28 Mar 2022

A Multitude of Malevolent Minions Making Mayhem

Remember: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah” (Psalm 46:1-3).

LAST DAYS OF LOT RETURNED

NBC Today Show Caught Softening Features of Transgender Swimmer to Make Him Look More Feminine. If you don’t think there is a conspiracy to force the transgender agenda and lifestyle, you are quite deceived because there absolutely is. The NBC ‘Today Show’ has been credibly accused of using image-altering software to make biological male William ‘Lia’ Thomas appear to be more feminine. “Watch how giddy NBC’s ‘Today’ show is about this biological male crushing the competition at the NCAA D1 women’s swimming and diving championships. Disgusting!

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22).

Why is Adidas cheerfully celebrating the destruction of women’s sport? It’s the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second largest in the world after Nike. In its latest US-based television commercial, Adidas features trans volleyball player and activist Tiffany Abreu as he competes on a woman’s team and dominates the game with his vastly stronger physical male body. Ironically, Adidas is now advocating for men on women’s teams. Adidas has chosen to ignore logic, science, and common sense when it comes to the physical differences between male and female athletes.

“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 1:7).

Disney’s Pixar Retaliates Against Conservatives, Will Put Disgusting Scene Back in Kids’ Movie. As Disney corporation continues to be buffeted by internal attacks by LGBTQ employees, Disney-owned Pixar announced it was restoring an “overtly gay” kissing scene in its upcoming Buzz Lightyear film.

Disney Announces Plans to Oppose Texas Order That Criminalizes Sex Change Surgeries on Children. A group of companies has already come out in favor of trans surgeries and hormone treatments on children, including Apple, Macy’s, Ikea, and Google. An ad signed by over 60 businesses insists this “discrimination is bad for business.” The ad goes on to say, “The recent attempt to criminalize a parent for helping their transgender child access medically necessary, age-appropriate healthcare in Texas goes against the values of our companies.”

Angry parent reads sexually charged passage from high school library book to school board in order to make a point that the book’s content is inappropriate for students. BUT… a board member cut her off, saying children could be listening since the meeting is streamed online. “Don’t you find the irony in that?” the parent shot back. “You’re saying exactly what I’m telling you! You’re giving it to our children! I would never give this to my children!”

Child Porn Offender Sentenced to Just 3 Months Continued Searching Pictures of Children After Release. At this week’s Supreme Court hearings, US Senator Josh Hawley questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her statements in US v. Hawkins, where she sentenced a child porn offender to just three months instead of the recommended eight to 10 years. After his release, he continued seeking out “sexually arousing” images of young children.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).

ABORTION ABOMINATION

Biden’s Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson has a constitutional problem. Case in point: On the issue of abortion, Jackson helped defend what isn’t in the Constitution — barbaric late-term partial-birth abortion. And she ignored what is in the Constitution — free speech rights for pro-life Americans.

US OB/GYN association opposes using ‘baby’ to describe the preborn. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists wants people to use sanitized language when discussing deliberate killing of innocent life.

Psalm 139:13, 16 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb…. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

INCREASING INIQUITY (LAWLESSNESS; WICKEDNESS)

At Least 24 People Shot Including Children at Arkansas Car Show; May be Gang-Related. One person died. Six children were among the injured.

Heinous murder in New Orleans: 4 juveniles linked to woman’s carjacking, dragging death. The teens are accused of carjacking 73-year-old Linda Frickey in broad daylight, dragging her over a block while she was entangled in her seat belt’s strap until her arm was detached from her body and she bled to death. The killers are 17-year-old John Honore and three 15-year-old girls: Briniyah Baker, Marquel Curtis, and Lenyra Theophile. The teens are booked with second-degree murder.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis – A Message for Us All. There can be little doubt in anyone’s mind that for the past two years, we’ve been living through unprecedented revelation of the evil that has permeated sections of our societies, and many of us have realized the real battle is between good and evil. The likes of Klaus Schwab and many others who follow his lead are making all sorts of deals with the devil. The Screwtape Letters provides warning to those who strive for or support evil while at the same time encouraging those who strive for good – the devil devours his own. Once he’s had his way with them, he disposes of them with callous and casual indifference.

