It's nice to have friends but . . . .

Sometimes we are tempted to think that because this is Israel, and the apple of God's eye, and as Jewish believers should understand the roots of the faith, speak Hebrew etc, the Israeli body will be less prone to deception. Ah, if only; a brief look at Israel's biblical history will soon disabuse us of this notion. The Israeli body is just as prone to deception as anywhere else, and I would hazard a guess that it is even more a target of Satan than anywhere else. Not only so but there are certain systemic problems that actually render us very vulnerable.

Because of our increasing national isolation, and the demonisation of Israeli believers by such as the Sabeel and CATC movements, there is a strong temptation to cleave to any voice strongly supportive of our right to exist or that affirms believers here. It's a cold cruel world out there, and it can feel a little lonely at times. When you're feeling a bit on your own there can be a tendency to hook up with the first thing that comes along; rather like a desperate spinster jumping at the first offer. However indulging in this kind of behaviour, can yoke us into a match (literally) made in Hell. Two recent events illustrate this:

1) A not so FIRM foundation: the "Fellowship Of Israel Related Ministries."

Only a few months ago, a new pro-Israel organisation F.I.R.M. Fellowship Of Israel Related Ministries (http://firm.org.il) was founded by Wayne Hilsden, leader of King of Kings in Jerusalem. At first glance this looks like something good, after all, just look at all those pastors and leaders that want to support us! --until we see, whom he has chosen to be on the Board. I did not know all the names but the following were of interest:

Raliegh Washington (President and CEO of Promise Keepers), Dr. Dennis Lindsay (President, Christ For the Nations Institute), Jack Hayford, Dr. Rev. Kameel Majdali, (Director, Teach All Nations, note: the Board of Reference for T.A.N. includes such "luminaries" as New Ager Leonard Sweet and George Otis Junior).

2) The Global Congress of "Empowered 21".

Only a few days ago and organisation called Empowered 21 (http://empowered21.com) held a major conference in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost (http://www.jerusalem2015.com)

Its Sponsors

Museum of the Bible (a smiling Rick Warren among its board member photos), Charisma Media, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Integrity Music, International Christian Embassy, Bridges For Peace, GEB, Oral Roberts University, Jack Hayford.

Its leadership

I have omitted quite of number of the names as at present unknown to me, but the following should be well known to most of us.

Billy Wilson (President & Global Co-Chair Oral Roberts University), Reinhard Bonnke, Kenneth Copeland (note Copeland's recent hook-up with the Papacy), Claudio Freidzon, Jack Hayford, Tom Hess (Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations), Marilyn Hickey, Wayne Hilsden, (King of Kings Community Jerusalem), Brian Houston (Hillsong Church), Cindy Jacobs (Generals International), Bill Johnson (Bethel Church), Scott Kelso (Charismatic Leaders Network), Young Hoon Lee (successor to Yongi Cho at Yoido Full Gospel Church), Dennis Lindsay (Christ for the Nations Institute), Robert Morris (Gateway Church), Gordon Robertson (Christian Broadcasting Network), Steve Strang (Charisma Magazine), Oreste Pesare (Executive Director of International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services)

Its Contributing Global Congress Vendors

God TV, Gateway Church, Christ For The Nations Institute.

Ministry Track for the Jerusalem Event.

Jack Sara (President Bethlehem Bible College), Shira Sorko-Ram (Co-Director, Maoz Israel Ministries), Pastor Nikitin (President TBN Russia), Marilyn Hickey, Jürgen Bühler (Co-Chair and Executive Director ICEJ), Robert Stearns (Co-Chair and exec. director of Eagles Wings), Mahesh Chavda.

To those familiar with materials put out by Moriel, or some of the discernment ministries in the mid to late 90's. these names will be all too familiar, and the kind of doctrines they propagate:

Dominionism, Ecumenism, Interfaith, Word of Faith/Prosperity/Money Preachers, Occultic Inner-Healing, Spiritual Mapping, Strategic Prayer/Spiritual Warfare, Latter Rain/Manfested Sons of God, Branhamism, Toronto Blessing, New Apostolic Reformation, to name but a few. You will find it all among these names listed, and if you scratch below the surface of the less well known names, you will probably find a similar story. These false doctrines are not minor errors but major league heresies, and seriously toxic.

