNTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1988), 310;
Rene Pache, The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit (Chicago: Moody Press, 1954), 218.
37
“If” (ei) at the beginning of this clause is a first class condition, therefore assuming the truth off the
assertion. This clause is also used in the previous verse, v. 10. See Morris, Romans, 310; C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans
1-8 in ICC (New York: T & T Clark LTD, 1975), 390; Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans in NTCNT
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publsihing, 1996), 492.
 10

sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed

to us…The creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of

the glory of the children of God” (Rom 8:18, 21). This “glory” is found in the event of the

Rapture.

The rapture, then, is to be seen as not just a day when Jesus returns to take His bride to

Heaven. The rapture must also been seen in the culminating work of the Holy Spirit in the life of

the church members by raising them up to life (cf 1 Thess 4:16; cf. Jn 6:40, 63; 2 Cor 3:6).

Restraining Power of the Spirit Removed

In 1 Thessalonians, the rapture (1 Thess 4:16), according to the apostle Paul, then begins

a series of eschatological events, namely the Day of the Lord (1 Thess 5:1-11), the coming of the

man of sin, known as Antichrist (2 Thess 2:2-3), and ultimately the return of Christ to the earth

in His Second Coming (2 Thess 2:8).The Holy Spirit’s activity at this time is mentioned in 2

Thessalonians 2:6-8:

“And you know what restrains [Antichrist] now, so that in his time he will be
revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now
restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be
revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an
end by the appearance of His coming;”

According to these verses, something or someone is holding back the future satanic

leader. Though I have already given away that I believe the restrainer is the Holy Spirit, it is

important to briefly walk through why the restrainer is the Holy Spirit.

While it’s true that God is at work restraining evil in general, the exact identification of

the restrainer has always baffled expositors38 with multiple solutions offered, such as the Roman

Empire,39 human government and law,40 Satan,41 and the church.42 It’s clear that Paul told the

38
Ryrie, Holy Spirit, 185.
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Thessalonians what or who the restrainer was for he says, “you know what holds him back,” but

he does not tell anymore in any other of his letters.43 What he does write is that the restrainer is

now at work until “he/it” is no longer present.

Verse 6a literally reads, “And now you know what holds back (or restrains).” “What

holds back” is to katecon, from the verb katecw, meaning “to hold back, hinder, check,

restrain.”44 Grammatically, it is a present neuter substantival participle which means, “you know

that which is restraining” or “the restraining thing.”45 From verse 6, nothing can be decided.

However, Katecw occurs again in verse 7, only there it occurs in the masculine, “he who” or

“the one (him) who restrains.”46 It should be noted the object restrained is actually not mentioned

in verse 6 or 7. Most translations have something like, “restrain him” referring to the lawless

one, but it could just as easily be the mystery of lawlessness that is being restrained, which is

39
Leon Morris, The First and Second Thessalonians in NICNT, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans
Publishing, 1991)
40
C. F. Hogg and W. E. Vine, The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians (Florance, AL:
Lambert Book House, 1977), 259-60. Government in general is a divine institution (Rom. 13:1ff) and is designed to
hold back evil by its system of laws. The problem with this view (and the Roman Empire view) is that it is
government, and specifically the revived Roman Empire, that the lawless one will use in the last days (Rev 18).
Rather than a restraint to the mystery of lawlessness and so to the antichrist, government will become the very
vehicle he will use to propel his system into existence.
41
Mrs. George C. Needham, The Anti-Christ (Narberth, PA: Albert W. Needham, 1901), 94. This view is
easily the most unlikely (cf. Mk 3:25; Rev 12:12). Walvoord writes, “The period of tribulation on the contrary is one
in which Satan’s work is most evident. The Scriptures represent him as being cast into the earth and venting his fury
during those tragic days (Rev 12:12). The theory that Satan is the great restrainer of lawlessness is, accordingly,
untenable” (Walvoord, The Holy Spirit, 116).
42
Gerald Stanton shows this to be in error (Kept from the Hour [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing,
1956], 110). For more of a sampling of these different conclusions, see Ernest Best, A Commentary on the First and
Second Epistles to the Thessalonians (London: Adam and Chrales Black, 1972); Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible
Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVaristy Press, 1994); George Milligan, St.
Paul’s Epistle to the Thessalonians (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1953), 155-57.
43
John MacArthur, 1 & 2 Thessalonians in MNTC (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2002), 277.
44
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Christian Literature, Frederick William
Danker, ed., 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago, 2000), s.v. “katecw.”
45
Cleon L. Rogers, Jr. and Cleon L. Rogers, III, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New
Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 1998), 484.
46
Ibid.
 12

why there can be confusion. Regardless, this restraint naturally hinders Satan’s end-time plans

from developing and so also the historical arrival and revelation of the man of lawlessness as

verse 6b explains, “so that he will be revealed in his own time.”

