For the reasons about to be explained, it appears “the Scarlet Harlot” will begin her end-time role in earnest during the Post-Rapture/Pre-Tribulation gap period, promptly after the Rapture of “the church, which is His body”

(You can read more about this ‘Gap Period’ in the article titled “What is the Post-Rapture Pre-Tribulation Gap Period?” at my website: http://artlicursi.com/series/what-post-rapture-pre-tribulation-gap-period).

Since the Harlot religion’s leader will already be better known than the Antichrist, the Harlot’s role will be to support and lift up the Antichrist in the eyes of the Harlot religion’s Worldwide followers. Yet, ultimately the Harlot Religion’s role will end with her being abandoned and utterly destroyed at about the midpoint of the 7-year Tribulation period (Rev 17:16).

Determining the endpoint of her role requires deductive reasoning that is Scripturally supported. Estimating the start of the Harlot’s work requires some speculation as derived from logic applied to revealed Scripture. It is after the Rapture of “the body of Christ” that the Devil will promptly unleash the 1^st leg of his two-legged Worldwide campaign upon mankind and toward Israel that involves first lifting up the Harlot Religion, and then by her… ‘the Antichrist.’ Satan has been long been preparing for the moment when he can showcase his deceptive supernatural abilities to mankind, which is what will occur when he is no longer ‘restrained’ by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Paul here describes the process that unleashes Satan upon the world.

1. First, here we have Paul’s account of the ‘catching away’ or the Rapture of the believing members of the church, called “the body of Christ,” which is instrumental in unlocking Satan’s handcuffs.

“But I [Paul] would not have you [the believers] to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [physically dead], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep [are dead] in Jesus will God bring with him.

¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be ‘caught up’ [Latin, rapturo] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (KJV)

2. Then also, as seen here below, we have Paul’s prophetic explanation of the departure of the Holy Spirit, the current restrainer who ‘holds down’ Satan, being taken out of the way, This occurs along with the believing members of “the body of Christ” being removed from planet earth at the Rapture.

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he [the Holy Spirit] who now letteth [Gk. katecho, holds down, suppresses] will let [suppress], UNTIL He [the Holy Spirit] Be Taken Out of The Way [with the Rapture].

⁸ And THEN Shall That Wicked [One] Be Revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy [Gk. kartargeo, render powerless] with the brightness of his [Christ’s] coming:

⁹ Even [that is] him [Antichrist], whose coming is after The Working of Satan with all Power and Signs and Lying Wonders, ¹⁰ And with all Deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish [Gk. apollymi; are to be ‘utterly destroyed,’ cf. 2Thes. 1:9] because they Received Not the Love of The Truth, that they might be saved.

¹¹ And for this cause [intent] God shall send them strong delusion, that they should Believe a Lie [the lies of Satan]: ¹² [so] That they all might be damned [Gk. katakrino, sentenced] who Believed Not The Truth, but Had Pleasure In Unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 (KJV, enhanced)

Thus, we see the present work of the Holy Spirit as the current restrainer who prevents Satan from unleashing his full supernatural powers to deceive mankind. The departure of the Holy Spirit along with “the body of Christ” will unlock the handcuffs, permitting Satan to display his hidden powers. Actually, as seen in verse 12 above, Satan’s becomes God’s instrument of judgment upon unbelieving Israel and all His opposers.

3. Satan promptly by the work of the ‘Harlot Queen’ of this Ecclesiastical Babylon, promoting Antichrist, as Satan’s ultimate point man… UNTIL He Ultimately Rules Over the World WITHOUT Her. The Ten Kings will have overthrown the ‘Harlot religion and its leader’ (Rev. 17:16; cf.  2Thes. 2:8), then giving Antichrist their support, representing and giving over their ‘ten regions of the earth’ to the Worldwide rule of Antichrist.