Check out the mission statement which includes:

"Empowered21 will help shape the future of the Global Spirit-empowered movement throughout the world by focusing on crucial issues facing the movement and connecting generations for intergenerational blessing and impartation."

"To Witness greater convergence and collaboration of Spirit-empowered ministries around the World."

Impartation, was one of those buzz-words particularly used by false revival movements like Toronto, Pensecola and their offshoots to describe passing on their counterfeit anointing. That's bad enough, but the idea of "convergence" with the occultic practices, false doctrines, lying prophets. money preachers and deceiving spirits behind Empowered 21 is completely horrifying.

Symptoms of an Underlying Problem.

At this point, you might be thinking, what on earth is Wayne Hilsden doing, a respected name in Christian Zionist circles and the Messianic community, hooking up with such obvious false prophets and purveyors of outright heresy? Good question! However, Wayne's actions did not happen overnight in isolation from other events, they are the outworking of a process begun quite some time ago, and which parallels that which happened in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

It started with a seed: Micah's Idol.

In Judges 17, we read of Micah's idol. Micah thought that by making a graven image, and hiring a Levite to minister in his own personal temple, the LORD would bless him. The Danites, wandering from their allotted inheritance, stole the idol and set up a sanctuary for it at Laish. From there began a historical propensity towards false religion in the tribe of Dan, one which would affect all the Northern Tribes, and continue right up until the Assyrian invasion (see Judges 18) and their ultimate removal into exile. The first priest at Dan was actually a direct descendant of Moses. (The "n" which changes Moses to Mannaseh, is a rabbinic insertion, because it was considered shocking that Moses descendant should have introduced idolatrous worship.)

Jeroboam

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Beth–el, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

Because of Solomon's sin, Jeroboam, the first ruler of the Northern Kingdom of Israel was actually called of God, to rule the ten northern tribes and given a similar promise as was made to David, if he was obedient (1Kgs 11:26-42). The syncretism and idolatry in the Northern Kingdom did not begin with Jeroboam, but it became a lot worse when he, fearing defection of the people to Judah and a cosequent loss of popular support, stopped trusting in the LORD who had called him, and started trusting in the flesh instead. Rather than deal with the false religion in Dan, Jeroboam, in his fear, set up a golden calf there to deter the people from travelling to Jerusalem, consequently compounding the idolatry problem. Essentially this was a replay of the events of Ex. 32, where Aaron, fearing a loss of support among the people, caved in and made the golden calf.

The Hebrew text behind "Behold thy Elohim O' Israel which brought thee out of the land of Egypt" is identical in both Ex 32 and 1 Kgs 12. Though Elohim is plural and the verb is also, sometimes a plural verb also occurs when the one true God is intended, so the text is inconclusive as to whether it should be rendered "God" or "gods". Contextually, I believe what was occurring here is not outright rejection of the LORD but worshipping him in a forbidden manner, as in Exodus: where in combination with the making of the calf, Aaron declares the following day to be "a feast unto the LORD", not some other god. In other words it is once again mixture. A big difference though, between here and Exodus 32, is that in this passage the false teaching is not extirpated but exacerbated.

Ahab

And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made an Asherah; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

By the time Ahab took the throne, false religion was already normative in Northern Israel, and he would have grown up with very corrupted ideas. In a hostile region, and sensing his own weakness and the need to secure his power base, he made an alliance through marriage with the Sidonians, by taking Jezebel to wife as his queen.

Though he gained access to extra political and military clout, with his marriage to Jezebel along came marriage to her gods as well, and the process moved from mixture to actively replacing the LORD with Baal. It is also clear that Jezebel was the power behind the throne that moved Ahab to persecute and destroy the prophets of the LORD.

Even though Ahab was such a bad king, God was still dealing with him and in his grace gave him opportunities to repent and obey. See 1 Kgs 18 and 20.

Ahab's final sin.

The LORD had already warned Ahab that judgement was coming because of the murder of Naboth. However the final straw came after the LORD, (for his own name's sake) had given Ahab victory over the Syrian forces. Instead of eliminating Ben Hadad, an enemy of Israel and a man whom the LORD had appointed for utter destruction, not only did Ahab release him, but he also entered into covenant with him. There is a typology here: the apostate end-times church that tolerates mixture and weds itself to Jezebel, will eventually enter into a league with the One appointed for destruction (2 Thes. 2:3). We should take this as a warning.

