| STUDIES |
| HOME |
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2 Timothy 3:1)
Paul sends a warning to us through his spiritual son, Timothy. We can analyze this warning in four sections:
Paul instructs Timothy how to behave in the House of God, so that he might be a pattern to all gospel ministers throughout the Church age. Paul teaches,
“that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." (1 Tim 3:15)
Paul adds further instructions to Timothy: "This know also..." Paul implies that this knowing is part of the responsibility and office of every minister of the gospel. Although some may think Paul is describing the world system in verses two through four, he is very specific in verse five that he is referring to the church,
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:” (2 Tim 3:2-5)
Each faithful minister should be goaded into action because of the wickedness that is coming in the local churches. They need to take action against the dangerous conditions into which the churches are falling. They are to be watchmen and warn believers who are in their care. God revealed his mind and will concerning the watchman, who warns people of approaching dangers.
“…I have set thee a watchman…therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou has delivered thy soul, Thus ye speak, saying, 'If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?' Say unto them, 'As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die...” (Ezekiel 33:7-11)
God confirmed this principle of the watchman. If the watchman warns the people of approaching dangers, he fulfills his responsibility. If he does not, the sinners’ blood will be required at the watchman’s hands. The Spirit of God revealed that negligence would escalate in believers and churches in this matter. Therefore, the Scripture explains there is an obligation on the part of the ministers of the gospel and a consequence if they do not perform their responsibility. God is resolute regarding His calling, His appointment, His anointing and His commitment.
If wickedness is so terrible in this world, where God mixes every drop of judgment with mercy, what will it be like in eternity? In hell, torment is "...poured out without mixture” (Rev. 14:10), where Jesus said, there is never a cessation “...to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:43,44)
Paul, in speaking to Timothy, also speaks to all believers who confess Jesus Christ as their Lord, every believer of the truth of the Gospel, and to all churches. He warns them to be aware of present and approaching dangers. Paul said to believers "ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” (1Cor 11:26). When the disciples asked Jesus, "what shall be the sign of thy coming?" He answered, "Take heed that no man deceive you.” (Matt 24:3, 4)
“This know also:”
False teachers and false gospels will flourish in the church. How can believers guard against these false teachers and false gospel messages?
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world...We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:1-3,6-8)
Whatever men say will be troubling and fearful. How can we remain peaceful with men’s wicked cacophony roaring at us? These things must be, but Jesus assures us:
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me...Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:1, 27)
There will be unimaginable distresses, agonies, miseries, sufferings and pains, not to one or two or a few, but hundreds and thousands of people at once. The world will be in such a state that everyone, great or small, rich or poor, of every race and of every religion, will seek a savior.
For the true believer, God’s promise is sure:
“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul." (Psa 121:3-7)
There shall be great persecutions and the absence of loyalty. We search for signs, tokens, and evidences of deliverance, but we lose sight of the benefit of all our trials, afflictions and persecutions. What is this benefit?
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2 Corin 4:17)“…stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel...For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” (Phil 1:27,29)
“This know also:”
There shall be apostasy from holiness. How are we to be holy?
"For if the firstfruit (Christ) be holy, the lump (believer) is also holy, and if the root (Christ) be holy, so are the branches (believers).” (Rom 11:16)"Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:15-17)
“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matt 24: 13,14)
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Pet 4:17)
Our Lord Jesus Christ explained to believers how and when they should look for His coming. They were to be knowledgeable about and motivated by these things. To what aim were they to be motivated? Were they to stockpile food and goods and wealth to make it through the perilous times? In the prayer Jesus used as an example to teach His disciples how to pray, Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matt 6:11) He also said,
"seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his (God’s) righteousness; and all these things (food, drink, clothes) shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matt 6:33-34)
Jesus says to believers, “even when all these terrifying things come, this is how you are to be motivated. Endure unto the end, continue your faith in Me daily because you are in My Kingdom, protected by My Righteousness. You are to maintain and exercise your love for one another daily."
”Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Rev 1:5,6)
We are to rule over spiritual principalities and dominions in the Name and Authority of Jesus Christ as kings on earth.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph 6:12)
We are to continue to serve as priests to God and man.
"Because their office was...for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God… to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD and likewise at even...that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation ,and the charge of the holy place" (1 Chron 23:28,30,32)"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13)
“This know also:”
“When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.” (Ezek 33:13)
Paul warns, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." Believers are apt to ignore or neglect it, but this warning is to be included as part of the gospel truth of salvation and reconciliation.
"Perilous times"
Paul warned of evil and danger, perilous times, times of great difficulty. There will be times of global plague and pestilence, when death comes to the door of every household. Will it come to the door and household of the believer?
“Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” (Psa 91:8-10)
When all these things are present, a season when men are treacherous, unfaithful, disloyal, deceitful, false, unholy, unthankful, without natural affection, covetous, boasters, proud, fierce, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, and wicked, it will be “perilous times”:
This will be a season, a visitation of wickedness, a terrifying, fearful, and confused state of being.
Will you escape?
"God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually...The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Gen 6:5,11)
Can human rule generate peaceful men? Can the law of the nation or the world keep men in order? If men in the church refuse to live by God’s order, how long do you think it will be before men in the world break through all human restraints to do evil continually? Jesus is faithful in His house, He will have a remnant. Will you be part of the remnant?
It will be “perilous times”, a visitation of wickedness, where there will be a falling away so
“...that man of sin (may) be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God...Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. (2 Thess 2:3,4,9,10-11)
Will you be deceived?
If an assembly of believers in Jesus Christ does not exercise the unity of one Spirit, the unity of faith, and the unity of love it will not escape the “perilous times” nor the consequences that will follow, spiritually as well as physically. It is critical during these “perilous times” that not a bone of the Body of Jesus Christ (the church) be broken.
"And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s (chosen’s) sake those days shall be shortened.” Matt 24:22
"Shall come."
God is allowing this visitation of wickedness on earth. “Shall come” means with a certainty and with terrible force, like a seagull who swoops down on a fish in the ocean. The perilous times shall come by the judicial hand of God. As certain as the flood that destroyed the earth, so certain is it that perilous times shall come on earth.
In the midst of these perilous times that shall come, God desires that we awake from our doldrums and complacency and return to Him to escape the greater visitation of judgment that shall come upon the whole earth.
“Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his
Son” (Heb 1:2)
The last days, also, undoubtedly refer to the days just before the beginning of the seven year tribulation period.
Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matt 24:3) Jesus enumerated the same events as the Apostle Paul told Timothy. However, Jesus adds, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matt 24:36) He also said “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke 21:24)
Recently, there has much been said about the year 2012, especially the month of December, as the end of the world. This pernicious teaching has even found its way into some national ministries. Jesus said, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” We can either believe what Jesus said or ascribe to the so-called wisdom of the men of this world who say the final hour is December 2012 or any other specific time.
"And the LORD said unto him, 'Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.' And to the others he said in mine hearing, 'Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary'.” (Ezek 9:4-6)
In Ezekiel’s vision, a mark was placed on those that mourned and were repentant for the abominations carried on around them. God said that judgment must first begin at His sanctuary.
"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Pet 4:17)
Peter said judgment must first begin at the house of God. What is it that we are to judge? The believers are the “lively stones” that make up the “temple of the Lord”, the church. We need to judge the condition of the temple walls. Are the living stones diseased, infirmed, dying or dead and crumbling? If so,
"will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end
in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are
burned?” (Neh 4:2)
The adherence to the pillars of gospel truth is decaying, causing deformity and destroying the unity of one Spirit, faith and love. The gates of the temple are left open and unattended. The church has forgotten how to discern between the clean and the unclean, between the holy and the profane. Is there a Tobiah living in a chamber in the courts of the house of God? He and all his belongings need to be cast out. (Cf Neh 13:7-9)
We have taken unclean things from the world, hung a cross around their necks and called them “holy”. Our worship has the aroma of the world. We use the world’s style of music in evangelism and the rationale is ‘this is what draws the sinner in’. Why should the world be interested in listening to our amateurish efforts to mimic them? Have we forgotten that Jesus said if He was lifted up, He would draw all men to Himself? Have we forgotten that it is the Holy Spirit that draws people to Christ and not our skills, talents and programs?
Is prayer one of the ornaments that adorn the church? We have neglected to maintain oil in our lamps. Leaven has found its way into the bread in the House of the Lord because the bread looks more appealing puffed up. Are the gifts of the Holy Spirit flowing, as waters that bring a great multitude of fish? Are they watering the trees on the banks, whose fruit is for food and whose leaves for healing? Or has the flow of the waters ceased? Has the church become a stagnant bog, unable to provide nourishing food or healing? (cf Ezek 47:9-12)
"For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters,
and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." (Jer 2:13)
Have the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit become unwelcomed diversions from our scheduled
program? There will be a falling away from the truth and holiness of God. Believers
should be building the House of the Lord with a sword in one hand and a tool for building in
the other. (cf Neh 4:15-18)
"How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet
a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep.” (Prov 6:9-10)
"The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.” (Eccl 4:5)
There is a meadow, a pasture for lambs and sheep to feed in, a lost sheep to be sought out and
found, a field of wheat for harvest, a territory to be reclaimed, a generation
to teach and prepare for the coming of the Lord: our children, grandchildren,
relatives, neighbors, friends, enemies, co-workers, strangers.