LAST DAYS PROPHESIED TRAITORS/RAMPANT TREACHERY

Biden is more than a blunderer – His stalled Nuclear Pact is evil. Biden egregiously outsourced America’s security to its arch-enemy and Iran’s firm ally, Vlad Putin. Biden kneecapped so-called “dirty” energy and let other countries sell America theirs. He threw open the Mexican border, winking at all to come across. He dusted off a nuclear pact over which both sides had cheated their pants off. Two of those acts put America at risk. The final act puts the world at risk.

Hunter Biden Bio Firm Partnered with Ukrainian Researchers’ Isolating Deadly Pathogens’ Using Funds from Obama’s Defense Dept. Biden’s son was instrumental in funding a firm conducting pathogen and anthrax research in Ukrainian biolabs.

Biden Bunch, etc., and Corruption in Ukraine. Is this why we’re being drawn into World War 3? Yes, Putin is a dictator and a tyrant, but things are not always as they seem, especially in these traitorous last of the last days before Christ’s return. The globalist elite have their own reasons for provoking a war, and there are many puppets doing their bidding. < Click on this link.

Barr says suppressing Hunter Biden laptop story ‘definitely made an impact on the election.’ The former Attorney General commented on the Hunter Biden laptop story that has finally been realized as authentic by the liberal media. Barr doesn’t believe voter fraud affected the election. Instead, he argued dozens of former intelligence officials casting doubt on the laptop revelations (by baselessly suggesting Russian involvement) “probably affected the outcome.” I don’t agree with his theory. Yes, there may have been some Democrats who wouldn’t have voted for Biden had they realized the lies and cover-up. But the reality is that, sadly, Democrat voters are completely deceived to have voted for a dementia-addled, perverted candidate. They’ve lost their ability to reason and need prayer. And I completely disagree with Barr’s opinion that voter fraud didn’t occur.

We must pray for those who’ve been “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14).

Mainstream Media Malpractice: Major Media Outlet Struggles to Explain Suppression of Hunter Biden Story. The Washington Post put forth a lame excuse for mainstream media’s suppression of that news story. The mainstream press is not a habitually skeptical institution. Rather, it is treacherous, and its aims are utterly transparent to those who have the ability to reason in these last days.

UN Joins World Bank to Fund Taliban Terrorist Regime in Afghanistan. The UN Security Council voted Thursday to expand support and financial aid in Afghanistan – despite the country being controlled by the Islamist Taliban terrorist group. Despite stipulations being put on aid that Afghanistan must develop Western values, reports have surfaced of a return of public executions, torture of those branded as opposition, and a resurgence of the severe oppression of women and Sharia Law in Afghanistan.

China Sent Agents to Violently Harass, Stalk, and Spy on US Residents. China’s intimidation and bullying tactics are reaching far beyond its own border and seem to know no limit. Recently, it’s been discovered how some Chinese spies have been acting in the US, even tampering in the American political system.

All Hell Will Break Loose for Humanity; the cause began before the Ukraine war or Covid. We’re now at the end of an era of economic and moral decadence in a debt-infested world built on false values, fake money, and abysmal leadership. The buildup of a massive debt mountain has given the Western world false comfort based on false values. As we reach the final stages, the debt curve has been explosive since 2019. In history, when there’s undue economic pressure, starting wars is popular and often felt necessary; it’s convenient to blame the war for the increasing debts. What will hit the world in the coming years will lead to tremendous suffering.

