Name: Faithful
Question: Considering Christ’s words, “agree with your adversary quickly”, can we apply these words to a future tribulation? Also, should we teach during the reign of the antichrist?
Answer: Thank you for the question Faithful.
The thought comes from Matthew 5:25 and is not directly related to the Tribulation. However, the Scripture provides solid advice Christians should use today, as well as during the time of Satan’s reign.
Matthew 5:25
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
The word “agree” in Matthew 5:25 means,
“To be well minded, that is, reconcile: – agree.”
I believe “to be well minded” is more accurate than “agree,” and Scripture overall backs me up on that.
I have to ask, can we truly expect to escape being delivered into the hands of our enemies during the Tribulation?
Christ is our example and He never backed off. Moreover, our ultimate “adversary” is Satan, (1 Peter 5:8). Should we back off Satan and give him room to reign? I don’t think so.
Nevertheless, “to be well minded” is knowing when to open your mouth, and when not to. Sort of like a Bible conversation at work. Sometimes they come up, even if you did not initiate it. You know where the red line is and where you should and should not go, especially in today’s world. The same can be said for Matthew 5:25 to a degree.
Turn your Bible with me to,
Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
The prophets were persecuted, so we should expect to be as well. After all, Jesus told us,
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Matthew 10:16
Be wise as serpents, that is being “well minded”.
Being “well minded” around your enemy means observing them, and understanding what you should and should not do around them. Understand and analyze a situation so you know how to react to it.
Matthew 10:17
But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues.
If you continue reading Matthew 10, it certainly puts this in context with the Tribulation. Christ said some of us are going to suffer, and Christians have been suffering for Christ since His death in the flesh.
However, if it is Satan or his angels who bring one of the Saints who are Sealed forward, they will not be able to harm them, period. Revelation 9:4 and Luke 21:18 make that extremely clear. Satan cannot harm those who are Sealed, those who will be brought before him to allow the Holy Spirit to speak through them, (Luke 21:13-19).
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But flesh men, absolutely. I do not want to scare anyone, but we need to have a real worldview here. Flesh men will be able to harm Christians during the Tribulation, that is why we need “to be well minded.”
Teaching During The Tribulation
If God has put it in your heart to teach someone, then I think that is exactly what you should do. Always take that to Him in prayer though, ensure it is His Will and not your own. I do not care if it is now or during the Tribulation.
A lot of people will be converted during the Tribulation, by the Testimony of Christ that is brought forward through the Saints and the Two Witnesses.
The Setup
However, I do want to offer some caution for the time of the Tribulation.
Remember in the book of Daniel, “all the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains” consulted together and had king Darius sign a decree. The decree stated, “whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions,” (Daniel 6:7).
Now I have no doubt in my mind, the “presidents” of the kingdom were jealous of Daniel.
Why?
Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent Spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
Daniel 6:3
As we read, God was with Daniel, he was well established in the kingdom of Darius and above all the so-called “presidents”.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Daniel 6:10
Daniel knew about the writing, and he knew it became the law of the land, but he did not bat an eye. He went into his house, kept the windows open and prayed to our Heavenly Father.
The “presidents” of the kingdom, through prying eyes, caught Daniel praying to our Heavenly Father in his house through those open windows. Of course, they told king Darius, and Scripture tells us Daniel was thrown into the Lion’s Den for his “crime” against the government, (Daniel 6:12-16).
Yet, our Father intervened and protected Daniel, He shut the mouth of the lions providing a miracle no one could deny, (Daniel 6:19-23).
Daniel did not agree with his enemy, neither was he “well minded”. Daniel was led by God, so our Father could work through him and provide the miracle of the Lion’s Den so thousands of years later we would still be talking about it.
The point I want to draw on here is, if God has a purpose for one of His Saints, they are going to accomplish it. It does not matter who stands in the way, God will kick them out of the way. He will make the way, as He is the Way, (John 14:6).