Page 8 - SABBATH

Understanding the Present Hour

efore proceeding into the subject matter of this book, it is necessary to address some
Bissues that could cause the reader difficulty. Much of what is written in this book is
contrary to what is commonly accepted and taught in Christianity today. This will
undoubtedly cause some concern to certain readers. It is often difficult to receive some
truth that we have not previously heard, but it is even more difficult when the truth is in
clear contradiction to what has been preached by myriads of pastors, evangelists, and
teachers until it has become the accepted standard, or norm, of our day.
Unfortunately, there are few saints who actually understand what is clearly foretold
in scriptures, that the last days before the return of Yahshua would be a time when great
error would exist among the saints of God. Once one understands this, then they can
appreciate that when truth is proclaimed it will be very common to find that it flies in the
face of the accepted beliefs of the day in which we find ourselves. Let us look at a few
scriptures that reveal this understanding, that the days preceding Yahshua’s return would
be days of profound deception and error.

II Timothy 3:1-7
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers
of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents,
ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control,
brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power;
and avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households
and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,
always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Note very carefully here that Paul identifies the day he is speaking of to Timothy. “But
realize this, in the last days difficult times will come.” How many ministers today are
proclaiming that we live in the last days? It seems that many recognize that the hour is late,
but they have failed to discern what the state of Christianity would be at this late hour. Paul
begins this passage by saying, “in the last days difficult times will come,” and he concludes
by saying that people would be “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge
of the truth.” In between these two statements Paul describes the heart of mankind in these
days, and it is due to the corrupt state of the heart of man that these days are difficult.
Timothy was charged by Paul to preach the word, and things were already difficult in
those days, but consider the difficulty of any minister who finds himself proclaiming truth
to those described in this passage. Indeed, their task would be very formidable. Yet Paul
doesn’t stop here. Paul is still maintaining the same train of thought when he speaks the
following words.

II Timothy 4:1-4
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ, who is to judge the living
and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in
season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and
instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but