Predators

II Timothy 3:6-9

In the movie Priceless, the lead antagonist is suave and comes across as well intentioned, that is until he gets the girls behind closed doors. Then, his teeth and claws come out. When one of the main characters refuses to be intimate with him, he says ok. I will just have to bring your little sister in then. To protect her sister the young woman consents, and the scene changes. Sadly, there are many men like this. What's worse, there are many people in positions of authority and respect that should be trustworthy, but they use their positions to satisfy their own personal desires.

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“For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.”

II Timothy 3:6-9

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Like the wild cat pictured above, the men described in this passage are predators. They are preying on the weak. This could be weak physically, mentally, or spiritually. Their actions are intentional. They stalk their prey, wait until the time is right, then they pounce. They are smart, so most of the time the victim never sees it coming. Sadly, sometimes the world never sees it happening.

Jannes and Jambres were two of the magicians who stood against Moses when he was trying to get Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go. They acts of deception helped harden Pharaoh's heart so that he would not release the people. They knew that their "magic" was deception. They also knew that what Moses and Aaron were doing was real. They kept up the charade to save face (and possibly their heads), leading Pharaoh and others further from God.

Remember the story of Aaron's rod that turned into a serpent (Exodus 7:10)? Jannes and Jambres mimicked the miracle. While this is indeed interesting, it was a forgery of the truth. They were not operating under the power of God. They were fighting against God. It looked good, it looked genuine. However, the results led away from the truth. The truth is the litmus test that distinguishes the righteous from the wicked. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

Therein is how we safeguard from falling prey to these people who would lead us astray. We know the truth. We do this by better knowing Jesus through His Word. We do this by walking closer to God in prayer. We are not immune to deception. We must guard against deceivers by being properly equipped with knowledge and wisdom. And remember, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10).

Father, there are so many evil people who want to cause hurt for their own benefit. Help us to guard against such people. Those who follow false teachers, those who are mentally victimized by abusers, or those who are in literal captivity; help us to rescue those who have fallen victim to the enemy.