The Book of 2 Timothy is an important book when it comes to the End Times. The End Times can be a frightening subject, yet it is important that we are knowledgeable about what is going to happen in the future.
Many individuals believe the End Times are only talked about in the Book of Revelation, but this isn’t true. Revelation is only one book of many from the Bible that talks about the End Times. One of these other books is 2 Timothy.
The End Times
The Book of 2 Timothy is a letter Paul wrote to Timothy. In this letter, Paul detailed many things, including talking about the end times. Paul tells Timothy that the End Times will be terrible.
There will be nothing good about the End Times as it is God’s final judgment upon mankind. Paul writes to Timothy about what the people will be like,
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people (2 Timothy 3:2-5).
As Paul tells Timothy in this letter, people will be fully corrupted, hateful, and slanderous. They will not love God but rather love themselves. Paul also tells Timothy that the people are loaded down with sins and are always leading people astray (2 Timothy 3:6-8).
The same petition Paul gives to Timothy is the same petition we need to give ourselves — we need to have nothing to do with these people.
Instead of following the sinful practices of the world, we need to follow Jesus. When we follow Jesus, our lives are going to look radically different than the world around us.
False Teachers
Contained within 2 Timothy is also the caution to be aware of false teachers. Paul tells Timothy that false teachers’ teaching will spread like gangrene (2 Timothy 2:17). False teachers are very dangerous and lead others astray.
As believers, we need to be aware of these false teachers and help others to not fall prey to their teachings. False teaching will only cause lies to be spread, and false information about Jesus will be rampant.
It is our responsibility to be aware of these false teachers and be able to know how to talk back to them rather than sitting on the sidelines quietly. We need to be able to correct their false beliefs and teach the truth instead of the falsehood they so easily spread.
Within 2 Timothy, Paul also encourages Timothy to flee the evil desires of youth (2 Timothy 2:22). While this isn’t directly related to the End Times, it is important to be aware of this teaching.
If we follow Paul’s teaching of obedience, faithfulness, and love instead of the evil desires of youth, we will be able to live better lives in service to God. This can keep us away from having to undergo the dark times of the End Times.
If a person is a believer before the timing of the rapture, they will be taken to be with Jesus in heaven. However, if a person has not placed faith in Jesus by the time of the rapture, they will be left to undergo the seven-year tribulation. This is also known as the seventieth week of Daniel.
During the tribulation, there will be a horrible amount of false teaching being spread by the Antichrist and the false prophet. They will speak lies and cause many to believe in them instead of Jesus.
Similar to Paul’s description in 2 Timothy 3:2-8, the people during this time will be rebellious, disobedient, and haters of God. During the End Times of the tribulation, people can still choose to place faith in Jesus, although it will be difficult.
The Antichrist and the false prophet will try to deceive the nations with the help of Satan. Sadly, many individuals will not place faith in Christ, even in this dark time. Instead, they will worship the antichrist.
In the present day, there are people who believe we are already in the End Times. While we are closer to the End Times than we were two thousand years ago, we cannot be dogmatic to say we are in the End Times now.
The End Times will not begin until the rapture of the church. The rapture is the first event of eschatology that will happen before the rest of eschatology occurs. Even though we are not in the End Times now, we can still recognize behavior that Paul talks about in 2 Timothy 3:2-8.
Most people in the world today would fit this description. As believers, we need to make sure we don’t fit this description and that, instead, we are reflecting Christ to the lost world.
How Does This Apply to Us Today?
While we are in the present day before the start of the End Times, we need to adhere to Paul’s teaching in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.”
We need to be ready in every season to preach the Gospel of Christ. If you are a believer and know the gospel, you are equipped to share the gospel with others.
We don’t know when the End Times will begin; however, we must do everything we can to help others avoid being on the earth during the tribulation.
By sharing the gospel and pointing others to Jesus, we will be able to help the lost come to know Jesus and not have to experience the agony of the tribulation.
During the End Times, Paul also tells us that people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, they will turn to myths instead of the truth (2 Timothy 4:3-4). This is in direct correlation to the teachings of the antichrist and the false prophet.
The people during the End Times would rather believe in myths and things that are made up instead of believing in the truth of Jesus.
This is a terrible reality for the future of many lost souls. Their hearts have become so embittered, dark, and hard that they no longer have an open heart to hear the message of the gospel.
We cannot control the actions of others, but we can control our own actions. It is important that we do all we can to help others know about Jesus during their earthly life in order that they won’t have to suffer. It is challenging at times to share the gospel, but it is rewarding.
It should be our goal to follow Jesus and obey all of His teachings. We should strive to run the good race and finish with faith as Paul did (2 Timothy (2 Timothy 4:7-8). When you are feeling weak, turn to the Lord and ask Him to strengthen you.
Helping other people to know Jesus can be extremely challenging, yet it is one of the most important things you can do during your life in service to God. The End Times may happen sooner or later; however, it is important that we are aware of what will happen in the future.
For further reading:
Will Jesus Really Come in the Clouds?
What Are the Plans for Satan During the End Times?
What Does it Mean That No One Knows the Day or Hour?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/azatvaleev
