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Index To All Five Chapters
Also See The New Apostolic Reformation - Apostles Or Deluded Impostors
And
Prophets or Charlatans
ON THIS PAGE
Emphasis Mine In Bible Verses
PART I
Jesus' Prophecies
Although the precise meaning of many prophecies in Scripture are only completely understood during or after they have been fulfilled, several prophecies in the New Testament should give the discerning reader pause for thought - a great deal of thought.
Joel's Army And The Coming 'Civil War'
Is the name given to a militant group of Christians who, when they are 'manifested' (revealed) will be perfected, invincible, and have supernatural spiritual power. It is believed that they will go to war to bring everything under their control.
If You Think This Can Never Happen in America - Think Again
We have already witnessed the Genesis of violence
Christian Nationalism
now has a foothold in American politics,
PART II
The Great End Time Army - The Question Is Whose Army?
Although I am sure he does not realize it, Joyner has done an admirable job showing the true colors of "Joel's Army"...
Dominonists and the White Horse
Yet again they have it wrong
Who Are The Two Riders On White Horses?
Many believe that in the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is twice portrayed as riding a white horse. This is not the case. Read the two verses and the context very carefully.
Finally
Before wrapping this up, I have to ask who in their right mind would want to be part of "Joel's Army"?
PART I
Jesus' Prophecies
Several prophecies in the New Testament should give the discerning reader pause for thought - a great deal of thought. For example, note that both Jesus and John spoke of a lot of trouble for Christians. (All Emphasis Added)
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. (Matthew 10:21-22 NASB)
Jesus speaking to His disciples - "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name". (Matthew 24:9 NASB)
They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. "These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. (John 16:2-3 NASB)
Although persecution of believers in many parts of the world is not unknown there has never been anything remotely similar to the scale of betrayal described in the above verses.
So who is it that puts believers to death?
Many seem to believe that the 'doing God a service' bit possibly points to another religion - the Muslims for example. However, Matthew 10:21 says "Brother (Gk. adelphos) will betray brother (Gk. adelphos) to death".
The Greek word adelphos is made up of the prefix "A" and the Greek delphus or delphos, which means a womb. In the New Testament adelphos was used both for a blood brother and for fellow believers. For example
At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (Gk. adelphos) (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, (Acts 1:15 NASB)
So, my brothers (Gk. adelphos), And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same? (Matthew 5:47 BSB)
If the persecution and death of believers cannot be laid at the foot of non believers who is responsible?
Unfortunately, much of the evidence points to...
Joel's Army And The Supposed Coming Civil War
Although false teachings abound in the modern church, this potentially very dangerous delusion has been gathering momentum for some years now.
Joel's Army is the name given to a militant group of Christians who believe that when they are 'manifested' (revealed) they will be perfected, invincible, and have supernatural spiritual power. See Manifested Sons of God This 'elite' band will not only execute judgment but will, by force if necessary, be instrumental in bringing governments and other institutions (including the rest of the church) into line with God's laws thus preparing the world for Christ's return.
Prominent Dominionist leaders past and present seem to have no qualms about war... For example,
Rick Joyner
who until recently was senior pastor of MorningStar Fellowship Church in Fort Mill, South Carolina is one of the leading and very influential proponents of Latter Rain/Manifest Sons of God and related doctrines. More about him below.
It was said of the Apostle Paul that he was turning the world upside down; it will be said of the apostles soon to be anointed that they have turned an upside down world right side up. Nations will tremble at the mention of their name. [01]
Note that he said nations will tremble at hearing the name of the latter day apostles not God's name.
Civil War
Joyner also claims that God gave him a vision of a coming "civil war" soon to take place in the Church, which is supposed to parallel the American Civil War in many ways, which is one of the most revolting statements that that has ever come out of the mouth of a so called Christian minister.
