2nd Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
Even though many of us are hoping to get back to a sense of normalcy, it is quite possible, that in just a few months we could be looking at a very different world. The collateral damage from the pandemic is not going anywhere anytime soon and the political and economic fallout could continue to rattle many already frayed nerves.
In addition, there is much saber-rattling taking place in different places so that the nations of earth could have their hands full while some have already bitten off more than they can chew. The utter inability of political parties to get along, and reach a consensus for the betterment of the country, and the myriad of conspiracy theories that multitudes have bought into, only adds instability to the toxic brew.
Yet, God did not leave us to figure out things on our own, for He has forewarned us that “Perilous times will come”. That statement actually pertains to the here and now, for it is obvious, even to the casual observer, that the condition of our world is now in a much more fragile and unstable state, than it was, just two decades ago.
What is even more disturbing is the willingness of persons to deliberately believe a lie, even though the undisputable facts are on full display. When one refuses to be reconciled to truth, when the facts are exchanged for fictions, and when a cult-like mindset has upended rational thought, then we may know that we have already entered the new abnormal.
Permanent, and nearly irreversible damage will be done to the minds of millions of people, when they deliberately choose erroneous theories over truth, for wherever this occurs, there remains very little that God can do for such persons, since the mind is where the Holy Spirit does the work of conviction. This, above all things is cause for great alarm.
And if one knowingly chooses falsehoods over facts, conviction of truth cannot take place, for whenever truth or facts are presented, the minds of such folks relegate the truth to the null and void column. Thus, the problem we’re now experiencing was predicted in the Bible, with the intent that all those who wish to escape the errors of the last days, might track a different course.
In other words, the preservation of a sound mind is contingent upon our willingness to be reconciled to truth, even if such truths may not be palatable. The prophets warned us that such a time as this would come, and now that it is here, it would do us well to revisit those passages in the Bible which deal with the current phenomena. Let’s read:
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
2nd Thessalonians 2:8 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.
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness
in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
However, the current situation is nothing new, for it has occurred throughout history, but it is scheduled to metastasize as we get closer to Christ’s second coming. At such a time as this, the remnant people of God should be especially careful not to get sucked into the vacuum of lies and conspiracy theories which abound, for they will certainly distract us from our mission, and will inevitably lead us into false paths, and thus cause us to make erroneous decisions.
A striking example of the damage, currently being done to many minds, is written in the scriptures. In the experiences of the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, we see on full display, the deliberate hardening of one’s mind against the truth and the facts.
At that time, a covert operation was concocted to undermine the God-ordained authority granted to Moses and Aaron. The rebels talked and rummaged over errors and lies, until they actually came to the point of really believing what they said even though it was not rooted in fact or truth.
One of the strategies of devils is to repeat an error over and over again, for when this is done, without any remonstrance from the hearers, the falsehoods finally take deep root in one’s conscience, and it can become so firmly entrenched in the mind, that not even The Holy Spirit could appeal to one’s reason.
As the conspirators rehashed their errors, more and more people joined in, for it is a weakness of human nature that as a general rule of thumb, we prefer to hear lies than the truth. This tendency was handed down by our first parents, and from one generation to the next, until in our day presently, it has driven some persons to the point of no return.
As we read of the rebels, deliberately setting aside truth for alternate facts which suit what they desire, we will observe the downward progression of lies, which take on a life of their own, for whenever folks decide to imbibe error it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy which produces more falsehoods with the passage of time. Let’s read:
Numbers 16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men.
2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown.
3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, You take too much upon you seeing all the congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?
2 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up.
13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land that flows with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
Question: Are the allegations made by the rebels in the above verses true? Did Moses and Aaron really appoint themselves over the people? Is it true that all the congregation was holy, everyone of them? And is it true that Moses brought them up out of a land that flows with milk and honey, namely Egypt? Let’s examine the facts in the case! Let’s read:
Exodus 5: 10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus, saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore, have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as heretofore?
Exodus 3:7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows.
10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
Exodus 4:14 And the Lord said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee. and when he sees thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
Exodus 32: 7 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which you brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.
8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
9 And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people.
10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 396] Korah and his fellow conspirators were men who had been favored with special manifestations of God's power and greatness. They were of the number who went up with Moses into the mount and beheld the divine glory. But since that time a change had come. A temptation, slight at first, had been harbored, and had strengthened as it was encouraged, until their minds were controlled by Satan, and they ventured upon their work of disaffection.
Professing great interest in the prosperity of the people, they first whispered their discontent to one another and then to leading men of Israel. Their insinuations were so readily received that they ventured still further, and at last they really believed themselves to be actuated by zeal for God. In this work of disaffection there was greater union and harmony among the discordant elements of the congregation than had ever before existed.
Korah's success with the people increased his confidence, and confirmed him in his belief that the usurpation of authority by Moses, if unchecked, would be fatal to the liberties of Israel. He also claimed that God had opened the matter to him, and had authorized him to make a change in the government before it should be too late.
Thus, it became necessary for God to set the record straight, if perchance, the deceived ones would turn from their falsehoods and repent. What The Lord did next was to remove entirely, any questions and any doubt, so that the truth in the matter would be established upon irrefutable facts. Let’s read:
Numbers 16:16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow.
17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.
20 And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
26 And he spoke unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their's lest you be consumed in all their sins.
27 So they got up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
28 And Moses said, Hereby, ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of my own mind.
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me.
30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then you shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground parted asunder under them.
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation.
