Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear ones.

Serious rain out there. That discourages my plans with a customer to pull my mill to his area and saw up more of his Port Orford Cedar logs. I talked with him already this morning and we’ve agreed to hold off. Besides, I have a huge log unfinished and still sitting on my mill that I should finish up before moving it. Then, I may head out to get some sign supplies in Portland.

Have a great day. I hope it’s not your day to be the hydrant.

Love, Dad/Ray.

The first verse of this chapter reads: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.” Oh really? Hmmm. I may not get perfect answers to all my questions, but maybe I’ll raise some nonetheless. Why would Paul be making that statement to young Timothy way back then—about 2000 years ago? Mark it where? On your calendar? When are the “last days?” Are we there yet? But hasn’t every point in human history been punctuated by some “terrible times”? Doesn’t it seem like the “last days” have been with us for a long time?

Paul proceeds to give an ugly description of human psychology and behavior that will make those terrible times terrible. Let me cite that paragraph from The Message Bible: “Don't be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They'll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they're animals. Stay clear of these people” (2 Timothy 3:1-5—from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

“Stay clear of these people.” And how in the world do I do that? The NIV translates that thought as, “Have nothing to do with them.” And how do I achieve that? After all, these people are everywhere! You can even find them in churches! I’m not going to take time right now to do a careful study of the original language so as to get real technical about precise meanings of the words contained in that admonition. All I know is that it represents a practical impossibility to absolutely follow that command the way it’s stated without being on some other planet. So here is my own practical paraphrased modification of the idea: “Stay clear of these qualities”—or “Have nothing to do with these attitudes and behaviors.” Bingo! Now I can handle it. Now it makes perfect sense. Now, whether or not these are the “last days,” I have a clear homework assignment. (Galatians 5)