shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all nations for my
name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray
one another, and shall hate one another."
Here is a brief description of the afflictions and martyrdoms of
the church of Christ. Thousands of the faithful followers of Jesus
were most cruelly put to death by Pagan Rome; yet the prophecy
doubtless applies more particularly to the long period of papal
persecutions, in which many millions of Christians were put to
death in the most cruel manner that wicked men and demons
could invent. In these verses we are brought down over the long
period of the martyrdom of the church of Jesus Christ, to near the
present generation.
FALSE PROPHETS
VERSE 11: "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall
deceive many."
In the common use of the word, a prophet is one that foretells;
but the word sometimes means simply a teacher. True and false
prophets may be known. The prophets of God are teachers of
purity, reprovers, of sin, and faithful in warning the people of
coming dangers. The duties of those whom God calls to
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speak in his great name are clearly expressed by the sacred writers.
We here quote from three of them:–
"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show
my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins."
Isa. 58:1.
"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy
mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of
the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand." Joel 2:1.
"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his
kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." 2
Tim. 4:1, 2.
False prophets do not reprove the people for their sins, and do
not warn them of coming danger; but they proclaim peace to the
sinner. Their teachings lead from God and his word, and are such
as please the unconverted mind. The inspired writers have also
spoken definitely of the testimony and work of false prophets. We
here give several for example:–
"And mine hand shall, be upon the prophets that see vanity, and
that divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of my people,
neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel,
neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know
that I am the Lord God. Because, even because they have seduced
my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up
a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar." Eze.
13:9, 10.
"For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every
one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the
priest, every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of
the daughter of my peo-
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ple slightly, saying, Peace, peace: when there is no peace." Jer. 6:13,
14.
"Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, the prophets say unto
them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I
will give you assured peace in this place. Then the Lord said unto
me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not,
neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them."
After stating the duty of the faithful servant of God to preach
the word, to reprove, to rebuke, and to exhort with all longsuffering
and doctrine, the apostle says:–
"For the time will come when they will not endure
