In John 14:16-18 the Lord Jesus promised the Disciples, and us, the Comforter, whom we know as the Holy Spirit. Later, in John 16:7 Jesus said that the Holy Spirit cannot come to this world until He, Jesus, leaves. This raises an interesting question. Why?

We know that there are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Three spiritual components. We also know that there are untold millions upon millions of spiritual beings in Heaven. We know them as angels.

In the Revelation, stars are symbolic of angelic beings. We are told that the Dragon threw one-third of the “stars” to the earth (Revelation 12:4). Remember that the Lord named the stars that we see (Psalm 147:4, Isaiah 40:26). Thus, the Dragon controlling one-third of the “stars” is also confirmed by the constellation Draco, which encompasses one-third of the stars seen in the heavens.

Here we are given the concept that the Lord controls two-thirds of the angelic beings, and Satan controls one-third. Based upon this, the Lord has a two-to-one advantage over Satan. Satan wishes to usurp the Throne of God (Isaiah 14:12-14), but he is hindered by this disadvantage.

It appears that this two-to-one advantage also applies to the Spiritual leaders of Heaven, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And it appears that this advantage must be maintained. In Old Testament times, all three resided in Heaven. Occasionally, one would come to earth as when the Holy Spirit “came upon” (Judges 6:34) someone, or when the Lord Jesus as the Captain of the Lord’s army appeared to Joshua (Joshua 5:14).

While the Lord Jesus dwelled here on earth as a man, there remained two in Heaven, the Father and the Holy Spirit. The advantage was maintained. In my opinion, that is why Jesus said that He must leave before the promised Holy Spirit could come and dwell in Believers here on earth.

Someone currently is hindering the son of perdition until that someone is taken out of the way, then the son of perdition will be revealed.

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” – II Thessalonians 2:7-8

I believe the Holy Spirit is the restrainer. The Church and the Holy Spirit are inter-connected forever (John 14:16). This indicates that the man of sin will not be revealed, even though he may now be present on earth, until the Holy Spirit and the Church are removed.

Believers have been promised that the Lord Jesus will come at some point in time and remove us in an extraordinary manner (I Thessalonians 4:16-17). That, of course, will be the “rapture,” or the snatching away of the Church (harpazo – Strong’s G726), and when the Church is gone, so will the Holy Spirit be gone. The Holy Spirit cannot remain here on earth, because Believers are promised the Holy Spirit forever. I don’t think this means that the Holy Spirit cannot visit the earth during the Tribulation, but it will be visits of short duration.

The timing is all up to the Lord. The will of God is perfect and His will shall be done. May His name be praised forever!