In 1Chronicles 12 it lists all the tribes that came to David at Hebron to acknowledge him as king after Saul died. In that list it speaks of the sons of Issachar who understood the times and knew what Israel needed to do.
Like the sons of Issachar we too need to know what to do at a time when it appears the rest of our nation seems to be in a fog.
This brings us to the need to look at 1Timothy for a moment. But first let me give a background here.
It is believed that the first letter to Timothy was written around 63 –64 AD. Timothy had been left in Ephesus to labor in the church there. Paul had already prophesied that there would be wolves rise up even among their ranks, and it appears this came true because there were false teachers Paul named who were apparently men once noted as leaders in the church. What about Ephesus?
Ephesus was the central hub for Diana worship. It was a city filled with perversion, superstition and ungodliness. There is in Ephesus a real wrestling with the demonic powers due to rampant idolatry there, they even sacrificed children to appease the gods.
Sound familiar?
So here is young Timothy in a place where he is having to battle cultural immorality, false teachers from the churches own ranks, and demonic powers all at a time when Emperor Nero is about to unleash what will become know in history as Neroean Persecution and regarded as one of the most violent and horrible times of persecution against Christians due to the brutality of his methods.
James and Peter have already been put to death for their faith.
At the writing of 1Timothy it is believed Paul is enjoying a short reprieve from his house arrest and is in Macedonia. By the time of 2Timothy Paul is back under house arrest and will not have to wait too long to be beheaded for his faith.
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