Like the American Civil War, the coming spiritual civil war will also be between the Blue and the Gray. In dreams and visions blue often represents heavenly-mindedness (i.e. the sky is blue), and gray speaks of those who live by the power of their own minds (i.e. the brain is often called "gray matter"). This will be a conflict between those who well may be genuine Christians, but who live mostly according to their natural minds and human wisdom, and those who follow the Holy Spirit. [02]
The "Grays" are Christians who read the Bible as a plain statement of God's intentions, reject any doctrine that is not based solely on Scripture and dismiss all extra-biblical revelations and visions that do not conform with the Word of God. In other words Christians that do not agree with Joyner and others of his ilk. Their obstinate literalism is seen as impeding the effort to bring in the kingdom and one reason the church has made so little progress in the last 200 centuries since Christ.
Joyner also said
Like every civil war, it will cause brother to turn against brother like we may never have witnessed in the church before ... this battle must be fought. It is an opportunity to drive the Accuser out of the Church, and for the Church then to come into unity that would otherwise be impossible ... [03]
And he was not the only one - not by a long shot.
C Peter Wagner,
One of the foremost movers and shakers behind Dominionism Wagner is a perfect example. In his words (All Emphasis Added)
The Church is expected to war. Cosmic powers of evil have been assigned to thwart the Kingdom of God on earth, but they can be confronted and defeated. Apostles are designated to lead the Church into war because it takes a government to overthrow a government. Jesus invaded the kingdom of Satan when He came to earth, and He said that that kingdom will be taken by violence.
Some Christian leaders have promulgated an unfortunate anti war movement, but the dangers of this need to be exposed. For society to be transformed, bondages related to the land must be identified and broken through informed intercession. In war the victors plunder the enemy's camp, and God will cause this to happen as never before. [04]
More About Wagner in Apostles of Deluded Impostors
And
The History and Spread of Dominionism
If Jesus meant the Kingdom would be taken by violence in terms of war and bloodshed, He certainly contradicted Himself. See Footnote I
Paul Cain:
Kansas City "Prophet" Paul Cain prophesied of a day when sporting events all over the world would be canceled because the stadiums would be used for revival meetings. Many thought Cain's vision was describing the Promise Keepers founded in 1990 by Coach Bill McCartney - the goal being to 'Build up Godly Men'. In the late 90's over a million men gathered in the National Mall of Washington, D.C. to take a stand for Christ. However, as impressive as a 'million men' sounds it doesn't come anywhere close to the numbers Paul Cain described.
"I had a vision of you people coming from . . . a circle of maybe a hundred miles and I saw people coming from every major city within that circumference and a great conclave was taking place, and it was the training of Joel's Army. . . . I believe that people are going to come together by the thousands and train for the Army of the Lord. Wouldn't that be wonderful? I mean, that's long overdue." [05]
Jack Deere
formerly an associate professor of the Old Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary before becoming senior pastor of Wellspring Church in North Richland Hills, Texas once answered his own question of how God was going to "bring judgment upon His Church then judgment upon the land after His Church" by saying that He was "going to do it with a large and mighty army". Then... (Emphases Added)
"...this army is totally unique ... there's never been one like it and there never will be one like it in ages to come. ...It's so mighty that there's never been anything like it before. Not even Moses, not even David, not even Paul. What's going to happen now will transcend what Paul did, what David did. What Moses did, even though Moses parted the Red Sea ... there'll be a numerous company. . . . Well, here Joel is talking about it now in different words, a powerful, a MIGHTY ARMY with many Paul's many Moses', many David's." (VINEYARD MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL 1990.) [06]
John Wimber
stated, "those in this army will have the 'kind of anointing ... his kind of power ... anyone who wants to harm them must die". [07]
Bill Hamon:
In his book Apostles, Prophets, and the Coming Moves of God Bill Hamon wrote, (All Emphasis Added)
God's great end-time army is being prepared to execute God's written judgments with Christ's victory and divine judgment decrees that have already been established in heaven. The time is set when they will be administered and executed on earth through God's saintly army All that is destined and needed will be activated during God's restorational Army of the Lord Movement. [08]
More About Bill Hamon
Bill Hamon also conveniently misinterprets Jeremiah 51:20, 24, 29 (verses that predict the total destruction of the Babylonian empire by the Medes and Persians) is describing the church as God's weapons of war against spiritual Babylon.