Jehu

Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Beth–el, and that were in Dan. And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

Jehu was both called of God and anointed by him. He was God's instrument to destroy the house of Ahab, which he did, and He eliminated the Baal worship out of the Northern Kingdom, but he did not do away with the root cause of the problem, the mixture.

The Body Today:- An Ahab Generation.

No, I am not saying that everyone of this generation is a Baal worshipper, but rather this: I do believe that there was a genuine outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the 60's and a genuine renewal of spiritual gifts, however, it soon became infiltrated by very serious error and even outright heresy, many of these errors are now mainstream. Here in Israel, the Body is heavily immigrant-based, and some of the charismatic leaders brought certain false doctrines with them when they made aliyah,--doctrines which have never been dealt with or repented of. Like Micah's idol these teachings have been a toxic seed from which mixture has flourished and at least some of these serious errors have become endemic in nearly every charismatic congregation here;--just as in the West. A contagion has passed almost unchecked from the first generation, and now like Ahab there are people who have grown up in a mixture environment and know nothing else. In quite a number of congregations here, just as in the West, many think [what we would know as] Wimberism, "Kenny and Benny," Toronto Blessing, Inner-Healing, Spiritual Warfare, the New Apostolic Reformation, (though they are not even aware of what these things are) are representative of New Testament Christianity, and think it to be the New Testament Church "restored", when in reality we know these things belong to the Mystery Babylon of Revelation 17.

How did this happen?

Lack of Watchmen.

In the mid to late 80's in the UK and other places, the LORD raised up people to sound the alarm at events in the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements, particularly at their penetration by false doctrine and occultic or new-age concepts and practice. These watchmen came to the fore particularly in the early 90's when Toronto arrived. When it hit the UK, research material was then available to inform all who realised that something was terribly wrong, but were not sure why. For all those who had an ear to hear, such things as the blasphemous Rodney Howard-Browne and Kenneth Copeland "joking in tongues" video were unmistakeable evidence of what manner of spirit lay behind Toronto. This kind of material was an invaluable tool to inform those with misgivings, and it created a resource that is still available and useful today. However in Israel this watchmen ministry never arose; it never happened, and this kind of material is almost completely unavailable in Hebrew.

The Jezebel P.R. Machine.

Doctrinally sound Christian books, particularly those dealing with discernment issues from a moderate Pentecostal or moderate non-cessationist perspective, are practically non-existent here but those promoting the kind of false teachings and outright heresy represented by "Empowered 21" etc, are all too much in evidence; nearly all the non-cessationist books being published here are translated and printed by mixture advocates.

Inability to discern.

From what I have observed, in non-cessationist congregations here, the level of discernment regarding these false doctrines is terrifyingly low. In spiritual matters, ignorance is not bliss, and we can't even say "Oh, people can pick out the good bits and throw out the bones," because many believers simply don't have the knowledge or discernment to know the difference, and no one to help them understand what and why something is good or bad, because they have come to faith in a spiritual environment where mixture and heterodoxy is the norm. Many believers have little idea about basic things like context, so anything that appears even remotely biblical may be accepted, particularly as there are few, if any, voices to the contrary, available in Hebrew. Many, even believers of long-standing are completely clueless about the false doctrines mentioned at the beginning of this article. Even in sound congregations, where the pastor on the whole preaches sound doctrine, what is on sale at the congregational bookstore might be: Purpose Driven Church, Good Morning Holy Spirit, Catch the Fire and Prayer of Jabez in Hebrew, and people won't blink an eye because they just don't know.

Tolerance of error and lack of will to separate.

The number of Messianic believers was once estimated at about 20,000. However it is believed that this figure is grossly inflated and the reality is nearer 8,000. The small size of the Body here, means that every division is painful. People don't like to rock the boat and cause a fuss, so nationally speaking, unless something appears screamingly, obviously heretical it may not get dealt with. A leader can be censured for denying the deity of Yeshua but not for inviting and promoting rank, blasphemous garbage like the Toronto Blessing, the occultic teachings of Ellel Grange, Latter Rain teaching or the likes of Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Mixture is tolerated because we feel small and weak and fear division, but this is not an acceptable excuse before God.

Jezebel may be calling the shots.

When Ahab wedded Jezebel, he allied with the Sidonians and lost some of his independence in decision making. It is also clear that she was wearing the trousers in some of his subsequent policy choices. The national drive to stamp out followers of the LORD and eliminate dissenting voices, is specifically attributed to her. When mixture gets into the national leadership, it can get to call the shots and voices of warning are suppressed or ignored.

