ARCHIVE NUMBER FIFTEEN
Spring 2003
*Additional: Please see "Flash Extra" here*
"Come Out of Her"
(all spelling and phraseology is UK English)
A new year is upon us and already January has sped past. Nothing has altered my impression (given in the last news flash) that we are "on the brink", indeed things seem to be intensifying in both world and church.
New Year - New Challenges
This will be a short news flash in the interests of working on the rest of my site, which has been sadly neglected lately. Firstly, some news:
Temple Inscription found on Tablet
A very rare find has surfaced in Israel, and it's causing consternation on all sides - especially amongst those who refuse to believe that the Jewish Temple every existed on the site now occupied by the Muslim Dome.
The stone tablet - about the size of a notepad - has an inscription about repairs on the Temple of Solomon and therefore provides documentary evidence of the authenticity of the biblical accounts. The inscription roughly corresponds to 2Kings 12:1-6, 11-17, where king Jehoash commands the priests to repair the temple.
"And Jehoash said to the priests, "All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the LORD--each man's census money, each man's assessment money--and all the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the LORD, let the priests take it themselves, each from his constituency; and let them repair the damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is found." (2 Kings 12:4-5)
However, the origins of the stone tablet are murky, making it hard to establish authenticity. Some say it was uncovered during renovations carried out by the Muslim caretakers of the area in Jerusalem that Jews claim to be the Temple Mount, but Islamic Trust who administer the site deny this account.
Israel's Geological Institute, whose experts studied it over the past year, have proclaimed the tablet authentic on the basis of carbon dating and studies of ancient writing. In addition, microscopic flecks of gold were found that could have been burnt into the stone when a building containing both the tablet and gold objects was destroyed. This could indicate the tablet was in Solomon's Temple, which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., or even in Herod's later Temple which we know from contemporary accounts was pulled apart by the Romans to extract the gold which ran between the cracks in the stones.
It is becoming more difficult for non-Christians to refute biblical accounts when archeologists keep uncovering inscriptions that confirm them. In 1994 a stone inscription at the ancient city of Dan was found to refer to the "House of David." Another important find was the House of Yahweh Ostracon, which is a pottery shard dated to about 800 BC that contains a written receipt for a donation of silver shekels to Solomon's Temple. Written approximately 130 years after the completion of the Temple, this appears to be the earliest mention of Solomon's Temple outside the Bible.
See this site for more details: Biblical Archeology
The Hour is Grave; The Times Are Perilous
As you see, I have titled this News Flash "Come out of her" because this command of God seems to be sounding louder and louder as we go on into an ever-worsening situation in the churches (and not just the charismatic ones.)
But don't take offense that I appear to be encouraging people to walk out of their churches and denominations wholesale. Let me point out that the command of God refers to coming out of BABYLON (in this case "mystery" Babylon also known as the Harlot, the false "church" or religious system of the last days.)
Whether or not your particular fellowship or denomination is part of or closely allied to "Babylon" is something I cannot tell you for sure; only YOU can decide that before God and from the evidence to hand - visiting preachers, books and tapes being promoted, teachings coming forth, courses being offered, behaviour of the elders and so forth.
But I'm willing to guess that many are still hanging on in churches that are plainly heading down the wrong path, simply "hoping" it will all turn out right, or that something miraculous will happen to stop their dash into apostasy. Others stay in because they have friends and family to think of, or they hope to be used by God to refute the errors. God understands every intention and knows every heart - BUT - there comes a time when the line must be drawn and you vote with your feet.
The Harvest of the Olives: (Isaiah 17:6/Isa 24:10-15)
I believe we can learn something of the Lord's ways by looking at the way the olive harvest was gathered in, in biblical times. As you may know, the olive is often used in the bible as a symbol of spiritual things (it produced oil) and thus refers to those who have the Spirit of God.
One book described the olive harvest in the following way (I summarise):
In early autumn, the ripened berries fall naturally off the tree or are shaken by the autumnal winds onto the ground. There they lie, under the eye of a Watchman appointed to guard them, until the governor makes a decree: "go forth and gather". Then the owners of the trees are permitted to gather their own olives.
In November, as the winter rains begin, there comes the final, general, proclamation and all the countryfolk come to gather. Now the watchmen are removed, and the olives are unguarded. The olive trees are SHAKEN by all and sundry to make the last berries fall.
Finally, in worsening weather, the poorest people come to glean whatever remains.
On a black-figure amphora from the 6th c. BC, the agricultural work of harvesting olives is depicted. Two men are beating the branches of an olive tree with long sticks. Another figure is up in the tree and is beating with a stick so the olives will fall down. A boy is gathering the olives that fall in a bowl. The olive tree is depicted in a schematic way, while the olives are shown naturalistically.