"You are my battle-ax and weapons of war: for with you I will break the nation in pieces; with you I will destroy kingdoms; ... and I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil they have done in Zion in your sight," says the Lord ... and the land will tremble with sorrow; for every purpose of the Lord shall be performed against Babylon ...
Hamon’s assumption is without any Scriptural warrant whatsoever. A careful look at the sequence of events in the very last days shows that God's people aren't even around at the time Babylon is completely destroyed. Revelation 16:17-19 says
"the seventh angel poured out his bowl... The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath".
See Two Babylons
Christ's people are taken off the earth when the Seventh Trumpet is blown. This, the last of the Trumpets also heralds the beginning of the Seven Bowls. While the Trumpets cause great affliction and suffering (The 'Great Tribulation'), the Bowls rapidly make an end of all things. In other words, believers have been removed to safety before the Bowls begin raining down on earth.
See The End Of The Age Part IV... The Seventh Trumpet
This last and final Trumpet is the most eventful of them all, literally ushering the old age out and the new one in.
The End Of The Age Part V... The Rapture
Unfortunately much of the church believes they are going to be 'whisked away to heaven before the going gets rough.
Not according to the Scriptures.
I have no doubt that their visions and dreams are real however, they do not originate with God who has never put sweeping judgment into man's hands. That is His prerogative and His alone. Certainly if the more militant faction of the Manifest Sons of God believe Christians who do not acquiesce to their doctrines are in spiritual bondage and a cancer that has to be removed, then it is easy to see how they could bring about the fulfillment of the end time Biblical prophecies of internal strife, betrayal and bloodshed in the church
However, if they have thought about it at all, there is one point that seemingly has not occurred to them, and that is when Jesus made the predictions He did, He was speaking to true Christian believers, telling them that they would be killed by those that "have not known the Father or Me".
By the way, although Dominionists endlessly speak about bringing the Kingdom to fruition, nothing is said about how one gains entry. Although forgiveness and righteousness living are prerequisites to inheriting the Kingdom, and the book of Hebrews unambiguously states that "without holiness, no man shall see God!" (12:14) the silence is deafening when it come to any of these crucial topics.
See Section The Heart of The Matter
And Holiness
If You Think This Can Never Happen in America - Think Again
Although most of the above quotations were made some time ago nothing has changed
In April 2020 during a vote to approve the extension of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order, armed protesters occupied the State Capitol building in Lansing, Michigan. This occurred not long after Trump tweeted "Liberate Michigan" "A handful of them, wearing camouflage fatigues with semiautomatic rifles slung over their shoulders, watched ominously from the gallery above the Senate chamber as the elected officials did their work". There was also a failed plot to kidnap her and bomb the state Capitol. [09]
Ominously this was but a dress rehearsal for an even more serious event that took place just a few months later when the Capitol Building in DC was attacked and entered on January 6th. A USA Today article clearly shows the mindset of some of those who participated. (All Emphasis Added)
After a portion of the mob entered the Senate chamber on Jan. 6, a handful of men mounted the podium. One of them lifted his hands and cried out, "Jesus Christ, we invoke your name. Amen." Then Jacob Chansley, sometimes called the "QAnon Shaman," took his bullhorn and announced gratitude to God for being able to "send a message to all the tyrants, the communists, and the globalists that this is our nation, not theirs." [10]
What is worse is that Jacob Chansley was bare-chested with white supremacist tattoos clearly visible.
They called for Vice President Mike Pence to be hanged, sought the whereabouts of Nancy Pelosi, erected a wooden scaffold with a rope noose on the National Mall, and one participants's pickup was found with an M4 assault rifle, multiple loaded magazines, three handguns and 11 Mason jars filled with homemade napalm. What is truly frightening is that large numbers of current and former members of the U.S. military and law enforcement were also involved - people who once swore to uphold the constitution.
This was just the beginning. It can and will happen again.
