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God’s Warnings To Israel Through Moses God’s first covenant with Israel was very broad in scope, but was conditional in character; that is to say, the performance of its promises by Jehovah was dependent upon certain express conditions, which the Israelites bound themselves to fulfill. Here are the terms of that covenant, as proposed by God and agreed to by all the people: Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant — note the condition — then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation (Exodus 19:5–6). Here are three things which, upon the express conditions of obedience and fidelity on the part of the children of Israel, God promised to make of that people: first, a peculiar treasure to Himself; second, a kingdom of priests; third, a holy nation. There was no promise of earthly territory in that Sinaitic covenant. Thereupon Moses, in his character of mediator of that covenant, called for the elders of the people and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord (verses 7–8). So the terms of the contract were agreed to by both the contracting parties. Then God spake in their hearing the Words they were to keep, the Ten Commandments (Chapter 20); and He also gave to Moses the judgments whereby their dealings with one another were to be governed (Chapters 21–23). And thereupon Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments; and all the people answered with one voice and said, All the words which the Lord hath said we will do (Exodus 24:3). Accordingly the contract was reduced to writing and was executed in a most solemn manner; it being a blood covenant, which was the most binding sort. For Moses took the book of the covenant, that is the scroll of parchment on which the terms of the contract were inscribed, and read in the audience of the people, and took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said, Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words (24:6–8). Here is where we read of the blood of the old covenant; with which we should compare what is written concerning the blood of the new covenant (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 13:20). Within the space of forty days that covenant was broken by the abominable idolatry of the golden calf and the shameless rites with which the people, led by Aaron, worshipped it (Chapter 32); and it should be noted that the terms of that covenant were never again ratified with that people. We shall see presently what were the terms of the substituted covenant that God made with the children of Israel, but we would impress upon the reader, as truth of the highest importance, that the three wondrously glorious promises of the covenant of Exodus 19–24 were reserved for another people, the true Israel. For to them, the apostle Peter writes that God had made them apart from all conditions, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9). When the Israelites made and worshipped the golden calf, God was minded to destroy them and to make of Moses a great nation (Exodus 32:10). Had He done so, He would nevertheless have fulfilled the promises He had made to Abraham and his seed (Galatians 3:16); for Moses was a direct descendant of Abraham. For the same reason it follows that, in fulfilling those promises to Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:7, 29), God has kept His covenant with Abraham in letter as well as in spirit. But Moses interceded for the people; and God spared the people, and commanded Moses to lead them to the land He had promised to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob (38:1); and He made with them another covenant (34:10); which covenant, in respect to what was promised thereby, was very inferior to the covenant they had broken; for this substituted covenant (which was not a blood covenant) was restricted to the terms and conditions upon which God would permit them to continue in possession of the land of Canaan. Those terms and conditions are set forth in detail in the book of Deuteronomy; where, after the recital of them, Moses writes: “These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which He made with them in Horeb” (Deuteronomy 29:1). The subsequent history of the Israelites shows that they broke this substituted covenant also; and not in one particular only, but in every particular, thereby forfeiting irretrievably all the stipulated blessings, and incurring all the curses thereof. That covenant having been finally annulled (done away, 2 Corinthians 3:11; Hebrews 10:9, etc.), there remains now, of all the covenants ever made by God with a people in this world, none but the everlasting covenant, or new covenant, whereof Jesus Christ is the Guarantor (Surety, Hebrews 7.22), who fulfills all the conditions of perfect obedience, even unto death; and is also the Mediator (Hebrews 9:15; 12:24); which covenant was, as we have seen, sealed with His own blood. Therefore, as regards God’s covenants with that earthly people, Israel after the flesh, the matter stands thus: the conditional promises thereof were all nullified by their breach of covenant; whereas the unconditional promises were all fulfilled to them, to the last detail, through Moses and Joshua; and God, moreover has caused that fact to be plainly recorded, as we shall presently see. Let us now notice briefly some of the records made by Moses concerning the covenant under which the Israelites entered into possession of the land that God had sworn to their fathers to give them: A very comprehensive prophecy is found in Numbers 33:55–56, where God plainly says, through Moses, that in case they should fail to drive out the inhabitants of the land, as He had repeatedly commanded them to do, then as a first consequence, those that were permitted to remain should become pricks in their eyes and thorns in their sides; and Moreover, it shall come to pass that I shall do unto you as I thought to do unto them; and what He purposed as to those idolatrous nations was their national extermination and their expulsion from that land. This prophecy concerning the earthly Israel has been completely fulfilled (Philip Mauro has written this book before 1948 and he was not aware of the fact that God would allow Judah to return to Israel. He was also not aware of the restoration of the nation and state of Israel in 1948. This caused him to believe that God had no plans to restore Israel whatsoever. He was just mentioning what was the current situation regarding the nation of Israel at the time of writing this book). Deuteronomy 4:1: Here is a summary of the covenant. They were to hearken always to God’s statutes and judgments; and, upon that express condition, they were to go in and possess the land. Every blessing mentioned in this book is made to depend upon that same condition. This chapter lays special emphasis upon the Second Commandment (verses 15–24); for it was because of the breaking of that commandment that the Sinaitic covenant had been nullified; and now God proclaims to the whole nation, and makes it a matter of record, what would certainly be the penal consequences to them if they should break this substituted covenant. And not only so, but He confirms His word with a solemn oath, saying, I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed (verse 26) (this did happen with the 10 northern tribes during the conquest of the northern kingdom by the Assyrians in 721 BC). Will God fulfill His word? Shall heaven and earth bear witness that He did not mean what He said? Careful note should be taken of the promise of mercy (verses 29–30) which should be fulfilled to them if, when scattered among the heathen (verses 27–28), any of them should turn to the Lord: If from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all they heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come upon thee, if thou turn to the Lord thy God and shalt be obedient unto His voice. This is the promise of the gospel of Christ. It is repeated in Isaiah 55:7 (the sure mercies of David, Isaiah 55:3, Acts 13:34); and is recalled by Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:16. It is the one and only hope for the natural Israelite, as for all mankind. The conditions are, turn to the Lord (i.e., repent) and be obedient to His voice (obey the gospel by coming in faith to Jesus Christ). Especially is it to be noted that this promise is to the individual, there being no collective promise for the nation as a whole. This is the mercy of the everlasting covenant which God had sworn to their fathers (verse 31). Thus it stands in the Word of God. But compare this with the now current system of teaching, according to which God will bring the Israelites in a body again after the day of gospel salvation is ended, to Palestine in unbelief; and will there convert the entire nation, not by faith, but by the sight of Jesus Christ standing on the Mount of Olives! The above quoted warning and oath of God that He would, in the event of their lapse into disobedience and idolatry, destroy them from off the land, was never revoked or modified, that I can find; but on the contrary, it was reiterated again and again. Deuteronomy 6:14–15. Ye shall not go after other gods of the people which are round about you … lest the anger of the Lord be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth (or land). Deuteronomy 7:1–3: Here they are forbidden to make any covenants with the Canaanites and to intermarry with them (they subsequently did both); the penalty for disobedience being stated thus: So will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly (verse 4). For while He keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments, yet He repayeth them that hate Him to their face, to destroy them (verses 9–10). Deuteronomy 8:1–18: This chapter is of capital importance. In it Moses charges the children of Israel to remember all God’s dealings with them in Egypt and in the wilderness, saying: Otherwise it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods and serve them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which, the Lord destroyed before your face, so shall ye perish, because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God. Here God declares explicitly the completeness of their destruction as a nation. It was to be such as obliterated those nations which the Lord had destroyed before their face. Can it be supposed He did not mean this? And if He meant it, how can anyone maintain, in the face of so clear a statement, the doctrine of a national restoration for Israel? Furthermore, the form of this tremendously impressive warning, Ye shall surely perish, is like that given to Adam, Thou shalt surely die. But in the case of Adam, God’s enemy, the father of lies, raised a question concerning the Divine utterance; Yea, hath God said? With this example and its disastrous consequences in mind, we should be suspicious as to the source of the doctrine which declares, concerning the nation of Israel, that, it shall not perish, but that, on the contrary, it is to be not only saved, but also is to be exalted to the place of supremacy among and over the nations of the world. Deuteronomy 11:1–9: Moses here recalls God’s judgments upon Pharaoh, his land and his army; also His judgments upon Dathan and Abiram; and he admonishes the people of Israel to be warned thereby, and to keep the commandments of the Lord, that ye may prolong your days in the land. (Over and over Moses declares that God was giving them that land solely because He had promised their fathers He would do so; and that their continued possession of it depended upon their obedience and fidelity). And again, in this same chapter, Moses bids them take heed, that: Ye turn not aside and serve other gods and worship them; and then the Lord’s wrath be kindled against you … and ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you (verses 16–17). And at verses 26–28 we read the choice God presented to them: Behold, a blessing and a curse! A blessing, if ye obey … a curse, if ye obey not. Then how about those that obey not the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:7–9)? Then follow a number of chapters (12–26) containing the statutes and judgments, they were to obey as the condition of their remaining in possession of the land and enjoying God’s favor and blessing therein; and in chapter 24:14–26 are twelve several curses which, after they should have entered the land of Canaan, the Levites were to recite, as coming upon those who should sin against the Lord; and to each curse all the people were to respond, Amen. Then in the following chapter (28) is the solemn declaration that, if they would not hearken and obey, All these curses shall come upon thee … until thou be destroyed (verses 15–20). And then, after the recital of a long list of the appalling evils that were to overtake them, Moses says: “Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee … and He shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until He have destroyed thee” (verses 47–48). This was fulfilled in the Roman oppression of Israel, iron being the symbol of the Roman Empire (Daniel 2:40; 7:7). And then follows (verses 50–67) that marvelously exact and vividly descriptive prophecy, which God gave through Moses, of the final siege and destruction of Jerusalem, the horrors of which were to be unsurpassed in all history; which prophecy ends with this prediction (verses 63–67): And it shall come to pass that, as the Lord rejoiced over you to do good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth unto the other … And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest, etc. This is their condition at the present time; and it should be noted that in this same chapter Moses says concerning all these curses that they shall be upon thee, for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed forever (verse 46). Deuteronomy 29:1: Here we learn that the covenant under which the Israelites were given possession of the land of Canaan was not, as appears to be commonly supposed at the present time, the covenant of Sinai (and we have already seen that that covenant said not a word about their possession of any earthly territory). For here we read: These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. And this is followed by a further warning that the breach of this latter covenant would be punished by an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah; that is, an irrecoverable ruin (verse 23). Deuteronomy 30:1–10: And it shall come to pass when all these things come upon thee — so it was all to happen and what then? Special heed should be given to this chapter, because here is where mercy is promised them; and here are stated the conditions on which they may obtain it, after they should have been destroyed as a nation, plucked from off their land, and scattered among all the nations of the earth. First there is the promise of a return from captivity if, among the nations whither the Lord should have driven them, they should return unto the Lord thy God (verse 2). Then follows a passage (verses 11–14), which is quoted in part by Paul in Romans 10:6–10, and concerning which he says that the word, there spoken by Moses, is the word of faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Thus we find that the very last hope of mercy that is held out through Moses to that disobedient and gainsaying people, to whom God says I have stretched out my hands all the day long, is the one hope of the gospel of Christ. Verses 15–20 (of Deuteronomy 30) are intensely solemn, and their meaning is so plain it would be like charging God with trifling (as scoffers make light of His warnings concerning hell and eternal torment) to say that this pledge, which God calls heaven and earth to witness, does not mean exactly what it says. Again we have the plain statement; If thine heart turn away … ye shall surely perish, and shall not prolong your days in the land. Deuteronomy 31:15–21: God now appears to Moses and plainly tells Him that this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of strangers, and will forsake Me, and break My Covenant. And My anger shall be kindled against them. Therefore He commanded Moses to teach them that remarkable prophetic song, which witnessed beforehand what they would do, and what was to befall them. For, says God, I know their imagination even now, before I have brought them into the land (21). To this Moses adds (verses 27–30) that he knew their rebellion even while he was with them; And how much more, he asks, after my death? For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and evil will befall you in the latter days (and no subsequent recovery is hinted at; though surely, if such a thing were to be, it would appear here). Deuteronomy 32: Here is the song which bears so clear a testimony against them. Note the following points: They have corrupted themselves; they are a perverse and crooked generation (5): Remember all that the Lord did for them (7–14); But — how they requited Him; and then, what He will do because thereof: I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be (20). A fire is kindled in Mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, etc. (22). Threats of vengeance are found in verses 23–26; and there is the declaration that, were it not that their adversaries would be gratified thereby; God would have made the remembrance of them to cease from among men (26). In verses 28–42 we find more of what was laid up in store for them, and sealed up among God’s treasures (of wrath — see Romans 2:5; Job 14:14; Jeremiah 2:22). Their foot shall slide in due time (34–35). Finally He lifts up His hand to heaven and swears a great oath of vengeance against all enemies (40–42). Verse 21 is especially significant because of the prophetic reference therein to that new nation which was eventually to displace the natural Israel (see Romans 10:9). And the last verse of all is most important in the light of the interpretation the Holy Spirit has given through the apostle Paul: Rejoice, O ye nations with His people. This is a promise of the gospel to the Gentiles, to whom Paul was made the special messenger of God (Romans 15:10). Paul had already shown (11:7) that His people was not the nation of Israel in its entirety, but only that part of it (the remnant according to the election of grace) which He foreknew; with which remnant the saved from among the Gentiles were to be incorporated; thus forming the true Israel of God, represented by the good olive tree. Thus it has been foreseen of God, from the beginning of the earthly Israel, that the only hope of the natural Israelite at this stage of human history is to believe in Jesus Christ and be grafted into their own olive tree. What better thing could be desired for them? What the Apostles Were Looking For It is appropriate we should take notice in this connection of the fact that the apostles of Christ, and they who follow their teaching, were (and are) looking for the very same things which were in the vision of the fathers of Israel; for as Peter — writing to them that have obtained like precious faith with us (the apostles of Christ) says:24 “We, according to His promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). Thus the outlook of the true Israel of God, that holy nation which is, and always was, composed only of those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (Romans 4:16), was ever the same. And it was, as we should expect, a radically different outlook from that of the degenerate and apostate Jews, who looked for an age (or dispensation as it is now called) of earthly glory for the reconstituted Jewish nation; an age in which that nation will occupy the place of dominance over the Gentiles. Manifestly Peter could not have written the above quoted verse if he had held the now current doctrine of a millennium of earthly greatness for the Jewish nation. Indeed the entire chapter bears strong testimony against that doctrine. The general subject of the chapter is the promise of His coming (verse 4); and its special purpose is to warn the Lord’s people of what would seem to them a long delay in His second coming and to assure them that the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some would regard it, but that the reason for the seeming delay was because of the long suffering of God, and of His desire that not any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (verses 3–9). To all who give due attention to this passage it must surely be evident that what is immediately to follow this day of salvation for all men is the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men (verse 7), the day of the Lord (verse 10), the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat (verse 12). Manifestly, if this present day of salvation were to be followed by a day of glory, peace and prosperity for the earth, a day in which the entire Jewish nation and other nations as well, are to be saved, there would be no long suffering and mercy in prolonging the Savior’s absence; but just the reverse. The apostle’s reason for the delay is valid only if the return of the Lord is to usher in the Day of Judgment, and if it coincides with the coming of the day of God. The apostle reminds us that the world that existed in the time of Noah, being overflowed with water, perished; and goes on to say that, the heavens and earth which are now … are kept in store — not for a thousand years of peace and plenty, but — reserved unto fire (verse 7). In verse 10 he warns us, as do other Scriptures (Matthew 24:42; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; Revelation 16:15), that our Lord’s coming will take the world by surprise; and he couples the warning with information which shuts out all possibility of a millennial dispensation to follow His coming; for the apostle says: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” And then he admonishes us as to what our conversation (manner of life) ought to be in view of the imminence of these exterminating judgments; and that we should be looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat (verse 12). Manifestly it is impossible that we should be looking for and more so that we should be hasting unto, the coming of that day, if a millennial age is to intervene. This passage in Second Peter is referred to again in a coming chapter. Erroneous Teaching Concerning the Sinaitic Covenant Dr Charles W Rankin, President of the Fundamentalist College in Shanghai, China, calls attention in a recently published booklet to the grievous doctrine of the leading Dispensationalists concerning the Law of God which He gave the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Dr. Rankin cites several notes on Exodus 19:3 in the popular Scofield Reference Bible, referred to above, which state that: The law was not imposed until it had been proposed and voluntarily accepted; Also the note on Genesis 12: The dispensation of Promise ended when Israel rashly accepted the law (Exodus 19:8). And Dr. Rankin comments as follows: In other words, God did not intend the Mosaic Law to be accepted by the Jews, the Jews rashly accepted it, — did something God did not want them to do. Therefore God did not intend the Mosaic Law to be a part of the Bible. He merely proposed it to the Jews, of course not desiring them to do a rash thing and accept it, and so it was the Jews who put it into the Bible by their rash action. It was not even put into the Bible by human but was put in by will when acting rashly. Therefore having thus by man’s rash action of course improperly come into the Bible, the Mosaic Law cannot truly be a part of the Bible. Accordingly, put it out. This is the logic of the teaching of these Premillennialist leaders. And there can be no escape from this logical destruction of the Pentateuch under their teaching. To the extent of striking at the authority of the Mosaic Law, no Modernism could be worse. Moreover it is the most aggravated impiety and irreverence to teach that God having proposed to men a covenant, a Law, that they could act rashly in giving heed to His proposition and accepting it. God had just led the Jews out of Egypt by the strength of His mighty arm. They were not in a position from any standpoint to make law for themselves, and moreover, the Mosaic Law was not only the necessary State law for the Jewish nation which God Himself was to govern, but it was a revelation from God of Himself, of His moral law, and of His plans both for Jew and Gentile. It contains the prophecies of the coming Messiah, the Ten Commandments, the Levitical System typifying the Atonement of Christ. The Mosaic Code is the foundation for the entire Bible. And God led the Jews to Sinai to receive His Law. Under most sublime and awe-inspiring conditions was Moses called up into the mount to receive it for them. And he was commanded to teach it to them (Exodus 24:12). Moreover, it was the duty of the Jews to receive it (Deuteronomy 4:13–14). The Mosaic Law was God’s commands, — was His Law. And had the Jews failed willingly to accept it, this would simply have been rebellion. Beyond all question, when God offered to the children of Israel the covenant of Sinai, it was with the intention that they should accept it and faithfully observe it; and beyond all question, the law He gave them at the beginning of their history as a nation has been an unspeakable blessing to them, with incidentaRead more

