​2 Timothy 3: 1 – 4: 8.
 
There is much to chew on relating to ‘the end times’ in New Testament eschatology, where it frames the period between the commencement of the first advent to Christ’s second return (1Cor 10:11; 1Peter 1:20; 1John 2:18). In the Apostle Paul’s initial Epistle to Timothy, he warned about deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons influencing men’s faith in these days (1 Tim 4:1-5), but in his subsequent Epistle, the last days were about those who apostatize in the church at Ephesus, who characteristically are bent towards unbelief and wilfulness; in fact, the word translated ‘difficult times’ connote uncontrollable violence. Paul then listed a non-exhaustible random litany of traditional malignant sources of this unprecedented upswing of evil; these attributes are common in Hellenistic Jewish and Greek ethical literature (2Tim 3:1-9; c.f., Matt 24:9-13; 2Peter 3:3; Jude 17-23). Paul aligned these apostates with Jannes and Jambres, two Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses’ leadership in Pharaoh’s court (from the apocryphal book The Apocryphon of Jannes and Jambres the Magicians), as pagan adversaries and censured them in the most convincing terms; hence, believers should have nothing to do with such malefactors (i.e., implying their expulsion from fellowship; c.f., 1Tim 1:20). 
 
It seemed obvious that the Apostle did not intend every described misdemeanour (re 2Tim 3:2-5) to be attributable to every recalcitrant renouncer. It was generally an alert to believers on the deviant norms of false teachers of the day. Appearances can be deluding, and Paul is careful to delineate genuine devoutness to God in daily Christian living and service from mere powerless godliness, where one’s behaviours, attitudes, and motives do not correspond to authentic piety (2Tim 3:5; c.f., Titus 1:16). And the cause for such an aberration is to veer from the apostolic faith; i.e., possessing a counterfeit spirituality that is devoid of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence (c.f., Matt 7:15-23). Sooner or later the true character of these false teachers will be revealed for all to see (2Tim 3:5b-9). Genuine piety is an inward transformation of the spiritual man which affirms the work of God’s Spirit.   
 
Antithetically, Paul renewed his call to Timothy to follow him and share in his apostolic sufferings in contrast to the early references on ungodliness; with another list of nine virtues of Christian character (2Tim 3:10-17). In other words, be “an imitator of him” (c.f., 1Cor 4:15-16). It is important that when we choose our spiritual models or mentors, we choose them carefully, after having had prior knowledge-cum-observation how they lived their faith in the world. Not unlike the political, social and religious instability in the first century, it is difficult today to continue to hold on to an optimistic view of mankind’s future at the present trajectory of history. However, knowing that our sovereign God is in control, our hope is in Him, as we, like Abraham and the others who had preceded us, look for “a city, which has foundations in God, and He is their architect and builder” (Heb 11:8-10; 2Tim 3:12-13). Moreover, given the rising tide of opposition in its alternative gospel, Timothy was to hold on to what he had learnt from sound teachings on the faith from reputable men like Paul and the other apostles, his mother and grandmother since his childhood (2Tim 1:5). This underlined the need to return to what Timothy had been taught as he grew up – a return to the basic tenets of the faith. The Apostle reminded us that a personal study of the Scriptures is critical despite our busy lifestyles, as it possesses the inherent power to renewal through salvation and our faith in Christ (2Tim 3:14-15); compared to the feebleness of false teaching. Paul then restated one of the fundamental doctrinal statement on the inspiration of Scripture (2Tim 3:16-17). The practical implication of holding fast to what is taught in Scripture as we delve deeply into it is to live by it. Paul finally charged Timothy to faithfully preach the Word in fulfilling his role as an evangelist (2Tim 4:1-5). The Gospel of God must be communicated to others, as we become His light and salt to the world – faithful to the end. 

​1 Kings 19: 1 – 18.
 
Elijah, in a sudden turn of events, escaped to the desert after having initially outran King Ahab’s chariot back to Jezreel. The hoped for victory in Jezreel he expected having defeated and slaughtered the Baal prophets on Mount Carmel did not materialise against Ahab and Jezebel. Following Queen Jezebel’s threat to kill him within 24 hours, Elijah immediately fled and eventually found himself in a cave on Mount Horeb. He became despondent, depressed, and pugnacious towards God for not following through with his expectations. In despair, he had resigned his commission as a prophet and was ready for his life to be forfeited (1Kings 18:1 – 19:8). What does God do? 
 
No words were exchanged. There was a total absence of blame or reproach, nor was there moralizing, or even a necessity for prayer. For forty days, the angel just prepared food for him, touched him from his slumber, and encouraged him to eat. God’s profound empathy for Elijah was to be silent and attentive to his needs; perfectly in tune with his physical, emotional and spiritual requirements. Elijah drew his own conclusions on his earlier escapades, but what preoccupied God was that he gets back on his feet once again. Twice God asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1Kings 19:9, 13). Since He knows everything that goes on, the question’s facetiousness belies Divine intent: invariably, God’s wisdom when He questions us is usually not about eliciting information from us, but for us to discern our motivations or beliefs on life, by listening to ourselves, as we ruminate on our answers (c.f., 1Kings 19:9-10; 13-14). 
 
As Creator, God expresses Himself through His creation, and at times He chooses to ‘speak through’ them throughout the Old and New Testaments. Here, in His interaction with Elijah, God is informing Elijah that it is His prerogative to speak through whatever media He might choose, whether it is through ‘the angel of the Lord,’ the raging wind, an earthquake, or a fire; even though He may not speak through them. Finally, He spoke through a sound of a gentle blowing or ‘a still, small voice’ (1Kings 19:11-12). That articulated whisper captured the essential nature of God in His approach to Elijah and on many other occasions, despite his ego-centrism and complaints against Him (1Kings 19:10, 14). Elijah’s presumptuousness at premeditating God’s will at the outcome of his encounter with Jezebel and Ahab formed the basis for his disappointment. God, characteristically, is in the habit of keeping His own counsel. Here, He informed Elijah to leave his pouting and to find three individuals - a pagan Syrian called Hazael, to anoint him king over Aram; Jehu, to anoint him king over Israel; and Elisha, as his successor. Furthermore, Elijah was not the only one faithful to God, there were 7,000 others who had not bowed the knee to Baal; that took care of Elijah’s misplaced haughtiness! (1Kings 19:15-18). It is always arrogant for us to attempt to ‘mind-read’ God’s intentions or to delegate outcomes to Him when He has not spoken about them explicitly. Nevertheless, God’s humility is evidenced as He handled Elijah’s impertinence. 
 
Instead of our customary anticipation of God’s interaction with man through ‘the fire, earthquake and storm,’ His ‘still small voice’ challenges our spiritual ability to listen with anticipation. God’s lesson for Elijah was that the dramatic demonstration of His power at Mount Carmel was not His interventional norm, and he should not expect it to continue definitively. His gracious quiet promptings which always falls back on His Word, the Holy Scriptures, is the Holy Spirit’s typical mode in communicating with us (c.f., Luke 16:19-31); no dramatics or anything out of the ordinary. We need to learn how to recognise and give attention to His quiet, unassuming and discreet promptings.