Christian Nationalism
Long seen as a fringe viewpoint, Christian nationalism now has a foothold in American politics, particularly in the Republican Party according to a new survey from the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution
Robert P. Jones, the president and founder of the nonpartisan PRRI, quotes Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga who says
"I am a Christian and I say it proudly, we should be Christian nationalists".
Christian nationalism is a world view that claims the U.S. is a Christian nation and that the country's laws should therefore be rooted in Christian values. Although only 10% of Americans view themselves as adherents of Christian nationalism and about 19% of Americans said they sympathize with these views.
...according to the survey, half of Christian nationalism adherents and nearly 4 in 10 sympathizers said they support the idea of an authoritarian leader in order to keep these Christian values in society.
Tim Whitaker, founder of The New Evangelicals says
"he's worried about the outsized influence these views have in the Republican Party">
"The reality is that a lot of these folks — especially the adherents — are very militant in this belief that God has given them a mandate to rule over the nation," he said. "And so for them, I think that compromise is a sign of weakness and the GOP needs to understand what they are dealing with." [11]
In fact, the burgeoning extreme right-wing power base is and will be a perfect vehicle for the antichrist to make war with Christ's genuine followers as per Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 10:21. It could also be the last straw that causes God's wrath to fall on this planet.
PART II
The Great End Time Army - The Question Is Whose Army?
Although I am sure he does not realize it, Joyner has done an admirable job showing the true colors of "Joel's Army". In his book The Harvest his description of the coming army is largely derived from Joel 2:7-8. Note the bold numbered points which I have added to both quotes.
Rick Joyner: In the coming days, the most powerful army ever assembled will be mustered. This army will not be equipped with guns or swords, but no power in heaven or earth will prevail against it. ... This army has been enlisted by the Lord Himself; He will train it and He will lead it. When this battle unfold its members will (1) march in perfect order, (2) without deviating from their paths or (3) crowding one another, with the least of them having more power than the greatest of their enemies. This is the army of God envisioned by the prophets, soon to be a reality. To be numbered in this army will require a training and spiritual discipline exceeding the physical and mental disciplines requires of elite military units. [12]
Joel 2:7-8: "They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like soldiers; And (1) they each march in line, (2) Nor do they deviate from their paths. They do (3) not crowd each other, They march everyone in his path; When they burst through the defenses, They do not break ranks."
Bear in mind that Joel 2 is a continuation of chapter 1 that tells of an invading nation that are "mighty and without number" symbolically described in verse 4 as an invasion of locusts.
An army of locusts is mentioned only one other time in Revelation 9 when they came "upon the earth, and power was given them" (Revelation 9:3). Comparing Revelation's description of these locusts with Joel 1:6 and 2:3-6 leaves absolutely no doubt that Joel and John are referring to the same army.
Revelation
(1) The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like the hair of women, and (2) their teeth were like the teeth of lions. (9) They had breast plates like breast plates of iron; and the sound of their wings (3) was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. ) They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to (4) hurt men for five months. (Revelation 9:7-10)
Joel 1:6
For a nation has invaded my land, Mighty and without number; (2) Its teeth are the teeth of a lion, And it has the fangs of a lioness. (Joel 1:6 NASB)
Joel 2:4-6
A fire consumes before them and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them. (1) Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like war horses, so they run. (3) With a noise as of chariots. They leap on the tops of the mountains, Like the crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble, Like a mighty people arranged for battle. (4) Before them the people are in anguish; All faces turn pale. (Joel 2:4-6 NASB)
Immediately after John describes the army of locusts in Revelation 9:7-10, the very next verse (11) says the army is ruled by...
They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon. (Revelation 9:11 NASB)
Apollyon = "destroyer"
The opening verses of chapter 9 gives us even more information VERY CLEARLY telling us this army comes from the abyss or 'bottomless pit' - Satan's domain.
Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. (Revelation 9:1-3 NASB)
Additionally,
1. the beast that kills God's two witnesses "comes up out of the abyss" (Revelation 11:7).
