A TIME WHEN THEY WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND TEACHING
The bible says there will come a time when the people will not accept sound teaching. They will call good evil and evil good. A time when they will kill followers of Yeshua and think they are doing it for "God". Here is a bible study on this teaching
we are now in this time
When evil is called good, truth is rejected, and the faithful are persecuted in the name of God
Scripture repeatedly warns of a time when society—and even many who claim to serve God—will become so spiritually confused that truth will be rejected, evil will be defended, and those obeying Yahweh will be treated as the problem.
Yeshua warned that persecution would become so severe that some would kill His followers while believing they were serving God. (They are serving the god of this world)
These warnings are especially important for those seeking to remain faithful to Yahweh and follow The Way taught by Yeshua.
1. PEOPLE WILL NO LONGER ENDURE SOUND TEACHING
Paul gave Timothy a striking warning:
2 Timothy 4:3–4
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Notice that Paul says “the time will come.”
The problem is not that truth disappears. The problem is that people will not endure it.
Sound teaching becomes uncomfortable because it conflicts with what people want to believe.
Instead of changing themselves to conform to Yahweh's Word, they search for teachers who will change the message to conform to them.
The progression is:
Desire → preferred teachers → rejection of truth → acceptance of falsehood.
This is one of Scripture's clearest descriptions of religious deception.
2. PEOPLE WILL CALL EVIL GOOD AND GOOD EVIL
Isaiah describes a complete reversal of moral judgment.
Isaiah 5:20
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
This is more serious than merely committing sin.
It is reaching the point where the definitions themselves become reversed.
Evil becomes celebrated.
Good becomes condemned.
Darkness becomes enlightenment.
Truth becomes offensive.
Obedience becomes intolerance.
When a society loses Yahweh's standard, human opinion becomes the standard.
That is precisely why Scripture warns:
Proverbs 14:12
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Something can seem right to an entire society and still be contrary to Yahweh.
3. PEOPLE WILL BECOME HOSTILE TO TRUTH
Paul describes people in the last days:
2 Timothy 3:1
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
He then describes the character of that society:
2 Timothy 3:2–5
People will be:
lovers of themselves
covetous
proud
blasphemers
disobedient
unthankful
unholy
without natural affection
false accusers
fierce
despisers of those that are good
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God
Yet one of the most revealing statements is:
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
This means religious appearance alone is not proof that someone follows Yahweh.
A person—or even an entire religious system—can have a form of godliness while opposing the truth.
4. THEY WILL THINK THEY ARE SERVING GOD
Yeshua gave one of the most sobering warnings in the entire Bible.
John 16:2
“They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”
Think about what Yeshua is saying.
The persecutors do not necessarily believe they are fighting God.
They believe they are serving Him.
They may sincerely believe that the people they persecute are heretics, deceivers, troublemakers, or enemies of God.
Yeshua then explains why:
John 16:3
“And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.”
Religious zeal is therefore not proof of truth.
Sincerity is not proof.
Authority is not proof.
Popularity is not proof.
Tradition is not proof.
Everything must be tested against Yahweh's Word.
5. SAUL IS A POWERFUL EXAMPLE
Before becoming the Apostle Paul, Saul actually lived out Yeshua's warning.
He persecuted believers while believing he was defending God.
Acts 8:3
“As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.”
Later Paul admitted:
Acts 26:9–11
“I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.”
Notice his words:
“I verily thought…”
Paul genuinely believed he was right.
He was religious.
He knew Scripture.
He was zealous.
Yet he was persecuting the very people who belonged to God.
This demonstrates a frightening biblical principle:
A person can be completely sincere and completely wrong.
6. YESHUA SAID HIS FOLLOWERS WOULD BE HATED
Yeshua did not promise that His followers would eventually become universally admired.
He warned:
Matthew 24:9
“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.”
Then comes another danger:
Matthew 24:10
“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.”
Pressure produces division.
Some who once appeared faithful may abandon the truth.
Some may even betray other believers.
7. DECEPTION WILL BECOME EXTREMELY POWERFUL
Yeshua warned:
Matthew 24:24
“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
This tells us something important.
End-time deception will not always appear ridiculous or obviously evil.
It may appear:
religious
compassionate
spiritual
authoritative
miraculous
righteous
That is what makes deception dangerous.