Verse 6b draws attention to the intended result or purpose of the restraint, “so that he (the

man of lawlessness) will be revealed in his own time,” and verse 7 focuses the reader on the

present state of affairs, “for the hidden power (mystery)47 of lawlessness48 is already at work,

only the one who restrains will continue to do so until he (the restrainer) is (taken) out of the

midst” (emphasis mine). The restraint of this present spirit of lawlessness will continue

according to God’s sovereign purposes until things are ripe for the lawless one himself to be

fully developed and revealed.

Who then is the restrainer? Better asked, what is used to identify the restrainer? Scripture

gives certain requirements needed to be met: (1) the restrainer must be able to fit the description

of the neuter in verse 6 (to katecon, “that which restrains”) and the masculine in verse 7 (o

47
The term mystery as it is used in the New Testament is a translation of the Greek word musthrion from
meuw, “to initiate into (the mysteries),” i.e., to make known special secrets. Most often in the New Testament,
though not always, it refers to information which has been kept secret or veiled, but has now been disclosed by
God’s revelation (see Rom. 16:25-26).
The term mystery does not refer to something mysterious in that it eludes all comprehension or explanation.
Rather, as used in the Bible, it refers to God’s secrets, His counsels, purposes, and other truths not naturally known
to man apart from His special revelation in Scripture or by His prophets (see Dan. 2:18-23; 27-30). In the context of
2 Thessalonians, the mystery of lawlessness refers to the continuation and gradual build up of the state of
lawlessness (see 2 Tim 3:1-13; 1 Tim 4:1; 2 Pet 3:3) which will culminate in the man of lawlessness once the
restrainer is removed. Musthrion, because it has the article, points to something specific and well known to the
readers, obviously by the teaching of Paul and the missionary team. But in what sense is this a mystery? It is a
mystery in the sense that humankind does not recognize the insidious forces of Satan at work behind the scenes to
create a state of lawlessness the world over.
48
Lawlessness is not necessarily confusion and disorder or even the absence of law. The man of
lawlessness will invoke all sorts of hideous laws through his tyrannical governmental system by which he seeks to
control mankind. Lawlessness refers to the presence of rebellion against God’s established rule and purposes. It
speaks of the aim of Satan and his hosts of wickedness in spiritual places to overthrow the human government as
ordained by God and other institutions like marriage and the family that God has designed for the blessing and
protection of mankind.
 13

katecon, “he who restrains”), (2) the restrainer must be both powerful enough49 and willing to

restrain or hold back Satan because the mystery of lawlessness lies under Satan’s control (2

Thess 2:9), (3) the restrainer should be one who is seen in other portions of Scripture as engaged

in the restraint of the mystery of lawlessness. (4) The restrainer must be able to fit the description

of someone or something that is “taken out of the way” (v. 7b). Based on the evidence, the only

One who fits in this description must be God Himself and particularly as the Godhead operates,

through the power and ministry of the Spirit of God.

To the first question, the proof of the Holy Spirit being the restrainer is with the way Paul

varied the gender in his description of the restrainer and in the way the Holy Spirit is referred to

in Scripture. The Greek word for Spirit is neuter, but on several occasions masculine nouns or

pronouns are used for the person of the Spirit (Jn 15:26; 16:13-14; Eph 1:13-14). Ryrie notes,

“Either gender is appropriate, depending on whether the speaker (or writer) thinks
of natural agreement (masc. because of the Spirit’s personality) or grammatical
(neuter because of the noun pneuma; see John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13, 14). This
identification of the restrainer with deep roots in church history is most appealing.
The special presence of the Spirit as the indweller of saints will terminate abruptly
at the parousia as it began abruptly at Pentecost.50

As to the second question, the proof of this is seen in that this fits well with the reality

that in the final analysis only God is able to hold back Satan and his activity. As Ryrie points out,

“Ultimately a decision as to the identity of the restrainer will be made on the basis
of answering the question, Who is powerful enough to hold back Satan. The
obvious and only answer to that question is God. Therefore, the restrainer must be
God Himself. In this view the neuter in verse 6 would remind us of the power of
God in general, and the masculine in verse 7 would point to the person of God.”51

49
D. Edmond Hiebert, The Thessalonian Epistles (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), 312-14; Pentecost,
Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 1965), 262;Gromacki, “The
Holy Spirit,” 533; Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, 185.
50
Thomas, “1st and 2nd Thessalonians,” 471.
51
Charles C. Ryrie, First and Second Thessalonians (Moody, Chicago Press, 1959), 110-111.
 14

Thomas adds the following helpful comment on this issue of the power needed to

accomplish the restraint:

“It is evident that the restrainer, to accomplish his mission, must have
supernatural power to hold back a supernatural enemy (v. 9). God and the
outworking of his providence is the natural answer. Reference to God is favored
by the restrainer’s harmony with divine purpose and a divine timetable (“at the
proper time,” v. 6).52

To the third question, the proof is the activity of God in Genesis 6 and God’s activity to

restrain the evil intentions of pre-diluvian man. The Holy Spirit who is omnipresent and always

at work in the world is also present and at work in the church to accomplish God’s purposes.

