13:21-23 "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it. For THERE WILL RISE UP false Christs and false PROPHETS, DISPLAYING SIGNS AND PRODIGI ES with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People, the elect. But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything.”
Now comes the question of how could He have warned us of this? Let us learn something from 1 Kings 22:22 as the Old Testament after all is meant for our learning and instruction only. To set the stage we need to see who are the ones talking, so look at verse 2
1Kings 22:2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah Israel
1Kings 22:13-14 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good. Micaiah said, As the LORD lives, what the LORD said to me, that will I speak.
(All the prophets gave good reports to the kings, but one, Micaiah.)
(All the prophets gave good reports to the kings, but one, Micaiah.)
1Kings 22:15 -18 So he came to the king. And the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD? And he said, I saw all Israel Israel
1Kings 22:19-23 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand (strength) and on his left (iniquity). The LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. The LORD said to him, wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and has the LORD spoken evil concerning you?
Now this is for our understanding. Who was it that sent the lying spirit? The “LORD” did, why? because of Israel’s backslidden condition. Ahab was and evil man, he stood by while his wife did all manor of evil. Ahab only followed what his priests were already allowing in the temples of God their in the northern kingdom. Let us take a close look at and upright man and a just man….Job.
Job 1:7-12 And the LORD said to Satan, Where are you coming from? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and eschews evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Does Job fear God for naught? Have you made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon him put not forth your hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
God, in order for us to get the picture, repeats this in chapter 2 again for our learning and instruction.
Job 2:3-6 And the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and eschews evil? And still he holds fast his integrity, although you move me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has will he give for his life. But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face. And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; but save his life.
Why do you suppose that these scriptures are written for us?
For the mystery of lawlessness does already work: only there is one that restrains now, until he (the mystical Body of Christ should be capitalized here “He” or maybe church should be used) is taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the lawless one (the anti-Christ or false prophets, all in iniquity, the wicked as these all are storing up wrath unto the day of wrath), whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to naught by the manifestation of his coming; even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: ...that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12
And for this cause God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: ...that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12
1Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
2Corinthians 5:7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight); {sight here means any of our five natural senses as they require a sign, wonder or miracle..ie. for the earthy to believe and what do they believe, a lie.}
2Corinthians 5:7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight); {sight here means any of our five natural senses as they require a sign, wonder or miracle..ie. for the earthy to believe and what do they believe, a lie.}
Now to clear the air we’ll take a scripture from 2 Corinthians chapter 4.
2Corinthians 4:1-7 Therefore, being engaged in this service and being mindful of the mercy which has been shown us, we are not cowards. Nay, we have renounced the secrecy which marks a feeling of shame. We practice no cunning tricks, nor do we adulterate God's Message. But by a full clear statement of the truth we strive to commend ourselves in the presence of God to every human conscience. If, however, the meaning of our Good News has been veiled, the veil has been on the hearts of those who are on the way to perdition, in whom the god of this present age has blinded their unbelieving minds so as to shut out the sunshine of the Good News of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God. (For we do not proclaim ourselves, but we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord of the resurrection and a live from the dead, and ourselves as your bondservants for the sake of Jesus, who was put to death in mans flesh.) For God who said, "Out of darkness let light shine," is He who has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory, which is radiant on the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in a fragile vase of clay, in order that the surpassing greatness of the power may be seen to belong to God, and not to originate in us.
So what does the word "wiles" mean? Webster 1828 Dictionary says: WILE, n. A trick or stratagem practiced for ensnaring or deception; a sly, insidious artifice. v.t. To deceive; to beguile.
Thayer’s says: Thayer's Definition: Strong’s # G3180 wiles
1) cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery
Part of Speech: noun feminine
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from a compound of G3326 and G3593 [compare “method”]
What is method? Webster 1828 Dictionary says: METH'OD, n. [L. methodus; Gr. with, and way.]
1. A suitable and convenient arrangement of things, proceedings or ideas; the natural or regular disposition of separate things or parts; convenient order for transacting business, or for comprehending any complicated subject. Without method, business of any kind will fall into confusion. To carry on farming to advantage, to keep accounts correctly, method is indispensable.
We have to turn to Strong’s # 3326: met-ah'
A primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly denoting accompaniment; “amid” (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive case association, or accusative case succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between G575 or G1537 and G1519 or G4314; less intimate than G1722, and less close than G4862): - after (-ward),X that he again, against, among, X and, + follow, hence, hereafter, in, of, (up-) on, + our, X and setting, since, (un-) to, + together, when, with (+ -out). Often used in composition, in substantially the same relations of participation or proximity, and transfer or sequence.
These definitions above can all be found in Genesis 3:1 Look in The Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary/Concordance. The Hebrew definition here is numbered H6175:
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle (H6175) than any beast of the field which Elohim God had made. And he said to the woman, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?”
H6175
ערוּם
‛ârûm
aw-room'
Passive participle of H6191; cunning (usually in a bad sense): - crafty, prudent, subtil.
H6191
ערם
‛âram
aw-ram'
A primitive root; properly to be (or make) bare; but used only in the derived sense (through the idea perhaps of smoothness) bo be cunning (usually in a bad sense): - X very, beware, take crafty [counsel], be prudent, deal subtly.
Here we have the wiles or cunnings of the Devil. This is where it is coming from so listen closely.
2Corinthians 11:13 -15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioned himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
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