The Clash: 1 Peter 3:8-13
“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. 9) But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as those two came to be.” 2 Timothy 3:8-9
Paul now mentions Jannes and Jambras. They are not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, but other Jewish writings identify them as the two Egyptian magicians who stood up to oppose Moses as he stood before Pharaoh. There was a very open and intense “clash” between them and Moses.
If this is true, Paul was saying that false teachers and spiritual leaders will openly challenge and oppose the true gospel in the latter days. The leaders of the apostate church will publicly take a stand against the followers of Jesus Christ. There will be an open “clash” between false teachers and those who cling to Jesus Christ, biblical truth and the true gospel.
Paul was pointing out that Exodus 5-14 will again unfold in the end times. Let me state it clearly; anti-Christ religious leaders from the apostate church will align with civil government and openly oppose biblical Christianity in the later times.
Take special note of verse 9. As the signs performed by Moses continued, the false magicians could no longer counterfeit them. They finally conceded to Pharaoh that what Moses was doing was indeed the finger of God. (Exodus 8:18-19) Eventually they could no longer even appear before Moses because they were covered with boils. (See Exodus 9:11) They had been exposed.
So also in the later times, the wrecked lives of those who follow the folly of false teachers will become evident to all. Many will be ruined. They will be left as slaves to sin and depravity because the apostate church embraces human depravity and even promotes it.
But society will quickly break down under their influence. (Review 2 Timothy 3:1-7) Unfortunately, because they are blind and deceived they will not understand what is unfolding or why. Yet society will be out of control.
As the context continues in 2 Timothy 3:12-13, Paul warns that this “clash” between false teachers and the true followers of Jesus Christ will escalate. This will lead to intense persecution. “12) And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13) But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
When this prophetic text is viewed through the lens of Jannes and Jambres, many tensions of modern society are colored in and begin to make sense. This “clash” Paul described is quickly gaining momentum today. This unique scenario of the battle between truth and deception is accelerating before our very eyes. The stage is being set for the book of Revelation to unfold.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