2. In Revelation 20:1-3 Satan is bound and cast into the abyss for a thousand years.
3. The abyss is also mentioned in Luke 8:31, where the demon call 'Legion' implored Jesus not to "command them to go out into the abyss".
Quite obviously the abyss' that the locusts emerge from is Satan's domain that he rules over.
NOTE: Joel 2:11 does indicate that this army is the Lord's army, but it certainly wont be the first time the Father has brought judgment through those who are themselves evil. Case in point - the Babylonian's capture of Jerusalem and the deportation of many of its people. See Ezekiel chapter 21.
All of which leads to the inescapable conclusion that the Dominionist end time army (Joel’s Army)
will be led by the antichrist - not the Lord.
There is even more evidence supports that conclusion.
Dominonists and the White Horse
The Dominionist understanding of the End Times is Post Millennial i.e. Christ will return only after the church establishes a reign of peace and righteousness. In other words, they expect triumph not tribulation.
Bill Hamon: In his book Apostles, Prophets and the Coming Moves of God, Bill Hamon himself clarified that 'satan and related names are not capitalized'. in his words, (Emphasis Added)
"Take note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. We choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules." [13]
Thus the capitalization of He and Him in the next quote means Hamon believes that the rider of Revelation 6:2 is none other than Jesus Christ. Hamon writes (Bold Added)
Look with your eyes of revelation and see what John saw in the heavenlies and prophetically wrote in his Revelation of Jesus Christ. ... and behold a white horse: and He that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto Him: and He went forth conquering and to conquer (Rev. 6:2). [14]
He then immediately quotes Romans 8:37 - "we are more than conquerors through Him," obviously in support of the idea that the overcomers are also going to go forth and conquer along with the rider of the white horse.
(I have to assume he did not read (or totally ignored) the context. See Context is CRUCIAL. If you read Romans 8: 37 along with the preceding verses it become very apparent that Paul was simply saying that although many things can oppress the true believer, none of them will separate him from Christ. The believer is thus considered a conqueror through Christ. Read it for yourself.
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "for your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. (Romans
8:35-37 NASB)
Paul Cain:
References to the white horse and its rider have been made for years. For example, Kansas City prophet Paul Cain once stated, (Emphasis Added)
Here it is -- this great army in the New Testament is a man child, Revelation 12:5; the overcomers, Revelation 2 and 3; the 144,000 servants, Revelation 7:3; the bride of the Lamb's wife - see why they call me in on the carpet? - the revelation of the Lamb's wife, Revelation 19:7 and 21:9; and the white horse, Revelation 6:2; the first fruit, Revelation 14:4; the precious fruit, James 5:7; the wise virgins, Matthew 21:1-13; the manifested sons of God, Romans 8:19-23, and it's certainly a remarkable fact that none of these names are expressions applied to the saints of God at any other time in history, but all of them are in their context and promises showing undeniably that they belong to the end time. … this is the end time and God wants us to realize once and again, in closing, that there's gonna be a great company of overcomers prepared for this mighty ministry which I call the prize of all ages ..." [15]
While most of the above can be dismissed as the never ending stream of baseless bluster common to modern day "prophets", one small section (in bold above) should raise the mother of all red flags. Cain correlated the white horse of Revelation 6:2 with Joel's Army that he called a great army of overcomers.
This raises an enormously important question....
Who Are The Two Riders On White Horses?
Many believe that in the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is twice portrayed as riding a white horse. They couldn't be more wrong. Read the two verses and the context carefully.
I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. (Revelation 6:2 NASB)
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. (Revelation 19:11 NASB)
The similarity begins and ends with the fact that both riders are astride similarly colored mounts.
The rider in Revelation 19:11 is Christ. The rider in Revelation 6:2 is none other than the Antichrist
Note: The English 'antichrist' comes from the Greek antichristos (an-tee'-khris-tos). English speakers usually assume the word 'anti' means 'opposed to'. However, in Greek, the word can also mean 'instead of'. Therefore antichristos does not necessarily means someone who is against or opposed to Christ, but can mean 'instead of' Christ. In other words, the antichristos can be one who seeks to 'take the place of' Christ.... a clever counterfeit of God's Messiah.