Satan does not always present himself openly as Satan.
Paul explains:
2 Corinthians 11:14
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
Falsehood can therefore look like light.
8. LAWLESSNESS WILL INCREASE
Yeshua connects the end of the age with increasing lawlessness.
Matthew 24:12
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
The Greek word translated “iniquity” is anomia—lawlessness.
When Yahweh's standard is rejected, society does not become morally neutral.
Another standard takes its place.
Human reasoning begins determining what is right and wrong.
That eventually produces the condition Isaiah described:
evil called good and good called evil.
9. THE WORLD WILL NOT UNDERSTAND YAHWEH'S PEOPLE
Yeshua told His disciples:
John 15:18–19
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own…”
There will always be pressure to become acceptable to the world.
But Yeshua said His followers would be different precisely because they were not of the world.
This does not mean believers should hate people, provoke others, or seek persecution.
Quite the opposite.
Yeshua taught His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them.
But neither should acceptance by society become the test of truth.
10. YAHWEH'S PEOPLE MUST TEST EVERYTHING
How can believers avoid being deceived?
Scripture gives the answer.
Isaiah 8:20
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
The test is not:
What does society say?
It is not:
What does my church say?
It is not:
What does a religious leader say?
It is not even:
What feels right to me?
The question must be:
WHAT DOES YAHWEH'S WORD SAY?
The Bereans demonstrated this attitude.
Acts 17:11
They:
“searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
They even tested the teaching of the apostles against Scripture.
11. THE FAITHFUL ARE DESCRIBED BY OBEDIENCE
Revelation gives a remarkable description of the saints during a period of tremendous spiritual opposition.
Revelation 14:12
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
Two characteristics appear together:
The commandments of Yahweh
and
the faith of Yeshua.
Revelation 12:17 gives a similar description:
“Which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
Therefore, when determining who belongs to Yahweh, Scripture points us toward faithfulness and obedience, not merely religious labels.
12. WE MUST NOT RESPOND TO HATRED WITH HATRED
This part is essential.
Knowing that persecution will come does not give believers permission to become hateful toward those opposing them.
Yeshua commanded:
Matthew 5:44
“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you…”
Paul similarly taught:
Romans 12:21
“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
The faithful must never allow the evil around them to reproduce itself inside them.
Our responsibility is not to destroy our enemies.
It is to remain faithful to Yahweh.
THE WARNING FOR THE END OF THE AGE
Put these scriptures together and a remarkable picture emerges.
Scripture warns of a time when:
People will not endure sound doctrine — 2 Timothy 4:3
People will turn their ears away from truth — 2 Timothy 4:4
Evil will be called good and good evil — Isaiah 5:20
Lawlessness will increase — Matthew 24:12
People will maintain a form of godliness — 2 Timothy 3:5
Powerful religious deception will arise — Matthew 24:24
Yeshua's followers will be hated and persecuted — Matthew 24:9
Some will betray one another — Matthew 24:10
Some persecutors will actually believe they are serving God — John 16:2
The saints will nevertheless continue keeping Yahweh's commandments and the faith of Yeshua — Revelation 14:12
That is the paradox Yeshua warned about:
A WORLD THAT BELIEVES IT IS BECOMING RIGHTEOUS MAY ACTUALLY BE MOVING FARTHER FROM YAHWEH'S STANDARD.
And those standing upon Scripture may increasingly be portrayed as the ones who are wrong.
WHAT MUST WE DO?
Yeshua gives the answer:
Matthew 24:13
“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
We do not overcome deception by following the crowd.
We do not overcome it by blindly following religious leaders.
We do not overcome it through fear, anger, or hatred.
We overcome by remaining faithful to Yahweh's Word.
Study the Scriptures.
Test every teaching.
Keep Yahweh's commandments.
Hold firmly to the faith of Yeshua.
Love even those who oppose you.
Do not compromise truth merely because truth becomes unpopular.
And remember Yeshua's warning:
John 16:1
“These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.”
He warned His followers beforehand so that when opposition came, they would recognize what was happening and remain faithful.
WHEN THE WORLD CALLS EVIL GOOD AND GOOD EVIL—
DO NOT FOLLOW THE WORLD.
FOLLOW THE WORD.
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
— Revelation 14:12
