Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 2nd Letter Volume 36

Paul tells Timothy to be Aware of the Godless Times Part 6

2 Timothy 3:8-9 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. KJV

The Apostle Paul concludes his discourse to Brother Timothy and to we true believers today and of every era and generation concerning the godless times during his day and our day and every day until the second coming (2nd) of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ by comparing those people that are in many visible churches with the form of godliness minus the power thereof with those magicians of the Egyptian Pharaoh who stood against Moses with these words, "Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." (2 Timothy 3:8) (KJV). Jannes and Jambres are the names of the two magicians that Pharaoh sent to oppose Moses when he came in the Name of the Lord God Jehovah of Israel commanding him to let the Jewish people go from their captivity or slavery to Egypt. The English word 'withstood' which speaks of what these two did against Moses is translated by the Greek word anthistēmi which means to stand against, that is, oppose: - resist, withstand. You see when Pharaoh (who is a type or picture of Satan) sent these two against Moses, their works were not slight of hand or illusions, no they were real works of magic done in the power of Satan and his demonic host of witchcraft and wizardry, yet his power is nothing compared to the Power of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit who made or created Satan (Exodus 7:10-12).

First, let us go back and recall how the Lord God showed Moses how He would work through him great signs and wonders before Pharaoh and all the people of Egypt to make him let the Isralites go from captivity in Egypt, "Moses asked the LORD, 'Suppose everyone refuses to listen to my message, and no one believes that you really appeared to me?' The LORD answered, 'What's that in your hand?' 'A walking stick,' Moses replied. 'Throw it down!' the LORD commanded. So Moses threw the stick on the ground. It immediately turned into a snake, and Moses jumped back. 'Pick it up by the tail!' the LORD told him. And when Moses did this, the snake turned back into a walking stick. 'Do this,' the LORD said, 'and the Israelites will believe that you have seen me, the God who was worshiped by their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Next, the LORD commanded Moses, 'Put your hand inside your shirt.' Moses obeyed, and when he took it out, his hand had turned white as snow—like someone with leprosy. 'Put your hand back inside your shirt,' the LORD told him. Moses did so, and when he took it out again, it was as healthy as the rest of his body. Then the LORD said, 'If no one believes either of these miracles, take some water from the Nile River and pour it on the ground. The water will immediately turn into blood.'  Moses replied, 'I have never been a good speaker. I wasn't one before you spoke to me, and I'm not one now. I am slow at speaking, and I can never think of what to say.' But the LORD answered, 'Who makes people able to speak or makes them deaf or unable to speak? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Don't you know that I am the One who does these things? Now go! When you speak, I will be with you and give you the words to say.' Moses begged, 'LORD, please send someone else to do it.' The LORD became angry with Moses and said: What about your brother Aaron, the Levite? I know he is a good speaker. He is already on his way here to visit you, and he will be happy to see you again. Aaron will speak to the people for you, and you will be like me, telling Aaron what to say. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will tell each of you what to do. Now take this walking stick and use it to perform miracles." (Exodus 4:1-17) (Contemporary English Version).

The point of documenting this is to show that Moses was not doing any signs, wonders, or miracles, but it was the Lord God of Israel doing these mighty, magnificent, and miraculous signs through him. Likewise, Jannes and Jambres (the two witches and wizards) were not doing their magic either, but it was the devils demons (in them) doing the magic. The Apostle Paul is declaring to Brother Timothy and to we true believers today and of every era and generation that just like Pharaoh and his magicians withstood Moses (who came in the Name of the One True God), so do these people today with a form of godliness, that is, purely religious people stand against the truth of the Gospel and the Word of God with their rites, rituals, and man made rules or with their spirituality that have no connection with the One True God at all. The devil is not and has never been opposed to religion, but he is opposed to men and women becoming new creatures by way of the new birth (John 3:3), because religion does not and cannot make any sinner a child of God, only God the Holy Spirit birthing a sinner into God the Father's Family. Paul declares these people to be of a 'corrupt' mind and this English word is translated by the Greek word kataphtheirō meaning to spoil entirely, that is, (literally) to destroy; or (figuratively) to deprave: - corrupt, utterly perish. Paul also declares that they are 'reprobate' concerning faith in Jesus Christ and this English word is translated by the Greek word adokimos meaning unapproved, that is, rejected; by implication worthless (literally or morally): - castaway, rejected, reprobate. In other words, these that Paul decsribes as having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof are men and women who are of a depraved mind spoiled entirely and who are rejected by God the Father and unapproved and worthless having no part with Him whatsoever, despite all of their formal ritualistic ceremonies and services done in the name of God. Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say about these men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the faith, "Men of bad principles, holding antichristian tenets, derogatory to the grace of God, and glory of Christ; giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; like Jannes and Jambres, who were given to magic arts, and were under the influence of Satan: men of no judgment in the doctrine of faith; who have not their senses exercised to discern good and evil, to try things that differ, and approve the more excellent, but call good evil, and evil good: or as those who are disobedient and wicked in their lives, are said to be to every good work reprobate, Titus 1:16 so these are said to be reprobate to the faith; that is, to have no liking of it, or value for it, but despise it, hate it, and reject it; and upon that account, as they are like reprobate silver, whom God has rejected, they ought to be rejected by men."

However, Paul declares that these people will not succeed ultimately and in the end they will be exposed for the counterfeits that they truly are as he declares with these words, "But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." (2 Timothy 3:9) (KJV). The little English phrase 'they shall proceed' is translated by the Greek word prokoptō which means (as used here) to advance in acceptance. In other words, simply their false teaching will not supplant, surpercede, or silence the truth of the Word of God because the foundation of God stands strong and sure forever as our Lord Jesus Christ Himself said with these words concerning nothing stopping His True Church being established, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18) (Modern King James Version). The English word 'folly' is translated by the Greek word anoia which means stupidity; by implication rage: - folly, madness. The English word 'manifest' is translated by the Greek word ekdēlos (used this one time only in the entire New Testament) which means wholly evident: - manifest. In other words, just as Jannes and Jambres were stupid in thinking that the power of Satan would prevail over the Power of God the Father, so will it be today and in every time that the truth of the Gospel and of the Word of God will always prevail over the devils false teachers and their false and fake spirituality that only leads men and women into spiritual and physical bondage and not liberty and freedom as does the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here is what Adam Clarke had to say about this verse, "Such teaching and teachers shall never be able ultimately to prevail against the truth; for the foundation of God standeth sure. As the Scriptures, which are the only rule of morals and doctrine, shall ever be preserved; so, sooner or later, all false doctrines shall be tried by them: and the folly of men, setting up their wisdom against the wisdom of God, must become manifest to all. False doctrine cannot prevail long where the sacred Scriptures are read and studied. Error prevails only where the book of God is withheld from the people. The religion that fears the Bible is not the religion of God. Is Popery or Protestantism this religion?"

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…