“I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have carefully hidden these things from wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to young children. Yes, O Father, because this is the way you approved.” - Luke 10:21
Look at Jesus statement recorded at Luke 10:21, and consider how important that expression was. On this particular occasion the Scripture says: “he became overjoyed in the holy spirit and said -”. Therefore the truth revealed through Jesus word's were inspired by the holy spirit.
A professed disciple of our Lord once said “the Bible is not for simpletons”. Statements like this directly contradict Jesus inspired expression, and are often said to predicate some complex explanation of a specific religious doctrine. Jesus specifically said God is revealing important truths to those who are like “young children”. Sometimes when someone is rambling on about something complicated that we don't understand we might say, “explain it to me like I'm 5”. We would say that because when helping children understand complex things we phrase them in the simplest terms.
However, Peter referenced portions of the Scriptures, specifically Paul's letter's, saying “some things in them are hard to understand”. So if the truth in God's Word is directed to individuals who are likened to “young children” because “this is the way” our father has approved, why are some things “hard to understand”? Simply put “young children” are humble and simple, not stupid.
After Peter made the point about some things being “hard to understand” he warned us saying: “these things the ignorant and unstable are twisting, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You, therefore, beloved ones, having this advance knowledge, be on your guard so that you may not be led astray with them by the error of the lawless people”. Notice Peter classes those who are twisting the Scriptures as “lawless”. In his second letter to the Thessalonians Paul warns the congregation about a “man of lawlessness”. Who is the “man of lawlessness” to whom Paul was referring?
Paul associated this individual, (or perhaps composite group), with proclaiming prematurely that Christ's presence has begun. He warned that the lawless one would mislead the disciples by invoking authority on the basis of a “pretended spiritual revelation". He also said the lawless one would attempt to invoke apostolic authority and publish a "message or letter claiming to have been sent by us". The false message the lawless one would be proclaiming is "that the day of the Lord is now here.” (WEY)
When we factor in Peter's warning that “lawless people” would twist portions of the Scriptures that are “hard to understand”, we can see that the “man of lawlessness” would, by definition, twist portions of the Scriptures to proclaim the Lord's day “is now here”. Paul further identified the “man of lawlessness” saying that “he sits down in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god”. What did Paul view as the “temple of God”? He explained in his first letter to the Corinthians saying: “Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple - - - the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.”
How do these individuals twist the Scriptures? For just one example lets look at Luke 21:24. Jesus said: “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.” Jesus clearly said “Jerusalem will be trampled on”, future tense. This is obvious to anyone that understands the basics of language. Nevertheless, those trying to persuade us “that the day of the Lord is now here” need to twist our Lord's words to apply in a present tense, ('Jerusalem will continue to be trampled on') to promote their complicated prophetic delusion. Notice how Rolf Furuli (PH.D) addresses this obvious problem in his book “My Beloved Religion - and the Governing Body”, on page 51 he writes:
“Would not the future tense contradict the view that the trampling already had continued for many years when Jesus gave the prophecy? Not necessarily. In the NT, the future tense occurs 1,625 times, and of these, there are 18 examples of periphrastic future, i.e., constructions with a finite verb in the future tense followed by a participle. In Luke 21, we find 26 examples of simple future and three examples of periphrastic future. So the question is whether there is a difference in meaning between simple future and periphrastic future in the NT.”
Is what Rolf's saying for “wise and intellectual ones” or “young children”? Remember Jesus didn't just say the truth was not for the benefit of people like this, he went a step farther and said that his father has “carefully hidden these things from wise and intellectual ones”. It's impressive to see our father hide the meaning of the tense “will be” from these people.
Rolf proceeds with what could be viewed as an intellectual argument that the future tense is misunderstood because simpleminded individuals do not understand the complexities of "periphrastic future" as applied when "followed by a participle". His insinuation is that every Bible translator for the last 2,000 years has misquoted the Lord, and that he really meant 'Jerusalem will continue to be trampled on'. Even the New World Translation published by the religious source of this doctrine continues to accurately render this verse with the proper tense "will be". It is obvious that Rolf started with his belief and than looked for a way to make the Scripture conform to it.
Rolf published a hot mess of Scripture twisting for the purpose of promoting the doctrine that “that the day of the Lord is now here”. This is not intended to single Rolf out or imply that he is the “man of lawlessness”, but his reasoning is a clear example of complicating something simple so the Scriptures can be twisted to support the doctrines of a religion.
As disciples of Jesus we are not required to understand every prophecy in the Bible. As some of us press on to maturity and “keep seeking” understanding of certain prophecies, we rejoice in the knowledge we have been given by the Lord. However coming to an accurate understanding of certain prophecies often requires us to take action in repudiating false teachers. Jesus addressed some of his disciples that were not aware of these things saying: “to the rest of you who are in Thyatira, all those who do not follow this teaching, those who did not get to know the so-called “deep things of Satan”: I am not putting on you any other burden. Just the same, hold fast to what you have until I come.” The Lord deals with us individually. Jesus didn't want to “burden” his disciples. Why would we burden our brothers by requiring them to accept a prophetic interpretation as doctrine?
Jesus expects us as his disciples to 'hold fast to what we have until he comes'. While teaching us many important things humility is something Jesus expects all of his disciples to understand and display in an exemplary way. To emphasize the importance of humility to us Jesus stood a young child in front of his disciples and said “Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become as young children, you will by no means enter into the Kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, whoever will humble himself like this young child is the one who is the greatest in the Kingdom of the heavens”. When we stand before the Lord will he see an intellectual man, or a humble young child?