Difficult Days will Come -- In Fact, They are Here

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). The world was stunned last week at the news out of Ft. Hood that a lone gunman fired several rounds, killing at least 13, and wounding many more. The very next day, a similar news story was reported out of Orlando when a gunman entered his former workplace, firing several rounds, killing one and wounding several others. Add these two events to past events of a similar nature and a clear message begins to emerge. We are living in the last days—the very last of the last days—just prior to the return of Christ for His Church.

Paul wrote to Timothy, "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come." Why did the Holy Spirit inspire the Apostle to write these words? I’m sure the days in which Paul and Timothy lived could be described as difficult. After all, many were being persecuted and martyred for their faith. So what sets today’s "difficult times" apart from those of the first century? For the answer to that question, we need only look to the Greek word behind the English word, difficult. It is the Greek word, chalepos, meaning hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, and savage. It occurs only one other time in the New Testament. "When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way" (Matt. 8:28). The words translated "so extremely violent" is the same Greek word, chalepos, used in 2 Timothy 3:1. But Paul doesn’t have bad times in view here so much as he has evil people. In other words, he has the wicked, evil, and depraved ways of men in mind. And it all ties into men being "lovers of self." All the other sins he lists in this passage grow out of the sin of misplaced self-love. Furthermore, such savage, dangerous and evil men will increase in frequency and severity as the return of Christ draws near. Amazingly, many of these people will hold "to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power." In other words, many of them will be religious, as was the case with the Ft. Hood shooter. A few verses later he writes they are, "Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7). In his first letter to Timothy, Paul uses this same phrase to describe those who are being saved (see 1 Tim. 2:4). Paul’s message is clear—these difficult times will only grow worse. But it’s not the times so much as it is the people—evil people growing more evil by the day!

Our confused brethren who believe things are simply going to get better and better prior to Christ’s return would do well to read and believe these verses. Clearly, it’s only going to get worse. The rest of Paul’s second letter to Timothy underscores the fact that faithful believers will increasingly become targets of persecution and suffering at the hands of evil persons and a Christ-rejecting world (see 2 Tim. 3:12). All of this Paul indicates will increase until Jesus returns. Therefore, it is extremely crucial that as believers, we understand and embrace our hope—our future hope. Paul writes, "The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen" (2 Tim. 4:18). Regardless of what happens. Regardless of the ever increasing evil and wicked days in which we live. Regardless of the very evil people who will only grow more evil. God’s Word promises us that God will bring each of us who believes "safely to His heavenly kingdom." In other words, we are eternally secure in Him no matter what! Evil men may grow more evil. They may even succeed in persecuting and ultimately killing those of us who believe. But God will "bring [us] safely to His heavenly kingdom." In Luke 12:4, Jesus says, "I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do." If evil men succeed in killing me, that’s really all they can do. They cannot kill my soul as it belongs to the Lord and He has promised to bring me "safely to His heavenly kingdom." Therefore we need not fear! God is in control despite the ever increasing "difficult times" in which we live. And when necessary, the Holy Spirit will help you die. So keep on believing and praying for the soon return of Jesus Christ for His Church! "If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you" (1 Peter 4:14).