A Second Shaking
I cannot help but make some comparisons to our present situation. I see
the ripened olives, the Remnant Christians, falling away from their church
"trees" - this is the ongoing process of separation and isolation.
The first separation is a natural and Godly one, where the olives separate themselves, having become fully ripe, or they are separated from the tree by the wind (Holy Spirit.) Watchmen are appointed to guard these precious ones, and ensure they are safely gathered by their owners.
However, some olives are yet on the branches. Now the watchmen are removed, and these olives have to be violently SHAKEN and BEATEN to loosen their hold on the tree. They may end up in their owner's baskets, but they may not, because it's a free-for-all.
The analogy is clear I believe. If anyone is still ignoring the warnings, failing to "take heed" and clinging to false security (men, ministries, leadership, other people, churches, doctrines or anything apart from God and His Word) then God will permit a second "shaking" to beat them down off the trees. However, in the absence of watchmen, they are more vulnerable at this stage, and could be plucked up by anyone passing by.
It's my belief we are now in the second stage of harvesting, where God is going to permit people (and not just reliable and sound watchmen appointed by God) to come along and shake things up, beat the trees and cause a situation whereby the remaining olives are almost driven by force to fall off their rotten trees.
This won't be pleasant (because the ordained harvest was in stage one) but it is a measure of God's mercy that he waits for everyone:
" The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. " (2 Peter 3:9)
Now there's an even more urgent reason for heeding God's command to "come out of her..."
"The Call"
in Kansas City: A Marriage Covenant with Jesus.
By Wendy Griffith CBN News Reporter
January 6, 2002
Some 20,000 mostly young people packed the Kansas City Convention Center on New Year's Eve for a wedding ceremony unlike any other. "The Call, Kansas City" was the fourth in a series of major prayer events that are taking place across the country. But this one was quite different from the others, as each person who came embarked on a marriage covenant with the Bridegroom of Heaven. Some 20,000 mostly young people packed the Kansas City Convention Center on New Year's Eve for a wedding ceremony unlike any other. From noon until midnight they danced and sang, fasted and prayed, and got ready to get married to Jesus.
All of the previous Calls, in Washington, D.C., Boston, and New York, were about prayer and repentance and turning the nation back to God. But the heart of "The Call, Kansas City" is really about the church returning to its first love, Jesus Christ, and seeing him as the Bridegroom.
"There's going to be a wedding and God is raising up friends of the Bridegroom to prepare the church, there's going to be a wedding!" said Mike Bickle, director of the International House of Prayer.
One by one, thousands of men and women, young and old, made their vows and walked under the prayer shawl symbolizing their commitment to Jesus.
[My Comment: The huppah is in fact an integral part of a binding WEDDING CEREMONY between man and woman; therefore what these young people were doing was getting married - but to whom? The bible tells us that the marriage of the Lamb takes place "in heaven" and only at the Day of Redemption when all believers are gathered in. It does not take place on earth as a "preparation" for the Lord's coming.
This wedding ceremony is not just a wrong interpretation of scripture. Worse, it's a deliberate act of coming into communion with ANOTHER SPIRIT. It is, in my belief, the pact of the Betrothed of God with "another christ" - she is taking a lover who is not God and in fact becoming A HARLOT.
For this very act the former wife of God, Israel, was cast off, punished and driven into exile, and suffered many long years of judgement. God will turn his back on any who join themselves to another husband. They may not realise this is what they are being led to do, but I am here to tell you - THIS IS SERIOUS FOLKS! Run a mile from such a thing.
In a slightly wider than usual interpretation of the following scripture, about harlotry, we can see that the Church (body) joining itself to the Harlot can result only in abandonment by the Holy Spirit.
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh." 1 Cor 6:15-16]
Continuing the report..
"Stewart Greaves, a 30-year-old, said, "I really feel like the Lord is calling young people to fall madly in love with Him. I've always felt that the difference between religion and relationship is intimacy with Jesus because intimacy with Jesus is ultimately what will empower us to evangelize, prophesy, heal the sick."
For some, this Call was seen as being more of a regional prayer event rather than of national significance. But during a 40-day fast, Call founder Lou Engle had a vision, in which the Lord showed him that "The Call, Kansas City" was, spiritually speaking, the most important Call of all.
Engle said, "I saw each of the Calls, there are seven in all, I saw each of them as a perfect beautiful pearl, but when brought together became a string of pearls that would adorn the Bride of Christ in this nation. The Call I didn't see, and the Lord showed me on this string of pearls, was this one. He said, this is the pearl of great price, it's the center pearl of the Bride's necklace, and it was The Call in Kansas City — ‘Come to the heartland and get married to Jesus, return to covenantal fidelity. America, return to your first love.’"
Engle and other prayer leaders say this unbridled passion for Jesus must be there to ensure the success of future Calls in 2003, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas/Fort Worth.
