Who’s the Real Joker January 30, 2013
A Many Biblical scholars believe that cultural degeneration will occur in the latter-days.
5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:5 (NASB)
1 Peter assured them
6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials ,7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1 Peter 1:6-7 (NASB)
a 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 1 Peter 4:13 (NASB)
b His word suggests an end-time culture that is violently anti-Christian.
2 Peter told the early church that their testing wasn’t in vain or without purpose: Always for God to receive the glory.
a Peter wrote these words in A.D. 64, during Emperor Nero’s persecution of Christians.
aa Light his garden at night with burning Christians.
bb History charges Nero with killing Peter and Paul.
b Nero played the Joker. (Executions of the faithful)
c Peter’s letter had an implication for the first century church and for the last-days church.
B Paul wrote in no uncertain times about the culture of the latter days.
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,5 holding to a form of godliness , although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. 2 Tim 3:1-8 (NASB)
1 Paul catalogs the cultural failing of the last-day society.
a He gives 19 faults, pitfalls
b As we become more Godless, tilt more towards Godlessness, it’s worse projections are coming to pass.
2 Many of us learned that when you write a paragraph that the first sentence may tell the whole story.
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.2 Tim 3:1 (NASB)
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 Tim 3:1 (KJV)
a A “difficult or perilous” time describes the cultural conditions of the last days.
aa Means “raging, out of control, or fierce.”
bb Only used twice in the entire N.T.
b 28 When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.29 And they cried out, saying, "What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"30 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them.31 The demons began to entreat Him, saying, "If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine."32 And He said to them, "Go!" And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.33 The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region. Matt 8:28-34 (NASB)
aa Vs. 28. “Exceedingly violent”
bb Jesus is met by violent, demon-possessed men, who immediately recognized Him as the Son of God.
cc They had met before (heavenly rebellion) & knew they had a certain / limited amount of time to do their sins & work.
c 3 and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain;4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Mark 5:3-4 (NASB)
(Parallel passage of Matt. 8)
aa One man was supernaturally strong.
bb We are told the demon-possessed are “exceedingly fierce) or (exceedingly violent”
cc Same word used in 2 Tim is used in Matt. 8
3 As the culture moves away from the Lord, demonic influence becomes more & more pronounced.
a Intelligent men become demonic, prone to being violent.
b Often ends with suicide.
C The Bible tells us that these “perilous times” could be preceded by a thought in the culture that society is unfair, in need of revolution or change.
1 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.15 Instead , you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance ; all such boasting is evil. James 4:14-16 (NASB)
a Satan can turn envy, dissatisfaction into an open assault.
b Culture, church, home, work, family
2 The person behind these inexplicable acts/evil works of violence is Satans, a revolutionary with delusions of grandeur.
14 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' Isaiah 14:14 (NASB)
a Like the Joker in a deck of cards, he wanted to substitute himself for the King / fulfill the King’s role.
b His actions reveal him as demon, psychopathic, whose narcissistic pride convinced him of the impossible... that he could effectively play the role of God.
D The devil doesn’t complain when people depict him with pitchfork / pointy tail, tuxedo, clown who turns humor into blood.
1 He is the slanderer who injects envy into the hearts of the wretched / miserable, then turns it into a murderous rage.
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