Since the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and in keeping with both Old and New Testament promises,

this age has been known as the age of the Spirit, characterized by the indwelling of the Spirit in

the body of Christ (Jn 14:16-17; 16:8ff; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 1:13ff; 4:30). This indwelling is a

restraint on evil within the Body of Christ.

Finally, while the Spirit cannot be removed from the world as the omnipresent one, there

is the sense in which He can come to be out of it, as described in verse 7, through the removal of

the church, the body of Christ. With the absence of the church, the Spirit’s ministry will then

revert back to that of the Old Testament times when the Spirit was with believers in some special

way, but was evidently not in them the way He is today.53 Jesus spoke of this difference when He

told the disciples, “Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with

you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it does not see him or

know him. But you know him, because he resides with you and will be in you” (emphasis mine)

(Jn 14:16-17 NET). Thus, while the Spirit will not be taken out of the world, a reference to His

52
Robert L. Thomas, “1st and 2nd Thessalonians,” in EBC, Vol 11 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing,
2006), 470; see also Hiebert, The Thessalonian Epistles, 313.
53
Walvoord, The Holy Spirit, 230.
 15

presence (otherwise no one could be saved in the Tribulation and millions will be), He will come

to be out of the midst, a reference to His special residence in the church. This removal of His

residence will allow Satan to quickly bring about the great rebellion and reveal the man of

lawlessness.

Ryrie comments,

“Every person of the Godhead has been, is, and always will be present in the
world simply because God is omnipresent. But the persons of the Godhead and
particularly the Holy Spirit have not always been resident within the hearts of
God’s either permanently or universally (see John 14:17)…Today God has bound
Himself to be resident within the hearts of all of His people and always…Thus, to
say that the restrainer is removed is not to say that the presence of God is taken
away from the earth, nor is it to imply that God (or specifically the Holy Spirit)
will cease to work in the world in any way including the work of regeneration.
Many will be saved in the tribulation period (cf. Rev 7:14), and God will be the
One who accomplishes that work just as He did in Old Testament times. God’s
universal and permanent residence in His people is a distinctive relationship in
this day of grace, and certainly the removal of His residence (including those
believers in whom He resides) does not mean the withdrawal of His presence or
the cessation of His activity. No other interpretation does full justice to all the
facts and implications of this passage.54

All to say, the work and activity of the Holy Spirit at the time of the Rapture will be the

complete the work of building the church by resurrecting its members to meet Jesus Christ, their

bridegroom, in the sky and to remove Himself from indwelling people as He did in the church

age. The ramifications of this are wide spread, including that of the Holy Spirit’s work in the 7-

year Tribulation.

The Work of The Spirit in the Tribulation

Due to the discussion above about the restrainer (the Holy Spirit) being “taken out of the

way” (2 Thess 2:7), it might bring up the thought that the Holy Spirit will not have anything to

do with the tribulation. This understanding would be incorrect, for the Holy Spirit will be present

and active during the tribulation. He will not be carrying out His present, unique ministry related

54
Ryrie, First and Second Thessalonians , 113-114.
 16

to the Church since the completed body of Christ will be in heaven. Rather the Holy Spirit will

be present in His transdispensational ministry of bringing the elect of the tribulation to faith in

Christ, even though they will not be part of the body of Christ—the Church. Walvoord writes,

“The Holy Spirit is resident in the world now just as Christ was resident in the
world between His birth and ascension. When the present age ends and the Holy
Spirit is caught up with the church, the situation will return to that which was true
before the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit will continue to be working in the
world, but in some particulars in a different way.”55

With this in mind, I propose that the active work of the Holy Spirit in the tribulation will

be (1) salvation for millions (2) protecting certain saved individuals from death at the hands of

Satan, and (3) continuing a witnessing ministry to the world.

Saving Power of the Spirit

Just as the Holy Spirit has been active throughout redemptive history in bringing sinners

to saving faith,56 so to He will continue to be active in the salvation of individuals in the time of

the tribulation.57 Walvoord on this point says, “There is good reason to believe…that the Holy
58
Spirit will lead people to Christ, and many will be saved during the tribulation time.”

The first saving the Holy Spirit will do is at the conclusion of the Rapture,59 thereby

proving to be possibly the greatest evangelistic tool in human history. Millions of people

disappear from the face of the earth in a split second of time will probably cause all kinds of

55
John F. Walvoord, Revelation, revised and edited by Philip E. Rawley and Mark Hitchcock (Chicago:
Moody Publishers, 2011), 138.
56
Barrick, “Living…”
57
Gromacki, “Holy Spirit,” 533.
58
Walvoord, Revelation, 138.
59
There is a strong possibility of a time gap between the rapture and the 7-year tribulation because,
according to Dan 9:27, the tribulation will start when the Antichrist signs the seven-year peace agreement with
Israel. It is anyone's guess as to how big the gap of time will be. It could span a few days or a few years (see Paul
Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, rev. ed. [Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2008], 417; H. Wayne House,
Charts of Christian Doctrine [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992], 137). Regardless, salvation will happen after and
throughout the time of tribulation.
 17

theories and explanations. At this time, the Spirit may bring to the minds of friends and loved

one about the warnings and truth the Rapture. In this moment of time, they will realize what has

happened; they have been left behind because of their lack of repentance and faith in Christ. God

will use this mind-numbing realization to bring them to faith in His Son. There is no Scripture

that explicitly states this, but a number of passages below give the time of the rapture as a great

time of revival.