"For instance, we're targeting Hollywood in L.A. in the Rose Bowl on February 22nd, and we're right in the shadows of the pornographic capital of the world. You don't ride, so to speak, into Jezebel's palace, if I could use that terminology, unless you've had your hearts sealed with a fire of love that's stronger than the fire of lust. This whole generation is steeped in this thing, but we believe that God has a love that's stronger," Engle said.
Here in Kansas City, there has already been a tremendous focus on the bridal love of Jesus. Mike Bickle is from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, where for three and a half years, a team of prophetic singers, intercessors and others have held 24-hour-a-day praise and worship focusing on Jesus as the bridegroom.
Intercessor and pastor Dutch Sheets said, "I feel like we just went to another level in every way, maybe because of the intimacy thing. But I leaned over to Lou at the end and I said, ‘Lou, I feel the pleasure of the Lord.’ And he said, ‘Oh that's good.’ And I said, ‘No, you don't understand. I mean really, really, really strong. I feel His pleasure, He is very pleased.’ And so I feel like because of that [intimacy], He allowed us to go to another level."
The next Call is scheduled for February 22nd in Los Angeles." (end of report)
False Doctrine
Oh it all sounds so good and right-on, doesn't it - dedication, fasting, getting closer to Jesus..........BUT (and there's a very big but) behind all the razzmatazz and PR reports and spin-doctoring is an agenda to mobilise the youth (in particular) to become the latter-rain "new breed" who are to take the nations and bring the spiritual presence of God down to inhabit the Body on earth.
There's no way in the world to achieve something plain contrary to scripture, however much you may talk it up, pray and fast and organise it. God will do nothing outside HIS will and HIS plan, which has been laid out for us in the scriptures. As much as we would LIKE to see a social revolution, a Godly government, a transformed Church and so forth, we have to accept that the bible speaks of APOSTASY in the last days, a falling-away, not a transformation for the better.
What we desperately need to do is align ourselves with God and his will. But The Call and similar meetings are all about "ascending to higher levels" and "spiritual intimacy" and mystical experiences - not about seeking the will of God in these last days!
This is about REVOLUTION. The new website of The Call is in fact "The Call Revolution" mobilising a generation to "reshape the nations" and the initiative is the same as that powering the Apostolic Reformation of C. Peter Wagner and the cell churches, as well as most of the rest of the revival edifice and its leadership.
Once more, a forty-day fast has been called, just as in the days before the 1940's "latter rain revival" and whenever the leadership think they can force God's hand by sheer numbers and extravagant mortification of the flesh (which things Colossions 2:23 says "indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.") but hardly anyone seems aware that the desired outcome is the "outpouring of the Spirit of God" to such a degree that the Body becomes the living incarnation of Christ on earth!
With an aim so manifestly unbiblical, how can they hope to achieve anything godly or spiritual, but they are throwing themselves off a cliffedge in the hopes that God will take up the slack (and He won't).
Behaviour is one thing (and that in itself can be deeply suspicious - for instance Rick Joyner's induction into the Knights of Malta), but doctrine is another - and that can be heard coming out of all the meetings with no doubt as to its intention and meaning. The texts, symbols, scripture references used, allegories, prophecies and dreams and visions are all saying the same thing - there is to be a spiritual marriage of bride (prepared elite of believers) and groom (spirit of Jesus) so that the "manchild" leader of the nations can be "birthed". This in essence is the focus of the whole revival, including The Call.
And it's big business. See "Friends of the Bridegroom" where it is announced that the International House of Prayer (IHOP) is moving to a renovated 50,000 square foot Ministry Centre costing (gasp) TWO MILLION DOLLARS.
The FOB site lists participants Mike Bickle, Paul Cain, Jack Deere, Graham Cooke, Todd Bentley and Rick Joyner. To tell of all the falsehood and unbiblical doctrine perpetrated by these men and those with whom they associate would fill many books (and reports exist on this website and elsewhere on the Net) but suffice it to say that these men are very deeply into a mystical manifested-sons agenda that is increasingly leading Christians into the occult realm, contacting spirits that are not of God.
The Spirit Departing the Temple?
If thousands of Christians are gulled into "intimacy" and a "marriage ceremony" with a power that reason and logic demonstrates cannot be Jesus Christ (who would have nothing to do with something so contrary to his teaching and commands) then how long can it be before the same fate befalls the New Temple that befell Israel and her OT Temple - and the presence of God will lift from her and depart, to dwell with the righteous.
If what we are seeing is the formation of the Harlot, Mystery Babylon, then truly the voice of God is calling out to anyone who "has ears" COME OUT OF HER my people " lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues" . Rev 18:4
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
"I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people."Therefore,
"Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you."
I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty."
2 Cor 6:14-18