2nd Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 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;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Truth is becoming an increasingly rare commodity, and our first passage speaks of a time when it would not only be unpalatable to preach Bible truth, but it takes it a step further where teachers and preachers of smooth things will be hired, so as to lull persons into a false sense of security.
When Paul says to preach the word, he is not only referring to those truths that do not ruffle feathers, such as Jesus loves you, and God is a God of love. It is an eternal truth that Christ died to save us, and no doubt, this can never be overstated.
But he also is referencing those other truths which point us to the soon return of Jesus, and what it will take to be ready. These are not generally acceptable to the multitudes who, for the most part, are dead set on making a little heaven down here, even with the brewing storms that are now gathering on the horizon.
Observe carefully, that almost none, if any at all, of the churches in contemporary Christianity, preach of a sanctuary in heaven where persons will be judged, because as a general rule, people do not like to hear that they will be held accountable for what they do and the decisions they make.
In fact, whenever the doctrine of the judgment may be mentioned, persons usually get either defensive, or they may go into self-justification mode, because, the very thought of having to answer to the higher Authorities in heaven, causes most persons to recoil and in many cases, folks may be angered.
Thus, rather than deal with inconvenient truths, they hire to themselves preachers who will tell them only what they prefer to hear, and according to what the statistics show, such preachers are doing quite well financially.
When Paul, and the other Bible prophets speak of sound doctrines, they are not speaking only of the need to keep all of the commandments of God, but they are also referring to those truths contained in eschatological prophecies, which, as a general rule, do not jive with the secular mind that is distracted with consumerism, and the need to “make it.”
For instance, the prophecies which point forward to the coming kingdom of God, by which Jesus will put all earthly kingdoms into reverse, by utterly wiping them out and setting up a kingdom of righteousness will almost certainly be met with scorn and violence by most traders on Wall Street.
Thus, with the prevailing mindset of worldliness and materialism persons who dare to preach the present truths for our time, might very well find themselves ostracized, or sidelined by society, hence the reason why Paul warns the Christian of a time when sound doctrines would not be tolerated. Let’s read:
Daniel 2: 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
Try preaching that on Wall Street and see what will happen to you! Thus, it will take a certain caliber of preacher to preach the three angel’s messages with no fear or dread, and such preachers obviously must never be swayed by popular majorities, or induced to take bribes in order to water down the truth.
Furthermore, such preachers should not be found going with the flow of popular sentiments, because the flow always goes downward. This will inevitably call for preachers of sterling character, who will not bring any potential gain or loss into the equation.
And without a doubt, such preachers, like the truths they present are also fast becoming an endangered species, and were it not for The Lord preserving to Himself a remnant, those who preach present truth might become museum pieces, the way things are going.
A “Yes Man” is a dangerous person, for he will see a fellow human being going over the cliff and because his modus operandi is never to ruffle your feathers, he will not say a word to the contrary, but instead may even assist someone in doing the unthinkable.
This is exactly what took place in the days of Ahab, as he deliberately hired a bunch of yes men to tell him only what he wants to hear, and never oppose him, for if one dared to cross his will, they would be targeted for excommunication and incarceration.
The following narrative therefore, contains valuable lessons for one and all as we face an unprecedented epidemic of yes men. The reason why it has become necessary for us to observe and learn is because we also will face collateral damages from the doings of yes men, as they speak only smooth things.
Therefore, we must point out the dangers, and the pitfalls, and things we mut avoid at all costs, if we are to avoid the snares that are incidental to folks wanting to hear only smooth things. Let’s read:
1st Kings 22: 2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know you that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth-Gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
Lesson: [1] Will you go with me to battle? Satan often uses friends and acquaintances to gain access to the mind of the Christian, and thereby he tempts us with suggestions which never originated with God. This is a common ploy that is used every single day, and therefore, we are not to be ignorant of his devices.
This is what took place between Christ, and Peter when the disciple was used as an agent to suggest to Christ that Calvary should be off the menu. Jesus, who was quick to discern the nature, and the origin of the suggestion, then addressed the invisible foe as being the author of the thought. Let’s read:
Mark 8: 31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 And he spoke that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
[The Desire of Ages pp 416] Satan was trying to discourage Jesus, and turn Him from His mission; and Peter, in his blind love, was giving voice to the temptation. The prince of evil was the author of the thought. His instigation was behind that impulsive appeal.
Sadly, in our day, the Christian is often too slow to discern the real, invisible agencies behind certain suggestions, coming from friends or foes alike, and some rush on blindly in doing satan’s bidding, often with the best of motives.
But the Christian must remember that the road to hell is often paved with good intentions, and lest the devil have us for lunch, we would be well advised to be wide awake to his incursions just as Jesus was.
This is not paranoia as some may think, instead it is following the mandate given in the Scripture to save us from making very grievous, and potentially fatal mistakes. In the case of Ahab, and Jehoshaphat, the one who was being targeted by devils almost lost his life in the process. Let’s read:
1st Peter 5: 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
1st Kings 22: 32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
In such cases, where one has premonitions of some incoming suggestion that is contrary to a thus saith The Lord, the Christian should humbly decline while standing his ground, for there is no need for the one who is targeted to get all riled up over the prospect of temptation.
If you realize that a friend or close associate is being used as an agent to get you to walk contrary to God, be kind, yet firm in your refusal. To go to battle was a plan concocted by devils, who used the ungodly Ahab to ensnare Jehoshaphat into doing something that could have potentially cost him very dearly.
The Christian in our day should be very careful to parse any suggestions to do anything that God has not ordained, or given you the clearance to do. This is especially the case when the suggestion might be to go to places, or to do things Christ has expressly forbidden.
