The story of the Trojan Horse came from the war between the Greeks, and the City of Troy, located in modern day Turkey. After ten years of siege, the Greeks had not been able to penetrate the wall around Troy, nor force surrender. They convinced the citizens of Troy that they were retreating by ship, and left a large horse outside the wall of the city. The horse, the Trojans were told, was a peace offering. However, the Greeks had hidden a force of soldiers inside the horse. The Trojans brought the horse inside the gates of the wall, and when night fell, the hidden Greeks came out of the horse and opened the gates of Troy for the enemy Greek army to enter. Troy fell to the Greeks.
This message is about a spiritual Trojan Horse. It is a deception of the End Times. It is already operating in the American church. There are many in the church who profess Christ, but do not possess Christ. Many are not taught the scriptures, and rely upon what they hear about Christ from other sources.
Jesus offered this parable to describe the condition in Mt. 13:24-30:
"The kingdom of God is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way."
As the crops grew and matured, it became apparent that tares were also among the crop. Tares look like wheat while growing, but do not produce a head of grain at maturity. It was obvious that an enemy had done this, but the owner told his servants to wait until the harvest to separate the wheat from the tares, the false wheat. The wheat would be gathered into the barn, but the tares would be gathered for the fire. The purpose of the tares was to affect the fullness of the harvest with a counterfeit. As the time of spiritual harvest draws near, the time of the separation between the genuine and the counterfeit also draws near.
Jesus points out that the tares were able to be sown by an enemy while all were sleeping. The church is also seemingly asleep, not awake nor aware of the Last Days, nor the dangers of this age. This makes the church vulnerable to this kind of attack.
All of the apostles of the New Testament are united by their revelations, and in their descriptions, of the spiritual condition of the End Times. It is a time of deception and counterfeits. They are also in agreement that the deception will fool many.
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world....Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God...and every spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." 1 Jn. 4:1-3
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you , who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that brought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." 2 Pet. 2:1-2
Not only do the false teachings deceive many, but evil will be spoken about the truth of God, the truth of Jesus. We are already living in these conditions. As the Apostle John said, it "is now already in the world." Jesus also spoke about false prophets coming:
"Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because iniquity (perversity, depravity, moral evil, wickedness) shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Mt. 24:11-13
The deception will be accepted by not just a few, but by many. Even those who love Him will believe the deception because iniquity has become so prevalent around them. We see that abounding iniquity now. Not only does it abound, but it is without repentance.
The Apostle Paul described manifestations of this iniquity:
"This know also, that in the last days, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." 2 Tim. 3:1-5
Paul is describing the days in which we live. These men claim to know God, like the tares pretended to be wheat in the parable of Jesus. Paul goes on to describe how these men lead others astray into deception. The most vulnerable are those who are the least familiar with the truth of God (v. 6-7). These deceivers not only spread falsehood, but actively resist and rebel against the truth, and those who teach the truth (v.8).
These false doctrines teach deceptions about the Word of God, about who Jesus was in the flesh, what He taught and the miracles He performed. They also falsely describe the timing and manner of His soon return, and offer counterfeits of all. Jesus warned His disciples that false Christs and false prophets would arise. It would be claimed that Christ would be found in various locations, saying "Here He is". These false Christs and false prophets would show many wonders and great signs, so impressive, that even the most knowledgeable and elect of God's people will be fooled (Mt. 24:22-24). Jesus concludes by warning us, "Behold, I have told you before."
In order to prepare us for the lies that will be told, and are even now being told, Jesus described for us His return. It will be unlike His first coming, when He was born in the flesh:
"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." Mt. 24:27
No one will have to go to a geographical location to find Him, for all shall see the moment of His return.
We read in 2 Pet. 3:1-8, that many in the last days will mock the idea of the return of Christ as taught by the holy prophets and the apostles by saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?...all things continue as they were..."
We see articles and books written now, even by spiritual leaders of the church, with these very same arguments and disregard for the Word of God. Even now, many are accepting these things as truth.
The deceptive Trojan Horse of history was accepted as a peace offering after years of terrible siege. Many today are quick to accept a similar "peace offering" of false prophets teaching false doctrine, even false Christs, because they sound and seem good. They are received as a relief from the turbulence and turmoil of our age. However, like the people of Troy, they will find that the deceptive "peace offering" of lies, once inside their gates, will only lead to their destruction. The turmoil will only grow worse in the days ahead, but the lies are not Christ, and they cannot save. In this age of deception, it will not be enough to know "about" Jesus. In order to withstand the deception, we will have to know Him for ourselves, and know His Word for ourselves, for His Word is saving truth.
As Jesus said, "Behold, I have told you before."
Jesus offered this parable to describe the condition in Mt. 13:24-30:
"The kingdom of God is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way."
As the crops grew and matured, it became apparent that tares were also among the crop. Tares look like wheat while growing, but do not produce a head of grain at maturity. It was obvious that an enemy had done this, but the owner told his servants to wait until the harvest to separate the wheat from the tares, the false wheat. The wheat would be gathered into the barn, but the tares would be gathered for the fire. The purpose of the tares was to affect the fullness of the harvest with a counterfeit. As the time of spiritual harvest draws near, the time of the separation between the genuine and the counterfeit also draws near.