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
Here, God gave unmistakable proof that the rebels were in the wrong, and that their fabrication of lies were unfounded. But God didn’t stop there, for He is merciful; therefore, He gave the 250 princes time to see their error clearly, if haply they might repent.
But they had become so firmly entrenched in their lies, together with the embarrassment of having to admit they were wrong, that they dug in deeper in their falsehoods, and thus they became ripe for the destruction that followed, for whenever the human agent becomes so deeply rooted in lies that his/her rational reasoning is distorted, there is very little, if anything, God can do to save them. Let’s read:
Numbers 16:35 And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
To any rational thinking individual, the allegations posed by the leaders in the rebellion should have been settled unequivocally, since God showed by His intervention, that the insurrection was not in good faith. Any reasonable mind would conclude in no uncertain terms that the facts and the truth had been clearly established by God Himself.
But, as was stated earlier, any deliberate decision to choose erroneous, conspiracy theories over truth, will eventually render the adherents incapable of being reached by God with appeals to one’s better judgment. Wherever persons exchange light for darkness, or put bitter for sweet, the mind can suffer permanent irreparable damage, as was evident by the reaction of such persons on the following day. Let’s read:
Numbers 16:41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, You have killed the people of the Lord.
44 And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,
45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.
48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
The same disposition to embrace lies, instead of an acknowledgement of the truth, could be observed in pharaoh, who had repeatedly hardened his heart against the facts and the truth, until, like the rebels we just read of, his mind became incapable of any positive response to conviction, and as a result of his course of action, he went completely insane, his mind being damaged beyond repair. Let’s read:
Exodus 10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, I will bring the locusts into thy coast tomorrow.
5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remains unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field.
7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: don’t you know yet, that Egypt is destroyed?
Exodus 8:16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
Exodus 9:3 Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.
4 And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of
Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel.
5 And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.
6 And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.
7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.
The very same phenomenon of persons deliberately resisting the truth and the facts, occurred in Christ’s day, when He raised Lazarus from the dead. After Jesus was informed of Lazarus’ death, He remained where He was, so as to give time for decomposition to set in.
This would remove the earlier falsehood that was disseminated by those who were bent on resisting the truth and facts. Earlier, when Christ has brought back a maid to life, the Pharisees had used Jesus’ own words against him, and declared that the girl was not really dead, only in a coma. Let’s read:
Luke 8:49 While he yet spoke, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but Jesus said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleeps.
53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her food.
John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he remained two days still in the same place where he was.
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinks, for he hath been dead four days.
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Their response to the truth and the facts, in the face of an undeniable miracle? We were Just wondering if the minds of the priests would be any different to pharaoh’s, as pertains to their reaction to the truth. Let’s read:
John 11:47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
53 Then from that day forth they took counsel to put him to death.
John 12: 9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death.
The same self-inflicted wounds were done to the minds of so many who witnessed the stoning of Stephen. They, just like pharaoh, and the priests with Christ and Lazarus, and the rebels in Moses’ day, all had one thing in common: They refused to accept the truth and facts even when they were presented with undeniable evidence. Let’s read:
Acts 6: 8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.
11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.
12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceases not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law.
15 And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
We were just wondering again what their response would be, as they saw with their own two eyes, his face glowing radiantly with the glory of God. Would they change their minds, or would they walk in the footsteps of pharaoh, the priests, and the rebels? Let’s read:
Acts 7: 54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
In our day currently, it is of grave concern that the tendency to deliberately believe lies and conspiracy theories, is damaging the minds of millions beyond repair, and if we think that such a situation will not affect us in adverse ways, we’ll need to think again, for that spirit of unbelief never remains dormant for too long.
As it was in days of old, the disposition to embrace falsehood morphs into something more ominous, taking more people into the snare, until, at some opportune moment, it spills over, and does great, irreparable harm, not only to the adherents, but it also often produces collateral damage in persons who may not have been directly involved.
If persons continue to deny the truth and the facts, it will inevitably lead to a grave national disturbance the likes of which we have never seen. And those of us who are not rooted in Christ and the truth could be swept away, with the incoming tsunami of error.
The national intransigence which we are currently witnessing will not remain at this level forever, for we are headed for a downward spiral that would cause a national upheaval, if we are not pulled back from the brink, by folks tracking a different course.
The problem is that the very same mind that is thus hardened against truth and facts in temporal things will most likely be also hardened against the truth in the spiritual realm and therefore, the urgency of the everlasting gospel, as given in Revelation 14 could fall on deaf ears.
Now, while it is true that the latter rain is promised to mitigate the situation, we must understand that the outpouring of The Holy Spirit does not force a person to believe truth. God brings the truth home to the mind in clear, steady, and irrefutable ways, but the choice to believe is always left with persons.
Thus, in lieu of what is transpiring, we’ll have very limited time to fulfill the great commission in our neck of the woods, because we are looking at the prospect of having to deliver the everlasting gospel at a time when it will become increasingly difficult to do so.
With this prospect before us, we should individually and collectively, be doing all we can to spread the everlasting gospel, both locally and internationally via social media and every other avenue, now at our disposal. As the spirit of insurrection or intolerance gains steam, the freedoms we now enjoy would be increasingly curtailed.
Therefore, God is calling on us to do our very best to finish the work of the gospel in all the world. In the capacities, and talents God has given us, let us then be found faithful, because the time is at hand. We therefore end with two passage of scripture which are to call us to the urgency of the moment, and by the grace of God, let everyone in whom the seeds of truth have been sown, rise to the occasion in earnest, as we readapt to the new abnormal.
Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
God Bless!