What the Fathers Of Israel Were Looking For “Faith is the substance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1) We turn back now to the Old Testament Scriptures for the purpose of ascertaining what is foretold there — in concerning the future of the Israelitish people, and particularly what, if any, indications they contain as to the restoration of their national greatness in a yet future day. And first we direct our attention to the patriarchal era, in order to learn what it was that the fathers of Israel were taught of the Lord to anticipate for themselves and their posterity. This is the proper place to begin our inquiry; for we recall that when Paul was arraigned before King Herod Agrippa by his infuriated fellow countrymen, because he preached a hope for Israel radically different from that held and taught by them and their rabbis, he declared that he was judged for the hope of the promise made of God to our fathers. And he went on to say that God’s promise to the fathers was the true hope of all Israel — our twelve tribes (Acts 26:6–7). It is written that faith is the substance of things hoped for. If, therefore, we know what a man is hoping for, we know what he believes. The faith of Jesus Christ is that on which is founded the hope of the gospel (Colossians 1:23); and there is just the one hope for all men (Ephesians 4:4) because there is but one gospel (and never was, or will be, another gospel (Galatians 1:6–9). The hope of the gospel has ever been the coming of Him who should bruise the serpent’s head, and who should be Himself bruised in the deadly conflict; Him who by death should destroy him, that had the power of death, the Devil. It is fitting that the faith of Abraham should have a large space in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews; for Abraham is the father of all them that believe (Romans 4:11). That chapter does not state what the gospel was that God preached unto Abraham (Galatians 3:8); but it tells what the effect thereof was upon his life and conduct, and what his hope was, that is, what he was looking for. It is recorded that By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange (or foreign) country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise (verse 9). And verse 10 gives the explanation — For he looked (literally was waiting for) the (not a) city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God. Mention is made also of Sarah’s faith, which was also an important factor in the accomplishment of the purposes of God, and who is herself a type of that heavenly city upon which Abraham’s hope was fixed … the Jerusalem which is above, which is the mother of us all (Galatians 4:26). And further, it is expressly declared that Isaac and Jacob were co-heirs with Abraham of the same promise (verse 9). And then, concerning those four — Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Sarah, to whom the promises were directly given, we have this illuminating testimony: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off; and were persuaded (fully convinced) of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city (verses 13–16). This gives us clearly to know, first that the promises exerted a mighty influence over those to whom they were first given, (proving that their faith in what God had spoken was real and unwavering); and second, that the nature of the promises was such as to turn their thoughts entirely away from the earth, and to raise in their hearts the expectation of a country better than the very best of earth (showing that the promises themselves were spiritual and heavenly in character). For those promises had the effect of making even the land of promise itself to be to them as a foreign country. For while the land of Canaan was indeed promised to Abraham’s natural seed, that promise never was the hope of Israel. The hope of the gospel which God preached to Abraham was of such a nature that it caused him, and those who were the heirs with him of the same promise, to declare themselves strangers and pilgrims on the earth. As will be more fully shown in subsequent chapters, God’s promise that He would bring Abraham’s descendants into that land was punctually fulfilled. For it is recorded in the Book of Joshua that the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which He sware unto their fathers to give them, and they possessed it, and dwelt therein — There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord hath spoken unto the house of Israel (Joshua 21:43–45). But the possession of that land by later generations was forfeited through disobedience, apostasy, and idolatry, even as Moses and Joshua foretold; and, in consequence of their complete repudiation of Jehovah their God, they were plucked off the land (Deuteronomy 28:63–64; Joshua 12:13). And thus was fulfilled the prophetic allegory of Abraham’s family history, according to which the bondwoman and her son, representing Israel after the flesh, were to be cast out (Galatians 4:30); which is the end of their history as a nation. It was not until centuries of time had passed, not until faith had vanished from among the children of Israel, not until the true spiritual and eternal character of the promises had faded out of sight, and fleshly lusts had taken the place of heavenly hopes and longings, that there arose among the natural seed of Abraham the ruinous doctrine that the hope of Israel was an earthly thing. That doctrine was the product of degenerate times. It was tenaciously held and zealously propagated by the scribes, Pharisees, rabbis and lawyers of first century Judaism — that generation of vipers; and it wrought in them such devilishness that they eagerly carried out the will of their father, the devil (Matthew 23:33; John 8:44) in compassing the crucifixion of the Lord of glory. Should we not therefore regard that odious doctrine with abhorrence and with fear? And should it not be a matter of anxious inquiry as to how it has arisen and spread itself among the true followers of Christ in these perilous times? And now we come to the grand climax of the passage we are examining, Hebrews 11. It is found in verse 16, where it is announced that the fathers of Israel desired a better country, that is an heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city; and from Revelation 21:2–3, we learn that He will dwell with them in that city forever. Here is truth of the highest importance and most practical character. These words give us the explanation of the fact that the Eternal God, the Almighty Creator, He who is infinite in power, wisdom and holiness, condescends to call Himself the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob (Exodus 3:6, 16; Matthew 22:32). There could not be a more emphatic assertion of the oneness of God’s elect, the true seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:7,29), and of the truly fundamental truth that there is just one hope, one common salvation for them all, whether by nature they be Jews or Gentiles. And there could not be a more impressive refutation of the erroneous doctrine — now current amongst certain groups of Christians — that the biblical hope of Israel is a thing of earthly place and dominion. This surely is another gospel, very difRead more

How Paul Interpreted Prophecies About Israel We shall be better prepared for an examination of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the hopeRead more

How To Interpret Old Testament Prophecies About Israel? The main purpose of this post is to bring clearly to view the important truth that in Scripture the contrast is not between the spiritual and the literal, but between the spiritual and the natural; for a passage of Scripture may refer, when taken “literally”, either to that which is natural or to that which is spiritual. In other words, the literal interpretation may call for a thing which exists in the realm of nature, or for the counterpart of that thing which exists in the realm of spiritual realities (1 Corinthians 15:46). It is of the utmost importance that this be understood; for the advocates of modern dispensationalism have wrought confusion, and have succeeded in giving plausibility to many misinterpretations of Scripture, by first taking for granted (erroneously, as will be herein shown) that a “literal” interpretation necessarily calls for something material or natural, and by then insisting strenuously that all prophecies which refer to Israel, Jerusalem, Zion, etc., should be interpreted “literally”. It will not be difficult to show that this is a thoroughly unsound principle of interpretation, that it is based upon a false premise, and that its application has made havoc of many prophecies. For example, those expositors who think the Bible teaches us to expect hereafter a millennium of earthly bliss, a golden age of worldwide peace and plenty, during which the Jewish nation will be reconstituted and will have the place of headship over a world occupied by God-fearing and peace-loving Gentiles, base that expectation upon certain Old Testament prophecies which, they think, are to be fulfilled “literally”; and since they cannot possibly be fulfilled in that manner during this era of the Gospel, there must needs be an age to come of an entirely different character from this day of gospel salvation. This argument, however, is utterly fallacious, because based upon a false premise. Those who make use of it take for granted that in order to interpret a prophecy “literally” its fulfillment must be located in the realm of nature, and not in the spiritual realm. Thus they assume that the “literal” interpretation is in contrast with the “spiritual” interpretation thereof; and they denounce and repudiate what they refer to disparagingly as “the spiritualizing” of the prophecies. Undoubtedly our natural bias is in favor of the so-called “literal” interpretation of the prophecies in question; for to the natural man the things that are seen are the real things; and to that view we are disposed to cling tenaciously, notwithstanding the plain teaching of the New Testament that the seen things are but the fleeting shadows of things unseen, the latter being the spiritual and eternal realities with which the promises of future blessing have mainly to do. For the New Testament Scriptures state, in the most unambiguous language, that the seed of Abraham, to whom all the promises of God belong, are those who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:7, 29; 2 Corinthians 1:20). Further, in the New Testament it is plainly revealed that, even as Abraham had two sons (which might make it uncertain whether the descendants of Ishmael or those of Isaac were to inherit the promises) so likewise there is a natural Israel, Zion and Jerusalem and also a spiritual counterpart of each; and that just as Ishmael preceded in time the true heir (though eventually he was to be cast out and not to be heir with the son of the free woman) even so the natural Israel, Zion, and Jerusalem preceded the respective spiritual realities to which those names properly belong. For God’s invariable order of procedure, in the working out of His eternal purposes, is first — that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:46). If, therefore, an Old Testament prophecy of blessing, intended for the true Israel (that holy nation of 1 Peter 2:9), be interpreted as applying to Israel after the flesh, the interpretation is not “literal” (i.e., according to the letter) except in the sense in which the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life (2 Corinthians 3:6); for obviously in this case the “literal” interpretation destroys the prophecy completely. And it is specially to be noted that, in the passage from which this Scripture is quoted, Paul is explaining the great differences between the Old Covenant (which was of the letter) and the New Covenant (of the Spirit); and moreover, he is comparing the ministry of Moses, which had to do with things that are seen (an earthly sanctuary and its vessels of service, animal sacrifices, etc.), with the ministry of himself and others whom God had made able ministers of the New Covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit. Also it should be noted that the apostle there speaks of the Old Covenant (under which promises were made to the natural Israel) as that which is done away; whereas the New Covenant is that which remaineth, that is, abideth eternally (verse 11). From this Scripture alone it is evident (and the same truth is set forth at greater length in Galatians 4:21–31 and Hebrews 8–10) that all future promises of glory and blessing for Israel and Zion must belong to the true Israel and the heavenly Zion. And, in this very passage, we are admonished to look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen (4:18); which admonition, however, is habitually disregarded in the interpretation of prophecies relating to these very subjects. We ask the reader specially to note that in the above quoted passage, the apostle speaks of the old covenant as that which is done away (verse 11), that which is abolished (verse 13). This shows that the old covenant, under which the earthly nation of Israel had been constituted, was already, in Paul’s day, a thing of the past. Evidently then our difficulty in understanding prophecies of the class referred to above is due to our lack of faith and our spiritual dullness. For, in respect to the things which are not seen, faith takes the place of sight; for faith has to do solely with things not visible to the natural eye; and hope likewise, for hope that is seen is not hope (Romans 8:24). Wherefore it is written that, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen; and through faith we understand (Hebrews 11:1, 3). Hence, to understand the prophecies it is necessary, and vitally necessary, that we believe the revelations of the New Testament; that we accept as “literally” true that there is now, at this present time, a realm of spiritual realities, into which our risen Lord is actually entered, and we in Him; that the substance of things hoped for is there, not here; and specially that God’s purposes concerning His City, Temple and People are being fulfilled at this very time, in that spiritual realm, though the natural eye cannot see what is going on there. The writer of these lines can testify from experience that, by the simple process of believing what is written in the New Testament concerning the actual present existence, among the things not seen, of the true Zion, of the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem, of the holy nation which is a royal priesthood, and of other spiritual realities, the main difficulty in the understanding of the Old Testament prophecies which speak of a glorified state of the things named above, vanishes away. An Illustration from Zechariah Zechariah is one of the books that is frequently referred to as containing prophecies which await a “literal” fulfillment in a future dispensation. Zechariah, with Haggai, prophesied during the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple, after the return from Babylon of some of the deported Israelites; at which time the elders of the Jews builded and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo (Ezra 6:14). But, as all are agreed, the prophet looks beyond what those men were building, to a temple and a city that were to be far more glorious. He records the word of the Lord concerning Zion: For, Lo I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day and shall be My people; and I will dwell in the midst of thee (2:10–11). And the prophet goes on to speak of a priest, Joshua, who was clothed at first in filthy garments, but to whom it was said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment (3:3–4). This Joshua and his fellows were to be men wondered at; for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch. For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua (verses 8–9). There is no difficulty in recognizing in this passage a prophecy of the coming of Christ as the Branch of Jehovah and as the Foundation Stone of the true Temple of God; for Peter (quoting a similar prophecy by Isaiah) writes to those who have been redeemed … by the precious blood of Christ, saying: Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious; and he had just said in the preceding verse, Ye also, as living stones are being built up, a spiritual house, an holy priesthood — as typified by Joshua’s change of garments — to offer up spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2:5–6). Thus by Peter’s application of the prophecy we are given plainly to understand that it relates to spiritual things, and that it is now being fulfilled in the spiritual realm. It will greatly help us in our efforts to understand the class of prophecies above referred to, if we give due heed to the facts stated in the above quotation from Peter (and stated also in Hebrews 12:22–24, and in the Epistle to the Ephesians, as pointed out below) that God’s Spiritual house is in course of erection now, that it is being built in Zion, and that believers in Jesus Christ are living stones therein, and are also a royal priesthood. Zechariah refers again (6:12–15) to the Man whose name is The BRANCH, and who shall build the temple of the Lord; and says of Him that He shall bear the glory, and He shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne. None will dispute, in the light of New Testament Scriptures, that this prophecy is being fulfilled now (Hebrews 2:9; 8:1, etc.). And the prophet goes on to say that crowns shall be given also to certain men, whom he names, and that they that are far off (a scriptural designation of Gentiles, see Acts 2:39 and Ephesians 2:13), shall come and build in the temple of the Lord. Furthermore, in Zechariah 9:9 we have the familiar passage: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion …behold, thy King cometh unto thee; and we know to a certainty, from Luke 19:38, that that prophecy was fulfilled when Christ came to Jerusalem to die for our salvation. In Zechariah 13:7–9 the atoning death of Christ is foretold in the words, Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My Fellow, saith the Lord of hosts. Smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered (see Matthew 26:31). And what was to follow as regards the Jewish people is foretold in these words: And it shall come to pass that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts shall be cut off, and die; but the third part shall be left therein. And in agreement with this, the two great parties, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, were cut off; but a third part, the disciples of Christ, were left. And as to these, the prophecy goes on to say: And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined (see 1 Peter 1:6 and 4:12); they shall call on My Name and I will hear them. I will say, It is My people; and they shall say, The Lord is My God (see Romans 11:1–2). Moreover, the apostle Paul declares the same truth concerning the building of God’s true temple now as declared by Peter. He makes known that those who believe in Jesus Christ are even now quickened together with Christ, — and raised up together, and made to sit together (i.e., on thrones) in heavenly places (Zion) in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:5–6); which plainly declares that we live and reign with Christ even now. This indeed is not perceived with the natural eye or realized in our conscious experience. Nevertheless it is true, and this truth is developed in Chapter 20 of this volume. And furthermore, in the immediate context, Paul also declares the companion truth revealed by Peter, namely that the saints of this era, Gentiles as well as Jews, are being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth into an holy temple in the Lord (verses 20–21). The expression in that day occurs about twenty times in the book of Zechariah; and, as a judicious commentator says, “It is a synonym for the great Messianic hope.” The first of these occurrences we have nations shall be joined to the Lord quoted, And many in that day (2:11). What was that day then, is this day now; for now is the day of salvation; and all the prophets from Samuel … as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days (Acts 3:24). And so, when Zechariah says (13:1) In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness, we understand clearly that he is foretelling the cross of Christ; as very plainly appears from verse 7, Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My Fellow, saith the Lord of hosts; smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. Further reference to the prophecies of Zechariah will be found in Chapter 10, The New Covenant. Enough has been said, however, to make evident that the prophecies of Zechariah referred to above, and hence other prophecies of like character as well, relate to things spiritual and have their fulfillment in this present era of grace. But it will be profitable to follow a little further the subject of the building of God’s true temple. So we recall that, at our Lord’s first visit to Jerusalem, when He had driven the traffickers out of the temple which Herod had built and which was one of the wonders of the world; and when the onlookers demanded of Him what sign He could give in proof of His authority to do those things, He answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up (John 2:19). The Jews understood this “literally”; that is to say, they took it as applying to that building of material stones which stood on Mount Moriah; and had the record stopped there, it would doubtless be insisted by some in our day that that great edifice, which has been meanwhile destroyed so completely that not one stone remains upon another, is to be miraculously restored in the coming millennium. But, to the end that we should not be misled and also that we might have a key to the interpretation of prophetic utterances of this sort, the Spirit caused John to insert the explanatory note. But He spake of the Temple of His Body. This is just one of the many, seemingly casual, indications scattered throughout the Scriptures, that God’s promises are to be fulfilled and His purposes are to be accomplished in the resurrection; that is to say, in the new creation. Again, at a subsequent visit to Jerusalem, at the season of one of the feasts, In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, If any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink, he — in other words, both eastward and westward — in summer and in winter shall it be — that is, all the year round. In the light of John’s explanation, we understand, therefore, that our Lord was foretelling, not some extraordinary physical phenomenon, which was to happen in a far off millennial age, but the then approaching era of the Holy Spirit, when there was to be an outflow of the gospel, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven (1 Peter 1:12), both eastward and westward from Jerusalem. Thus both the place whence (Jerusalem) and the time when (in that day) those living waters were to begin to flow out into all the world, both summer and winter, are plainly foretold in Zechariah’s prophecy. Further explanations of the prophecies concerning the outflow of living waters from the Temple at Jerusalem will be found below in connection with a discussion of Ezekiel’s temple and of the question, Where did the Spirit descend at Pentecost? And again let it be noted that these explanations put us in possession of the general principle upon which all prophecies of the same sort should be interpreted. They harmonize fully with all other indications contained in the Scriptures; making it abundantly plain that all the prophecies of future glory and blessing for Israel, Zion and Jerusalem, pertain to that holy nation (1 Peter 2:9) the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), and to that heavenly Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to which we already are come (Hebrews 12:22). Therefore, for the above, and for other reasons set forth elsewhere in this volume, the writer reaches the conclusion that we are to look for the fulfillment of the prophecies in question — not to another age than this, but — to another locality; namely, to that spiritual realm, which Paul designates the heavenlies; where our Lord is gone to prepare a place for us, where the true temple is now in course of erection, and where already exists the Jerusalem which is above, which is the mother of us all (Galatians 4:26). The idea of a future dispensation for the fulfillment of prophecies on the earth, abounds in difficulties, and moreover it contradicts many passages of Scripture; whereas the idea of another locality, a spiritual and heavenly realm where those prophecies are in course of fulfillment now, is free from all difficulty, and has, moreover, the support of many New Testament Scriptures. Concerning that now existing realm of unseen things enough is said in the Scriptures to make known that it is a region of great activity; that the principalities and powers therein are numerous and mighty angels and demons, good spirits and evil — and hence we must infer that there are happenings there which are of immense importance and significance. For example, we read: There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels (Revelation 12:7). Also, that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). In this connection it were well to recall that the title of the last book of the Bible, The Apocalypse, means the unveiling; that is to say, the taking away of the Veil that normally separates the realm of spiritual things from that of natural things. That title indicates that the visions described in the book of Revelation bring into view things and happenings in the spiritual realm, whereof, except for this unveiling, we should be wholly unaware. And when we come to Chapter 20, where is found the only reference in the Bible to the millennium — the thousand years — the language of the inspired writer makes it evident that the happenings of the millennium are part of the history of the spirit realm. This will be shown in the last chapter of this volume. It follows that all effort to find a place for those happenings in theRead more

