The reference here is to the coming of the Lord Jesus, and to the various events connected with his presence. The “times or seasons,” or periods when God’s will and purposes in specific affairs are to take place, were of great interest to his servants (Acts 1:7), who came to understand them as they were made known in stages, steadily.
The First Epistle to Peter was penned about 62–64 C.E., just some 6-8-years before the destruction of Jerusalem and an all-out attack on the Jewish people by the Roman Empire, which would include Jewish Christians. Christians today face a similar difficulty because the long time that has been given to Satan’s wicked world is now entering a very dark period of time in history. (Rom. 13:12) It would be very dangerous and quite foolish for any Christian to lose sight of the prize at this late hour!
What conditions make us more exposed to attacks by Satan? When one falls victim to apostasy, who is to blame? What circumstances can influence a person to become a fool or dupe of apostasy?
Approaching the close of the first century A.D., a grave and treacherous, deceptive danger threatened early Christianity. Was it persecution from those outside Christianity? (Emperor Nero 64 AD., Domitian in A.D. 81, Trajan in A.D. 108) No, the greatest danger came from within the Church. The lurking enemy was apostasy.
Revelation 20:7-9, 11-15 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth …
Jesus was quite clear as to how the world would treat Christians, Matthew 24:9-11 Updated American Standard Version (UASV) 9 “Then they will deliver you up