The second saving is found in the salvation of the 144,000 Jews in Revelation 7.60 After

being sealed (more on this “seal” below) on their forehead (v. 3) “the seal of the living God” (v.

2), the identity of these seal ones is stated as Jews,61 called “bond servants.” This title, douloς,

shows clearly they are not servants of Antichrist or Satan. They are individual people, unsaved

before the tribulation, but now are sealed and fulfill the promise of Jesus in Matthew 24:14:

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the

nations, and then the end will come”.62 In order for this have happened, the Holy Spirit would

have to had been working to convict and draw them to Jesus Christ (Jn 16:8-11; Gen 6:3) and to

regenerate their human heart (Jn 3:3-4), so that they can do this special service. Their salvation

must have happened after the rapture because all saved people’s left the earth to be with Jesus.

60
Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, 186.
61
Many interpreters (including Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses) see this as symbolic, but this is
contextually and exegetically incorrect. The proper understanding as used in the Futuristic Premillennial position
shows that the 144,000 are from the 12 tribes of Israel, 12,000 come from each of the 12 tribes. R. Thomas: “no
clear-cut example of the church being called “Israel” exists in the NT or in ancient church writings until AD 160.
Galatians 6:16, in which “the Israel of God” can and probably does refer to some group other than the church as a
whole, Is no exception. This fact is crippling to any attempt to identify Israel as the church is Rev 7:4. … The
approach is so misconceived that it does serious violence to the context. … It cannot be exegetically sustained. The
144,000 are declared to be from Israel, not from any other group” (Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical
Commentary [Chicago: Moody Press, 1992], 121-2).
That these are Jews further fits with the entire scheme of Bible prophecy, with the fact this is the 70th week
of Daniel, and with the nature of the Tribulation as the time of Jacob’s distress (Dan 9:27; Jer 30.7). The Tribulation
is a time when God is concluding His dealings with Israel to establish and fulfill His promises to the nation (Dan 9:
24ff) (Benware, Understanding, 193-320).
62
The context of this passage is Jesus’ teaching about the days of tribulation (Matt 24:3-30).
 18

The question then becomes, how did they become saved? Speculations could be endless:

there will still be copies of the Scriptures, books, tracts, and material on the internet containing

the gospel message, they remember hearing the gospel from friends or on the radio or TV before

the rapture, or simply become perplexed over the disappearance of millions of people through

the rapture of the church. Regardless of the methods God will use, these 144,000 Jews will come

to trust in Jesus Christ as their Messiah-Savior and become bold, unhindered witnesses for the

Gospel.

The third salvation is found as a probable result of the 144,000 witnesses.63 Revelation

7:9 says, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count,

from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before

the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands.” Who are these

people? The apostle John explains, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation,

and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (v. 14). The

people pictured here who are in Heaven worshipping God are men and women whom the Holy

Spirit saved in the Tribulation period and are also people who were among the martyred for their

testimony (cf. Rev 6:11, they have the same attire). By what means were they saved is only

known by God and themselves. Either way, after the rapture of the church, an uncountable

number of Gentiles, including Jews, will turn to Christ and be regenerated by the power of the

Holy Spirit and die for that testimony. “Thus the Spirit will do in the future what He has done in

the past,”64 that is, eternally saving people65 and eternally making them bold in their faith.

63
John MacArthur, Revelation 1-11 in MNTC (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1999), 224; Henry M. Morris,
The Revelation Record (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1983), 133; Walvoord, Revelation, 147;
Beware, Revelation, 303.
64
Gromacki, “The Holy Spirit,” 533.
 19

Protecting Power of the Spirit

One of the ministries of the Spirit is in protecting God’s people from spiritual (Eph. 1:13-

14) and sometimes physical harm (cf. Gen 7:1; Josh 6:22-33). In New Testament terms, this is

called “sealing.” As this relates to the Holy Spirit’s ministry in the Tribulation, aside from the

inward sealing in the lives of believers for eternal security (Eph 1:13-14; 4:30; 2 Cor 1:21-22),

Revelation 7 tells of 144,000 Jewish witnesses being sealed. But what is this specific sealing?