The feasting at the Lord’s Supper (communion) with Christ our Lord, God our Father and the Holy Spirit, directs and clears our vision of these things and excites our faith and energy to do our work in them. Idleness places a man out of God’s order. The fool closes his eyes and cannot see these things.
"Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak
this to your shame.” (1 Cor 15:34)
“Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See
then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.” (Eph 5:14-15)
A vast panoply of excuses induces sleep in the fool. The fool does nothing because others do ill. The wicked servant hides his talent for fear. The sluggard’s excuse is "There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.” (Prov 22:13)
God says to these:
"I know thy works, that thou are neither cold not hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Rev 3:15-16)
Why should we be foolish and eat our own flesh - follow our own way? Why should we trust to our own resources, abilities, and riches?
Jesus Christ’s Name is profaned in our nation and we, the church, fold our hands and sit in complacency. Are we not the army of the Lord? Why are we not in mourning? "Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.” (Psa 119:136) The church should awake from complacency and say:
"I will give you no rest, Lord, because my spirit can find no rest. Because of the abominations of my people, I will seek you all the day long. For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.” (Isa 62:1)“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence.” (Isa 62:6)
A Pastor in the city of Houston, Texas said at the end of 2008, “Hollywood is our pastor, Technology is our Bible, and Charisma is our Value.” How true that is! Believers, from the pulpit to the pew, have lost the ability to discern the clean from the unclean, the holy from the profane.
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (2 Tim 2:19)"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:13-14)
What will cause us to be blind to the Holy Spirit’s presence and power? What will cause the Glory of God to depart from our churches?
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth.
"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit
of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” (Jn 15:26)
The Holy Spirit is to lead us into all Truth:
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (Jn 16:13)
Do we resist the Holy Spirit in the ordinances of Christ and His gifts and administration?
“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” (Acts 7:51)
Do we quench the Spirit in respect to His callings, movements and graces?
"Quench not the Spirit.” (1 Thess 5:19 (cf 1 Thess 5:5-11))
When we grieve the Holy Spirit, we are in danger of giving Him the boot from dwelling in us.
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption.” (Eph 4:30)
He is the Spirit of Truth, and when we refuse the truth, pervert the truth, speak the truth but do not practice it, He cannot dwell within us. (cf Eph 4:17-30) He first withdraws, then the Glory departs, then Life departs.
“And she named the child 'Ichabod', saying, ‘The glory is departed…'” (I Sam 4:21)
A sign should be placed over the door of many, if not most, churches today, saying, “Ichabod”! Sadly, many have turned away from the truth.
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy;
having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” (1 Tim 4:1-2)
Peter declares,
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers
among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought
them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious
ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness
shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time
lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not...The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out
of temptations, and to reserve the unjust; unto the day of judgment to be punished.” (2 Pet 2:1-3,9)
"And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you.” This is a hard saying but preachers who entice and induce people to plant their “seed of faith” by sending their tithe money to them and “guaranteeing” God will repay them sixty or one hundred fold, are making merchandise of you.
God says,
“Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept
them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye
said, Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But
ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a
curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the
storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of
hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there
shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit
before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for
ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Mal 3:7-12)
Do they preach that you should obey the word of God and give your tithes to the church you attend? No! They urge you to “plant your seed of money” with them and they promise that God will make your seed of money that you planted with them grow. Their faith is not in God or His Word. Their faith is in the increase of their money. Can anyone show you a money tree that has a seed in itself and that will bring forth fruit of its own kind? That is the only kind of trees God created. Is this ‘selling of faith’ the same as Jesus encountered in the temple with the selling of sacrifice animals? The money changers were there to facilitate the sellers.
If we are instructed in the Scriptures to find examples of God’s mind, will and purpose, then let us look at the example of Abraham.
"And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he (Abram) gave him tithes of all.” (Gen 14:18-20)
Did Melchizedek serve Abram the Lord’s Supper with the bread and wine? Where we gather together and observe the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, is it not also the place where we should bring our tithes? Where you send freewill offerings is between you and the Lord, but your tithes belong where you are being spiritually fed.
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Tim 4:3-4)"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away...Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” (2 Tim 3:5,7-8)
What are believers to do in the face of perilous times and great apostasy? Jude told us:
"beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus
Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after
their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not
the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in
the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ unto eternal life...unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you
faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be
glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 17-21, 24,25
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chron 7:14)
| STUDIES |
| HOME |