“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
2 Tim. 3:1-2
Christ was ministering in the lower Galilee when he and his disciples sailed across the lake to one of the cities of the Decapolis. Passing a grave yard, a man who had experienced a mental breakdown and had become possessed by about two-thousand spirits met Christ. The Bible says he was “exceedingly fierce” (Matt. 8:28). In this narrative the word fierce in Greek is chalepos, meaning to‘reduce strength; to become difficult and dangerous.’ He was not just a rough fellow having a hard time, since the spirits within him could break chains and wooden fetters. He was dangerous to anyone who encountered him.
When Paul spoke of the last days he introduces the signs of the last days (verses 2-6) by saying times would become perilous. The Greek word here for perilous, is the same word chalepos, used for the demon possessed man! Paul is using this word to show how fierce and dangerous it will be when we come to the time of the end.
Every generation of believers has dealt with their own forms of dangers. In the past believers were severely persecuted unto death, such as the martyrs in the early church (Stephen, James etc.) This persecution moved from death and persecution of leaders to death and persecution of common believers. From the eighth century A.D. forward, there were conflicts between the Christian faith and other world religions that initiated wars and death across Europe and the Middle East, including the Crusades – the Christians fighting the Muslims. In the 19th century there was a surge in Alcoholic beverages and even the introduction of Cocaine, which was called, “Nose powders that could relieve headaches.”
Today, the danger has moved from persecution against believers to national and international dangers. There are plagues beginning to be monitored in China and Arabia, some which are causing death. There is a continual threat of war in numerous countries, the war on terror in America, and stockpile of chemical and nuclear weapons as we see in a small location like Syria– where a government kills its own people.
The talking heads of politicians claim to be making things better for Americans by signing bills into law before they ever read the bill they signed – an example being the Affordable Health Care headed up by Obama, which was promised to be a solution for all health care ills. But the bill is so “popular” that 40,000 Longshoremen left the AFL-CIO recently because they did not want to be under the new health care mandates.
In light of these dangerous times, we must all remember that God allows individuals to be born at different times and seasons to fulfill specific assignments in those seasons. God needed a John Hus, a Martin Luther, a John Wesley, and an Oral Roberts: not at the same time, but in specific seasons when the word of God required restoration and renewal among the masses. When I think of God’s people in this generation, I am reminded of the words spoken to Esther in her generation: “…you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). The Lord knew each of us before our birth and has given us each a specific assignment (Jer. 1:5); but we must follow him to do His will. We are moving from rough times in the world to perilous times. However, we must always remember that God is directing our path.
Perry Stone, Jr.
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