The white horse of Revelation 6 appears when the first seal is broken. Bent only on conquest, the antichrist is portrayed as riding a white horse simply because he seeks to take the place of Christ - a deception that will fool many many people. Remember that when He was asked for a sign of His coming and of the end of the age, Jesus warned that many would be led astray.
On the other hand the rider in Revelation 19:11 is none other than Jesus Christ who, in righteousness, dispenses justice. Much of the world will confuse the two which is exactly what the Antichrist is aiming for.
Because the concept of a coming world teacher - a savior who sets up a golden age on earth is found not only in several world religions but also in occult literature, it is easy to see how a charismatic leader who promises (and seems to deliver) utopia will be accepted, nay, even welcomed, by much of the world. See Universal Expectations of a 'Savior'
The one world power of the end-times will neither be human nor Christian but Satanic. Dominionists, blind to the true calendar of events, will accept the first rider as one of their own leaders who is bringing righteousness and peace to the world thus ushering in God's kingdom. They seem to have forgotten that both Jesus and Paul warned of a "man of sin" or a "lawless one" who would dominate much of the world at the close of our present age. (2 Thessalonians 2:3,4).
They are in for a rude awakening when the peace they think they brought about turns out to be the brief period of the antichrists worldwide reign - the calm before all hell (literally) breaks loose. The beginning of the end will not come with death and destruction but on the wings of peace lulling the global masses into a false sense of security. All illusions will be shattered by the rider on the Red Horse who makes his appearance at the breaking of the second seal and takes peace from the earth (Revelation 6:3-4).
Paul Cain's statement that the "great army in the New Testament" is the White Horse of Rev. 6:2
may be far more true than he could every have known.
Finally
Before wrapping this up, I have to ask who in their right mind would want to be part of "Joel's Army"? Revelation leaves no room for doubt as to what the fate will be of those who spill the blood of the prophets, saints and witnesses to Jesus.
Revelation 6:3 tells of the second angel who poured out his bowl on the sea which then became blood. He then said "for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it." (Revelation 16:6 NASB)
Revelation 17:6 says John saw "...the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly... And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. (Revelation 17:6, 16 NASB
Revelation 18 speaks of Babylon, the great city found guilty of the blood of the saints and prophets. "Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. ... And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth." (Revelation 18:21, 24 NASB)
Footnote I
There has been (and continues to be) much discussion about how the following verse should be understood. i
"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence (Gk. biazo), and violent (Gk. biastes) men take it by force (Gk. harpazo). (Matthew 11:12 NASB)
It is impossible to be dogmatic about the meaning of this text - even many Biblical scholars admit that this passage puzzles them. Added to the problem is the fact that one can usually understand how to use a particular Greek word by seeing how that it is used in other passages. Unfortunately, in this case, the pivotal Greek words rarely occur in the NT
Yet, C Peter Wagner forged ahead with an interpretation that worked to his advantage. Of course he did!
Although the verse may seem out of place I don't believe it is,
The section begins with the question asked by the imprisoned John the Baptist who asked if Jesus was indeed the Messiah or whether they were to look for someone else. Jesus answered John's question by saying that prophecy regarding the Messiah was being fulfilled - The blind were seeing, the lame walking etc. Immediately after that Jesus asked the crowd a series of questions designed to show that John was the prophet spoken of by Malachi in 3:1 who would preparing the way for Yahweh Himself. Jesus then spoke the words quoted above.
It is possible that the first part of the sentence (From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence) means the kingdom had been taken by storm from the time of John's preaching. The second part (and violent (Gk. biastes) men take it by force (Gk. harpazo) could mean men were pressing or forcing their way into the kingdom.
The problem being that harpazo ("take it by force") has negative connotations as seen in how John used the word,
"So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force (Gk. harpazo) to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone." (John 6:15 NASB)
What we cannot forget is that we MUST interpret difficult texts by ones that are crystal clear and when we do so we can be 100% sure that Matthew didn't mean we were to go to war to dominate the world. Here are some of the many unambiguous passages in the New Testament that stress peace.