Catastrophic Scenario for Diesel Emerging According to World’s Biggest Energy Traders. From Zero Hedge: While the world has been obsessively focused on crude oil and gasoline, we alerted readers to a far more dire scenario playing out in diesel, a source of energy absolutely critical in keeping the “just in time” world running on time. Now our warning is echoed by the heads of one of the largest commodity trading houses and the biggest independent oil trader. The corporate leaders estimated that as much as 3 million barrels of oil and its products a day could be lost from Russia as a result of sanctions, in line with previous estimates, and warned that global markets face a squeeze on diesel with Europe most at risk of a “systemic” shortage. Without diesel, not only will traffic in Europe grind to a halt but much if not all US truck-based logistical support and supply chains will soon be paralyzed. The consequences for the global economy will be dire.

DELIBERATE BORDER DISORDER: A TAKEDOWN AGENDA BY THE MARXISTS

100 Migrants from 10 Countries Apprehended in Single Arizona Border Crossing earlier this week.

House Republicans Introduce Resolution to Remove Kamala Harris from Role as Border Czar. “Instead of working for the American people, Kamala Harris has worked against us by ignoring her responsibilities as Border Czar. Rather than doing her job, Harris sits back and watches as illegal immigration skyrockets, countless people at home and abroad are victimized by drug and human trafficking, and CBP officers are left without resources or support from the Biden Administration. Make no mistake – Harris’ approach is by design, and she must be stopped.”

THE PLANNED-DEMIC

Military Doctor Attests She was Ordered to Cover Up Wave of Injuries Following COVID Vaccine Regime. Dr. Theresa Long said while testifying in court that she and two other medical professionals found a spike in cancer cases, neurological disorders, and miscarriages after the vaccine mandate went into place. She and the others who made these shocking discoveries were ordered to keep quiet.

CDC’s ‘sloppiness’ in ‘misclassifying’ COVID deaths. Last week, the CDC updated its public data on COVID deaths, decreasing the number of pediatric deaths by over 20%. Citing an “error in CDC’s algorithm,” a footnote dated March 14 says over 70,000 deaths have been removed across all age ranges. Of the latest CDC data blunder, Dr. Scott Jensen, candidate for governor and pediatric doctor, emphasized the “corrupt” nature of these reports.

2022 reports of myocarditis after COVID shots reach almost half of 2021 total in just 2 months. CDC researchers admitted ‘under-reporting is more likely’ of adverse events to VAERS than over-reporting.

Louisville health department leader Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage, who oversaw COVID vaccine distribution, has died “suddenly and unexpectedly.” The cause of her death was not released.

Biden’s New COVID Coordinator, Dr. Ashish Jha, Wants Vaccine Passports; Claims ‘We Aren’t Anywhere Near the End of This Pandemic.’ Dr. Jha has also praised Fauci as his personal “role model.”

DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER EVENTS

At least 54 tornadoes impacted South & Midwest US. The tornado terror kicked off on Monday in Texas, where many of the tornadoes moved through. An elderly woman died, and more than 26 people were injured from the storms across the state. Tuesday’s severe weather outbreak farther east included Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. At least one person was killed and several injured when a large tornado moved through eastern New Orleans.

Severe weather possible next week in some of the same areas hit hard this week. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center predicts severe storms on Tuesday and Wednesday.

PLANE DISASTER

Chinese Boeing jet crashes in mountains with 132 on board, no sign of survivors.

EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANOES

Mid-Atlantic island girds for feared quake, volcano eruption. Authorities on a Portuguese island in the North Atlantic are preparing for possible evacuation of local people, as six straight days of minor temblors stoke fears of a possible major earthquake or volcanic eruption. Airlines are increasing the number of flights into and out of Sao Jorge, where around 8,300 people live, for people who prefer to leave now. Officials in the island municipality of Velas, the epicenter of over 2,000 minor earthquakes since March 19, are taking elderly people, who might have difficulty in quickly evacuating, to another part of the island as a precautionary measure.

