GRIEVOUS WOLVES

GRIEVOUS WOLVES
Last evening, while worshipping the Lord in a small gathering, a scripture which I had not thought of in a long time was quickened to me. I had been thinking during the day about the violence which has been done to the original Word of God, and the Faith once delivered to the saints. I had been made aware of the deliberate changes that had been made in the manuscripts which were to be preserved, before the originals were destroyed.
From the writings of Eusebius, who, until his death, owned many of the originals, we learn of the changes which were made, and why they were made. In quoting Scripture, he used the original wording, which is distinctly different than the altered version. Our church teachings could have been much different, had the first manuscripts been preserved.
Clear as a bell, came the words "grievous wolves". They are the words of Paul: Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Paul, by the Spirit, knew that something like this would happen, though he may not have known exactly how it would happen.
Peter saw the same thing coming, as we find in 2 Peter 2:1 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 bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
An excerpt from the history of Israel will serve as an example of how these things happen. Joshua 24:31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel. GOD HAS NO GRAND CHILDREN.
Solomon was concerned about what would happen to what he had accomplished after he was gone. Ecclesiastes 2:18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
Isaiah writes about unregenerate men in high positions in the flock of Jesus. Isaiah 56:11 Yea, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can never have enough, and-- cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Jesus said almost the same thing. Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Satan has not been the worst enemy of the Church. It has been self seeking men in high positions, weilding authority over those in lesser positions.
But the news is not all bad. God WILL HAVE THE LAST WORD! HE IS STRONGER THAN DEVILS AND MEN!
He has hidden (SEALED) the true witness from the hands of men. Revelation 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
These "seals" (Strong's 4973) "fencing in or protecting from misappropriation) can only be broken, and the truth revealed, by the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.
Daniel had to "seal up" what he wrote, also, to keep it from falling into the hands of those who would wrest it away.
Psalms 25:14 The secret of the LORD [is] with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Here, then, is the purpose of the testings God puts us through. He is assaying, to determine the depth of our "fear" of Him. He will not reveal His secrets to those whom He can not trust with them.
Eunuchs, those from whom the desire for selfish gain has been extracted, are the ones who can be trusted with things which pertain to the Bride.