What About the Jews and Judaism? When it comes to all the questions about the Jews, Judaism, and the end-times doctrines we need to carefully check and study the Scriptures to get ourselves updated on Judaism and the place and the role that Israel takes and plays today and will play in the future regarding end times prophecies. When you study the Scriptures, you will be stunned when you realize how wrong most past predictions were about this subject. As with any other topic or subject or Biblical doctrine that people study, many people try to adapt and interpret the Scriptures in such a way that it supports their end-time doctrines and not the other way around. People who really study the Scriptures are very aware of the fact that numerous Scriptures contradict so many erroneous interpretations but yet, as with so many other doctrines, people just keep on believing and teaching false end-time doctrines whilst ignoring and rejecting any corrections. Is Israel still the chosen nation of God? Will Israel and the Jews play a role in end-time events? Is there really going to be a millennial reign when Jerusalem will be the capital of the world? Is Judaism still relevant? Did Christianity really replace Judaism? In this post and the rest of this series, we take a look at what the Bible really says about all these questions. This is done by Philip Maoro, who proves his view on this subject thoroughly and decisively. After you have read this post and the rest of the series, you will have no doubt about the real situation regarding these questions and the spiritual place and situation of physical Israel. P. Mauro thoroughly investigated these questions in the Scriptures and he thoroughly gave the Scriptural proof of his findings. Let’s dig into it: “Not giving heed to Jewish fables” (Titus 1:14) Fables (literally, myths) are no new thing. Paul has plainly warned the household of faith not to give heed thereto. He has not given us a list of those grievous heresies, but it is well known that the one that was most fondly cherished, and that constituted the gravest menace to the truth of the gospel was the notion that the leading purpose of the mission of the coming Messiah would be the reconstitution of the Jewish nation and its elevation to the highest pinnacle of earthly dominion and glory; for that fatuous doctrine was the cornerstone of orthodox Judaism in Paul’s day; and because of his sturdy opposition to it he was persecuted, his enemies plotted to take his life, and he was sent a prisoner to Rome. No wonder that, during the term of his imprisonment there, he wrote to Titus his plain-spoken warning against Jewish fables. Such being the case, we question if there be anything in all the long history of Christianity that is more difficult to account for than the fact that that particular fable, concerning the purpose of Christ’s mission to the Jewish people, has become the central feature of a system of doctrine which, in this the 20th century of our era has found numerous and zealous advocates amongst orthodox Christians. In view of this extraordinary phenomenon, it surely behooves those who take the Holy Scriptures as their guide and instructor in all matters of faith and doctrine, to search them with the utmost care whether these things be so. This present volume is the result of a painstaking investigation of that important question. The investigation of that question leads inevitably to the subject of the Millennium, and it is believed the reader will find, in the last chapter of the present volume, something fresh upon that subject of perennial interest. Enough at this point to say that, as the author now sees it; the great question concerning the Millennium is not When? but Where? The writer seeks, at the very outset of this study, to impress the reader with the immense importance of the question we are about to examine. It is not merely a question of the true explanation of prophecies concerning the Jews, the Gentiles, and the Church of God, however so interesting and important these may be, for one may entertain mistaken ideas as to such matters without harmful consequences. But it is far otherwise with the question discussed in this volume; for the truth concerning the gospel of Christ and the salvation of man is involved in it. And especially, the work of the evangelization of the Jews (which, in the opinion of many, including the present writer, the coming again of the Lord awaits) is vitally affected by it. What lies directly in the path of our present inquiry is a system of doctrine which, though of recent origin is now widely accepted amongst strictly orthodox Christians, “Fundamentalists”, according to which doctrinal system the promise of God to Israel through their prophets was that the coming Messiah would restore the earthly kingdom of Israel, would give it a glory far surpassing that of the days of David and Solomon, and would exalt the Jewish nation to the place of supremacy over the nations of the world. The leading authority for this new system of teaching states it thus: “When Christ appeared to the Jewish people, the next thing in the order of revelation as it then stood should have been the setting up of the Davidic kingdom” (Scofield Reference Bible). We propose in the present volume to bring this radical statement to the test of Scripture; for it is subversive of the Christian faith, in that it removes the sacrifice of the Lamb of God from its central place in God’s eternal plan (Revelation 13:8). It cannot be that those who accept this radical doctrine realize what is involved in it. It is easy for the writer to believe this because he himself at one time accepted that doctrine without the faintest idea that it involved the denial of an important truth. But in the course of time, after a prolonged study of the Word of God, he was compelled to acknowledge, upon the testimony of the New Testament Scriptures (particularly that of the apostle Paul) that not only is the doctrine under consideration directly contrary to the Scriptures, but it is the setting up, for the benefit of a future generation of Jews, of another hope, different from the one hope of the gospel of Christ; that, in other words, it is another gospel, the very thing against which Paul utters that tremendously solemn warning of Galatians 1:8–9. Because of this, and because also of the great benefits that have followed the writer’s deliverance from the “strange” doctrine referred to above, he deems it a duty to all the household of faith to bring to their attention, by every available means, the true teaching of the Bible touching the future of the Jewish people. It is with a view to the performance of that duty that these pages are written. What then is the true and biblical “Hope of Israel”? To obtain a full answer to this question it is necessary that we search the Scriptures from beginning to end. But in order merely that we may have in mind a general idea of the answer while we pursue our study, it will suffice to refer to a few incidents in Paul’s ministry, as recorded in the last chapters of Acts. The subject is very prominent there, and indeed it was because of Paul’s views and his preaching in regard thereto that he was so furiously persecuted by the Jews, and was finally sent in chains to Rome. For we have his own testimony to the chief of the Jews at Rome, to whom when he had called them together, at he said: For this cause, therefore, have I called for you, to see you and to speak with you; because that, for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain (Acts 28:17–20). Inasmuch as what Paul had been preaching, both to the Jews and also to the Gentiles, was the gospel of Jesus Christ, and nothing else, it follows that the true hope of Israel is an essential part of that gospel; and therefore it is a matter regarding which we cannot afford to be mistaken. The above-quoted statement of Paul to the Jewish leaders at the imperial city is very illuminating. It shows, to begin with, that, whatever it was he had been preaching as the hope of Israel, it was something so contrary to the current Jewish notion thereof that it caused the people to clamor for his death (Acts 22:22), and led to his being formally accused before the Roman Governor as a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world (Acts 24:5). Had he been preaching what the Jews themselves believed to be, and what their rabbis had given them as, the true interpretation of the prophecies (namely, that God’s promise to Israel was a kingdom of earthly character which should have dominion over all the world) they would have heard him with intense satisfaction. But what Paul and all the apostles preached was, that what God had promised afore by His prophets in the Holy Scriptures was a kingdom over which Jesus Christ of the seed of David should reign in the resurrection, a kingdom which flesh and blood cannot inherit, a kingdom which does not clash with the duly constituted governments of this world, and one into which Gentiles are called upon in terms of perfect equality with Jews (Acts 13:23–34; Acts 17:2–3, 7; Romans 1:14; 14:17; 1 Corinthians 15:50; 1 Peter 1:12; cf. Luke 24:26). Thus the teaching of Christ and His apostles with respect to the vitally important subject of the Kingdom of God, the hope of Israel, came into violent collision with that of the leaders of Israel; and because of this He was crucified and they were persecuted. It was not a question then, any more than it is a question now, whether or not the prophets of Israel were the mouthpieces of God; for the Jewish rabbis, as well as Christ and His apostles, held firmly to the full inspiration of the scriptures of the prophets. It was solely a question then, as it is solely a question now, as to how those prophecies are to be understood – a question of interpretation. The Jewish teachers understood the scriptures, and still, interpret them, in what is now (wrongly) called the “literal” sense (i.e. that “Israel” is an earthly people, “Zion” an earthly locality, “Christ” an earthly conqueror, like David, etc.); but Paul declared, when speaking of Jesus Christ in one of their synagogues, that it was because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, that they have fulfilled them in condemning Him (Acts 13:27). And now, in concluding this preliminary chapter, let me impress it upon the reader’s mind that the choice presented to orthodox Christians today as to the interpretation of the prophecies concerning the hope of Israel lies between that held by the Jews of those days and that for which Christ was crucified and Paul was sent in chains to Rome. This will be clearly seen by all who consider, with open minds, the proofs given below. The question of the “literal” interpretation of the Old Testament prophecies will be discusseRead more