Jesus points out that the tares were able to be sown by an enemy while all were sleeping. The church is also seemingly asleep, not awake nor aware of the Last Days, nor the dangers of this age. This makes the church vulnerable to this kind of attack.
All of the apostles of the New Testament are united by their revelations, and in their descriptions, of the spiritual condition of the End Times. It is a time of deception and counterfeits. They are also in agreement that the deception will fool many.
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world....Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God...and every spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." 1 Jn. 4:1-3
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you , who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that brought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." 2 Pet. 2:1-2
Not only do the false teachings deceive many, but evil will be spoken about the truth of God, the truth of Jesus. We are already living in these conditions. As the Apostle John said, it "is now already in the world." Jesus also spoke about false prophets coming:
"Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because iniquity (perversity, depravity, moral evil, wickedness) shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Mt. 24:11-13
The deception will be accepted by not just a few, but by many. Even those who love Him will believe the deception because iniquity has become so prevalent around them. We see that abounding iniquity now. Not only does it abound, but it is without repentance.
The Apostle Paul described manifestations of this iniquity:
"This know also, that in the last days, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." 2 Tim. 3:1-5
Paul is describing the days in which we live. These men claim to know God, like the tares pretended to be wheat in the parable of Jesus. Paul goes on to describe how these men lead others astray into deception. The most vulnerable are those who are the least familiar with the truth of God (v. 6-7). These deceivers not only spread falsehood, but actively resist and rebel against the truth, and those who teach the truth (v.8).
These false doctrines teach deceptions about the Word of God, about who Jesus was in the flesh, what He taught and the miracles He performed. They also falsely describe the timing and manner of His soon return, and offer counterfeits of all. Jesus warned His disciples that false Christs and false prophets would arise. It would be claimed that Christ would be found in various locations, saying "Here He is". These false Christs and false prophets would show many wonders and great signs, so impressive, that even the most knowledgeable and elect of God's people will be fooled (Mt. 24:22-24). Jesus concludes by warning us, "Behold, I have told you before."
In order to prepare us for the lies that will be told, and are even now being told, Jesus described for us His return. It will be unlike His first coming, when He was born in the flesh:
"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." Mt. 24:27
No one will have to go to a geographical location to find Him, for all shall see the moment of His return.
We read in 2 Pet. 3:1-8, that many in the last days will mock the idea of the return of Christ as taught by the holy prophets and the apostles by saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?...all things continue as they were..."
We see articles and books written now, even by spiritual leaders of the church, with these very same arguments and disregard for the Word of God. Even now, many are accepting these things as truth.
The deceptive Trojan Horse of history was accepted as a peace offering after years of terrible siege. Many today are quick to accept a similar "peace offering" of false prophets teaching false doctrine, even false Christs, because they sound and seem good. They are received as a relief from the turbulence and turmoil of our age. However, like the people of Troy, they will find that the deceptive "peace offering" of lies, once inside their gates, will only lead to their destruction. The turmoil will only grow worse in the days ahead, but the lies are not Christ, and they cannot save. In this age of deception, it will not be enough to know "about" Jesus. In order to withstand the deception, we will have to know Him for ourselves, and know His Word for ourselves, for His Word is saving truth.
As Jesus said, "Behold, I have told you before."
Almost too sobering in consideration that Troy was fortified, surrounded by a wall, enclosed. Yet a lie in the form of light, peace and friendship brought destruction, allowed them to be infiltrated as never before.
ReplyDeleteOur spiritual heart, like our physical one is to be enclosed, surrounded, protected, fortified... but perhaps that's why the Word says the heart is wicked, deceitful, who can even know it? It makes me think also about how the Lord Jesus says there will be many banging on the shut door of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, crying out for the Groom, but He will say, I never knew You. Recite some words, join a church, sit on a pew, partake of works, conferences, charities, use His Name and call it all, "I'm saved." But how impenetrable is your wall? How vulnerable is your city set on a hill? How real is your light not hid under a bushel? What kind of "Trojan horse" or "golden calf" laid before you will trigger all of your "gates" or "doors" or "walls" to swing wide open?
We're in the age of Mind and Science and the world's attempting to merge these aspects of life to create it's own collective realm where only Man exists to himself. How subtle the trickery even in our own spiritual consciousness to where we can think, Oh we're just fine! I'm okay because "I believe."
I wonder what Troy's history or condition was before engaging with the Greeks? What was their part in the conflict? We can cry out, "this or that deceived me!" But how do we deceive ourselves?
Great points! Thank you for your comment. You're right, Jesus has no intention of allowing any Trojan Horse into the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
DeleteSong of Songs describes the Bride as an enclosed (walled) garden. A walled garden is protected from trespassers and animals who will eat the vegetation. However, the wall is only effective if we keep vigilance over the gates.