Will the Holy Spirit still be on earth during the tribulation after the church is removed?
The Holy Spirit will still be on earth during the tribulation after the church is removed. His role of indwelling believers ends when the church departs, but He remains the omnipresent Spirit of God, active on the earth during the tribulation.
Les explains that the one who now hinders will hinder until he is taken out of the way, and Les identifies that hindering force as the Holy Spirit in the person of the believer. That removal occurs at the departure when the church is removed. When the church is gone, the Holy Spirit's role as indwelling the believer has ended. But Les stresses that the Holy Spirit will be back on the earth as the omnipresent God; leaving His indwelling role does not mean He will not be on the earth during the tribulation. He points to Genesis 1, where the Spirit moved upon the face of the deep, showing the Holy Spirit was evident on the earth throughout human experience. During the church age He indwells the believer, but He is still the omnipresent Spirit of God, so He remains God's omnipresence even during the tribulation. Verse 8 then describes the Antichrist being revealed and consumed by the Lord at the end of the seven years.
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
More Questions
Does the Holy Spirit leave the earth during the tribulation when the church is raptured?
Although the Holy Spirit's church-age role of indwelling believers will end when the church is raptured, He does not leave the earth; He remains present as the omnipresent God throughout the tribulation.