April 23
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PROPHETIC MESSAGE ABOUT THE LAST DAYS
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful
unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. 6 For among them are those who slip into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, worthless in regard to the faith. 9 But they will not make further progress; for their foolishness will be obvious to all, just as was that also of Jannes and Jambres. -2 Timothy 3:1-9
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In this chapter, Paul gives the believer a glimpse of the coming corruption that is brought about by men who prey on people with weak faith. Despite the fact that Paul is in prison, his thoughts are always about how to ensure that the gospel is preached and followed by those who become believers of Christ. He reminds that Timothy needs to be strong in the Lord in order to lead the family of believers and not be timid or shy as he previously mentioned earlier in this chapter in 2 Timothy 1:7. God didn’t give us timidity or shyness but of power, love and discipline. He clearly rebukes Timothy when he gives in to fear because that doesn’t come from God.
Paul makes his admonition backed up by the prophetic message that will happen in the last days by enumerating to him the signs of such times. He paints a clear picture of how people would be at the final days. He describes them as lovers of self and money, arrogant, slanderers, rebels, unloving, malicious gossips, worldly and hates righteousness and lovers of pleasure.In verse 6, he cautions them of men who victimizes and captivates weak women who are weighed down with sins and are impulsive. He mentions Jannes and Jambres who opposed Moses. According to gotquestions.org, long-standing Jewish tradition says that Jannes and Jambres were the two chief magicians who withstood Moses and Aaron in Exodus 7. According to one midrash, the two magicians left Egypt with the Israelites after the first Passover (see Exodus 12:38) and were later instrumental in promoting the worship of the golden calf that Aaron made (Exodus 32).
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REFLECTION
• How must we believers take Paul’s warning on the signs of the final says.