The Single Most Important Secret In Life The 10 Pillars of Spiritual Power Do you want to know how you can conquer this world and get rid of all the areas of concern that you have and beat all the challenges that you are experiencing in life? Do you want to know this seemingly elusive secret of life for which many people will give all that they have to obtain? Some people call this secret the foundation of power. Anyway, people reported that after they obtained this information and applied it in their lives, they were able to live a victorious life. They were able to change all their circumstances for the better. Without any exceptions. This secret put them above their circumstances and it enabled them to beat all sorts of challenges in their lives. Sicknesses and diseases, financial challenges, and many other unwanted or bad circumstances and situations. Christians, no matter how hard they tried, just could not succeed to live like this until they applied these principles in their lives. This is what people like John G Lake, Smith Wigglesworth, Kathryn Kuhlman, Maria Woodworth-Etter, and many other men and women of God applied in their lives and it caused most of them to succeed in many or all areas of their lives. It all depends on how you handle this secret. The pillars or secrets of power just work. It does not matter who applies it in his or her life. It just works and it works all the time. It has a hundred percent success rate. You apply it and it works. It always puts in place what it was designed or programmed to do. It empowers you and it gives you the abilities that you need to have power and authority. Nothing and nobody can stop you or prevent you from successfully applying the pillars of power in your life. It all depends on you because you are the only person that can cause these secret pillars of power not to work in your life. What are the pillars of power? First of all, before we discuss the pillars of spiritual power, we have to understand that we have to apply all the pillars of power if we want it to be successful in our lives. The first pillar or foundation or secret of power James 1: 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. This should be the foundation of our faith walk in Christ. The “basic” or “reasonable” religion that we all need to have in our lives is to live a holy life before God and to help people in need. This sounds so basic and insignificant but I promise you that this is the first foundation of a powerful, victorious, and holy life. Without this, you will have no power. If you don’t care for the needy in your life, and if you don’t abstain from worldly and sinful acts and lifestyles, you will fail. Another Scripture that confirms this foundation is 1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. When we do what is pleasing in the sight of God, we can ask Him whatever we want. If we don’t do what is pleasing to him, we cannot ask him whatever we want and we won’t possess spiritual authority and power. This Scripture emphasizes the fact that a holy life, separating ourselves from the world, being good to people, and helping people is the place where we all have to start. It is the most basic and reasonable religion or requirement that we all have to apply in our lives. If we cannot even apply the most basic requirement of our Christian faith or religion, we cannot and will not be successful in life. In Old Testament times, at some point, the nation of Israel wanted to experience God’s perpetual favor and blessings but they failed to do what God wanted them to do so they can experience that. Remember that the blessings of God are to live in peace, be healthy, and lack nothing. Not only did they fail to do what God wanted them to do, but, they actually used the wrong ways to achieve that. They fasted and prayed but this did not work because they did it completely wrong. The situation was quite serious and they started to complain to God about it. When they did, He gave them the most important secret that anybody can ever hear about this aspect of our faith-walk in Christ. It is definitely still valid today. This incident was recorded in the Book of Isaiah. In fact, Isaiah 58 is evident on how God changes His stance and His actions when we do the right things in our lives: Isaiah 58:1-12 (very important to read) 1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. 3. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. 4. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? 6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 8. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward. 9. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; 10. And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: 11. And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. As you can see in the above Scriptures, there is a direct correlation or connection between looking after the poor, feeding people that cannot afford the food that they need, clothing people who are naked, looking after widows and people in need, helping the sick, and our own health and financial prosperity. This is not only about our financial prosperity but also about our physical health. We are sick and we lack financial blessings because we do not look after the poor and the needy and the sick. We cannot ignore this if we want to experience God’s divine prosperity. It is not about financing churches and congregations, it is about looking after the poor, the needy, and the sick, and about living a holy life, separated from the sinful world. When we are obedient in this aspect, we become powerful. This is when we can ask God for whatever we want or desire, and this is when He does for us what He did for the Israelites. When we are obedient in this and please God with everything that we do, we are blessed, untouchable and we can ask Him for anything! Read more about this aspect at this link: Money! What a Babylonian Confusion! The second pillar or foundation or secret of power I think all of us have heard the “More of you God” or being “Hungry” or “Thirsty” for God “utterings” or “mutterings”. Now this sounds very spiritual or correct but this belief is in fact not doctrinally true. God gave Himself totally and completely to us. We have God living in our hearts, just as He promised. We have the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the (trinity) in His (Their) fullness and unlimited capacity in us. God cannot give us more of Him than He already gave us. To utter or mutter these “longings” or “desires” will make no difference. It is in fact wrong to do so. How can we ask Him for more after He already gave us all that He is or all that He has? After receiving something so amazing, this awesome God in his fullness, how can we say that we are still hungry and still thirsty? No, we do not need more of God. What we have already is unlimited. Something must be wrong here. What went wrong? Christians got stuck on Old Testament Scriptures about hunger and thirst for God. We heard songs about these concepts and we did not realize that when we sing from a New Testament heart, we are supposed to realize that those Old Testament longings were fulfilled when God satisfied our hunger and thirst through His Son Jesus Christ. In Matthew 5:6 we read the following: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. That hunger and thirst were satisfied on the cross when Jesus gave us His body (the bread of life) and the Holy Spirit (the living water). Jesus said that he who drinks of the water that He gives shall thirst no more: John 4: 10. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 13. Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water (from the well) shall thirst again: 14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. It is clear that once we have drunk the living water we shall never be thirsty again. Obviously, when we have eaten the bread of life, we shall never be hungry again. So what Jesus promised here is living water that will cause us to never thirst again but even more than that, it will be in us a well of living water springing up into everlasting life. We need to acknowledge this truth. When we FEEL hungry or thirsty for God, it means that we have areas in our lives that we failed to allow Him to possess. We do not need more of God, we have Him unlimited, we need to allow him to possess the areas that we fail to allow Him to possess. We belong to God and we owe Him our whole being and our whole life including all the areas of our existence. This does not mean our spirits only, it includes our souls and our bodies, and every aspect of our lives. When we do this, we will live a victorious life in Christ. This pillar or secret or foundational truth is very important. Give Him your all and see what happens in the deepest part of your being. You will feel the living water spring up and start flowing out of you. All these streams or rivers of waters are rivers of salvation, rivers of healings, rivers of power, rivers of deliverance, rivers of life, rivers of blessings. This is the power of God in action in your life and when these rivers of blessings flow out of you, you have the authority and power to change people’s lives. This is when the power in you helps other people to be set free. This is what we have in us. How can we be thirsty and hungry when we already have this amazing treasure in us? We hunger and thirst because we are ignorant. We do not know what we have and we do not act on what we have and we fail to allow God to reign over all the areas of our lives and we fail to allow God to work in us and through us. The secret is that if we know what is in us, we will go out, heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, set people free, and help people to follow Christ. Like Peter, who knew these truths, we will say; “what I have, I give to you, stand up and walk”. When we know this and when we act accordingly, we walk in power. The third pillar or foundation or secret of power If we want to succeed in life, we need to study the word of God. We need to spend some time in the word of God. To read the word of God is not enough. We need to study His word and we need to meditate on His word. We need to make the word of God such an integral part of our beings and existence just as Jesus did. Jesus Christ IS the Word. We need to be the word of God as well. We need to be like Jesus in all areas of our lives. The word of God needs to be like bricks permanently built and plastered securely in our hearts. When we follow Jesus Christ in this regard we become as He was on this earth. He said that He is sending us to do the same that He did. Just as the Father has sent me so I send you, Jesus said. We can only do that if we have renewed our minds. We renew our minds by understanding and accepting and applying the true word of God in our lives. This produces the faith that we need to be mature and powerful in our faith walk with Christ. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. When we have renewed our minds, we become powerful. When this happens, we can and will do what we read in Matthew 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. The word of God is undoubtedly one of the pillars or foundations or secrets of power. Without a strong faith that came through a thorough studying and meditation of the word of God, we will never have power in our lives. The fourth pillar or foundation or secret of power If we want to live and walk in the power of God, we need to practice the presence of God in us. This is not as complicated as people have made it before. It is one of the easiest of the foundational secrets of power and it does not take as much of an effort and time as we may think. Obviously, we need to talk to God and listen to God as often as possible but it does not stop there. A few times a day, stop and acknowledge Christ Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit in you. Just make yourself aware of this great and awesome power and presence in you. Of course, we know that God is omnipresent. Of course, we know that we praise, worship, and adore God on His throne. We submit ourselves to the one and only God on His everlasting throne from where He reigns over everything. But, just an awesome reality as this, is the fact that God is also in us. God in His totality and in His unlimited capacity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all living in us. This great power in us is the hope of Glory that Paul wrote about. We have a glorious God in us and that gives us awesome and powerful abilities. This is the great secret or mystery that the Bible talks about. Colossians 1:24-29 24. Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 25. Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28. Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29. Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. Christ in us is therefore one of the pillars of power. The Holy Spirit in us is also a pillar or secret of power, but, this reality in itself makes no difference except when we are aware of it and when we act on it. Most Christians are not even aware of this awesome truth. They ignore God in them as if He does not even exist. This is a great shame. This makes most Christians powerless. The church and Christian individuals are like a brand new red Ferrari with this awesome V12 powerful engine and they do not even know it. We are human beings in an iron-man suit. We are like a crane operator sitting in the control room operating this huge powerful crane that can lift and move the heaviest objects effortlessly. We have this amazing power in us. Jesus said that just as He was sent by the Father so He sends us to do the same things that He did. Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Mark 16:17-18 17. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18. They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. We cannot carry out Jesus’ instructions if we are not fully aware of this amazing power in us. We cannot carry it out if we don’t act on it. This is why we must constantly be aware of and constantly make ourselves aware of this great and mighty and awesome power in us. This is why we need to practice the presence of God in us. Without this, we won’t have power in our lives. The fifth pillar or foundation or secret of power The fifth secret or pillar of power is to regularly make loud and even public confessions about the realities and truths of the word of God. Each time that we make these declarations it strengthens us and builds faith in our hearts. It is very powerful when we combine it with the previous pillar of power. When we make ourselves aware of this awesome God in us, declarations such as “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me”, make a huge difference to our faith and our ability to act on the word of God. There are so many Scriptures that will help us to build us up spiritually by carrying out this foundational secret. This is Biblical. It is part of studying the word of God and meditating on the word of God. The more we repeat and declare the word of God the more the Bible truths become a reality to us. The Scripture that says that we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free is based on these foundations. The truth sets us free only if and after we thoroughly studied it and meditated on it (the word). Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The word of God has a built-in ability to create faith for the word of God is spirit and it is truth and it is life. John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. It is not only the water in us that is living water, even the bread that we eat, Jesus Christ, the bread of life, the word of God, which is also the bread of life, is living bread. That is why Christians who keep declaring the word of God, set themselves free and bring life into themselves, their circumstances, and into all areas of their lives. Such Christians start to operate in power and in strength because of the word that is sent out constantly to put in place what it was sent out to do. It never returns void. The word of God, the bread of life, is powerful and it is established forever. Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Psalm 103:20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. The sixth pillar or foundation or secret of power This pillar of power is praying in tongues. The more we pray in tongues the more we are edified. This is because praying in tongues actually generates power in our lives. It builds up our faith and it strengthens us. Now we know that we have to be baptized in the Spirit of God to receive this power and the ability to pray in tongues. Jesus instructed the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They had to wait for the power from above, from God, which only comes through the baptism in the Holy Spirit. There are quite a few signs that are proof of the fact that a Christian has been filled with the Holy Spirit. Those signs are the gifts of the Spirit. The gifts operate or function in our lives and ministries because of the power of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The gifts are those powerful things that we see in the lives of people who have been baptized in the Spirit like tongues, the interpretation of tongues, prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, the healing of the sick, the discernment of spirits, the casting out of demons, raising the dead, the working of miracles, and faith. Although all the gifts are proof that we are baptized in the Spirit, there is one very distinct and universal sign that is proof that we have been baptized in the Spirit and that is praying in tongues, referring to the prayer language and not to tongues as gifts (the tongues that is part of a prophecy that need to be interpreted) (or when we are speaking in a language that we don’t know so that people present who speak such a language can hear the gospel in their mother-tongue). Although not everybody functions in all the gifts, we all have the ability to pray in tongues and that is why the prayer language (praying in tongues) is a universal proof of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This type of prayer cannot be interpreted because it is a prayer and because only God understands this language. It is for God’s ears and not supposed to be interpreted. It is mentioned in the first book of Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself. We know that Paul advised Christians to practice this when they are alone and not in meetings. In the meetings, this prayer language does not serve any purpose except when tongues, referring to the revelatory gifts of tongues start functioning in the meetings. This is allowed because there will be an interpretation or people will understand that tongue (a legitimate language), as already mentioned above. Praying in tongues or praising God and worshipping God in tongues in our private time is an amazing tool that God gave us to edify ourselves and to make sure that we pray in the will of God. The more we do this the more we are edified and strengthened. We cannot ignore this gift that God gave us. By the way, although praying in tongues is not allowed in public meetings, praising God or/and worshipping God in tongues in public meetings is allowed. When we were baptized in the Holy Spirit we receive the power of the Holy Spirit which caused us to start praying in tongues. Similarly, every time we pray in tongues (also called praying in the Spirit), we generate power in our lives (exactly as it happened when we were first baptized in the Spirit) and that is why it edifies us. It is like being baptized again and again although I am not sure whether we are baptized over and over again or whether it is just the praying that generates the power in our lives. Just as important, when we pray, whether with our minds or when we pray in tongues we need to do it fervently or aggressively. We need to pray long enough, and we need to pray with fire and with intensity. The Geneva Pilgrims Bible is the most authentic translation ever, and this is what it says in James 5:16: Acknowledge your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed: for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much, if it be fervent. It is very important to understand that it is the fervent prayer of the righteous that avails much. I think it is obvious why prayer and especially praying in tongues is so important in our lives when we want to walk in power. It is definitely one of the secrets or pillars of power. We must pray and we need to do this fervently and aggressively if we want to walk in power. The seventh pillar or foundation or secret of power Another very important pillar or secret or foundation of power is the fact that as Christians, we need to respect and fear God. Isaiah 33:5-6 5. The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness. 6. And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure. Why is the fear of the Lord our treasure? If the Bible calls it our treasure it must be very important, and just like any other treasure, the fear of the Lord must be protected. This fear is more than just respect, it is more than that. The Bible explicitly says that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Those who fear God do not have to be scared of Him but, those who do not fear God, even Christians who do not fear Him, should be worried and they should be scared because there are bad consequences for failing or refusing to fear God. Unfortunately, this is a reality, there is a multitude of children of God today, that do not fear God, just as it was in New Testament times. There are consequences when Christians tread this dangerous place. The reality is that we do not have to be scared of God, not because of a decision not to be scared of Him but because of a decision to fear Him and to respect Him. The choice is ours but if we decide not to fear Him we have problems. Hebrews 10:30-31 30. For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Paul warned the church of Corinth (Christians) that God does judge his people when they fail to judge themselves (judging their own actions and their lifestyles), and the way that He judges them is by sicknesses and diseases, calamities, and even death. 1 Corinthians 11:30-32 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Not to be condemned with the world means handing over a backsliding Christian to satan so that his flesh should be destructed (sicknesses and diseases) so that at least his spirit is saved. This means that Christians who go through this should realize what is going on that should motivate them to judge themselves, find out where they started to tolerate sins in their lives, and deal with it according to God’s word. That is why right through the Bible, in the Old and New Testaments, God’s instruction is to repent and then they will be healed. This is a universal kingdom law. It was never repealed.  1 Corinthians 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Matthew 18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. There is a reason why God introduced Himself to Israel as a Holy God before He introduced Himself as a loving God. This is what Moses told the Israelites before God revealed Himself to them at Mount Horeb: Exodus 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. We can remember that the Israelites got the fright of their lives at Mount Horeb. They were so scared of this Holy Almighty God that they did not want to see Him. This is how God chose to introduce Himself to His nation. This is how He wanted to be experienced and be known before He revealed more of Himself and His personality. There was a very important reason for that decision. God hates sin and He will never tolerate it in the lives of His children. It is only at a time much later that God introduced Himself as a loving God. In this sense, the strict God who hates sin and who won’t tolerate sin in the lives of His children enjoyed preference above His love for us. The reason for this is that the former can and will cause us to lose our salvation. God’s love is amazing and the most wonderful thing that exists, but, the natural tendency of mankind to easily turn their backs on God in exchange for all sorts of sinful acts and lifestyles just poses such an existential danger to all of us that gives God no choice but to act like He did in Biblical times and still does today. This brings us back to the first pillar of power (to live a holy life separated from the world). God hates sin and we should respect God and fear God when it comes to the way we live. As I said, if we allow sins in our lives, not only will we lose our power and authority, but eventually, we will also lose our salvation and we will end up being separated from God, facing eternal death and hell. No matter what who says, even if he or she is the most popular or revered preacher or Christian leader in the world, God is not like “Christmas father” who is always happy with whatever we do. The reality is that God does judge his children. We need to know and understand this and we need to respect God and we need to be faithfully obedient to God. We need to have a holy and respectful reverence, honor, and fear for God, just as good children have for a good but strict father. We should not fear God in a wrong way but we do need a holy reverence and respect for God, after all, He is a strict God who hates sin and disobedience and it really is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God. Right through the ages, because of a lack of fear of God, millions of Christians have experienced sicknesses and diseases and calamities, and bad experiences in their lives, just as the Corinthians did. This aspect is truly a pillar of power because we lose our authority and power when we get involved in sinful acts or worldly lifestyles and because we do not have respect and reverence for the Almighty God. It is not enough to love God, we also have to fear Him. The reality is that we have no power and no anointing in our lives and in our ministries when we tolerate sin in our lives. This is not a lie. It is not a myth or a false statement or a false doctrine. You better believe it, sin makes us powerless. When we tolerate sin in our lives or even in other people’s lives, it makes us powerless. Hebrews 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. When we hate sin like God hates sin we will see a powerful anointing in our lives and in our ministries. We need to fear God by trembling at His presence and by trembling at His word. Psalm 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. Levitikus 10:3 By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy. Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. God looks at those who are poor and of a contrite spirit and who are trembling at His words. What does this mean? It means that a person who is trembling at God’s word will obey Him and they will obey Him immediately. We are His children and His sons and we love Him when we do what He wants and when we carry out His instructions. When the prophets of old referred to the coming Messiah, the fear of the Lord, in Jesus’ life, is mentioned as part of wisdom and knowledge and understanding, and counsel. These are very important aspects of Christianity. Wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, and the fear of the Lord make us very powerful human beings in Christ. Isaiah 11:2-3 2. And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3. And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is clean: Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Anybody or anything, whether it is a human being or an angel, will not endure forever if they do not fear God. When we fear God, we will endure forever. The fear of the Lord is the difference. Many people started their ministries with fire and commitment, but, many of them did not last. Why not? They did not endure because they did not have the fear of the Lord. They tolerated sins in their lives. Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. This post is all about the secrets of the Lord. The secrets of power and excellence in Christ. We obtain this only when we fear God. Read more about this aspect at this link: The Biggest Shock of Your Life The eighth pillar or foundation or secret of power The eighth pillar of power is more important than we think. We regularly need to spend time with like-minded people. Christianity is all about fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and serving God and practicing our faith and ministries together. We cannot operate or function without the help of each other. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. Ephesians 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. It is very important that we fellowship with people who are seeking God and serving Him in spirit and in truth just as we do. Only our brothers and sisters in Christ who are obedient to God in the aspects that we have mentioned and discussed in this post fulfill in the requirements that we need for this purpose. Do not take this pillar of power lightly. Churches, congregations, and people who are not serious about Christ and their faith will hinder your growth and your spiritual development in these areas. We walk the walk of faith together, we help and assist each other, we edify each other, we pray for each other, we exhort each other and we seek God and His presence together. This is of the utmost importance. The ninth pillar or foundation or secret of power The ninth pillar of power is the most difficult and most important of all the pillars of power. We need to be doers of the word of God. All the pillars or secrets or foundations of power won’t help us one bit if we don’t go out and do what Christ instructed. Those rivers of healings and blessings and miracles cannot flow out of us and do what it was designed to do if we are not obedient to the instructions of Christ. We cannot bless people or deliver people or heal people if we refuse or fail to go out and lay our hands on the sick. God will work with us only when we go out and fulfill the great commission. Even when we truly believe, the signs that prove our beliefs will not become a reality if we fail to go out and do what Christ Jesus did when He was on this earth. All the pillars of power have prepared you so that you can go out and apply the last pillar of power in your life. The reason why the last pillar of power is not a result of the other pillars of power, but a pillar of power itself, is because no authority and power will be evident in our lives unless we apply the last pillar of power. Before we become a doer, we only have faith and we only intend to be a doer without actually becoming a doer. When we go out preaching the gospel of Christ, laying our hands on the sick, casting out demons, speaking in tongues, prophesying, and setting people free, we are in fact applying the last pillar of power. We have to desire this with zeal and with a commitment that refuses to give up. It is only when we desire to do this with a holy zeal that cannot be quenched that will we be able to do this. Only when we are willing to die for this will we be able to do this. Only when we are willing to give up all we have for this, will we be able to do this. Only when we are willing to be ridiculed and persecuted will we be able to do this. Only when we have made up our minds and forever settled it in our hearts that God will work with us when we go out, will we be able to do this. The tenth pillar or foundation or secret of power All the pillars of power that we have discussed so far will not become a reality or it will not achieve what we want if we do not have the compassion that Christ Jesus had when He walked this earth. Whatever we have won’t mean a thing if we do not have love and compassion. This is why the tenth pillar of spiritual power is love and compassion. We have it in us. It is our spiritual DNA that we received when we were born again, but, this is not enough, we also need to develop it. Love is a decision and compassion is a decision. The more that we allow ourselves to be moved with compassion, the more we will succeed in this. If we persist in this, it will move us into obedience and it will actually make all the other requirements of spiritual power (the pillars of power) a reality. Love and compassion need to be the foundation upon which the other pillars of power are built. Eventually, every time that you see a person who is in need, and who struggles, you will run to them and help them wherever you can. If you have mastered the pillars of spiritual power, you will be able to do a lot for them. For instance, if they are sick, you can lay your hands on them and heal them, you can cast demons out of them, and you can deliver them not only by the casting out of demons but you can deliver them with sound and effective Biblical counsel through the word of God, you can lead them to Christ and baptize them in water. You can lay your hands on them to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You can give them food and clothes to wear and you can bless them financially. All of this? You bet! This is possible because you have successfully applied all the pillars of power in your life. This is possible because you have love and compassion in your heart. So these are the pillars of spiritual power. These are the great mysteries and divine secrets that make us powerful Christians who daily experience and display miracles and awesome things in our lives. The Great Commission: Mark 16:17-18 17. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18. They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they sRead more

Do Not Despise Prophecies Previous Post One night in 2021 the Lord said that many people are despising prophecy. It was impressed on me the word ‘many’, and so I understood that despising prophecy has become a huge problem in the church. Thus a growing trend that morphs into a culture of defiance. The word “despise” in Greek is ‘Exoutheneo’, which means ‘make of no account’. This means you treat something of very little importance, significance, or worth. 1 Thessalonians 5:20 speaks of not despising prophecies. In the Amplified Bible, it is translated as follows: “20 Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning].” While God does speak directly to every believer, we must never make the mistake that prophecy has passed or God no longer mandates servants to step into the prophetic ministry. There has of course been a lot of confusion regarding the prophetic and what is validated prophecy in the church for many years now. God’s prophetic call and word have become muddled with misunderstandings regarding the difference between, for example, a word of knowledge or wisdom or edification compared to true prophecy. True prophecy deals on a far deeper level with God’s Kingdom, about coming into alignment with His Word, His Will, and His Truth. It deals with correction and reproof, and it uproots and tears down the lies and the deception while at the same time planting and rebuilding what is proper, true, and right. It is partly because of growing confusion and uncertainty regarding what is the true prophecy that has allowed for this ‘culture’ of despising what God is saying. To put it bluntly, to despise prophecy is simply to reject or dismiss what God is saying. This implies what God is saying corporately to His Bride and even individually. It means to treat what God is saying as of little value or little worth. Shouldn’t this then, therefore, concern God? Shouldn’t this be a concern for the Church if we are treating, even at times, His word with contempt through our passivity and lack of action towards it? For what God says should always be treated with great and utter seriousness, and deserves all our attention. Shouldn’t it, if He is our Lord and King? Of course, we also need to know when is a word truly from God and when it is a word inspired by the imagination, by the flesh, or even worse, when it is a form of divination. Read Ezekiel 13 to understand the danger of a word spoken that comes not from God. God’s true Word brings life, even when it brings correction, and it brings healing, deliverance, and restoration. His Word will always glorify God as the Trinity and will always uphold the written Word. Anything else will be detached and separated in some manner from God or His Word and thus brings forth captivity, and even death in some or other form. In 1 Kings 22, the kings of Israel’s northern and southern kingdoms sought a word from God if they were to go to war against the king of Aram. They chose to listen to 400 prophets who prophesied falsely. At the same time, they rejected the true word as spoken by prophet Micaiah who predicted defeat if they chose such a course. It resulted in Ahab, the king of Israel’s death. Thus, there is a great danger to despising God’s true Word, for such a word determines the will of God and the correct course of action. In His will are life, hope, and protection. Anything else and we detach ourselves from God for despising prophecy is simply a form of rebellion. So God is saying to us in this day DO NOT DESPISE WHAT HE HAS SPOKEN. Do not reject what God is saying to His Church. Do not reject the Word that God has spoken over your life. Do not treat God’s Word with ridicule, or even dismiss it. Do not rebel or resist it. Look at the history of Israel. They rejected prophecy time after time. They rejected God’s word of correction. They treated the prophets with contempt and treated what God was saying with little regard. They thus rejected God and were taken into captivity. If we reject prophecy, thus what God is directly saying, we then reject God. And remember, no matter what God says, He says it with a very specific reason and purpose. God never says anything simply for the sake of it. So take it very, but very seriously. And so I asked the Lord why is this so that we so openly despise? And I was made to understand many have treated prophesy with a growing apathy because they have not seen the Word coming to pass. Yet, the problem is never with God or the Word, but with man. For we cannot fit God’s Word into our time frame, or define or shape it according to our ideas, perceptions, our will, or desires. God’s Word shall be done as God has spoken it in His time, way, and according to His will. Never according to man’s way or will. Read Isaiah 55:8-9. And God’s Word most of the time carries conditions, no matter how slight according to our understanding. We stand in a Covenant-relationship with God, so we cannot expect anything or everything to automatically happen. God speaks, and we act upon it. We have to embrace His Word fully. We need to pursue the prophecy, understand it, embrace it, and run with it as the Spirit of God leads. This requires faith and determined action. In the letters to the seven churches in Revelations, seven times it is spoken to hear what the Spirit is saying. We need to listen and take heed of prophecy in the Spirit of God, lest we are deceived by other voices, ideas, or suggestions. Yes, first separate the false from the real, and then stand upon it. Fight for it. Pursue it. Pray over it. If it is a corporate word, then hear what is said and act upon it. If God has spoken into your life, then never reject it. It is God speaking, so earnestly seek the Lord where you may have taken the wrong step, or are out of step or alignment. Never reject prophecy. For then we reject it then God Himself. If we embrace it, we embrace life, and we embrace God’s perfect will. The 613 Laws of Moses speaks of ‘heeding the call of every prophet in each generation, provided that he neither adds to nor takes away from the Word of God’ (Deuteronomy 18:15). Still today, the Body of Christ needs to take heed of the prophets and true prophecy. We must not despise it or reject what God is saying. Yet this is happening, and it is of great concern. So let us take note of this and take action where needed. Riaan EngeRead more

