the ears of their listeners being tickled by religious preachers/teachers according to their own desires
The “Itching Ear” Epidemic: Truth vs. Lies (Religion/Spiritual)
Alright dear listeners: Pull up a chair, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, and get ready for an eye-opening heavenly message from us today. Welcome back to Spiritual Podcast, your podcast for authentic Bible teachings.
I’m Elder Dan. You know what? Something has been heavy on my spirit this week as I look around at the landscape of modern faith. We live in an era of unlimited options. If you want coffee, you have thirty choices. If you want news, you pick the channel that aligns with your politics.
And terrifyingly, if you want “Elohim and Holy,” you can now pick the version that makes you feel the most comfortable.
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Yes, I want to unpack a piece of the Holy Scripture today that reads like it was written this morning, not two thousand years ago. The Apostle Paul, knowing his time was short, gave a final, urgent warning to young Timothy. He saw a future where people wouldn’t just drift from the truth; they would actively run from it.
Let us look at 2 Timothy chapter 4:3. Paul writes:
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.”
Did you catch that phrase? “Wanting to have their ears tickled.”
Other Bible translations say they have “itching ears.” It’s a profound metaphor. An itch demands to be scratched. It’s an irritation that you want soothe immediately.
Paul is saying that a time will come when people feel uncomfortable—itchy—when they hear hard truths about sacrifice, sin, holiness, or judgment. They won’t “endure” it. They can’t stomach healthy teaching.
So, what’s the remedy for an itching ear in today’s culture? You find someone to scratch it.
We see this happening right now. People treat spirituality like a buffet. They pass over the broccoli of repentance and load their plates with the cotton candy of “blessings on demand.” They don’t want a prophet; they want a cheerleader! They don’t want correction; they want validation!
And guess what? If you want preachers who tell you that Almighty Yahweh and Savior Yahshua’s primary goal is your financial success and your emotional comfort, and that They never demand you change your unrighteous lifestyle… yes, you can find those Bible preachers or teachers in five seconds flat on YouTube!
Paul says they “accumulate” these teachers. They gather them in heaps. They build their own echo chambers where they only hear what matches their own carnal desires. It’s spiritual consumerism at its absolute worst. They aren’t seeking Almighty Yahweh; they are seeking a divine rubber stamp for how they already want to live.
It reminds me of way back in Isaiah 30:10, where the rebellious people literally told the prophets: “Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.”
They begged to be lied to because the truth hurt too much!
Now, I need to lean into the microphone a little bit here and speak directly to you about where we stand.
If you stumbled across Yahshua the Messiah Ministry and this podcast hoping for that kind of ear-tickling, I have to tell you with all love: you are in the wrong places.
Our ministry is not designed to win a popularity contest. We aren’t looking at analytics to see which watered-down message gets the most shares. We do not deal in “flowery words” designed to entice followers by hiding the cost of discipleship!
Why? Because that is not love. Lying to someone to make them feel temporarily good while they walk off a spiritual cliff is not love!
Yahshua the Messiah didn’t tickle ears. He shocked them. He said hard things like, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his stake, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24).
Yes, being nailed on a stake or a tree isn’t comfortable. Self-denial doesn’t scratch an itch; it creates a wound in our pride.
We are here for the spiritual truth-seekers. We are here for the people who are sick of the sugar rush of popular religion and are starving for the authentic meat of the Holy Word. We are here for those who want the real Messiah or Savior, not a cardboard cutout version that asks for nothing.
Folks, do not let your desires dictate your doctrine. Do not look for a spiritual preacher or teacher who makes you feel good in your mess; instead, look for the truth that washes you clean of it.
It might not feel good in the moment. But I promise you, it’s the only thing that leads to eternal life! Now, will you follow the epidemic “itching ears” of lies or stay true to the authentic teachings of Yahweh and Yahshua from the Bible?
I urge you to remain sharp and stay in the Holy Word. Until next time.
Friends, if you’d like to continue this conversation or share your thoughts on this topic, leave a comment below or reach out to me directly. You are welcome to peruse our previous episodes on this website and visit our sister website by clicking here to read and learn more genuine truths from the Bible.
Brethren, before I go, let me pray this prayer for you: May Yahweh bless you and keep you; may Yahweh make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; may Yahweh lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. I humbly pray all these things to Yahweh through Yahshua the Messiah, our Master and coming King, amen. Kindly keep praying for the shalom of Israel. Take care. Halleluyah!