In the Sermon on The Mount, the Lord said the peacemakers will be called children of God.
Paul wrote that "If possible, so far as it depends on you", Christians are to "be at peace with all men". (Romans 12:18 NASB). 2
Corinthians 13:11 says the brethren are to "live in peace".
Galatians 5:22 lists peace as one of the fruit of the Spirit along with patience, kindness and goodness.
Hebrews 12:14 says "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord".
James 3:17 says "the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits..."
In fact, when Jesus sent the twelve disciples out to the lost sheep of the house of Israel to preach the good news of the Kingdom, His instruction was that if they were not well received, they were simply to go on to the next place. They were to be left to God's judgment.
"If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. "Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. "Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. (Matthew 10:13-15 NASB)
Since all of these statements are quite anti war to say the least, we are forced to the conclusion that Wagner's interpretation of Matthew 11:12 is nothing but self serving hot air. {PLACE IN TEXT}
Footnote II - The First Six Seals And Matthew 24
One fact has to be kept in mind when studying Matthew 24 is that Jesus was NOT speaking of the same tribulation throughout. Much to the contrary He differentiated between the "tribulation" He spoke of in verse 9, and the "great tribulation" of verse 21. Although He used the same Greek word in both verses, He qualified the second occurrence of by the Greek megas (English mega).
Then they will deliver you to tribulation (Gk. thlipsis) , and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. (Matthew 24:9 NASB)
For then there will be a great (Gk. megas) tribulation (Gk. thlipsis), such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. (Matthew 24:21 NASB)
Once the distinction is made, not only is the chapter much easier to understand, but it also falls into perfect chronological order AND parallels the first Six Seals. Both follow exactly the same sequence in describing the events leading up to and the actual tribulation of the church which Jesus called the tribulation. Both then go into the Great Tribulation of God's wrath - a period of time such as the world has never seen but believers will not be touched by.
See side by side comparison in The First Six Seals and Matthew 24.
{PLACE IN TEXT}
End Notes
[01] Rick Joyner, Restoration, May/June 1988, the Harvest. Cited in Latter Rain and Manifest Sons of God by David Cloud
[02] Rick Joyner. MorningStar Prophetic Bulletin #16. https://msm.morningstarministries.org/publications/civil-war-church
[03] ibid.
[04] C Peter Wagner. Dominion!: How Kingdom Action Can Change the World. Chosen (February 1, 2008) Pgs. 7-8
[05] Paul Cain, Grace Ministries Tapes, Undated. https://www.apologeticsindex.org/c06.html
[06] Bobby Conner: "Joel's Army Now Commissioned-- The Cry of Heaven is 'Advance!'
http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/1760
[07] ibid.
[08] Bill Hamon. Apostles, Prophets, and the Coming Moves of God. (Destiny Image Publishers 1997) Pg. 252
[09] Kathleen Gray. In Michigan, a Dress Rehearsal for the Chaos at the Capitol on Wednesday. The New York Times. Jan. 9, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/09/us/politics/michigan-state-capitol.html
[10] Rachel S. Mikva. Opinion contributor. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/01/31/christian-nationalism-josh-hawley-ted-cruz-capitol-attack-column/4292193001/
[11] Ashley Lopez. More than half of Republicans support Christian nationalism, according to a new survey. February 14, 2023. https://www.npr.org/2023/02/14/1156642544/more-than-half-of-republicans-support-christian-nationalism-according-to-a-new-s
[12] Rick Joyner. The Harvest. Morningstar Publications (NC); Anniversary edition (August 1, 2007) Pgs. 22-23
[13] Bill Hamon. Apostles, Prophets and the Coming Moves of God: Destiny Image Publishers (July 1, 1997). Page 4
[14] ibid. Page 254[15] Audio Tape, Paul Cain. "Joel's Army." KCF's Southside Meeting. As quoted in Deception in the church. The Kansas City Prophets. http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/8.htm
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