In the New Testament, “to seal” (sfragizw), means “to make an imprint in wax”66 and it

was often done with a signet ring as was done in ancient times in various kinds of business

transactions (Matt 27:66; cf. Gen 38:18, 25; 1 Kgs 21:8; Dan 6:16-17).67 It could signify a

number of ideas: (a) it often showed a completed transaction had occurred. For the 144,000 it

was their personal redemption, as discussed in the previous section; (b) it was often a mark of

identification and ownership. The 144,000 became the douloς of God and God’s people; (c)

finally, it was often a mark of protection or security. 68 This last understanding is clearly the

emphasis here and is suggested by two things. First, by the fact judgment is suspended until the

sealing occurs which indicates the sealing was done as a means of protection, not salvation.69

Second, as survivors of the Tribulation, the 144,000 are seen standing on Mount Zion with the

65
There could possibly be a fourth salvation in the salvation of the two witnesses in Revelation 11.
However, these two men are not given where they came from, therefore speculation is difficult. My guess is that
they were men that were alive, unsaved before the Rapture, and became saved immediately after, then given the
identity of one of the two witnesses. This stems from the fact that all of God’s prophets were ordinary men with
ordinary lives before God called them to the ministry of a prophet. Again, this is purely speculation on my part
because the Scriptures make no effort to say who or where these two witnesses came from.
66
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Christian Literature, Frederick William
Danker, ed., 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago, 2000), s.v. “sfragizw.”
67
W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger, and William White, Jr., Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary (Nashville:
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996), 553-4.
68
Simmons, Anthology, 332; Reymond, A New Systematic Theology,” 764.
69
Thomas, Revelation 1-7, 471.
 20

Lamb in Revelation 14:1, a reference to the earthly Jerusalem in the millennium.70 Therefore,

these 144,000 Jews are sealed with “an immunity from death.”71

Further evidence of this physical protection is given in 14:1ff where these are seen

unharmed, standing with the Lamb on Mt. Zion, Jerusalem, and undefiled by the evil of the

system of the beast (14:4-5). This passage is a prophetic portrait of the ultimate victory of Christ

at the beginning of the Millennium. Ezekiel 9:4-7 undoubtedly provides the OT background for

this passage. Referring to the Ezekiel passage, Alan Johnson writes:

In this passage a divine messenger with stylus in hand was to go through apostate
Jerusalem of Ezekiel’s day and put a mark upon the foreheads of those who
deplored the faithless idolatry of the Israelites. Those so marked were the faithful
and true servants of God in contrast to the professed but false servants who had
abandoned him. The sealed would be spared the divine slaughtering of the
rebellious inhabitants of the city. Interestingly, the “mark” (taw) in the Phoenician
script looked like a cross … and was later adopted by early Jewish Christians as a
symbol of their faith in Jesus …72
In addition to the physical protection from death, the seal may also point to their

protection from the apostasy and deceptions of the beast. It stresses their invulnerability to the

beast and the false prophet spiritually. As the followers of the beast have his mark, so these have

the mark of God.

Finally, the seal is stated to be on their foreheads and in 14:1 this is described as “His (the

Lamb’s) name and the name of His Father.” They will become quickly identified as the douloς

of God (i.e., His agents and evangelists versus the servants of the beast). This undoubtedly also

includes the gift of the Holy Spirit, the inward seal and capacity for service (Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30).

70
“Of all the possibilities, whether the hilly area of southeast Jerusalem, the temple mount, the whole city
of Jerusalem, or the whole land of Judah and the who Isarelite nation, any one whould amount to the literal
understanding of the earthly Zion” (Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary [Chicago:
Moody Press, 1995], 190-1)
71
Thomas, Revelation 1-7, 471.
72
Alan Johnson, “Revelation” in EBC, Vol. 12, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Publishing, 1981), 478-9.
 21

Throughout the time of the church, the Holy Spirit sealed believers by indwelling them,

therefore becoming their down payment for eternal salvation. No doubt, the Holy Spirit will

continue this work in those countless Gentiles saved in the Tribulation. Yet the Holy Spirit will

also have the added responsibility to protect and secure the 144,000 Jewish evangelists and

deliver them into the Millennial Kingdom.

A final work of the Holy Spirit is the present and active witnessing through His

evangelists.

Witnessing Power of the Spirit

God has always been in the business of saving people through the witness of His saved

people. Starting in Genesis 12, God chose Abraham’s descendants as a special people for

Himself. He promised to bless this special people and proclaimed His intention to bless all

nations of the world through them. God made them a great nation and gave them legal code so

that she, “by living in accordance with its demands, might be a nation distinct from all other

nations around her.”73 For Israel, this witness function is not in the New Testament sense of

bringing the message of salvation to the nations, but in the sense of being a people of God whose

life shall draw nations to inquire after Israel’s God (cf. Isa 2:1-4; 43:10-11). “It is as God’s

chosen people that Israel can exercise a mediatorial role with regard to the nations.”74

In the New Testament, Jesus sent out 70 witnesses in His ministry (Lk 10). At His

ascension, the mandate given the apostles (also the church) was to “Go into all the world and

proclaim” (Matt 28:19-20) and the book of Acts shows just that.

