Verse 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
The Greek word translated as “perilous” is “chalepos” and it means hard to do, to take, to approach, hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, and savage. Does that describe the world wide condition and situation of mankind today?
Verse 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
The number of adjectives that the Apostle Paul uses here and through verse 4 to describe mankind in the last days is 18, or three 6’s or 666. The number 6 in the Bible is metaphor for sin and for man, and the number 666 is metaphor for the beast governmental systems ruling the world in the last days. The number 18 is also two 9’s, that number in the Bible being metaphor for judgement. This is no coincidence. Every word in the King James Bible has significance.
Narcissists love themselves and are evident throughout society. The Greek word used here is “philautos” and it means loving one’s self, intent on one’s interest, or selfish. This writer finds very few people outside of the Church that are not selfish. Everything is about them and no one else matters.
To be covetous is to love money and that is everywhere today, the Greek word used being “philarguros”. “For the love of money is the root of all evil:” 1 Timothy 6:10 It was true in the Apostle Paul’s day and it is true today.
“Alazon” is the Greek word used for boasters and it means an empty pretender, or a boaster. Sports men/women, actors, politicians and others all engage in boasting about how successful or how talented they are.
Pride was the character flaw of Lucifer which caused him to be banned from Heaven to become Satan, the god of this world. Pride is the basis of all sin, and God hates all pride. The Greek word used here is “huperephanos” and it means showing one’s self above others, overtopping, pre-eminent, despising others and/or even treating them with contempt, and haughty.
Blasphemers speak evil of God, are slanderous and abusive. The media is full of so called comedians, dramas and sitcoms that blaspheme God and the Christian Faith. Courts and their judges that fail to uphold the common law rights of people blaspheme God when they disregard His law and enforce mankind’s evil and abusive rules, regulation, statutes and codes.
Today’s children on average are rude and disrespectful of and to adults and of and to their own parents. Often adult children fail to care for their elderly parents and dump them in long term care facilities, and in some countries, euthanize them legally to avoid being responsible.
How often is the word “thank you” heard today? The message is pushed that everybody has assumed rights and privileges and so why should anyone say, “thank you” when given what is considered theirs in the first place?
The Greek word translated as “unholy” is “anosios” and it means wicked. Wickedness (evil or that which is morally wrong) is everywhere one looks, both in the real world, and in the fictional world portrayed in the media. Yes, sin has been around since Adam and Eve were created, but anyone who is elderly today, if asked, will report that they have never seen such evil and wickedness in their lifetime as they are seeing today. Yes, these are perilous times as prophesied by the Apostle Paul.
Verse 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
It is natural for a mother to love her child, yet today’s news often reports mothers being prosecuted for killing their living children. Abortion has always been on the rise and seems to be the preferred method of birth control as women choose to murder their unborn children. Likewise, a man should naturally love his wife and/or family, yet news reports tell of men who murder their wives and/or their children. It is natural for people to love the things of nature and the communities in which they live, yet arsonists seem to abound setting fires to forests and city buildings without concern for any lives they may harm. It is natural for people to respect and care for their pets or livestock, yet animal cruelty is everywhere. Child abuse is too rampant to keep track of and to prosecute, and kidnappings, child sexual abuse and child sacrifice are a fact of life in today’s world. It would seem that many people are without natural affection just as the Apostle Paul prophesied.
The Greek word translated as “trucebreakers” is “aspondos” and it means without a treaty or covenant. Most people refuse to covenant with God and reject His governance and His love. In law, contracts are broken regularly which keeps the courts busy and the lawyers financially well off. Most governments and/or governmental agencies fail to abide by any treaties signed with other countries and/or governmental agencies. The treatment of native American Indians by the US government cannot be covered up historically as every treaty made with the Indians was broken by the US. World history is replete with broken treaties as it seems mankind cannot keep agreements in good faith.
Where do false accusers come from? “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:10 The answer is Satan and his fallen angels who influence men and women to be like them. The Greek word translated as “accusers” is “diabolos” from which comes the Latin and English word for devil. It means prone to slander or slanderous. Is there any false accusing or slander going on today, especially that aimed at the Christian Church?
Incontinent means without self-control. Fierce means savage or fierce, and despisers of those that are good is self explanatory.
Verse 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
The Greek word translated as “traitors” is “prodotes” and it means a betrayer. The Greek word translated as “heady” is “propetes” and it means in the context above rash or reckless. The Greek word translated as “highminded” is “tuphoo” and it means metaphorically to make proud, to puff up with pride, to be haughty, to blind with pride or conceit, or to render foolish or stupid. The Greek word translated as “lovers of pleasures” is “philedonos” and it means loving pleasure.
Application: How many people today calling themselves Christian really love God more than themselves, their families, their jobs or careers, their possessions, their bank accounts, and their own bodies and lives? How many “Christians” skip attending their church on a Sunday if it is hunting season? How many “Christians” fail to meet someone’s needs because they put themselves first and are too busy to obey God and invest time or money in someone else’s life? How many “Christians” put entertainment media (TV, Internet, Netflix) before reading God’s Word? Think about it.