Establishing Prophets of Identity Previous Post The Lord is restoring the identity of prophets. The Lord is placing a specifically strong emphasis on identity, which is the distinguishing character or personality of an individual. And I was made to understand the world and the devil has tried valiantly to rob many of their identities, casting doubt, confusion, and misdirecting their steps on God’s path, but such plans shall not prevail. And I was made to understand that some who have been called for this calling have indeed lost their identity, in terms of knowing who they are in Christ, or in terms of knowing their call, or in terms of walking in the full realization of their mandate. Some have indeed wandered away, and some have even given up, but God has not and His eye is on them, just as His eye was on Moses for 40 years in a secular palace! God specifically showed how Moses needed his identity restored, so that this baby who was rescued from the reeds would one day in the power and authority of God part the Re(e)d Sea. But the identity of Moses needed to be restored first in order to lead the Israelites out of captivity. He after all grew up in the Egyptian palace, so we do not know exactly when he found out was of the Hebrew race. But what was sure is that he did not yet know his calling as a prophet or his mandate. So when Moses met God in the burning bush only then did God begin to reveal, restore and unfold Moses’ true identity. Moses was not just a baby rescued from the river, but he was called to be a great prophet of Israel, leading them from slavery to liberty, and being the receiver of the Law. Just so, many have mocked and ridiculed God’s prophets, even if they are not yet revealed, for they seem insignificant, of little worth or importance, just as they show little worth in a baby in a crib. And God also spoke that it was by God’s hand that Moses was saved by the Egyptians and raised in the palace. Certain prophets find themselves in Egyptian palaces, plucked from obscurity, but God is preparing them to be the prophets of God, thus restoring their identity. For in their identity is their purpose, and in their purpose is their vision. As God reserved and rescued Moses for a specific time and a season, so God has reserved and rescued His prophets for a specific time and season. And for some, the identity will be restored, revealed, and will unfold at the burning bush. For others, it will be the burden of slavery afflicted by the devil upon so many that will stir their hearts, and for others, it will be a yearning to see God’s will be done. For God revealed and restored the identity of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and surely in a time and a season God will rise up the prophets – some forgotten, some hunted, some persecuted, and some ignored – and they shall come forth from the reeds and from the palaces and from the fields of slavery to bring a word of liberty, of freedom, and of hope. And they shall truly come in power, and people – the scoffers and the mockers – shall know, as with Ezekiel, that a prophet is in the house of God! Yes, says the Lord, with great signs and powers as in the days of Elijah and Elisha they shall come forth like dry bones coming to life, and they shall not be silenced and they shall be heard. This reminds me of a word God gave years ago that the voices in the wilderness shall be heard. At the time the Lord said He is raising up those who have a heart and a voice for the Kingdom. He is raising up an army that refuses to be silent, who will not flinch in times of trial or tribulation, will not shy away when faced with evil, and who will not compromise His Truth. Such an army is right now being formed on the earth … the remnant that will arise out of the ruins of religiosity and carnality. This army, whatever the numbers, will rebuild the ruins of God’s watchtowers and they will rebuild the walls of his Kingdom as they declare liberty to the captives and freedom for the brokenhearted. They move in the power of the Spirit to declare the Gospel of the Kingdom! They are rising … for the Lord calls them. These are the days of the valley of dry bones, for the Spirit is breathing life into those who have been called and who have been faithful, yet they feel withered, dry, and dead. Arise cries the Lord! For this army surely walks in the steps of the Shepherd – He who is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world was laid. It is He who is the Lion of Judah that returns with the hosts of heaven. At the time the Lord said there are many like John the Baptist who for a while and a season has been in the wilderness, crying out, struggling, suffering, sacrificing, and hoping for a better day. But take hearts says the Lord, for those who remain true to their calling and mandate shall surely walk in its completion and fulfillment. How the Lord calls for a people who will seek obedience to their calling more than the reward, more than any praise or recognition! John lived on wild honey and locust to survive – yet for his obedience he was rewarded not with great wealth but he was rewarded with great praise from the Lord Himself! There are many voices crying out in the wilderness – crying out God’s truth in Spirit – yet many are not yet listening, but the time shall come. Yes it will come says the Lord! Like in the days of John, now is the time to remain steadfast, to remain true to the Lord and true to His message and His Truth. For out of the wilderness they will come, no more hidden but revealed, but unveiled as Lazarus came out of the tomb, so the Lord says come forth His sons and daughters, come out of your wilderness and embrace the light of His Glory! The Lord is raising up men like John the Baptist who lived for nothing else but the King of Heaven and he lived for nothing else than the truth of such Gospel. God is rising up men and women with the singular vision and determination of John. They will not back down. They do not seek to be pampered. They may only speak to a few, and their ministry may be short-lived, but they know it is about faithfulness, obedience, and their love for the King! And the Lord says I will lead them out of the wilderness! I will lead them and their voices shall be heard! I will them their words burn with fire says the Lord! For look says the Lord, they are coming out of the wilderness! They are coming – the ignored, the trodden, the dismissed, the scared, the bruised, and the broken – they are coming to speak the word of God. Ignore their voice says the Lord if you wish, but what they speak shall come to pass and there shall be no delay! And My power says the Lord shall be with them and all shall know these are My servants who have chosen Me, no matter the cost. For they know the voice of their King, for they have turned their ears to His calling, and they have obeyed and they have followed. A quickening! There is quickening of the Spirit as the Lord will birth His Bride in Glory and by the Blood of the Lamb. For those who come with His voice shall be quickened by the Spirit, burning with holy fire, for they seek not the mantle of the world or the mantle placed on them by man, but the hand of God and God alone. And now I understand, much of this will truly happen with the restoration and unveiling of identiRead more

Standing In the Gap In Perilous Times Previous Post Ezekiel 22 says the following: “30 I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for [the sake of] the land, that I would not destroy it, but I found no one [not even one].” Ezekiel 22 summarizes the sins and abuses of the nation. As punishment for Israel’s sins, God says He will disperse them among the nations. In the ancient world of the Bible, cities had walls surrounding them to protect them from enemies. When the wall was breached, the city was vulnerable to destruction; the only way to secure it was for people at times to risk their lives by literally standing in the gap in the wall and fighting the enemy. Another option was for the gap to be repaired as soon as possible. If a breach was left unattended or unrepaired, the city would fall. So in Ezekiel 22, the “gap” here represents the danger facing Jerusalem: God’s wrath is about to break through in judgment on the sinful city. So the Lord asked if there was anyone who would, in righteousness, intercede on behalf of the city and seek God’s mercy. For if the gap is not repaired, then destruction is imminent. God searched for such a defender, but He could find none. It seems that, if someone had been willing to “stand in the gap,” the destruction of Jerusalem could have been avoided. Since no one was available or willing to defend the breach and rebuild the wall, judgment fell. This is similar to the Genesis account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God reveals to Abraham that Sodom and Gomorrah are to be destroyed for their grave sins (18:20). Abraham pleads for the lives of any righteous people living there, especially the lives of his nephew, Lot, and his family. Still today the question echoes of who will in this last hour of perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1), like Abraham, be willing to stand in the gap of the Church? For make no mistake, there are plenty of “gaps” in the church walls, and the church is facing the danger of being overrun by the enemy and even judgment at the hands of God for her idolatry, treachery, and devious ways. There is just no more room for us to argue that it is OK with the church. The enemy is no longer at the door but has been allowed to breach the walls. Sin, iniquity, witchcraft, and all other forms of rebellion and carnal behavior are evident in this Church, once described by Augustine as the City of God. It is time to again take a stand on the walls and declare God’s Word and God’s Truth. It is time again to stand at the city gates and declare what is proper, holy, and pure. It is time again to stand in the gap and defend God’s holy ways and truth no matter the cost. Who is prepared in this hour to be true watchmen, to be a rebuilder of what is broken and a restorer of what the enemy (John 10:10) has stolen and trampled upon? In the days of Ezekiel, Jerusalem was accused of several repulsive acts. This includes idolatry, shedding blood in the city, and sexual immorality. It also says the following: “25 There is a conspiracy of her [false] prophets in her midst, like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured [human] life; they have taken [in their greed] treasure and precious things; they have made many widows among her. 26 Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy (sacred) and the profane (secular), they have not taught [people] the difference between the unclean and the clean. 27 Her princes within her are like wolves tearing and devouring the prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives in order to get dishonest gain. 28 Her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God’—when the Lord has not spoken. 29 The people of the land have practiced oppression and extortion and have committed robbery; they have wronged the poor and needy and they have oppressed the stranger without justice.” If we look at the state of the Church these days, then the similarities with Jerusalem are shocking. The Church also sits with a priesthood (all believers) who are struggling to distinguish between the holy (sacred) and the profane (secular). We simply do not even know the truth anymore. We also sit with the counterfeit prophetic movement that has caused immense harm with so many false and misguided instructions and promises. Who can deny so many ministries and churches run like a business, where extortion, spiritual abuse, and manipulation are rife in the quest for self-enrichment and self-glorification? Who can deny that so many believers have been oppressed from truly following their calling and mandate because of religious control (for even manipulation is a form of witchcraft)? And while we may not have shed physical blood (even though the Church did so hundreds of years ago during the wars between the Catholics and the Protestants), we have indeed done incredible spiritual harm through our dubious church practices, traditions, and erroneous teachings. Jesus leveled such accusations against the Pharisees and Sadducees in Matthew 23. Also read 2 Timothy 3, 2 Timothy 4, 2 Peter 2, and the Book of Jude. Of Jerusalem, the Lord said: “4 I have made you an object of scorn to the [pagan] nations and a thing to be mocked by all countries. 5 Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock you, you [infamous one] of ill repute, full of turmoil.” Can we not see or realize the Church has lost its credibility in the world? We are also in turmoil? The church’s reputation is also of ill repute. Can we not see we have also become a laughingstock because the Church looks so much like the world and our action is these days more worldly than godly? Yes, this world mocks the Church for our shameful actions, falseness, and hypocrisy. How can we indeed be victorious if we look so much like the enemy and the world? So who is willing to stand in the gap for the Church in these last days? Who is willing to stand for the truth? Who is willing to preach and teach the Word of God without compromise? Who is willing to seek the ancient paths (Jeremiah 6:16)? The one person who should be willing to stand in the gap is the prophet. After all, the prophet should be able to know what the danger is and where the ‘wall’ has been breached, what the threats are, what is God saying about it all, and what God is instructing. This applies to the Church more than ever in this time and hour. The prophet has the task of speaking God’s will, His instruction, His correction, His truth, and His message to repair the gap where needed, to mend the wall, to repel the attacks, and to guard the gates. Such a task rests most assuredly with the prophetic, for the prophet should indeed be able to see, know, discern, and understand the reality of the situation. And the prophet should be able to act according to God’s will and God’s plan and mandate. A false prophet will not be able to discern, for by implication such a prophet walks not in alignment with God’s thoughts, His will, or even His reality. Such a prophet will act erroneously and even out of the will of God, causing greater harm and damage to the Body of Christ. Only a true prophet hears from God – be it directly or through dreams or visions. Such a prophet will not be misled by the flesh or the imagination or demonic forces but by the true Word and Will of the Lord Almighty. Standing in the gap is thus an important function and role of the prophet. And thus the prophet is able to fulfill this role simply because of his or her mandate and calling. The prophet sees, hears, and discerns as God leads and guides, and thus can operate sufficiently and effectively to accordingly fulfill God’s commands. No action can be taken without clear understanding and discernment, which should flow from the true prophet. Similar wording of standing in the gap is found in Psalm 106:23. This psalm summarizes the sins of Israel in the wilderness, primarily concerning the golden calf. Verse 23 explains, “So [God] said he would destroy them—had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.” Moses “stood in the gap” and saved the people of Israel with his petition on their behalf. In standing in the gap, he “stepped between the LORD and the people” (Psalm 106:23, NLT). Moses had been chosen for that very purpose. The original story of Moses standing in the gap is found in Exodus 32:9–14: To stand in the gap is, therefore, to intercede and plead for God’s mercy. In Ezekiel’s day, there was no Moses. No one interceded for Israel. No one understood the danger God’s people were in. With no intercessor to stand in the gap, the destruction of Israel would be carried out. Not even the prophets were willing to stand in the gap. In Ezekiel 13 we read of the prophets: “4 O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among the ruins. 5 You have not gone up into the gaps or breaches, nor built the wall around the house of Israel that it might stand in the battle on the day of the Lord.” Sadly, instead of standing in the gap, the prophets simply denied that judgment was going to come. They were prophesying all was fine and declaring ‘peace, peace’ when there was no peace. They were speaking out of the imagination or even worse, by a different spirit. They were creating a false reality. Glory to God, these days there are still true prophets who are standing on the watchtower and many of them are willing to stand in the gap, praying and interceding. For the true prophets know the church is in danger. For the true prophets know there is no ‘peace, peace’ for idolatry and immorality is rife. Such prophets are declaring God’s will, His Word, and truth in the Spirit in such perilous days. But many have also turned a blind eye, or have been seduced by a different reality or truth. Woe indeed to us. Like Moses and Abraham, over the years there are those in the Church’s history who have had the courage and insight to “stand in the gap” and intercede for others. Just think of the Reformation and of men like Martin Luther and Jan Hus. We need once again more people like Stephen who prayed for those stoning him (Acts 7:60). Paul prayed for Israel’s salvation (Romans 10:1), and so we need to stand up for God, for His Kingdom and intercede in prayer without ceasing in such perilous times. And so the Lord is looking for those who are willing to stand in the gap. The Lord Jesus is the master of standing in the gap, praying from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34) and continuing to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25). We follow Jesus, and thus we must also be standing in the gap right now, willing to give it all, no matter what, lest darkness falls upon us. James 5:16 KJV says the “effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” How God is looking for people to stand for righteousness, to stand in faith and in truth. God doesn’t need an army to stand in the gap, but only those who are willing to be obedient, faithful, and willing to be a living sacrifice to the glory of God. This was proven with David who slew Goliath, with Gideon who routed an entire army with a few men, and with Samson who sowed fear in the hearts of the Philistines. Jesus picked only 12 disciples. Just men and women filled by the Spirit who will not back or who will go quietly into the night! John Knox is known as the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland and the founder of Scottish Presbyterianism. By the end of his ministry, he became better known for his prayer than for his other ministries. The devout Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, is reputed to have said, “I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe.” She saw the impact of Knox’s prayer. From a human point of view, it was the prayer of Knox that sparked the Reformation in Scotland. His prayer became the fuel of the ongoing reformation during his time. His prayer shook the land of Scotland, causing a revival among God’s people. Perhaps of all the prayers of Knox, “Give me Scotland, or I die” is the most quoted one. It was not an arrogant prayer but a passionate plea, showing his intense desire for the conversion of the people of Scotland. How God is looking for such men and women today like Knox who are willing to stand in the gap. A healthy Church leads to a healthy society and a healthy nation! Who is willing to fight for the soul of the church? Who is willing to intercede, to plead and speak God’s word of truth? For correction is not done for judging, but to bless for in correction comes the blessing. In God’s wisdom and sovereignty, He has chosen to use the prayers of people to accomplish His will. He still seeks those who will stand in the gap for friends and family, for people groups and nations. And especially those who are willing to stand in the gap for the Church. Like Abraham and Moses, we should be willing to stand in the gap, asking God to spare and to save. We must seek God’s will, turn our ears more than ever toward God and be willing to follow where He leads. And this applies, as mentioned, most definitely, to the prophet. May the true prophets arise to stand in the gap, to act as the Lord leads, and to even close the gap where necessary and in the wilRead more

The Spirit of Truth And the Spirit Of Error Previous Post It says in 1 John 4 verses 1 to 6: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess [a]that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” John writes that those who know God hear them (the disciples teaching the Gospel of the Lord), yet they who are of the world hear them not. Then he concludes by saying “hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error”. The Amplified Bible’s translation is as follows: 5 They [who teach twisted doctrine] are of the world and belong to it; therefore they speak from the [viewpoint of the] world [with its immoral freedom and baseless theories—demanding compliance with their opinions and ridiculing the values of the upright], and the [gullible one of the] world listens closely and pays attention to them. 6 We [who teach God’s word] are from God [energized by the Holy Spirit], and whoever knows God [through personal experience] listens to us [and has a deeper understanding of Him]. Whoever is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know [without any doubt] the spirit of truth [motivated by God] and the spirit of error [motivated by Satan].” So what was John saying? He said those who truly know the Lord will hear the truth as spoken by those walking in the truth, yet those who do not know the Lord will not listen to the truth for their ears are turned towards the world. For those who know the Lord thus will want to listen to the truth of the Lord, which is the spirit of truth, and those who choose not to listen to the Lord and His Truth are thus still of the world, which is the spirit of error. Those who walk in the spirit of error as that Paul warns about in “Galatians 1: 9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Let us connect what John wrote to “2 Timothy 4: 3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold, 4 and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable].” So if you take into consideration what John and Paul wrote, we see clearly the manifestation of the spirit of error within churches. After all, as Paul mentioned, a time will come “when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction.” This means their ears are no longer turned to the truth, for they wish not to listen to those who are still standing and preaching the Truth. John makes it clear they, therefore, do not even know God or is of God. Now, it says in Romans 8 (KJV) “9 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Let us take stock of this. In Romans 8, Paul is writing about a life led by the Spirit of the Lord, and not the dictates of the flesh. He, therefore, said that those who do not have the Spirit do not belong to the Lord (take into consideration the Lord’s teaching in John 3 regarding the importance of being reborn in the Spirit). These are harsh words, but it is about the same as what John said. He said those who do not listen to the Truth are not of God. Remember, the Spirit of the Lord was poured out to lead us in all truth. So if we truly are led by the Lord, we are then led by the Spirit, and then our ears should be turned to the truth and we should be embracing the truth. If our ears are turned away from the truth, then how can we truly be in the Spirit, and therefore how can we belong to the Lord? Apostasy in the last days is marked by large-scale deceptions and false teachings. It is the days as described by Paul regarding the itching ears turning to many teachers … this then also implies the teachers are also false because the itching ears are turning away from the Truth. After all, we read they are turning away their ears to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold, and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable]. Again, we see the connection between what Paul wrote and what John regarding the error. Of course, what they warned about links up to the false prophets and teachers as described by Peter in 2 Peter 2. Yes, apostasy is rife in churches, because so many are turning away their ears to listen to the spirit of error, instead of the spirit of truth. So Apostasy is very much characterized by the spirit of error because so many are turning away from the Truth as taught by Jesus and the first disciples. Again, if our ears are turned away from the Truth, as we see happening more and more in churches, then you have to wonder who truly belongs to the Lord. After all, if we belong to the Lord, we shall know the voice of the Shepheard (John 10), and we shall be led by the Spirit who leads us in all truth. Again, a mark of a true believer is one who turns his ears to the Truth, who seeks the truth, and who speaks the truth of the Lord. After all, a true disciple is one who worships in spirit and truth, and therefore walks in the spirit of truth and not the spirit of error. One should remember that apostasy deals with a falling away from key and true doctrines of the Bible into heretical teachings that proclaim to be “the real” Christian doctrine, and also to a complete renunciation of the Christian faith, which results in full abandonment of Christ. The latter is the goal of the devil – to get the believer in a position where he becomes so confused and deceived he even abandons God. Think it cannot happen? We need to wake up then, for it is happening all around us, and many who are preaching on the pulpit are even questioning God or are not even walking in the Spirit of the Lord! We are living more than ever in such a time of apostasy. A time of false prophets and false christs WITHIN the church. We are living in the time of 2 Timothy 4, where more than ever those within the church system are abandoning sound doctrine to believe fables and myths, and they are lured away and deceived by the lying wonders and false power and signs. What is important to note is that the prophetic is ALWAYS turned towards the truth and seeks the truth. The true prophetic upholds the truth no matter what and seeks to speak and act upon such truth. This is of vital importance to understand. Again, we are warned of the perilous days and the error that will creep into the church. The true prophetic will always seek to counter such error and expose it. Yet, on the other hand, those who deal falsely, even with the prophetic, will continue to walk in error and prophesy in error for they ultimately love not the truth of God. It is that simple. A key function of the prophetic is thus to reveal the truth from error. Yet this becomes tricky when so many so-called prophets are walking in error themselves! We need to thus see and realize the importance of discerning truth from error. A false prophet will lead someone down a path of error, thus destruction, while a true prophet will show the path of truth that brings hopRead more