73
Michael A. Gristanti, “Israel’s Mission to the Nations in Isaiah 40-55: An Update,” MSJ 9, no. 1 (Spring
1998), 40.
74
Ibid, 62.
 22

As discussed above, this witnessing and saving will not stop in the Tribulation, but God

will used 144,00 Jews, Two Witnesses (Rev 11), and an angel (Rev 16) to continue to proclaim

the saving message of the Gospel in Christ. How does this relate to the Holy Spirit?

In the book of Acts, Jesus tells His disciples “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit

not many days from now” (Acts 1:5). Many might see this and assume this is just another work

of grace or salvation or confirmation of the beginning of the church age. Yet one reason is often

missed; witnessing. Jesus’ final words before entering back into Heaven was, “you will receive

power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in

Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (1:8,

emphasis mine). One of the purposes of the Holy Spirit is so the chosen people of God can bear

witness. This should not come as a great surprise since the Holy Spirit is Himself the greatest

Witness (cf. Jn. 15:26; Heb 10:14-15).

In the Tribulation time, there will be much witnessing and this all by the power of the

Holy Spirit. For He is the one who empowered a weak Moses to speak in front of Pharaoh (Exod

4:14-15), filled the prophets mouths, despite their weaknesses (2 Pet 1:21), and enabled the

apostles to be bold in the infancy of the church (Acts 1:8). During the tribulation, God will

enable and embolden not just the 144,000 who are the probable cause of the innumerable number

of salvation saints (Rev 7), but will also be the power and witness behind the Two Witnesses

(Rev 11).

In Revelation 11 there are two preachers who are identified as two witnesses. They are

very powerful men, who are also initially invincible: "if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows

out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed

in this way." (11:5). Furthermore, “These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not
 23

fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into

blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire” (11:6).

Their purpose is to prophecy (11:3). These two men will preach warning, judgment, and

the coming wrath of God. They will explain what is going on at the present time since judgments

have already been going on through the first of the seals and the first of the trumpets (Rev 6, 8-

9). These men will be calling for repentance and belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. All this will

be done in garments of sorrow, mourning, humility and penitence.

How does this relate to the Holy Spirit’s work in witnessing? In verse 4, these men are

described as “the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.”

This is a clear connection with Zechariah 4:2-6, in which the prophets are shown to be doing

their prophesying through the power of the Spirit. Moreover, these men will be part the

fulfillment of Joel 2:28-32,75 in which God promised to pour out His Spirit on those who will be

saved.76

Thus, witnessing and salvation from beginning to end will involve the Holy Spirit as he

has always been involved throughout history.

The Work of The Spirit in the Millennium

At the end of the Tribulation, the Second Coming of Christ will occur. He will establish

the Millennial Kingdom and then pronounce three different judgments (of living Gentiles, of

living Jews, and of Old Testament and tribulation saints; cf. Joel 3:1-2; Matt 25:31-46; Eze

75
Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, 187.
76
This prophecy is directly related to Israel. Furthermore, Gromacki states, “Pentecostals and Charismatics
claim that this prophecy was fulfilled [at Pentecost]. However…the visible phenomena did not occur then. There
was an outpours of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, but it was simply manifested the power of the risen Messiah.
In the future, God will pour out the Spirit on Israel at the end of the Tribulation period when Christ returns”
(Gromacki, “The Holy Spirit,” 534).
 24

20:34-38; Matt 25:1-30; Dan 12:2-3; Matt 16:17; Rev 20:4-6).77 Jesus Christ will also throw into

the lake of fire the Antichrist and his false prophet (Rev 19:20), then have Satan bound for the

entire millennial reign (Rev 20:1-3). The millennial reign of Christ will last for one thousand

years.78 During this time, peace will rule and “it appears that at that moment all who enter [the

millennial kingdom] will be redeemed.”79 So, how will the Holy Spirit function during this

period? Will there still be the need for Him?

The first fact that needs to be understood is Revelation 20 is merely a focus on the

actuality and duration of the Millennial Kingdom, not the details of what will occur.80 For

understanding the character of Christ’s millennial reign, the Old Testament is the best place to go

(cf. Isa 60-66; Isa 2, 11; Ps 72; Eze 20). 81 Concerning this, Alva McClain writes,

The Old Testament prophets had described this future Mediatorial Kingdom in
great detail, and for those acquainted with the Old Testament there would be no
need for any profuse repetition of what was already revealed. The book of
Revelation, as rightly observed by scholars of every school of thought, is
saturated with Old Testament ideas and expressions and therefore can be
approached only through the Old Testament.”82

Regeneration of the Holy Spirit

From the Old Testament (and passages from the New), it can be gathered that children

will be born (cf. Isa 11:8) apparently by those redeemed who come out of the tribulation. These

babies will be born in an incredible environment and government (Isa 24:23; 40:10-11),83 as

Christ will be on the Throne to make sure righteousness will reign. Yet they will be born with a

77
Benware, Understanding…,” 327-8.
78
For a very good defense of the Futuristic Premillennial view on the literal 1,000 years, see Alva J.
McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1959), 491-96.
79
Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, 187.
80
Walvoord, Revelation, 312.
81
Ibid., 312-13.
82
McClain, The Greatness,” 496.
83
Ibid., 498.
 25

sin nature. This can be deduced by the Isaiah’s prophecy calling rebellious people in the

Kingdom “corpses” (Isa 66:24). Furthermore, sinful natures can be understood by both the

rebellion at the end of the millennium when Satan is released to then gather an army against

Christ (Rev 20:7-8), as well as knowing that the sinful nature from the parents had yet to be

eradicated because they were not glorified. This sinful nature was then passed on to the next

generation.