ISLAMIC EVIL

4 Israelis killed, 2 wounded in ramming and stabbing attack by terrorist at Beersheba mall before being killed by armed civilians. Mohammad Ghaleb Abu al-Qi’an, was a terror convict who backed Islamic State (ISIS). The former school teacher from the Israeli Bedouin town of Hura was imprisoned in 2016 for trying to recruit others to join the jihadist group. The Hamas terror group praised the stabbing attack, saying it “salutes the executor of the heroic operation in occupied Beersheba.” The attack comes amid a string of attacks in Jerusalem and the West Bank. On Sunday, two officers were hurt in a suspected stabbing attack, and on Saturday, an Israeli man was stabbed while out jogging. Earlier this month, there were several attacks in Jerusalem’s Old City and in a nearby West Bank town.

Migrants Have Desecrated Over 2,000 Churches Just in Greece. A report by Greece’s Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs says there were 2,339 incidents of church desecrations in the country between 2015-2020 when Greece, seen as Europe’s eastern gateway, was flooded with migrants from the Islamic world.

Sheikh Kamal al-Khatib, incites terrorism against Israelis by Arabs who live in Israel; claims Islam will rule the world. The Deputy Commander of the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement in Israel said in an article on a popular Arabic language website, “All signs point to a new stage in history in which the Islamic nation will once again re-lead humanity.”

WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS

Military Convoy Carrying Up To 6 Nuclear Warheads Spotted on the Move in Europe as Ukraine War Rages On. A military convoy carrying up to six nuclear warheads was spotted late last week moving through Scotland, which comes as war between Russia and Ukraine rages on, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has put his nuclear forces on high alert following his invasion.

US to send up to 2,200 troops to Australia as China tensions build. They’ll train with the Australian Defense Force to prepare for potential conflict/crises in the region. The development followed jabs from both sides over the Ukraine War and its relation to China’s ongoing Taiwan dispute.

China and Solomon Islands Draft Secret Security Pact, Raising Alarm in the Pacific. A leaked document has revealed that China and the Solomon Islands are close to signing a security agreement that could open the door to Chinese troops and naval warships flowing into a Pacific Island nation that played a pivotal role in World War II.

Mass Graves Identified in Syria Could Hold Evidence of War Crimes. New York Times, collaborating with a Syrian survivors NGO, published a detailed report on mass graves in Syria, predicting that information in the report might be used as evidence of serious war crimes. Throughout Syria’s 11-year civil war, human rights groups and government defectors have documented widespread killing of civilians by security forces as they sought to stamp out any opposition to the dictatorship of Assad.

Netanyahu warns a nuclear Iran ‘can take the entire world hostage.’ Israel’s former prime minister said Iran would use nuclear capabilities to launch conventional and unconventional threats alike, and he slammed the US democrats in power for ‘kowtowing’ to the ‘predatory, rogue theocratic regime.’

IRGC chief threatens Israel and US with Iranian missiles. Iran’s enemies have an “expiration date,” Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leader Maj.-Gen. Hossein Salami said. He said Israel will have to “endure the bitter taste of missiles if it is not careful,” while claiming Washington’s “strategy of strong, aggressive sanctions” has strengthened the IRGC “in every way.” “We have entered a new era…. The sun has set on the evil powers,” he said, referring to the West and, in particular, Israel and the US. He said the Islamic revolution has “accelerated the erosion and decay of Western civilizations. It was reported last week that the US is considering removing the IRGC from its foreign terrorist organization blacklist in return for Iranian assurances on de-escalation in the Middle East.

FOOD INSECURITY

Severe Drought & “Dust Bowl Conditions” Threaten to Create a Disastrous Winter Wheat Harvest in The US Food prices in the US have already been soaring; now we’re on track for a horrible winter wheat harvest. This comes at a time when war on the other side of the globe is going to greatly reduce wheat exports from Russia and Ukraine. Over the last 12 months, the price of wheat has already risen 69%; now this crisis threatens to go to an entirely new level. The writer of the article said, “In all my years of writing, I have never seen anything like this, and I am deeply concerned about what the months ahead will bring.”