Application: For those Christian believers who have adopted the Scofield end-time prophecy fiction so that they do not believe they are living in the last days, these verses written by the Apostle Paul should, hopefully, help awaken them to the truth that the Scofield doctrine is a lie from Satan, and that the return of the LORD Jesus Christ to this Earth to end time and bring judgement is very near. All the characteristics of mankind that make the last days perilous are here now and are getting worse and worse every day. It is time for the Church to wake up, forget the 80,000 different bible versions being published today, and read the word for word translation of the King James Bible which has proven to be accurate for the last 412 years.
Verses 5-7 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The Greek word translated as “form” is “morphosis” and it means the mere form or semblance. Religious people have a “form of godliness”. They appear to be godly as they go to some kind of religious gathering (a church, a synagogue, a cathedral, a temple, a mosque and so forth), they are able to speak using religious terminology fitting the religion they are professing, but they do not know the LORD Jesus Christ and they fail to live a righteous life. There are a lot of religious people attending Christian churches, and the true believer needs to be able to discern, through the power of the Holy Ghost/Spirit, those who are God’s children and those who are not, and to not embrace fellowship with those who are false.
Application: The believer should witness to these religious people, but getting tangled in relationships with them will most likely lead to the Christian believer beginning to have doubts as to what they believer and know. Satan is subtle and uses religion to confuse those Christian believers that are not yet strong in their Faith. So be careful of the company you keep. In fact, heed the Apostle Paul’s word to Timothy and TURN AWAY! The Greek word used for “turn away” is “apotrepo” and it means to shun or avoid.
The Apostle Paul metaphorically uses the word imagery of someone creeping into houses to express how deceivers work. They ingratiate themselves usually with what the Bible terms “the weaker vessel” or women who tend to be less suspicious of people’s motives than men and who tend to want and need affirmation and who tend to be influenced by outside appearances. They welcome these religious people’s presence and eventually are led in an often destructive manner away from the Truth. Just look at the structure of various cults which represent a form of godliness to their followers. How many members are women as opposed to men? In the Christian Church, these religious people often begin to profess a different gospel and they can cause division in the body of believers.
Verses 8-9 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
The name “Jannes” means “he vexed”. The name “Jambres” means “foamy healer”. These names and these men are not found anywhere in Scripture except in the verses above. These names seem to come from Jewish tradition and not from history. They are the names ascribed to the Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses and Aaron as recorded in Exodus 7:11. They represent false teachers who opposed the servants of the Most High God. Their falsehood was for the purpose of keeping the Hebrew people enslaved and for obedience to a wicked pharaoh. Likewise, those religious people the Apostle Paul is warning Timothy to shun present a false message that enslaves people so that they keep learning data but they never get to the truth of the Gospel and are never set free from sin and a guilty conscience through salvation from the LORD Jesus Christ. These religious people serve Satan and keep others enslaved. These deceivers can only go so far before God will reveal who they really are.
Verses 10-11 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
The opposite of these false religious people is the testimony of the Apostle Paul. His story can be found in the book of Acts.
Verse 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
The Apostle Paul’s life and ministry was fraught with adversity and persecution, mainly from the religious Jews. Satan did not want the message of the Gospel going forth and neither did the Jews whose religion was the Babylonian Talmud. So working together, every effort was made to stop the Apostle Paul and his ministry. Today, Satan and religious groups such as the Talmudic Jews, Wiccans, Satanists, and the Catholic hierarchy to name a few, engage in anti-Christian actions and writings in an effort to discredit the Church. Corrupt governments pass illegal laws preventing Christians from preaching the Gospel, calling God’s truth a hate crime. And if a Christian believer is not openly opposed by men and women in rebellion towards God, devils will be sure to cause troubles of some kind. So yes, all that live godly in Christ Jesus today if they are not already experiencing persecution of some kind, will experience it sooner or later.
Verse 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Just a glance at the controlled main stream news media is enough to prove this verse to be true. Wickedness and the accompanying crime that comes with it is out of control. Wicked men are controlling most segments of society, from the government leadership to the courts to the educational institutions on down to, in some cases, the neighbors next door. Again, today people are living in “the last days” with “perilous times” already here as prophesied by the Apostle Paul.
Verses 14-15 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Application: The Christian believer does not need to worry about the times in which he/she is living if they read and know Scripture and remain obedient to the LORD Jesus Christ. Like Timothy, the knowledge of Scripture makes men and women in Christ wise so that they can walk through this physical life and all the perilous times being led by the LORD and having the promise of eternal life in Heaven.
Verses 16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3)
Notice that ALL Scripture is profitable. So often one will find believers that only read and study the New Testament books and fail to study the Old Testament books. How many people have read Amos for example and can even explain what that book is about? On the other hand, there are believers that disregard New Testament books if they were not authored by the Apostle Paul. And there are believers who study the Old Testament books exclusively due to their incorrect understanding of prophecy and their preoccupation with restoring Israel. God only wrote one book and all of it is important from Genesis to Revelation as it all has doctrine, it all can be used to convict people, and it all can be applied for correction and for instruction in righteousness. The Christian believer does not have the right to pick and choose which books are more important than others and to isolate their study as that leads to the development of false doctrine. Each book of the Bible presents Jesus in some way. Each book is there for a purpose.