All of this to say, the Holy Spirit must be and will be active in the lives of these

unregenerate people born in the millennium, by doing what He has always done in bringing

people to repentance and faith. This work of salvation is related to the Spirit in the case of Israel

and the fulfillment of her new covenant (Isa 59:21; Eze 36:25-28; Zech 12:10; 14:16). Yet,

despite the Holy Spirit's work, there will be those who reject Christ (Rev 20:7-9).

Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Another work of the Holy Spirit in the Millennial Kingdom is that the New Covenant

provides for the indwelling of the Spirit in believing Israel.84 Isaiah 59:21 alludes explicitly to

this: “‘As for Me, this is My covenant with them,’ says the LORD: ‘My Spirit which is upon

you’” and Ezekiel 36:27 confirms, “I will put My Spirit within you.”85 According to Joel 2:28-

29, this relationship of the Holy Spirit also includes His filling as well as indwelling, serving “as

a permanent witness of the ‘covenant of peace’ and the ‘covenant of eternity.’”86

84
T. S. Caulley, “Holy Spirit, The,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter Elwell (Grand
Rapids: Baker Books, 1984), 522.
85
Heinz-Josef Fabry. “j^Wr” in TDOT, vol 8. Edited by G. Johannes Botterweck, Helmer Ringgren, and
Heinz-Josef Fabry, trans by David E. Green (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1998), 395.
86
N. V. Pelt, W. C. Kaiser, Jr., and D. I. Block, “j^Wr” in NIDOTTE, vol. 3. Edited by Willem A. Van
Generen (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 1997), 1077.
 26

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit will complete the work promised to Israel (Jer 31:31-34;

Rom 11:26).87 Gromacki comments, “The blessings of [the New Covenant] include national

restoration and unity in the Promised Land, the divine writing of God’s law on the redeemed

Israelites’ minds and hearts, pure worship, forgiveness of sin, and material prosperity.”88

The Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit

A final work of the Holy Spirit in the Millennial Kingdom is seen in the Christ King.89

The Holy Spirit came on Jesus at His baptism and remained on Him throughout His ministry (Lk

4:1). According to Isaiah, the Spirit still remains on Him today and will continue throughout

eternity. Isaiah writes, in speaking of the reign of Messiah in the Millennial Kingdom, “The

Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of

counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD” (Isa 11:2).

By the Spirit’s filling of Christ, Jesus will “delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will

not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with

righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And

He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay

the wicked” (Isa 11:3-4).

Therefore, the Holy Spirit is seen at work in Millennium with unbelievers, believers, and

in Christ.

The Work of The Spirit in the Eternal State

At this point it is very difficult to find works or Scripture passages to find what the Holy

Spirit will be doing in the eternal state. Even books on the Holy Spirit that include the Holy

87
Barry E. Horner, Future Israel (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2007), 261.
88
Gromacki, “The Holy Spirit,” 535.
89
Ibid.
 27

Spirit’s work in Eschatology seem to stop at the Millennial Kingdom and never look into the

work of the Spirit for eternity. Consequently, I find it best to make some definite statements and

some probable statements concerning His work.

The Definite Work of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit will definitely be involved in the creating of the New Heavens and New

Earth. Just as the initial creation was found with order by the handiwork of the Holy Spirit (Gen

1:2; Job 33:4; Ps 104:29 cf. Isa 32:15), as well as fashioning the re-creation after the flood (Gen

8:1), and in creation of people (Exod 14:19-20; 15:10) and the church (Acts 2:1-4),90 so also the

Spirit will be involved in the new creation where “there will no longer be any curse” (Rev 22:3;

cf. Rom 8:22).