UN expert warns of global famine, urges end to Russia aggression. UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Michael Fakhri, said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused profound rates of hunger in the country, raises the risk of higher rates of hunger in Russia, and may cause a global surge in malnutrition and famine. He issues the following statement: “For the last three years, global rates of hunger and famine have been on the rise. With the Russian invasion, we are now facing the risk of imminent famine and starvation in more places around the world.

Israel Appears to be Heeding Joseph’s Advice; Stocks Up on Wheat for Upcoming Famine. “We face challenges to our food security at the time being because of the worrying developments in Ukraine,” noted Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli in a statement on Thursday. “The State of Israel must safeguard its food security by strengthening our domestic agriculture. Taking steps to get the grain and fodder that Israeli agriculture relies on, the nation will quickly ensure that we maintain Israeli food security despite changes worldwide.” The UN also warned of global food shortages. David Beasley, the UN World Food Programme’s executive director, warned that the Ukraine conflict could spark a refugee crisis worse than any before and a global food crisis in a combination. He described it as “hell.”

Hunger/famine is prophesied for the Tribulation, likely as a result of preceding prophesied global war. From Thomas Ice: “Two important characteristics of the first part of the tribulation will be the occurrence of famines… which will likely follow a time of global wars between nations and kingdoms.”

Don’t let this bad news and more cause you to fear. We brethren in Christ know what is prophesied in the Bible to occur, and we are promised that Christ will call us up to escape the coming wrath. What we need to do while we wait is to spread the Gospel and pray for those who are lost to turn to Christ.

HEADING FOR THE PROPHESIED ANTICHRIST-LED GLOBAL GOVERNMENT

Biden Calls for America to Be the One to Bring in the New World Order. He said, “Now is the time when things are shifting, and there’s going to be a new world order out there, and we’ve got to lead it. We’ve got to unite the rest of the free world in doing it.”

The coming Antichrist will end up leading that ‘new world order’: “… And power was given him [the Antichrist] over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations” (Revelation 13:7b).

ABILITY TO TRACK AND COMPLETELY CONTROL EVERYONE ON THE PLANET

Beyond chilling: Big government’s control of finances. No matter how much money the government pulls in, it’s never enough, so the government has come up with a new plan to make it even easier for its agents to seize Americans’ bank accounts. Make way for the digital dollar…. It is how the government operates: giving us tools to make our lives “easier” while, in the process, making it easier for government to track, control, and punish the citizenry. This shift to a digital currency is a global trend. Over 100 other countries are considering introducing their own digital currencies. Digital currency provides government and its corporate partners with a mode of commerce that can easily be monitored, tracked, tabulated, mined for data, hacked, hijacked, and confiscated when convenient. A cashless society plays right into the hands of the government (and its corporate partners). Economist Steve Forbes called this war on cash “an ugly power grab by Big Government.”

The world is being primed for the mark of the Beast. “And he [the False Prophet] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast [the Antichrist], or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:15-17).

BEAST TECHNOLOGY

The Giant: A Preview of Revelation 13? “Awaken the Giant in You,” the website declares. The promotional material from the Giant Company calls its creation “the world’s tallest moving statue”—an ambitious project that combines art, amusement, virtual-reality robotics, and artificial intelligence. Each Giant will stand over 10 stories high and are programmable and capable of speaking, singing, and moving their heads and arms. They also shape-shift, assuming the forms of people.

The Giant Company hopes to install 21 colossal statues (or “billboards,” as the company claims they can be used). It remains to be seen what others will do with the technology the company has harnessed. Two things we do know: (1) What once seemed far-fetched stands at our doorstep today, and (2) the Bible is never wrong. To those who know Scripture, The Giant probably conjures up visions of a future “giant,” one the Antichrist will authorize when he rules the world during the seven-year Tribulation:

“And he [the False Prophet] deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast [Antichrist], telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast. He [the False Prophet] was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed” (Rev. 13:14-15).