Accountability and Testing of Prophetic Words? Previous Post There is a Scripture in 1 Corinthians 14:29 which reads as follows: “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.” The word “judge” in Greek is Diakrino, which means to separate, make a distinction or discriminate. To discriminate means to recognize a distinction. Thus, we are called to judge between what is right and wrong, and what is false and real, and we should be able to recognize such a difference. Or how about testing all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21) So what has happened in the Body of Christ in regard to this Scripture? It is very clear and very obvious the Church has been hit for a long time with a devastating counterfeit prophet movement, which is a contradiction in terms since it is nothing more than divination at work. Thus a work of lying, and yes, we take into consideration that some are intentional but some are also unintentional. After all, even those who speak deception are often deceived. These days, wherever you turn, people have some incredible word, some deep prophetic insight, or vision, and it is being announced, pronounced, and declared far and wide. Yet, has it ever been judged? Has it ever borne the brunt of scrutiny? Granted, some words are being judged, weighed, and considered, but these days it is like we have been hit with wave upon wave of prophetic words about what God is doing. It says in “1 John 4: 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Are we then testing? Are we weighing every word and the spirit behind it? Is it the Holy Spirit, and if not, it is then either the Self (flesh) speaking or demon (the same deceiving spirits who incite doctrines of demons – 1 Timothy 4:1). Everything that comes from God is designed to bring life, a blessing, hope, truth, direction, or certainty. Anything else only enslaves, corrupts, misleads, misdirects, and corrupts. Thus we need to be very discerning between what is real and what is false. Any word which is not from God is dangerous. It is not just dangerous, it is devilish and diabolical. For the devil is the father of lies. God does not lie, and such devious work mocks God, even if it is unintentional because it needs to be weighed. We are reminded of Ezekiel 13 (one of the countless Scriptural examples of God rejecting false word): “3 Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. 5 You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. 6 They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. 7 Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The Lord says,’ but I have not spoken.” The church is sailing in the dangerous waters of apostasy because too many foolish prophets have been allowed to operate without being properly judged. Indeed these are perilous times. Thus, a dangerous time for the Church because of so many false prophetic words that are destroying its credibility, causing strife, confusion, and leading people away from the Truth of God. Any other word which comes not from God will only mislead, lead astray, enslave, or cause greater confusion and harm. Yet it seems these days there is little thought to judge because prophetic words have been allowed to be announced far and wide as if God has spoken. And so we sit in churches where these foolish prophets “have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord” and too many hoping that the word that has spoken may be confirmed. Is it then any wonder why the church is struggling to keep its head above water in the wake of the spiritual battle? These are perilous times, and we need to take guard against such times of deception. This is the sad and shocking state of affairs in the church. So many right now in this world have “envisioned futility and false divination”, and people grab onto this word without a second thought. So many are HOPING that what they have said will come to pass. Never before have I seen so much prophetic word being declared, yet for anyone who abides in God a lot of words these days immediately raise a red flag. All of these ‘prophets’ have been allowed to operate, and to become influential and to sway the hearts and minds of the Church simply because in the Church there is a lack of spiritual discernment and not enough real and true knowledge of Scriptures. And so, the church perishes because of lack of knowledge, for God’s knowledge and truth and will is being distorted, butchered, and twisted for their own gain, all for the purpose of self-enlightenment, self-glorification, and to soothe the itching ears. We live in a time where God is not feared, but the drive to please and appease man has taken the centre stage. It is of course not by accident that most cults and even sects are led by prophets. Men and women who have a certain knowledge of God, and draw a crowd of followers because they speak what people want to hear, and they promise some kind of divine breakthrough and fulfillment. There is a certain attraction to the prophetic, for it seems the prophet has this amazing ability to bring forth incredible wonders, miracles, and hope. The prophet apparently holds all the answers, and the prophet unlocks your destiny to a brighter day of great wealth and joy. Like so many cults, the Church has also fallen sway under the allure and seductions of such prophets, and their actions, their doctrine, and their prophetic words or utterances are not being judged. They wield frightening power over their congregations, just like cult leaders, and their followers, like the followers in a cult, will defend them to the death because of ignorance, because of deception, and the web weaved of delusion. Recently we witnessed the debacle surrounding the prophetic with the American elections. Yes, many but many had prophesied and declared Trump will win. It never happened, because the word was not judged. At the moment the prophetic has become a circus of noise and a source of great confusion. With all the word that had filtered through regarding the elections, how much of it had been properly judged and weighed? During the elections, suddenly every so-called prophetic voice had an opinion or insight, even though it is clear God deals only with some prophets to address issues regarding nations, or global affairs. But across the world people who have nothing to do with America had a word for them, yet they do not even have a word for their own country or its political affairs. We need to thus judge and test not only doctrine but prophetic words and declarations. Again, there are many prophetic words floating around that are simply dangerous and diabolical, for they come not from God. They are inspired by the flesh, by the imagination, or worse, the devil. The election again proved the existing dangers of propaganda, which can be disguised as the prophetic. Remember, this is a communication that is used primarily to influence an audience and further an agenda. It is devious in nature. It was satanic in nature for it sparked Germany to launch WWII. In South Africa, we have encountered also many false decelerations and visions and prophecies since 1994. Yet it seems no one who declared falsely has been held accountable. And this is of great concern. There has been word of wars, of tsunamis and who knows what else, yet nothing has come to pass. Thus, a prophetic word like all doctrine needs to be weighed and tested, The Church has lost its credibility. It is because the Church doesn’t even know what is right or wrong, or what is false or real anymore. The church has become a social club, a platform for entertainment, and a pedestal to reach heights of fame and fortune. The Church is besieged with so many false and foolish operators of the Word. Sound doctrine has been trampled upon. Too many people in the Body of Christ seek attention as they build their kingdoms of sand. But what about God’s Kingdom (read Haggai chapter 1)? And the prophetic is often used as a tool for building such selfish empires and kingdoms since people are attracted to such a ministry. Yet is it truly from God or from the devil? I truly believe we are in the midst of a systemic shift in the Body of Christ, as well as the prophetic. God is shifting and sifting. A separation of the truth and the mockery. The longer the counterfeit prophetic is allowed to operate, the greater the harm, the greater the spiritual damage, and the greater the casualties. We saw such a shift in 1 Kings 18 on Mount Carmel when Elijah exposed the 400-plus false prophets who served Baal. We saw such a shift in 1 Kings 22 when Micaiah was the only prophet who spoke correctly while 400 other prophets gave a lying word to the king. We are in such a time of Matthew 24 that we must be careful that no man deceives us, especially prophets. These are perilous times. May we pray for greater discernment, and that God’s will, and not ours, will truly be done on earth as it is in Heaven. For too much word is based on own will, and it flows from the imagination and the flesh. May God help us, because we serve a God who shall not be mocked, or has wRead more

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The Prophetic Declaration of Woe Previous Post In Matthew 23, the Lord Jesus spoke seven woes over the Pharisees and Sadducees, rebuking the deceptive spirits of religion, tradition, and legalism. The word woe refers to a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, or grief. It can also speak of great sorrow or distress. So our Lord was deeply distressed and his heart was afflicted by the actions of the Scribes. For they held onto their old ways, refusing to believe the Truth or engage in the Truth. Many would see the Lord’s reaction as mere anger, but one needs to see it in the light also of deep anguish, for the actions of the Scribes had caused suffering for so many others who might have sought the true way of our God. It says in “Matthew 12:36: That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” So it follows that Jesus Christ Himself obviously did not speak any “idle words”. Therefore when He repeatedly said “woe unto you” to those religious leaders at that time, then Christ must have had a reason for saying those words. Ultimately, they opposed the Kingdom, thus Jesus Himself, as thus the way, the truth, and the life. In Him, there is life, there is hope and there is redemption. Woe indeed unto those who lead people away from Jesus, or down a different path, or to a false light, or to a false hope, or to a lie! So what does the word “woe” in the New Testament mean? Whenever we see the word “woe” in the New Testament, then it is always a translation of the Greek word “ouai”. The Greek word “ouai” is used in the following ways: 1) It is used to express a denunciation; i.e. it is used to pronounce someone or something as blameworthy and evil. 2) It is used to express a severe calamity, severe distress, or affliction. 3) It is used to express great grief. It says in “Revelation 8:13: And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound”. Here we find the word “woe” is not an expression of grief, rather, here the word “woe” is, first of all, a reference to extremely severe afflictions. There is an affliction for so many have refused the way of the Lord, thus opposed the Kingdom as in the days of the Scribes. Reality is if we consider what Jesus said and the pronouncement of the angel, we need to realize that more than ever the prophetic needs to arise in this time to rebuke every false idea, thought, theory, belief, program, or agenda that stands against the Kingdom of God. For indeed, such a rebuke and correction should not be one of self-delight, but rather an expression of grief, lament, and of anguish for any such thought or idea or expression of self-hype, self-exaltation, and self-glorification only brings harm, affliction, sorrow, pain or suffering. For woe indeed unto the Church which has lost the fear of the Lord! Woe indeed unto the Church who continuously shuns the Holy Spirit, for turning her back on the Truth and seeking the dark wide road instead of the Way of the Lord. Woe indeed, for the innocent suffer, as they suffered in the days of the Scribes. For indeed, I feel such a strong stirring in my spirit for the prophetic declaration of “woe” for great is the hypocrisy, and those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Woe indeed is those even in our time who lead people astray with a false word, and so make the convert twice as much a son of hell as themselves. Woe indeed the blind guides, who are blinded by greed, need, and want. Woe indeed those who appear so pious and holy, yet the inside is full of extortion and self-indulgence. Woe indeed those who in their pride are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Yes, great is the hypocrisy and lawlessness. Yes, great is the murder of the spiritual innocent, for we need to be aware of the serpents and broods of vipers that poison and bring destruction. In the Book of Jude, he speaks of the dreamers that defile the flesh, and who reject authority. He then says: “11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever … 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” The warning of Jude and the Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 2 is a call to action, for us to be alert and to be awake. Woe, woe, woe indeed! For Peter wrote 1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. Such days are upon us. The days of 2 Timothy 3 of the lovers of the Self and 1 Timothy 4 were “in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” Now is the time for the expression of woe, for this is not just a declaration of grief and anguish, but should serve as a clear and loud warning unto the Church! Yes, repent and turn back to the Lord, seek Him, fear Him, and serve Him! Woe unto us for no longer seeking the path of holiness, of purity, of pursuing a true relationship with God. This is a declaration of warning, for indeed, in our times of rebellion, iniquity, and idolatry, we shall be left afflicted, and spiritually distraught in the light of His Glory if we fail to repent and correct our ways. Such a declaration is the premise of 2 Corinthians 10 which declares the following: 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. The prophetic mantle is after all also the fulfillment of the call upon Jeremiah when the Lord said in Jeremiah 1: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. 10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.” Yes, the prophetic is called to build, edify, encourage, bolster, and restore, but also to correct, rebuke, tear, and pull down. This tearing and pulling down is in alignment with what Paul wrote to the church in Corinthians. It should serve as an expression and a cry of grief, a call to correct and to repent, for indeed woe are those who refuse the way and the truth of the Lord! Woe unto those who seek the path of the wicked. Yes, woe to the false prophets who operate in divination, for they lead people astray. For the Lord Himself spoke against such false operations in Ezekiel 13: 8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord God. 9 “My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord God. 10 “Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace—and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar— 11 say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. 12 Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?’ ” More than ever the command that God gave to Jeremiah must be the rallying cry for all true prophets. For it says in Jeremiah 1:8 “For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord. More than ever the prophets are now called to arise and stand up and go as the Lord leads them. They must not go because they feel to do so, or because of a hunch, or because of personal agendas or motives, but as the Lord leads. And they must speak only what the Lord speaks, and they must only never fear man, but only God. Reality is that in churches there are too many prophets – commissioned or called – who are still too afraid of man, or too afraid to offend. And then you get those who are speaking out of the flesh, or the imagination, for whatever reason or motive. The truth is many prophets are still in training, called but not yet commissioned. Many are still growing spiritually, yet they are like loose cannons. For a prophet, it takes a lot of character and yielding to God. And so when Jesus confronted the religious leaders of the time, He spoke only as led by the intent of the Father. He spoke the Truth for He is the Truth. And so the Truth confronted the Lie, and the Truth confronted the deception of the time. He spoke about the seven woes to pull and tear down the arguments and theories of these religious leaders. Yes, He rebuked the spirit of deception that ultimately shut the gates of heaven and destroyed the prophets of God. For indeed, the devil will always seek to destroy God’s servants, for they are the mouthpiece of God, speaking only the Truth to plant and to build but also to uproot and tear down. Still today, more than ever the true prophetic voice needs to address the heresy in the church and confront the lies, the deception, the wickedness, and the apostasy that has set itself up as strongholds against the Kingdom of God. There is no more time for prophets to be afraid. No more time to run from Jezebel. No more time to play church, or to still entertain selfish motives. No more time for silence, but to cry “woe” for the strongholds of deception need to be destroyed and the innocent led back to the Father. Of John the Baptist, he preached a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Of his declaration e read in Luke 3: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ” How this should be the cry and motive for the prophet of God! To prepare the way of the Lord, to make His path straight and so in the expression of Truth that all flesh shall see the salvation of God! But this can only be done in the love and truth of God when the prophet is moved with anguish and grief for the state of the Church. God is calling for true prophets that will arise and speak the Word of God in His Spirit, in Love, in Truth, and in the right season and minute. Prophets that have yielded, who have walked with God, and who will stand against every form of apostasy, rebellion, iniquity, and immoral thought and idea that seeks to destroy the Truth of the Kingdom. For now, is the time to speak the woe of God against such demonic strongholds. For yes, the enemy is still seeking to spill the blood of the prophets, and still seeking to devour the innocent. Now is the time to speak out against those who feed the crumbs to God’s people, instead of allowing them to feast at the table of the Lord. Now is the time to speak out against the religious spirit that devours, against spiritual abuse, deception, divination, and witchcraft in the Church. In Ezekiel 8, the Lord took the prophet in the midst of the sanctuary to show Ezekiel the great idolatry, rebellion, and apostasy. Now is the time for the prophets to open their eyes as in the days of Ezekiel in order to discern evil from good, for we have become blind, and we have allowed too many blind fools to lead people astray. Yes, now is the time for religious pride to be toppled, for indeed those who are led by the Spirit will see the Kingdom of God. How we need discernment to know the light from the dark, the good from the evil, and to know the wicked intent from the goodness of God! There is no more time for the prophets to seek self-exaltation and importance. Now is the time to serve the Kingdom. Now is the time for the prophets to seek His face, His will, His Truth, and His Voice. And to speak as the Lord leads. To declare without fear. To uphold the Truth, yet tear down the strongholds. Now is the time to serve, love, fear the Lord, and seek His path. In Matthew 23, the Lord said the following to the Scribes: “How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” And so still the Lord is sending His prophets and those who speak with His wisdom. They might be persecuted and shunned, but they shall speak the Word of God. They shall declare the “woe” of grief, anguish, and affliction, and suffering, for great is the apostasy, the rebellion, and the iniquity in her midst. Yes, seek the Lord, seek His face and His will, and in God one will know it is well with your soul. RiaaRead more