The Holy Spirit will definitely finish His work in causing all God’s people to be “unto the

full measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13; cf. 3:16-19). The New Testament

teaches that all God’s people will one day be like Jesus: “we shall be like Him for we shall see

Him as He is” (1 Jn 3:2). The Spirit’s role is to complete full sanctification and it will be done in

the eternal state (Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18).91

A final definite work of the Holy Spirit in the new creation will be to give God’s people

an everlasting, joyful fellowship with the Triune God. Jonathan Edwards to this points says,

“Above all, we shall enjoy and dwell with God the Father, whom we have loved
with all our hearts on earth; and with Jesus Christ, our beloved Savior, who has
always been with us the chief among ten thousands, and altogether lovely; and
with the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier, and Guide, and Comforter; and shall be filled
with all the fullness of the Godhead forever.”92

90
Pelt, “j^Wr,” 1075.
91
Simmons, Anthology,” 244.
92
Jonathan Edwards, Heaven: A World of Love (Amityville, NY: Calvary Press, 1999), 18, quoted in
Randy Alcorn, Heaven (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004), 329.
 28

The Probable Work of the Holy Spirit

One probable work of the Holy Spirit in the Eternal State would be to continue to indwell

His people (Jn 16:7), empower to rule wisely with Christ (Deut 34:9; Judg 3:10), and move in

our hearts to glorify God and worship the Father and Son (Jn 16:4; Rev 19:1-10). The argument

lies in looking at Adam, the first man, before the Fall. Adam was fully indwelt by the Spirit (Gen

2:7) and yet perfect. Therefore, on the new earth the Spirit will continue to fully indwell, but to a

greatrt extent because the sin nature has been removed.93

The problem with this view is that there is nothing in Scripture that directly states Adam

was indwelt. The verse quoted above from Genesis 2 says, “the Lord God formed the man from

the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a

living being.” The argument above says this breath or wind of life that caused the man to become

a soul-filled person was the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, the Old Testament word for the Holy

Spirit (j^Wr, ruah!)94 is not used here. However, it remains a possibility because (1) a human soul

(vp#n,# nephesh) can only receive life by the power of the ruah! (cf. Ps 51:12);95 (2) Isaiah put

nephesh and ruah! in synonymous parallelism: “At night my soul (nephesh) longs for You,

Indeed, my spirit (ruah!) within me seeks You diligently” (Isa 26:9);96 and (3) the rushing of

wind/breath upon Adam is familiar action of the Holy Spirit’s filling (cf. Judg 14:6; 16:20; 1

Sam 10:10; 16:14; Ezek 37:9-14; Acts 1:8; 2:2).97

93
Simmons, Anthology,” 241.
94
Vine, Expository Dictionary, 240-41.
95
Pelt, “j^Wr,” 1076.
96
J. Barton Payne, “j^Wr,” in TWOT, vol 2. Edited by R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr., and Bruce K.
Waltke (Chicago: Moody Press, 1980), 836-37.
97
Simmons, Anthology,” 116-17.
 29

On further proof to help with the probable indwelling of the Holy Spirit for eternity are

Jesus’ words to the disciples in the upper room. Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and He will

give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever—that is, the Spirit of truth” (Jn 14:16-

17a, emphasis mine). The “giving” here is a future active indicative, showing Jesus’ statement

as a promise. The result or purpose (ina clause)98 of that promise was the Holy Spirit being with

the disciples forever. The beginning of this was at Pentecost and the giving of the Spirit is true

for every believer throughout the church age. But does the word “forever” mean “forever?” The

easiest understanding is forever means forever.99 Therefore, one can conclude that the Holy

Spirit will continue to indwell based upon Jesus’ promise to his disciples.

Therefore, I believe the indwelling is highly probable for God’s people throughout

eternity. If true, then “once we are glorified, His role will be even greater…For He will not be

hindered in any way with sin in the believer”100 (2 Cor 3:8).

Conclusion
Although the Holy Spirit works to keep the focus off Himself (Jn 16:14),101 the active

work of the Holy Spirit is indeed an intriguing and imperative study102 as witnessed by the

number of books and theologies that have been written and will be written in the future. The pity

is that Christians seem to have little to no understanding of His work and ministry,103 particularly

as He works in Eschatology.

98
Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar: Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 1996),
473-80; Rogers, Linguistic and Exegetical Key, 217.
99
H. Sasse, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, edited by Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1964), I:197-209.
100
Ibid., 241; Rene Pache, The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit (Chicago: Moody Press, 1954), 220.
101
“It is nothing short of remarkable that the Spirit clearly embraced and in no respect resents the fact that
he has, eternally, what might be called ‘the background position’ in the Trinity” (Bruce A. Ware, Father, Son, &
Holy Spirit (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2005), 104.
102
Pache, Holy Spirit, 5.
 30

Throughout the study above, I have demonstrated that a proper study of the Holy Spirit’s

work in the End Times period (spanning from Rapture to Millennium) will show that he is

continually active in convicting, saving, sanctifying, and glorifying men and women, as well as

continuing to be active in the lives of glorified saints in the Eternal State. Below is a helpful

chart to make bring together the discussion above:104

CHART: The Eschatology of the Holy Spirit

It would be my hope and joy that there would be a greater focus on not just the biblical

doctrines of Eschatology, but that the Holy Spirit would lead and guide us into discovering its

truths and how they are related to Him. After all, He is “the Helper…that is, the Spirit of truth”

(Jn 14:16).

103
Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, 12; Simmons, Anthology,” 21.
104
Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, 188.
 31

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