(Research to consider: “The Club of Rome” and its 10-region plan for a ‘One World Government.” http://conspiracywiki.com/new-world-order/club-of-rome/ )

4. In the process of moving the Antichrist into his ultimate position as the World’s leader, Satan uses “all Power and Signs and LYING Wonders” (2Thes. 2:8, above). There will be paranormal occurrences of “Seducing Spirits” (1 Timothy 4:1) in order to influence the people of the world to believe what the Bible calls the “lie” (2Thes 2:11). I believe these ‘lying-spirit deceptions’ will likely include an increase of so-called ‘Mary apparitions’ to be seen Worldwide.

Most of the many alleged ‘Mary apparitions’ have so far today included the verbal communication of messages, http://www.all-about-the-virgin-mary.com/apparitions.html. By these apparitions Satan has been setting the stage for the coming time when SEDUCING SPIRITS,” Devil spirits, lying Demons impersonating ‘the Roman Catholic version of Mary.’

“Now the [Holy] Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to SEDUCING SPIRITS, and Doctrines [instructions] of Devils; (1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV)

Now note how that the Thessalonians were very concerned they had missed the Rapture. So, in 2 Thes. 2:1-2, below, Paul addresses ‘the lies’ of his day that had made these believers in Thessalonica concerned that ‘missed the Rapture,’ that it had already occurred and they had been ‘left behind’ and were now in the Tribulation period. They had been listening to the lies of that day. Note Paul’s words;

“¹Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him (at the Rapture, cf. 1Thes 4:13-18),

²  That ye BE NOT soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by [due to a lying] spirit, nor by word [passed around], nor By [A False] Letter As [If It Was] From Us, as [if] that the day of Christ [as if the 2^nd coming to save Israel] is at hand.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 (KJV)

The Apostle Paul went on to dispel their concerns in 2Thes 2:3-12. But, most notably for our study, Paul’s explanation in those verses help to explain the ‘timing’ of the Rapture with the removal of the Holy Spirit’s restraint upon Satan. Note these two time-related words “until” and “then” in the verses below.

“… he [the Holy Spirit] who now letteth [Gk. katecho, holds down, suppresses Satan] will let [suppress], UNTIL He [the Holy Spirit] Be Taken Out of The Way [with the Rapture]. ⁸ And THEN Shall That Wicked [Evil One] Be Revealed.” (2 Thes. 2:3-12)

Thus, as we’ve discussed thoroughly, the Holy Spirt must be taken out of the way before “That Wicked [Wicket One, the Antichrist] Be Revealed.” (v8). Paul was here above telling the believers, since the Holy Spirit had not yet been taken out of the way… so, they had not missed the Rapture and the day of the Lord’s end-time prophecies had not yet come. Therefore, the sufferings and persecutions they were enduring were the normal experience for believers of Paul’s day. Their misinterpretation of the time of the Rapture was due to the lies being passed around as promoted by Satan in Paul’s day. The Thessalonians had failed to ‘recall’ what Paul had already ‘told’ them, in the past, about the sufferings or troubles that would be common to genuine believers (cf. 1Thes. 3:3-4).

“That no man [among you Thessalonians] should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. ⁴ For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation [Gk., thlibo, troubles]; even as it came to pass, and ye know.” (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 (KJV)

Summarizing;

• With the Rapture the Holy Spirit’s restraint upon Satan will be removed (2Thes. 2:7).
• Then, during the subsequent ‘gap period’ Satan will prop up ‘the Harlot’ for her work.
• The Harlot religion, which obviously must include its leader at that time, is to temporarily be ‘superior in stature’ to the Antichrist in (Rev 17:3), who she supports while he emerges to the limelight and power to rule Worldwide.
• This all implies that the Harlot’s Worldwide Religion will emerge rapidly after the Rapture during the Post-Rapture/Pre-Tribulation gap period and on through the first 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation period when she is destroyed.
• The Beast (Antichrist) thus emerges as the ‘One’ Worldwide leader to execute his reign of terror and death.