The truth has disappeared today as in the days of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah:
Isaiah 59:15
15 The truth has disappeared, and he who departs from evil is destitute. -The Lord sees, with an indignant look, that there is no more righteousness.
Jeremiah 7:28
28 Then say to them, This is the nation that will not listen to the voice of the LORD their God, and will not receive instruction; The truth has disappeared, it has withdrawn from their mouths.
In the time of these prophets, the truth of the Word of the Lord had disappeared to make way for iniquity and lies, that is to say, illusions and vain visions. This translates to the fact that the Torah or true doctrine was covered in dust. Thus, the lamp of God was extinguished in the midst of these perverse and corrupt generations as in the time of the priest Eli (1 Samuel 3:1-3), which caused the perdition of Israel and the religiosity which ended in captivity Babylonian rule and the reign of demons.
The truth was hidden because of the emergence of corrupt priests, false shepherds and prophets of doom raised up by Satan. They all indulged in deceptive hopes instead of trusting in the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus warns us against concealing the truth:
Luke 8:16
16 No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a vase, or puts it under a bed; but he places it on a candlestick, that those who enter may see the light.
Luke 11:33
33 No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hidden place or under a bushel, but puts it on the candlestick, so that those who enter in may see the light.
These symbols, the lamp, the candlestick and the vase teach us several truths:
1. The lamp which represents the Word of God, light for our paths (Psalms 119:105; Proverbs 6:23; 2 Peter 1:19), is none other than Jesus himself, the Truth (John 14:6).
2. The lampstand represents the true Church (Exodus 25:31-40; Revelation 1:12-20). The Church is not the source of light but she carries the Light to illuminate the house.
3. The vase, bushel or bed represents everything that covers the light, the truth lest it shine or be revealed.
There are several types of vase, vases of gold and silver, vases of wood and earth, vases of honor and vases of base use.
2 Timothy 2:20-21
20 In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and earth; some are vessels of honor, and others are of vile use. 21 If anyone therefore keeps himself pure, abstaining from these things, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified, profitable to his master, fit for every good work.
The large house where the vessels of honor and the vessels of base uses are located represents in this passage the world and not the Church.
The golden vessels are the vessels of honor, sanctified by the blood of the Lamb, useful to God and suitable for good works, prepared in advance by God the Father. True Christians are vessels of gold and citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20).
The golden vessel is a representation of Jesus Christ but also of the true Church which feeds on manna, the Word of God (Hebrews 9:7). The gold in the tabernacle symbolizes divinity.
Vases of earth and wood are of vile uses. Earthen vessels are those who set their minds on the things of the earth and not on those above, for everything that is of the earth is carnal and demonic (James 3:15).
The earthen vessels represent the pseudo prophets, doctors, apostles, brothers who are religious from whom Timothy had to be careful.
2 Timothy 2:16-18
16 Avoid vain and profane speech; for those who hold them will advance more and more in ungodliness, 17 and their word will eat away like gangrene. Of this number are Hymenaeus and Philetus, Read more
Paul calls false prophets and false teachers “earthen vessels”; they are vessels that cover the light or literally hide the truth. These false prophets and false teachers are also referred to as ravening wolves.
Acts 20:28-29
28 Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has made you bishops, to shepherd the church of the Lord, which he purchased with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock,
The cruel wolves aim to seduce and rob the flock of the Lord.
Matthew 7:15-20
15 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside they are ravening wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do we pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Read more
The Bible clearly shows us that all false prophets are cruel wolves who steal the freedom of God’s children for their own benefit. The devil sends these wolves with the primary purpose of subjugating Christians through trickery, corruption and seduction to the detriment of the truth, which alone sets free (John 8:32).
Cruel wolves break into churches to preach another Jesus, bring another spirit and another gospel:
2 Corinthians 11:4
4 For if anyone comes and preaches to you another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive another Spirit than the one you received, or another Gospel than the one you embraced, you bear it well. .
They captivate the truth in false doctrines so that they can take advantage of the sheep under their control. But they will be judged by the Lord and will inevitably suffer the heat of the fire of Gehenna.
Romans 1:18
18 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth captive in unrighteousness,
The Truth is being further watered down in recent times by these cruel and predatory wolves. God’s children are held hostage with their erroneous doctrines, based on the glory of man, money and material rather than the person of Jesus (Romans 1:23). The Bible commands us to come out from among them.
1 Corinthians 7:23
23 You have been bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
These cruel men come from outside the fold and violently attack the Church of the living God. Their mission is to overthrow “the faith” of the flock, hence the call for vigilance and the “good fight of faith”.
Jesus came into the world to bear witness to the Truth:
John 18:37-38
37 Pilate said to him, Are you then a king? Jesus answered: You say it, I am a king. I was born and came into the world to bear witness to the truth. Whoever is of the truth listens to my voice. 38 Pilate said to him, What is truth? Having said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them: I find no crime in him.
Luke 18:9
9 He spoke this parable again, in view of some people persuading themselves that they were righteous, and disregarding others:
God’s Word is the Truth (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17). It is the source of faith. The disappearance of the truth is equivalent to the abandonment of the faith.
2 Timothy 4:1-4
1 I charge you before God and before Jesus Christ, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in the name of his appearing and his kingdom, 2 preach the word, insist in every occasion, whether favorable or not, reprove, censures, exhorts, with all gentleness and instructing. Read more
Teaching of Pastor Douglas Kiongeka.