CONCLUSION

Brethren, do not fear!

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18).

HOW TO BE SAVED

An excellent article by Geri Ungurean at this link outlines the simple plan of salvation.

Eschatology in the Didache: Early Church Teaching, Part 1 :: By Ron Ferguson

 

The Examination of a Section. PART 1

[A] – WHAT IS THE DIDACHE?

At the start, we take a general look at what the Didache is: This is taken from “Living Faith.”

The Didache (Greek, “The Teaching”) [Sometimes called “The Teaching of the Twelve Disciples”] is an ancient Christian writing generally dated towards the end of the 1st Century AD. For centuries its existence was only known through sporadic references in the works of the early church fathers, and scholars believed it was lost forever.

In 1873, Greek Orthodox bishop Philotheos Bryennios discovered an 11th Century Codex Hierosolymitanus during his tenure at the Patriarchal School of Constantinople. Within its pages, he found a copy of the Didache, and scholars were able to study it for the first time.

The Didache provides a guide to Christian living and the organization of the church. It affirms essential doctrines and provides detailed instructions on morality, baptism, fasting, the memorial meal, and ministry.”

Joan Hazelden Walker, “Reflections on a New Edition of the Didache,” Vigiliae Christianae (1981) wrote this: “The discovery of the Didache in 1873 has been acclaimed in many a eulogy, in many a language, and by many a scholar. And rightly so. For this work has cast a spell over even the most cautious who, finding its magic irresistible, seek time and again to prise its secrets. For however else can one explain the unending fascination expressed in such an abundance of words for a work written with so few – a bibliography which exceeds any reasonable expectation?”

[B] – WHEN WAS IT WRITTEN?

The date of the Didache is put down as anywhere from the third quarter of the first century to the early second century. It represents some of the earliest teaching and practice of the Christian church, if not the earliest. Conservative scholars tend to favor an earlier date and the odd one as late as 150 AD.

The Didache means “the teaching” (of the 12) and is actually a very valuable volume as to the practice of the primitive church in one area, with Syria or Egypt being suggested, but it seems to have been known universally.

William Varner, Professor of Biblical Studies, The Master’s College, wrote: “Though scholars have occasionally proposed a very early date (prior to AD 70) for the writing, it seems safer to follow Lightfoot and a number of other scholars in recognizing that it is a document that reflects views of a group of Jewish(?) Christians who lived and ministered during the last decades of the first century. The strongest arguments for a first-century date are, (1). The primitive simplicity of the Didache’s teaching on Jesus and the church’s leadership, and (2). Its silence about any persecution experienced by its readers or writer(s). An even earlier date, however, is still possible.”

[C] – THE ESCHATOLOGY PASSAGE IN THE DIDACHE

Here is the translation from the Greek by J B Lightfoot for that whole section:

CHAPTER 16

1 Be watchful for your life;

2 let your lamps not be quenched and your loins not ungirded, but be ye ready;

3 for ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh.

4 And ye shall gather yourselves together frequently, seeking what is fitting for your souls;

5 for the whole time of your faith shall not profit you, if ye be not perfected at the last season.

6 For in the last days the false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate.

7 For as lawlessness increaseth, they shall hate one another and shall persecute and betray.

8 And then the world-deceiver shall appear as a son of God;

9 and shall work signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands;

10 and he shall do unholy things, which have never been since the world began.

11 Then all created mankind shall come to the fire of testing, and many shall be offended and perish;

12 but they that endure in their faith shall be saved by the Curse Himself.

13 And then shall the signs of the truth appear;

14 first a sign of a rift in the heaven, then a sign of a voice of a trumpet, and thirdly a resurrection of the dead;

15 yet not of all, but as it was said:

16 The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him.

17 Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.