Receiving Prophetic Words To Reap the Reward Previous Post The Lord has placed a great burden on my spirit for the restoration of the ‘true’ prophetic in the Church. If this happens, the church will be governed by the Law of Spirit and Life, for truly, for those who receive a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward and such a reward is spiritual life. For it says in Matthew 10:41: Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. Thus, we need to understand the prophet’s reward is the fulfillment of the prophetic word. The primary difference between the righteous man’s reward and the prophet’s reward is that the righteous man receives a reward according to the established word of God while the prophet receives a reward according to the present word of God. The power of prophecy, bringing forth life when spoken in the authority of Jesus, is for example seen in Ezekiel 37 when Ezekiel spoke over the dry bones in the valley. For it says: 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ “10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.” Prophecy brings what is dead to life. It brings what has been lost to a point of restoration. It brings what is out of alignment into alignment. It opens the gates of the spiritual realm. It opens the portals of spiritual vision. It also has the power to destroy and bind what is forbidden, immoral, and unjust. Such is the nature of the prophetic as spoken by the prophet in the office of the prophet. The biggest problem right now in the church is that there are a number of false prophets operating within the church – false some by design, some by deception, and some because they simply think they are called to this office but they are not. There is simply too much confusion, doubt, and disunity caused by the word spoken that is deemed spoken by a prophet but is not so. We have to remember that a lot of prophetic words spoken function under the anointing of spiritual gifts such as wisdom, knowledge, and discernment while some word is uttered by the unction of the Spirit. Word spoken is often seen as prophetic, but many times it is simply a word of wisdom, of knowledge of discernment. Only some word spoken function and is birthed under the anointing of the true prophet and such word carries a whole different depth of purpose and meaning. A word spoken ‘prophetically’ and so proclaimed yet is not prophetic by spiritual design or nature, is thus spoken out of the flesh. When this happens such a word comes under the Law of Sin and Death (Romans 8) – a word spoken out of the flesh is birthed on the wings of imagination and carries not life and change but it carries spiritual death and carnality. This is the very serious nature of the prophetic. We are dealing here with a spiritual realm of life and death beyond our understanding and comprehension. Yet the prophetic and the office of the prophet have become the playing field of the church, with ‘prophetic’ words flung sometimes carelessly and without thought. Words carry huge power, and so much more words are proclaimed ‘prophetic’ – for it carries either spiritual life or death. Words spoken out of the flesh and by the imagination, or even by the devil, are no mere trivial matter. It is of critical importance that the church is guided by the true prophet and the true prophetic, for then the church will reap the prophetic reward as governed by the Law of the Spirit and of Life. And those who are governed by this law are slaves no longer to the world [traditionalisms, legalisms, and religiosity] and to sin but they are only aligned to the perfect will of the loving Father. We need to understand the true power of the prophetic. For we have a choice – to either receive the prophetic as uttered by God or we can choose to deny it. But then we must choose the word spoken in the spiritual realm and not in the flesh, for if we choose incorrectly we can become subject to the spiritual law of sin and death. Discernment and spiritual maturity is the order of the day for us to be guided by the divine prophetic. For this reason, Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5: 19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil. In 2 Kings 7, we read the following: 1 Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.” 2 The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it!” Elisha spoke these words at a time that Aram had besieged Samaria. The people within Samaria were starving and so the prophet said to the people and the king that they do not need to fear for the Lord will lift the siege. The officer did not receive the word of the prophet and did not act upon it. By verse 19 we read: 19 The officer had said to the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” The man of God had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!” 20 And that is exactly what happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died. Let us note: the officer rejected the true prophet and the word spoken by the Lord. He did not choose to be subjected to the law of the spirit and life, for if he had he would have enjoyed the liberty that came from the lifting of the siege. Instead, he rejected it and so he subjected himself to a different spiritual law and so died. We have to understand that the Lord is very but very serious about His Word spoken, primarily for a purpose as so designed by the anointing of a prophet, for such an utterance sets free, guides, heals, restores, and above all, brings people into alignment with His Will, Word, and Truth. This is not a matter to be played with – this is of critical importance for the church to understand. To continue with 2 Kings 7 – there were at the time also four lepers sitting beyond the gate of Samaria [for they had been cast out]. They were pondering staying outside and dying or entering the city and dying from the famine. They instead choose to go to the city in hope and faith and so received their prophet’s reward which was life, abundance, and a blessing! In 2 Kings 5, we learn of Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram who was struck with leprosy. He inquired from the prophet Elisha about his condition and was told to wash himself seven times in the Jordan river to be healed. Naaman at first did not do want to do as he was told and was almost subjected to the law of sin and death – sin because he disobeyed the Lord and death because he would have died from leprosy. But he did as the prophet said and so received the prophet’s word which was to be healed from his sickness. In 2 Kings 4 and 5, we read of the accounts of a widow and of a Shunammite. Both of them made room for the prophet and his word. They also received him and heeded his words. As a result, they received the prophet’s reward. The widow received miraculously oil to sell, while the Shunammite’s son was restored his life. Both of these women had faith in the prophet and believed and received. We see the severity of not doing as the Lord commands through the prophetic in 1 Kings 20: 35 By the word of the LORD one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me with your weapon,” but the man refused. 36 So the prophet said, “Because you have not obeyed the LORD, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” And after the man went away, a lion found him and killed him. In 1 Kings 17, we read of the widow at Zarephath. At this time Elijah had declared a famine over the land because of Ahab’s idolatry. The Lord had first provided Elijah with food, but now he had to go to Zarephath. For we read: 7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” 12 “As surely as the LORD your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.’ ” 15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah. Can we see what the Lord is saying? This widow received the prophet and by faith believed and acted upon the word of God. She subjected herself to the law of Spirit and life and so received the prophet’s reward. In I King 18, we read of the famous encounter between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Here Elijah, the true prophet, confronted them with the true word of God. The people who witnessed God’s power were saved because they believed in Elijah as the true prophet and in his word. They became subject to the law of the spirit and life and so lived. But the prophets of Baal, because they had spoken out of the flesh and imagination, subjected themselves to the spirit of death and sin, and so were slaughtered. We read also many other tales of Elijah and Elisha performing wonders such as the healing of water, the floating of the ax head, and the multiplication of bread. This happened because they were received as prophets, and their words were being heeded and obeyed. That submission opened up the heavens and allowed the spiritual authority of the prophet to operate, causing miraculous signs and wonders to manifest. And just so Moses was a prophet. Those who heeded his prophetic words summed up primarily in the Law indeed subjected themselves to the law of life and of the Spirit. But because so many rejected him, often speaking false words born out of the need for the flesh, they then died in the desert because they subjected themselves to the spirit of sin and death. Sin because they disobeyed the appointed of God, to whom God spoke face to face, and death because they chose not the live according to the life-giving truths of the Law. For this reason, we read in Deuteronomy 28 that the people were urged to choose between life and death, between following the Law and turning away from it. For in that choice lies either a curse or a blessing. Jesus said in Luke 4:24: 24″I tell you the truth,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” There is a far greater weight behind these words than we initially perceive – for He was saying that He, being the greatest prophet, needs to be received in order for them to receive the greatest of all prophets’ rewards, which is eternal life! And so Jesus continued to explain His statement in verse 25: I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” Jesus was teaching them a very important lesson – for those who receive the prophet and abide in his word as spoken in heaven, shall receive the reward. And such a word brings life, deliverance, and healing and it brings us into alignment with God’s will. Jesus not only spoke the prophetic word HE WAS the PROPHETIC WORD fulfilled. He is the Word and the Word is alive. Jesus’ very essence was prophetic, and His words spoke of the present and the future. He, as the prophetic word and as the prophet, brought everything [creation and the church] into alignment with God the Father through His life, death, and ascension. The birth of the Son of God was a prophetic action. His life was a prophetic action. His ministry, death, and ascension were prophetic – He was the fulfillment of the prophetic and the deceleration of the present and the future. Such is the nature of Jesus – God incarnated while on earth. And so when Jesus said we shall live not from bread alone but from every word that comes from the word of the mouth of God (Mathew 4:4), He was saying that we shall live by the life and the hope resting in the prophetic. He was telling us that we shall prosper, foremost spiritually, when we receive the Word, which is Jesus, for Jesus is after all the Word, including the Prophetic. So the very essence and nature of Jesus are the Word and the accumulation of the Word – and such Word is prophetic in the very nature and design for the Prophetic is the present and the future. This is why it says in Revelation 19:10 that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Jesus is the fulfillment of all prophecies and all prophecies flow into Him. Jesus is the present and future. When we declare and speak the Name of Jesus, we speak in the name of the highest prophetic authority and we speak the Word and by that Name, there is the power of loosing and binding, of healing and deliverance, and hope and glory. Indeed, whatever is declared and whatever is spoken is spoken now and is settled in heaven now, even though the fulfillment and the manifestation of that Word might only happen in the future. A prophetic word, uttered in the heavenlies, is binding and shall not return to the Lord empty. Such a word is binding now and also everlasting – it is all-powerful and consuming for it operates under the law of the Spirit and of life. And so we have to understand that no matter what we have done, the prophetic word and the utterance remains binding, and it is settled upon us now. As soon as we allow it to operate, as we come into alignment with God, it shall be settled in the now for the future. And so, the Word of God spoken by Jesus, spoken thousands of years ago and spoken in this age, all have binding and everlasting power for the Church right NOW – for in that WORD and PROPHETIC ACTION lies the mechanisms for the Church to move in alignment with God and by that alignment to be healed, restored and revived for the future days – and such future days is the next second, the next minute and the next heartbeat. Now is the time to make room for the prophet and the Prophetic – just as the Church has to first, and above all, make room for Jesus and the everlasting word. And when we make room, and when we receive the Prophetic, the NOW in the PRESENT flows into the FUTURE and brings to life what has been spoken into the spiritual realm. Hebrews 11 speaks of receiving what has been promised and receiving it by faith. For those who choose to live eternally have to after all receive the promise by faith of Jesus. For those who want to live in His Will has to receive and make room for the prophetic word as spoken by the prophets, for then a reward will be received. And here then lies the secret when we ponder why so many people are still waiting for a ‘true’ word spoken to become a reality in their lives. They wait for many have not received the word and acted upon the word and made room for the word or the prophet. Many have heard but did not receive. Many have seen but have not believed. So in many, there is a word birthed and resting right now, waiting to be received and to be acted upon, but with the rejection of the prophet and the prophetic and the lack of faith such a word lies dormant. By faith action needs to be taken, a belief needs to be formed and room needs to be made. If not, the church will not be like Naaman who received his healing in the river Jordan, like the widows who saw jars filled by oil, like the Shunammite woman who saw her son healed, like the people who came to repentance on Mount Carmel and like the lepers who went to the city of Samaria to find the tents of their besiegers empty. For those who make room, who believe, who act, who take heed, and who stand upon God’s prophetic Word, will receive such a reward. Those who believe foremost in Jesus, in His Word and Truth, will be filled by the Spirit and by Life. Jesus, who is the Word at the laying of the world unto the end, is after all the Truth, Way, and Life. He was filled by the Spirit for as the Living Son of God who is the fulfillment of all prophetic He operates under the Law of the Spirit and of Life. He is the resurrection and the glory. The spirit of prophecy is indeed the testimony of Jesus. Jesus said the following in Matthew 13:13-15: 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ” ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ Indeed, for those who do make room for the prophet and the prophetic, here and now, will live but for those who reject it and follow it not, as what they did with Jesus, will spiritually always be blind, deaf, and mute and never perceive. For the Word of God which is alive and active, sharper than a doubled-edged sword, determines our path now for the future – it speaks of our spiritual condition, of God’s everlasting covenant, and of the law of the Spirit and of Life. For the Pharisees and Sadducees did not make room for Jesus [the prophetic fulfilled], and neither did they in faith believe in the prophetic manifestation of the Word who is Jesus and so they became subject to the spirit of sin and death. These religious people became spiritually blind and numb in their perception of the truth. In God is all the truth and His Word is Truth and speaks of the now and the future. King David received a prophetic word regarding the eternal covenant between him and God. And so at the end of his life, despite all his errors, he stood on the word of God, there and then, for it was a word alive for him that holds true for the future. And such a word was active for he had received it, made room for it and he had stayed true to God throughout his life. In conclusion, it says in Joel 2: 28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. Joel was prophesying of a day to come when the Spirit will be poured out like never before. He was however also prophesying of a day that the prophetic will truly be restored in the Church. And once it is restored, whereby the prophet is welcomed back in her midst to instruct and guide under God’s hand, then the church will operate under the law of the Spirit and life – life meaning revival, restoration, and resurrection. And Spirit implies the flow of the gifts, and the flow within the spiritual atmosphere of the prophetic which will put in motion greater prophesying in the Spirit of God’s Word, which remains the testimony of Jesus. Such a day comes and such a day is here. Room needs to be made. The promise of God’s Word needs to be received. Joel’s prophesy needs to be heeded and trusted. It is no wonder that God has over and over spoken against false prophets and false words and testimonies. For such word brings forth the law of sin and death. It brings forth deception and falseness. For such word brings forth carnality, idolatry, and confusion. Only the true testimony of Jesus and the true Word of God brings forth the manifestation of the spiritual realm, unlocking the flow of the River of Jordan, and only by God’s divine utterance is there healing and deliverance. The church in general needs to be guided by the prophetic, for this is God’s order – He speaks from heaven, and from heaven into is passed to the prophet who declares it on earth [a binding agreement] and this word is returned unto the Lord. And so the Water, Blood, and Spirit – meaning the Trinity – testify and agree to the word as spoken in the will of the Lord. Has the Lord not said that He does nothing without revealing it first to the prophets? Amos 3:7 (King James Version): 7Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. Did the Lord not say that the entire Law and the prophets hang on to the two greatest commandments? Once the Church makes room for the true prophet and the prophetic, she will come into alignment and then signs and wonders and miracles will flow. It is so important for people to be taught the difference between the prophet and the prophetic and between the gifts of the Spirit such as discernment, word of wisdom, word of knowledge and simply moving in the Spirit. This will clear up confusion and chaos … for when it comes to the Lord His Word is sacred and everlasting and true and so itRead more

A Prophetic Word For the Prophets Previous Post The true prophets will now arise; signs and wonders to follow (Wednesday, October 26, 2017): God is speaking about a process of separation – a separation of the false and the real, the holy and unholy, the godly and the ungodly, and between the immoral and the moral. This is a time of the separation between God’s Truth and the truth of man, between God’s Kingdom and the kingdom of man, and between God’s ways and the ways of man. It is the fulfillment of the word of 1 Corinthians 3: 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. And also we must be reminded of Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. In this process of separation, God is also now separating the true and the false prophet. Yes, God will expose the false prophecies of self-indulgence, self-glorification, self-edification, and self-exaltation. It shall crumble and be exposed for its wickedness says the Lord. It says in Ezekiel 2 (words of God to the prophet Ezekiel): He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” We need to understand God is saying clearly the true prophets will not be welcomed for they bring correction, and they bring God’s Truth where there is rebellion and where there is apostasy, idolatry, immorality, and deception. Yet God is saying clearly He is raising up this army of prophets! God is sending them to the rebellious house as He did in the days of Ezekiel, and take note, the world cannot be rebellious if not under the covenant. We can only be rebellious to God if we are under His covenant – so the rebellious house is God’s church on earth. And yes these prophets will speak as the Lord leads, and the Lord is saying to them do not be afraid, do not be dismayed, do not be discouraged, but speak as I lead. Yes, the prophets will be mocked, ridiculed, persecuted, and even threatened, but ultimately it is not the prophet who is being mocked but God Himself! And the Lord is saying He is sending the prophets in these days to lead people WITHIN THE REBELLIOUS HOUSE of bondage – out of rebellion and out of apostasy and out of religion and into the Promised Land of God’s ordination and Kingdom! And look says the Lord, the Lord raised up Moses the prophet to lead the people by great signs and wonders, just as the signs and wonders were with the prophets Elijah, Daniel, Elisha, and Ezekiel. By great signs and wonders the earth shook, fire fell, and kingdoms KNEW God is real and alive. So it shall be again declares the Lord! For the Lord says Jesus the Son of God and the greatest prophet of all also came in the prophetic mantle to lead the people out of bondage AND SIGNS AND WONDERS FOLLOWED THIS EXCODUS OUT OF SLAVERY! Glory to God! For the Lord says behold, the true prophets will arise from the ashes and now, yes now is the time they shall be known not just for their purity, and for speaking God’s Truth, but great, yes GREAT, signs and wonders will accompany them like never seen before. For the rebellious house shall know a prophet is among them SAYS ELOHIM! Behold, says God, My True Word shall be spoken to the rebellious house and if they listen or if they shall not listen, they shall know by the prophet I am in the House. Reject the prophet says the Lord, then you shall reject My Word says the Lord. And so the Lord reminds us of Matthew 23: 29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started! For the Lord says a time will come when the true prophets will arise but not always accepted, they will rise but many will seek their downfall and many will seek to see them destroyed, strewn, and bloodied in the streets. For a murderous spirit is loose within the rebellious house says the Lord, yes a murderous spirit to destroy God’s Truth and Kingdom, but God shall arise in power and Glory to be the protector and deliver as He is the Deliverer of Israel. But woe indeed says the Lord, for My power, shall be with My prophets for they move in My authority to raise up a Bride that is ready for My cominRead more

Making Room For the Prophetic Previous Post Luke 4: 24 Then He said, Solemnly I say to you, no prophet is acceptable and welcome in his [own] town (country). 25 But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were closed up for three years and six months, so that there came a great famine over all the land; 26And yet Elijah was not sent to a single one of them, but only to Zarephath in the country of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. [I Kings 17:1, 8-16; 18:1.] 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and yet not one of them was cleansed [by being healed]–but only Naaman the Syrian. [II Kings 5:1-14.] Jesus in this account placed emphasis on making room for the prophet and the prophetic word and once allows to be guided by the authority and the anointing resting on such an office, then one comes into alignment with God – and once you are in alignment with God and His will, you will find healing, restoration, and deliverance. In this passage, Jesus reminded the people how only two people make room for two prophets and so received a prophetic reward. Yet the rest of the people of Israel rejected the true prophet and his words, just like they rejected Jesus. To make room implies being accommodating, being accessible, and allowing for such a Word to mold and guide. Prophetically, at the birth of Jesus, only one person was willing to make room for the prophet to be born. Only one person in Bethlehem made a choice to be accommodating. And still, so few today can discern the need to be accommodating and to make room in order to receive the prophetic reward … And it is they who have grown up in spiritual maturity and it is they who can discern the false and the truth, must lead the weaker and the less mature to the true prophets and the true prophetic in order that they, along with the Bride in general, can be guided by the true and settled Word of God. Jesus, apart from being the Son of God, was above all a Prophet, like Moses and David – He was telling His followers in His own way that they need to make room for Him and His prophetic words and teachings. How many people made room for Jesus to receive the prophetic reward from the Living Son of God? And so today many churches and many people simply are not making room for the prophet or the prophetic in their lives – for the prophet and the prophetic is there to guide the people in the will of the Lord and so it is the Lord’s way that the true prophet has the authority by His blessings to shift situations and spiritual conditions in order for those “conditions’ to come in alignment with Him. Intercessors, pastors, evangelists, and all servants of the Most High need to be guided by the prophetic in order to ensure unity and understanding. And so the Body needs to work together, everybody according to purposes and callings, to ensure His Kingdom is established in the hearts and minds of the people of the Lord across the world. But the problem is there are too many false prophets, false words, and false declarations that cause confusion and chaos. People are however making room for the wrong “prophets” and the “prophetic”, and so opening up spiritual doors that allow for greater disunity and disorientation. The church in general needs to be guided by the prophetic, for this is God’s order – He speaks from heaven, and from heaven into is passed to the prophet who declares it on earth [a binding agreement] and this word is returned unto the Lord. And so the Water, Blood, and Spirit – meaning the Trinity – testify and agree to the word as spoken in the will of the Lord. Has the Lord not said that He does nothing without revealing it first to the prophets? Amos 3:(King James Version): 7Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. Did the Lord not say that the entire Law and the prophets hang on to the two greatest commandments? Once the Church makes room for the true prophet and the prophetic, she will come into alignment and then signs and wonders and miracles will flow. It is so important for people to be taught the difference between the prophet and the prophetic and between the gifts of the Spirit such as discernment, word of wisdom, word of knowledge and simply moving in the Spirit. This will clear up confusion and chaos … for when it comes to the Lord His Word is sacred and everlasting and true and so it has to be spoken in Spirit and Truth. Riaan ERead more