To make investments following the counsel of folks who do not fear The Lord, is to walk into a potential trap which satan specializes in. Yes, the advice given might be coming from the experts, with the best of intentions, but if it’s the case that God is not in their thoughts, they can be used as agents to lead you into snares which you may deeply regret.
The devil is always looking for ways and means to devour the Christian and some make the mistake of thinking that the word devour would only refer to devouring you spiritually. But guess what, he could devour you financially, he may devour you socially, or even physically, if we are not very careful.
For instance, if someone suggested that you go with them to the social event, to that particular nightclub in the Dominican Republic, and you went, you could have been devoured physically, and if that turned out to be the case, the next voice you would hear is the voice of God calling you to either eternal day, or eternal night.
Again, a lot of well-intentioned Christians were also ensnared, and devoured, when, on the suggestions by friends and financial advisers, to park their funds with Bernie Madoff, some concluded that it had to be a good sound investment, coming from a world- renowned guru, who had a stellar record.
Bernie, being interviewed on CNBC and other major news networks several times, and being regarded as an icon in the investment world, was much sought after for financial advice, and his word was like gold, to those who listened. That is until he Made off with the funds, into neverland.
Again, the Christian must vet suggestions and advice coming from financial advisors and “Gurus” for it is a fact that many are devoured on Wall Street.
Persons who do not believe the truths of the Bible, and who couldn’t care less about God, should be vetted thoroughly, through prayer, if the Christian is to avoid potentially catastrophic losses.
This leads us to our next observation in the story, for the very least you can do is to pray about it. On this point, our prayers must be not of the kind that the yes men prayed, for they had a readymade answer to their prayers, which would obviously be in sync with Ahab’s wishes.
Lesson: [2] Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord. Let’s read:
1st Kings 22:5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.
Ahab actually agrees to pray, but he would do so on his own terms, because any mention of not my will but thy will would not be tolerated. When praying to God for guidance and direction in those critically important matters, who you pray with is important.
There are some in our day who pray like if they are trying to bully God into blessing them, and like Ahab they may not want to hear Thy will be done. That is exactly how the four hundred false prophets prayed. Note well, in their antics, that they leave no wiggle room for any other view. It’s what Ahab wants, or nothing else will do. Let’s read:
1st Kings 22: 11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the Lord, with these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
When a Christian prays for guidance from The Lord, we should not have any preconceived answers that we are not willing to surrender, just in case The Lord may disagree.
Answers from The Lord, for guidance in any matter usually comes in three sizes: Yes, No, or Wait. Thus, if you do not have definite directions from The Lord to move forward, or decline, you should wait even if Ahab may try to pressure you into a hasty decision.
The problem with Ahab’s type of prayer is that it has predetermined answers from yes men, who are on his pay roll, and therefore, they would not be of the same mind and heart as the one who will pray with a humble spirit, waiting and watching at God’s doors for answers and direction. Let’s read:
1st Kings 22:6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?
8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, there is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
This leads us to our third observation, because Ahab is not interested in hearing truth. In other words, if Micaiah is not going to go along with his agenda, he does not want to hear anything he has to say.
Lesson: [3] I hate him because he speaks the truth. This presents a predicament of epic proportions, for when the concept is reasoned logically to its natural end, you would see that the four hundred prophets are actually goading on the king to commit suicide, for they just don’t want to hear truth. Let’s read:
1st Kings 22:9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand.
13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spoke unto him, saying, behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
Our 4th, and final observation has to do with Ahab’s treatment of persons with whom he does not agree, because after the true servant of God tells the king the truth in the matter, he is incarcerated for doing so. Let’s read:
Lesson: [4] Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with the bread of affliction. Let’s read:
1st Kings 22:26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
27 And say, Thus, saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.
To go after persons you do not agree with, seeking revenge just because they may beg to differ, or to jail them, like many of the apostles were, is a mode of thought and action that never bodes well with the God-given freedom of choice.
If Ahab is averse to truth, he should at the very least respect the opinion of others, but to hold vendettas against Micaiah, just because he speaks the truth, is reminiscent of what has taken place throughout the ages, as devils go after those who live, and preach the truth. Let’s read:
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
For instance, in the days just after Pentecost, the disciples were disbanded from preaching the truths that were needed at that time. They were jailed and beaten on several occasions yet, true to their higher calling, they forged ahead, as having their mandate from God, not from men.
In our day, where present truth for our generation is fast becoming an endangered species, there is the prospect before our preachers of having to present an unpopular message which is not in harmony with worlds views, or secular perspectives.
The preachers of present truth in our day will have to brace themselves for stiff oppositions, coming from within and without. And, as the epidemic of itching ears continues to spread like the plague, it will become increasingly difficult to speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
The three angel’s messages in particular are not in line with the world view, and therefore, we would have to pray like never before, that The Lord would grant us grace and courage to preach what persons need to hear, not what they prefer to hear. Let’s read:
[The Great Controversy pp 607] As the controversy extends into new fields and the minds of the people are called to God's down-trodden law, Satan is astir.
The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment. And some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards, and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith.
In closing, we are all encouraged to take a decided stand for truth, for God will enable the decision that is made in favor of truth. Let not the adverse winds of strife and change deter you, and never ever water down truth in order to curry favor with persons who are becoming frozen in falsehood.
God’s grace and His power will rise correspondingly with the emergency, and truth will triumph in the end, because it is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth that will set us free. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will encourage the Christian to endure hardness as good soldiers of the cross, because truth has always made its way against opposition, yet it triumphs in the end. Let’s read:
2nd Timothy 4: 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
God Bless!