That represents an accumulation of memory fragments and texts copied from oral tradition, passed from one to the other, and written down by the writer as remembered.

It forms no exact chronological order and appears to us as disorganized, though there is a general progression of events of sorts. With the lack of scripture in those very early days and no real texts to refer to, apart from Matthew maybe, most teaching was oral. This obviously is an oral recall.

What I want to explore in this article is the section of the Didache that deals with eschatology. We note that there is no reference whatever to any event in Revelation, and the eschatology is derived mainly from Matthew 24 and Paul’s epistles to the Thessalonians, though references from other portions were known. That suggests that Revelation had not yet been written, which makes the pre-AD 90 date all the more likely. It is obvious that at the time of writing, Matthew and some of Paul’s letters formed the texts that were known. Remember too that copies of the scriptures then were extremely rare and only included portions; most people were illiterate, and much of what was carried forward was by word of mouth. There could be a reference to 1Corinthians 15. I want to examine this eschatological section according to its paragraphs.

Paragraphs 1-3

1 Be watchful for your life;

2 let your lamps not be quenched and your loins not ungirded, but be ye ready;

3 for ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh.

Eschatology is all about the Lord’s coming, which is related to last things. In these early days, hardly any writers distinguished between the two future comings and had them merged or confused (as quite a number do today). In fact, apart from small references here and there in the Church Fathers, this whole area remained confused and unknown until the early 19th century when God chose to make it so much clearer to His people, the Christians of the last 200 years of the Church age.

We must be very careful here not to be arrogant and puffed up with knowledge as if thinking these people should have known more. They did not, and did not have the complete scriptures, and had to do their best to define what all these things meant and how they applied. I think they did a remarkable job with what they had. Us “modern people” have the benefit of 1,900 years of accumulated knowledge, whereas these Christian folk back then were only in the elementary stage of comparing scripture with scripture and trying to come to some decisions with their exegesis.

The thing they did know for sure was that there were events to happen in the last days.

The background for the first three paragraphs is found in Matthew 24 and 25. It draws on the parable of the 10 virgins that ends with {{Matthew 25:13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”}}

Also include {{Matthew 24:50 “The master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know,” and Matthew 24:42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”}} Both those Matthew chapters are set towards the end of the Tribulation, and it is the faithful Jewish remnant that is waiting, those Tribulation saints. Those chapters are totally unrelated to the Church (NO Rapture being in Matthew 24 and 25), but there was no such distinction in those very first days when deciphering the New Testament scripture had hardly begun.

In fact, they would have known only one coming, possibly because the truth of the Rapture was not revealed until Paul wrote 1Thessalonians to reveal the mystery that had remained sealed up in all human history, and that book was possibly unknown to this group of Christians, only certain received texts from word of mouth.

The introduction to this section in the Didache is, {{“Be watchful for your life”}} (another translation – {{“Watch for your life’s sake”}}), and that is of great importance. For whether it be Christians in the Church age waiting for the Rapture or the Jewish saints at the end of the Tribulation waiting for the Messiah, we all need to be watchful. This injunction in the Didache was to encourage the believers to live proper lives and not be careless. When we all have before us the “any day coming” of the Lord’s return, then we ought to live more consistent and sanctified lives. More than ever in these days, we need to be living as if the Lord is coming tomorrow.

Paragraph 2 speaks about having one’s loins not ungirded. That means all girded up, ready for action, “not unloosed” as another version says. The word is used in the KJV translation – {{Luke 12:35 “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning”}} where almost certainly that reference is taken from. Paul uses the same imagery for his verse, {{Ephesians 6:14 “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.”}}

Paragraphs 4-5

4 And ye shall gather yourselves together frequently, seeking what is fitting for your souls;

5 for the whole time of your faith shall not profit you, if ye be not perfected at the last season.