Prophetic Accountability Previous Post We as children of the Lord have a responsibility and accountability as His ambassadors and representatives on earth to be the carrier of His truth and Glory and Presence as the light and the salt of the Kingdom. Our first accountability is towards God, not man. We are called to be worthy sacrifices as the temples of the Holy Spirit, seeking His will and His glory above anything else. We are dealing with a God who is searching for a Bride who is holy and pure in intent, motivation, and inspiration. When it comes to the prophetic, accountability can become a tricky subject. After all, church history over the last five decades attests to spiritual abuse, manipulation, and deception because ‘accountability’ was enforced but in a skewed manner. From the days of the shepherding movement up to now, millions of church congregants are taught they are accountable first and foremost to the pastor, and they are called to obey with blind obedience, never questioning what is said or done. God has never appointed man to rule over another within the context of the Church, for Jesus is the Lord and the Head of the church (Colossians 1:18). Sure, God has appointed pastors as shepherds, but for the reason to lead and to guide in the fear, wisdom, and humility of the Lord. A shepherd is but a mere under-shepherd to the true Shepherd Jesus. Ezekiel 34 speaks about how the shepherds had abused their powers and had shed their responsibility: 34 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.” The shepherds are described as being cruel, and not feeding the sheep. Jesus asked Peter that if he loves the Lord, he shall feed the flock of the Lord (John 21). This is the heart of a true shepherd – serving the flock, guiding, protecting, and leading them to dwell in the presence of the true Shepherd (John 10). No earthly shepherd ‘owns’ anybody in the congregation, or can have control over the flock. He merely guides and leads, under the leading of the ord. After all, a shepherd is supposed to be protecting the flock from the wolf, and not be a wolf in sheep’s-clothing. An under-shepherds word never supplants the truth of the Master. Because of the church set-up, congregants are led by one-man armies, those who lord and rule over the flock. Sure, there may be elders and a church counsel, but many times it is but for show. The senior pastor holds all the power and demands obedience and loyalty. It has become so bad in churches that there are those who believe the word of the pastor above even what God is saying or the Scriptures! We are thus creating a system of believers that are no longer listening to God directly, but relying purely on what is being spoon-fed to them. This goes back to the dark ages of the faith. It is because of such a church system of control that the prophetic many times fail to function properly and in the liberty of the Spirit. For as control is exerted to the point of manipulation, then there are even clear attempts to control the utterances of the prophet or even silence the prophetic completely. It is a well-known practice even within churches that no one in the congregation is allowed to speak a prophetic word unless it has been approved by the pastor/spiritual leader, or that no one in the congregation is allowed to receive a prophetic word from ‘outside’ the specific church. This is nothing more than exerting control and has nothing to do with the order of God. Personally, years ago I heard a pastor say that no one is allowed to correct him, not even a prophet. This is nothing more than spiritual pride and arrogance in operation; it fuels an atmosphere of control. If the Lord leads a prophet to speak, he shall speak. If the Lord leads a prophet to act, he shall act. But the prophet must be willing to be accountable for the words spoken and the actions taken and must be willing to be corrected, rebuked, and reproofed if necessary. It is a ridiculous notion that a prophet may not speak to anyone of a different congregation, after all, we are all part of ONE Body that belongs to our Lord Jesus. A prophet must therefore be cautious against such actions of being silenced or reprimanded for moving in the Spirit of the Lord. This is nothing more than the spirit of religion and tradition trying to control the Word of God being spoken. These are tactics of intimidation to silence the prophet, and the spirit of religion often is behind such intimation. The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted to silence Jesus, not just for being the Son of God but also for being a prophet. After all, God’s true word shall always challenge the religious traditions of man. A prophet thus only obeys the Master but at the same time must be willing and open to correction. Thus accountability is important for a prophet, because at times there is a fine line between speaking in the Spirit and speaking in the flesh, and there is a fine line between speaking as the Spirit leads and following one’s imagination. For there is thus a fine line between being a blessing, speaking the Truth of God, and being a curse, thus rebelling against God for being ignorant and speaking deception. Thus it is wise for a prophet always to be accountable, and to allow himself to be reproofed in case he has gone astray. A prophet after all is not a long ranger but operates within the Body to the benefit of the Body and to the glory of the Lord. A prophet who acts completely alone, who will never be open to correction or to be held accountable for what he says, is dangerous and acts as a loose cannon. More than ever such a prophet walks in pride and arrogance and thus presents an open door for the enemy to act and to influence negatively. The result is the prophet then begins to speak out of the flesh, out of a place of pride and arrogance, and even worse by a different spirit. It says in 1 Corinthians 14: 29 Let two or three prophets speak [as inspired by the Holy Spirit], while the rest pay attention and weigh carefully what is said. 30 But if an inspired revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one must be silent. 31 For [in this way] you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may be instructed and everyone may be encouraged; 32 for the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets [the prophecy is under the speaker’s control, and he can stop speaking]; 33 for God [who is the source of their prophesying] is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order. Clearly, there is order within the prophetic. Where prophets are called to tear down and to destroy, therefore discern what is real and not, it is, therefore, important for the true prophet to allow all prophecies to be tested, and to test other prophetic words. This is true accountability. A prophet must be humble enough to allow his word to be tested, and this should apply to any word to be spoken. Part of the prophetic role is to sit and listen to prophecies and “weigh carefully” the words that are spoken. This is something that two or three should do together. If a prophecy does not get a consensus of support it should be discarded. Problem is that the church is saturated with ‘prophets’, with so many false or misguided. For the misguided and the false, they can certainly not test any prophetic utterance, yet because of the lack of discernment, they have a say regarding the prophetic and utter prophetically, thus creating a spiritual atmosphere of confusion and chaos. Testing prophecies is a very important aspect of the prophetic ministry. We are now hearing more and more prophetic words being spoken to the church, but the spiritual quality is still very mixed. Christians do not know which words they should take seriously. Many warnings of disasters have not been fulfilled. This unclear sound of the trumpet is producing confusion in the church. The solution is for prophets to get more involved in the testing of prophecies and sorting out the wheat from the chaff. False prophets are unteachable and unwilling for their prophecies to be evaluated and tested, as Scripture commands. Virtually every time New Testament Scriptures speak of prophecy, they also speak of evaluating and testing the prophecy, which is the responsibility of every believer. I Thessalonians 5:19-21, for example, says, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Examine all things. Firmly hold onto what is good.” 1 Corinthians 14:29 says, “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.” And in this same vein of thought, 1 John 4:1 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Accountability is thus important within the prophetic, but accountability is not spiritual control and abuse. The reality is that only the true prophet can discern if a prophetic word or a prophetic voice is genuine or not because a prophet will be able to discern according to the mandate and the mantle. Yet today prophets aren’t even allowed to correct and admonish other prophets, or shepherds (Ezekiel 34), while many prophets are not willing to be corrected or to be rebuked. It is after all the reality that many in the churches these days are speaking without being held accountable, and once corrected, they get offended and scream ‘Do not judge’. For the prophet, accountability is important, in order to remain in God’s will, to make sure the path of truth is kept and that one does not stray from the Spirit. A prophet who steps out of the Spirit can cause huge damage and will be held accountable to God. Our accountability is first before God and then men, so a prophet needs to remain humble in the presence of the Lord, listen, and be allowed to be corrected. And also be corrected by others in the Body of Christ and by approved prophets. Riaan Engelbrecht Next PostRead more

Beguiling Nature of Prophecy of Divination Previous Post Let us take note and let us understand, that we all are supernatural and spirit formed and therefore act as lightning rods in time of a storm … we are either going to be a conduit for the Holy Spirit or a demonic entity to work through us or influence us. If we play with fire that we don’t always understand, we might get burned. Since we operate in the spiritual realm, we have to remain mindful of the Lord’s holy and pure ways and the ways of Satan that are forbidden and profane. For now more than ever we need to leave our ignorance at the door by thinking that we can operate in the spiritual realm with a nonchalant attitude, while in the meantime we are leaving ourselves open to all kinds of spiritual operations be they profane and forbidden or be it holy. And because of the lack of watchmen in the churches to stand on the proverbial spiritual walls to be mindful and to be watchful as we connect with the spiritual realm, all kinds of deceptions and forbidden actions have seeped into the heart of the Bride and the institution called Church simply because we all act as conduits, just like a lightning rod in a storm. As we see in the story of Jacob in Genesis 28, there is a constant spiritual interaction between heaven and earth, and we as human beings who have been made in spirit are caught up in the middle of all this activity. Question is, shall we eventually flow with God or with Satan? Let us understand the significance of 1 Kings 22 – even when 400 so-called prophets declared a word of “truth”, then it can even be a lie. And here we find a very important spiritual principle as revealed in my spirit. How is it possible for 400 people to lie about the same event? It is because of a false spirit in operation. This can be named by many things – a spirit of lying, of deception, but it was shown it can be considered as the spirit of divination. And here we need to sit upright and pay attention – for indeed, the followers of God walk a fine line when it comes to the spiritual, for there is a fine line between the Spirit and a deceptive spirit, between what is forbidden and what is legal, and between the truth and deception. There is a fine line when it comes to idolatry, rebellion, profane worship, and treating the holy and sacred with contempt. And we have on countless occasions crossed the line into the territory of paganism because of our strong will, of the Self, of our arrogance, ignorance, and complacency. Prophecy deals with God’s truth and God’s order as revealed and shown by the Spirit. Divination is the counter-movement of Satan to present a false truth, a false reality, and a false state of mind. Divination operates out of the realm of the FORBIDDEN AND THE SPIRITUALLY ILLEGAL AND IS REGARDED AS A DETESTABLE ABOMINATION UNTO THE LORD. Deuteronomy 18: 9 “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you). We need to therefore understand how the forbidden work of the devil compares when it comes to divination in regards to a true prophetic word or a word of knowledge or a word of wisdom. If a spirit of divination has been sowed into a person, then that spirit has infected and invaded the atmospheric realm around a certain place via that person. As in the case of 1 Kings 22, a spirit of divination was at work, sowing a false word and creating a false reality and a false outcome regarding the future. As the one ‘prophet’ spoke the false word, most likely because deception was already at work in him, the false spirit was transferred and imparted to others, and by uttering the spirit of divination was given a legal right to operate in the spiritual atmosphere and so sought to alter the outcome of the future. Now as the other “prophets” spoke concerning the matter, they were also infected by the initial deceptive and profane and forbidden word as they were operating in the tainted atmospheric realm. Consider the following. If I pray for someone, and I have not prayed for discernment and for true guidance, I can open myself to the spiritual atmosphere within and around the person whom I am praying for. Now, let us say there is a spirit of deception at work inside the person; I will then pray, and without discernment and true guidance, can come under the influence of that spirit of divination. What this causes is that I will speak a word over this person WHILE OPERATING UNDER THE SPIRIT OF DIVINATION – and so I MYSELF BECOME SUSCEPTIBLE to what this spirit of divination want me to see regarding this person and his future and so a prophecy of divination is born instead of a prophecy of the Spirit. It is very possible for someone to receive a word concerning a certain matter which has been confirmed by many, as we find in 1 Kings 22, yet the word can be false. It can happen because of the spirit of divination in operation. Such a spirit was in operation when the older prophet seduced another prophet, who had just spoken against the altar (1 Kings 13), to eat and dine with him when it was forbidden by Lord. If I pray for someone, be it through direct contact or through intercessory prayer, we come into contact with the spiritual atmosphere in and around them, and so allow ourselves to be open to the deception guile of the spirit of divination. If this happens, then the spirit of divination will easily confirm the deceptive words and images that are actually tied in with the person’s spirit or soul over which I am praying. The problem begins thus with the source, and now what seems like a confirmation from the Lord is actually a confirmation from the spirit of divination! This is also why it is so important to consider that we must not hastily lay hands on someone, for there is transference from the source. And if we are not covered by the Blood and standing in the discernment of the Spirit, we as the lightning rods can be manipulated to dance along with the music of the spirit of divination. Divination is paganism, and paganism is the forbidden, and so we can see how the devil can draw us into the realm of the forbidden and the profane if we are not alert, wary and discerning. To come under the guile and deception of the spirit of divination can and does happen and this is why the Lord prompted me to understand the severity of this matter. Therefore, we need to realize that before we pray for someone we need to first bind any spirit of deception or divination. Divination is so deceptive it can even make one believe there is no such work in operation! And we need to bind any work of confusion, divination, false prophecy, or fortune-telling so that the word of God can operate. Indeed, we need to first and foremost also bind any work of the imagination, of the flesh, of selfish intent and ambition, of selfish glory so that the Spirit of the Living Lord can work and not any other demonic presence. We may say we are very discerning, and truly those who are discerning might very well pick up the work of deception if it exists and some may very well speak God’s word and truth by smashing and breaking through by sheer authority such falsework. But the problem with deception is that it is cunning and sly! So the Lord says we need to bind and silence it so that we can be certain that we speak in the Spirit and in the Truth, otherwise, we can become susceptible to the beguiling allure of the spirit of deception, of imagination, of the forbidden and of idolatry. We can only speak a true word of prophecy or wisdom or knowledge when we are truly flowing in the Spirit, but in order to be a conduit through which the Spirit can flow, we need to be free from any other influence that seeks to deceive us. We need to remember that the spirit of deception and divination is primarily manipulating the source’s intentions and desires and wants and needs to create an illusion of reality and through that illusion sow chaos and destruction. When it comes to prophecy or speaking a word of wisdom or knowledge, we have to keep in mind that there are those who intentionally deceive and beguile because they deliberately want to sow deception and destruction. Then there are those who are fooled into giving a false word through a deceptive spirit or simply because of the realm of the imagination and the flesh. Either way, we have to be VERY careful when it comes to speaking false words and declaring false visions, for if it is intentional or unintentional, they have a way of sowing destruction and chaos. False and deceptive prophecies or visions eventually enslave someone, bring someone under the cloak of a false reality, and bring a person into a state of illusion and deception. Either way, when we speak a word over someone, we need to be VERY certain we are doing so in the Spirit, for if we are not, we are ourselves sowing deception and so bring ourselves and the person into the realm of the FORBIDDEN and the realm of WITCHCRAFT. Why witchcraft? It is simple. A false word or false vision or false prophecy is so designed to manipulate and control and influence negatively. It also seeks to enslave and destroy. If we move in any other spirit except the Holy Spirit, we are moving in control and manipulation, which is witchcraft and this is pagan in origin and pagan is the occult and the occult is the FORBIDDEN. How easily do we not say sorry if the word we have given is wrong, but we do not consider that intentionally or unintentionally we have already stepped into the realm of the OCCULT AND THUS THE FORBIDDEN, opening ourselves and the source to who we have spoken to become conduits of magick and the work of the devil? The Lord has spoken many times that He will no longer tolerate false prophecies and visions, for they fall into the realm of divination and deception, and it allows for the operator and the receiver within that spiritual atmosphere to fall under the spell of the occult and the FORBIDDEN. We live in times when God will act strongly against false ‘prophets’, false words, and false visions and dreams. Indeed, many are speaking things unintentionally, but still, they are sowing deception and destruction and they have engaged in the forbidden and the occult through divination. For those who are children of God, there should be no excuse for we are called to walk with the Spirit in Truth and in discernment and by the authority of the Lord to make sure we speak the Truth and not lies. Consider Jeremiah 7 (New King James Version): Trusting in Lying Words: 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 “Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the LORD!’” 3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 4 Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these.’5 “For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, 6 if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, 7 then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. 8 “Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, 10 and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? 11 Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the LORD. 12 “But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. 13 And now, because you have done all these works,” says the LORD, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer, 14 therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. 15 And I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all your brethren—the whole posterity of Ephraim. 16 “Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you. 17 Do you not see what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger. 19 Do they provoke Me to anger?” says the LORD. “Do they not provoke themselves, to the shame of their own faces?” 20 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, My anger and My fury will be poured out on this place—on man and on beast, on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground. And it will burn and not be quenched.” 21 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat. 22 For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. 23 But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’ 24 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. 25 Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them. 26 Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. 27 “Therefore you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not obey you. You shall also call to them, but they will not answer you. And also Jeremiah 23: False Prophets and Empty Oracles: 9 My heart within me is broken Because of the prophets; All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, And like a man whom wine has overcome, Because of the LORD, And because of His holy words. 10 For the land is full of adulterers; For because of a curse the land mourns. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up. Their course of life is evil, And their might is not right. 11 “ For both prophet and priest are profane; Yes, in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the LORD. 12 “ Therefore their way shall be to them Like slippery ways; In the darkness they shall be driven on And fall in them; For I will bring disaster on them, The year of their punishment,” says the LORD. 13 “ And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria: They prophesied by Baal And caused My people Israel to err. 14 Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: They commit adultery and walk in lies; They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom to Me, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah. 15 “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: ‘Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, And make them drink the water of gall; For from the prophets of Jerusalem Profaneness has gone out into all the land.’” 16 Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the LORD. 17 They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘ The LORD has said, “You shall have peace”’; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘ No evil shall come upon you.’” 18 For who has stood in the counsel of the LORD, And has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it? 19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury— A violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. 20 The anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly. 21 “ I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in My counsel, And had caused My people to hear My words, Then they would have turned them from their evil way And from the evil of their doings. 23 “ Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD, “ And not a God afar off? 24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “ Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD. 25 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27 who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal. 28 “ The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the LORD. 29 “ Is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD, “ And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? 30 “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. 31 Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the LORD, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the LORD. 33 “So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is the oracle of the LORD?’ you shall then say to them, ‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,” says the LORD. 34 “And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’ I will even punish that man and his house. 35 Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, ‘What has the LORD answered?’ and, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ 36 And the oracle of the LORD you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God. 37 Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ 38 But since you say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’ therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Because you say this word, “The oracle of the LORD!” and I have sent to you, saying, “Do not say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’” 39 therefore behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you and forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and will cast you out of My presence. 40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.’” Let us, therefore, be so mindful of our actions and flow in the power of God and not in the beguiling ways of the spirit of deception and the prophecy of divination. Let us humble ourselves and let us seek the Lord in all ways lest we become deceiveRead more