I'm sure you're watching and keeping up to date on events happening around the world and in our nation. If you aren't, I recommend you do, because while no one but the Father knows the day or hour of Christ's return (Matthew 24:36), we can identify birth pangs (Matthew 24:8) by keeping an eye on what's going on. However, while you watch (or read), do not fear. Things are bad now, but they will get worse. Through it, Yehovah will take care of us when we put our trust in Him.
All these current events show the lawlessness that is growing in the world. Jesus warned us about this in Matthew 24 when He talked about birth pangs for the end. He told us that because of the lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:12). We've seen riots, courts of law that shirk their duty to uphold the law, and politicians that encourage breaking the law. And that's just here in the US! But despite all we are seeing and experiencing here, the rest of the world is in a far worse state (especially for Christians in many places). So, thank Yehovah for His mercy.
Let's also take a look at this "lawlessness" spoken of in scripture. When you look at the Greek for lawlessness, it's anomia, and lawless is anomos. However, if you're reading the trusty (or not) King James Version, you won't find "lawlessness" and "lawless" only occurs once, in 1 Timothy 1:9. You will find "iniquity," though this is not the only word used to translate anomia. "Unrighteousness," "transgress the law," and "transgression of the law," are also translated from anomia. And anomos is translated to "without law," "transgressor," "wicked," "lawless," and "unlawful."
Is this talking about the law of man? Sometimes, but in most cases it's speaking of Yehovah's Law for man. We can see examples of both cases (being without God's Law and man's law) in the world today, and as these things continue to get worse it is going to be tempting to lose love or caring for one another. It's going to be easy to look at someone asking for help and turn them away because you can't trust anyone. Either no one will follow any laws, or they will choose when they will follow the law based on their circumstances.
This is why it becomes even more and more important to listen and be led by the Holy Spirit. There will be people, believers and even non-believers, that will hold to a "code of conduct," or in other words will follow laws, whether they be from man or Him. These people will either offer help or ask for help and we need to be open to the Holy Spirit leading us to help them or receive their help. Even better, He organizes a huge group of believers together to support each other and protects them through great tribulation! We don't want to miss that!
Something else to touch on that's related to the end is sorcery. And the reason I bring it up is because the Greek word for sorcery is pharmakeia. Look familiar? Yes, that's where we get our word for pharmacy! Now, take a look at Revelation 18:23. In this verse, there is a warning about sorcery, and that all nations will be deceived by merchants that produce these sorceries.
My personal belief is the strong delusion written of in 2 Thessalonians 2:11 is referring to the delusion that man has no need for Yehovah and can solve all problems on his own. This checks with the Revelation 18:23 verse, where the pharmaceutical merchants are deceiving all nations into believing that their drugs or vaccines are the only way to healing and preventing sickness.
The more and more we rely on man to solve our problems, the farther and farther we get from Yehovah. Don't get me wrong, there are some useful things that man has produced. But if we go down the path of trusting in man to develop solutions to all our problems, we lose the trust in Yehovah and are more susceptible to deception by the same people that are giving us "solutions." We are to be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). Or to put it in today's terms, don't believe everything you see or hear, but don't be violent when speaking out against it so others can learn.
So, make sure to keep your love warm, keep listening and watching for His leading, and keep your trust in Him. Pray for healing, pray for assistance and help, and pray for His quick return!
Have a great week! Shabbat Shalom! God bless you!
-Rob and Sara Gene
Comentarios