Here there is a strong encouragement to continue in the fellowship with other believers in their community, and the reason for that is to be “perfected at the last season.” Christians in isolation may not be as enthused as Christians in combined fellowship. The writer of the Didache suggests that it is useless if the Christians then were not prepared for the Lord’s coming (which I think is meant by “perfected for the last season”) even though they were in the faith.

Another translation uses the words, “unless you have made yourselves perfect,” but I don’t think it is looking at sinless perfection, rather being an all-round Christian, following the first three paragraphs in this section. The Greek word for perfect means complete, for when something is complete, it is viewed as perfect. An alternate translation is, “for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if you be not made perfect in the last time.”

I don’t think the “gather yourselves frequently” has any reference to what Paul wrote to the Hebrews about not forsaking the gathering of themselves together. Earlier in this writing, the Christians were told this: “And on the Lord’s own day gather yourselves together and break bread and give thanks, first confessing your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure.” The maintenance of holy fellowship was important to them.

Paragraphs 6-7

6 For in the last days the false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate.

7 For as lawlessness increaseth, they shall hate one another and shall persecute and betray.

Alternate translation – “For in the last days false prophets and corrupters will be plenty, and the sheep will be turned into wolves, and love will be turned into hate. When lawlessness increases, they will hate and persecute and betray one another.”

The mention of “last days” certainly puts us into the future, but a careful reading of the New Testament applies that term to the Church age; and the Old Testament references to that term (the last days) make it the end of the age, which is what the disciples asked the Lord in Matthew 24. The end of the Church age is the Rapture, and the end of the age is the end of man’s government forever, the Second Coming of Christ. Sadly, these are terribly confused.

The last days of the Church age = {{2Timothy 3:1 “Realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come . . .”}} and the last days of the age, i.e. the Tribulation leading to the Second Coming = {{Matthew 24:3 “As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?'”}} The Didache writer would not have distinguished all that, as it was in the nebulous “last days” without defining references.

The next known fact (Paragraph 6) was that in the last days, there is going to be an influx of false teachers and deceivers and wolves making their appearance. These would be corrupters, and as a result, some of the sheep will be deceived and would become wolves themselves. Hate will abound. What was known to these people was the following – {{Matthew 24:4 “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘See to it that no one misleads you….” Matt 24:11-12 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many, and because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.”}}

(We know that will be in the Tribulation, for it comes from Matthew 24). Peter speaks of a similar thing in the Church age, but this was not the source for what the writer of the Didache was stating. {{2Peter 2:1-2 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned.”}}

There is a statement here in the Didache that causes some thought. It says, “sheep will be turned into wolves.”

Another translation says, “sheep will be perverted and turn into wolves.”

In the Tribulation, to remain faithful to the Messiah will be a tough battle, and is why Jesus said, most people’s love will grow cold.” In the cauldron of persecution many/some fail.

I have been reading about the great persecutions, the horrific tortures and trials against the believers in France, Germany and England in the 1500s by the Roman Catholic church in Miller’s Church History, and even there, a few of them (praise God, only a few), under great trial, renounced the faith and themselves became persecutors. Such is the wickedness of human nature.

Paragraph 7 says they (people, both unsaved and professing) persecute and betray one another because of lawlessness. This would be true because, in the Tribulation, lawlessness will be rampant because the man of lawlessness has control.

Those times will be so bad, which is why Jesus has promised to “shorten the time” – {{Matthew 24:22 “and unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved, but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.”}}

That will do for this article, and I will do the rest the next time.

DO NOT NEGLECT SALVATION:

Remember, those who may read and are not saved, once the true Church is taken up in the Rapture, the most terrible times will come on the earth in what is known as The Great Tribulation, which will be a time of God’s wrath on a sinful world that ignores God and blasphemes Him. You do not want to be part of that. Jesus’ offer of forgiveness is still open, so repent and turn to Him with faith for salvation. Give your life fully to the Lord Jesus Christ, for the Rapture must be quite close.

ronaldf@aapt.net.au