Some Concluding Remarks

I write this bulletin knowing that I will be accused of being divisive, harsh, critical, judgemental, unloving and possibly even "you touched the Lord's anointed" etc. I know that this article is going to tick a lot of people off, but somehow it must be said.

Over 20 years ago, a veteran Israeli believer, told me to watch out for certain leaders here, as they were gravely "off" doctrinally, and indeed that has proven to be the case. In the mid-90's, as the Toronto Blessing desolated churches, in a tidal wave of ridiculous zoological noises and blasphemous "spiritual drunkenness", displays of lewdness and "joking in tongues", but Ari and Shira Sorko-Ram of Maoz Ministries, a major name in Israel, invited John Arnott of the Toronto Airport Vineyard Church to bring the same counterfeit TB anointing over here. Maoz are still associating with and promoting the same heretical doctrines, false teachers, and preachers of other gospels, but nothing is really said. To see Maoz working with TBN, Kenneth Copeland, Marilyn Hickey and Cindy Jacobs is no surprise. There is a historic affiliation between false doctrine and Maoz through the CFNI and William Branham connection. However, I was surprised to see Wayne Hilsden in bed with such people.

I have to conclude that a decision to include seriously problematic organisations like Promise Keepers in the Board of FIRM, and to share a platform with money-preachers, lying prophets, false teachers and organisations like Maoz, TBN etc, involves either a willingness to overlook the extremely serious nature of their errors, or a marked disposition towards their convictions. This is very sad indeed. Unfortunately FIRM is not an isolated example of such error; there are other leaders and organisations in Israel who also hold to unbiblical, erroneous and dangerous doctrines.

A man or ministry may not always be known by all the company he keeps, after all Jesus was a friend of sinners and tax-collectors, but they are certainly known by whom they appoint to their Board of Directors and Advisors, or by the other individuals and ministries with which they choose to share a platform. What Empowered21 and particularly FIRM represent is a chilling willingness to sacrifice biblical truth on the altar of expediency and to join affinity or converge with terrible heresy. It reveals that part of the Israeli body has taken a major step into the Apostasy, an horrifying evidence of how far the mystery of iniquity has progressed in undermining biblical truth.

I did not write this piece to disparage any of these men, or to challenge the calling of God on their lives, or the good works that they may have done. I can not know their heart, only God does. They may be completely sincere in what they are doing. The issue at stake is not character, but false doctrine, and the deliberate choice to ally with it. Scripture commands us to "test all things", to hold fast what is good and reject what is false. From what I see in the Scriptures, by both prophecy, precept and historical example, certain individuals, ministries and organisations in the Israeli body of believers are heading down a very dangerous path; one indeed that will eventually cause terrible hurt, if not eternal loss in the end. The Northern Kingdom teaches us some hard lessons in connection with this kind of thing, to which we would do well to heed:

The descendant of Moses was called as a Levite to serve the LORD, he chose instead to serve the mixture at the Danites idol temple. Jeroboam was called by God and given precious promises, but he through disobedience never obtained them. Jehu was called and anointed by God, but went seriously awry. All these men had a calling from God upon their lives. Calling and /or anointing do not guarantee success without obedience to the truth.

When the mixture is not dealt with, if it is not eliminated at root, it will continually spring up and trouble us, and will go from bad to worse as it becomes a generational problem. All these men failed to deal with the mixture and it became worse over time.

These kings felt weak and in need of support and allies. In every case they made the wrong choice and elected for fleshly help instead of trusting in the LORD, which meant accepting spiritual compromise and further mixture. These compromises eventually resulted in ultimate failure and the loss of what had been promised.

The Mixture in the New Testament.

I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.  

Note that the church in Thyatira, were not bad people, neither does it say that they were not true believers in Jesus, in fact they had suffered and endured much for him and done many good works, for which Jesus commended them; neither had ditched him or the truth entirely; they had just tolerated other things alongside. This is once again the mixture. Jezebel symbolises spiritual seduction, false teaching, and ultimately union (convergence) with false religions. But to those who refuse Jezebel there is a wonderful promise:

But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.  But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.  And I will give him the morning star. 

True spiritual power lies not in compromise with the Harlot's doctrines, or alliance with the Apostasy, but from faithfully cleaving to Jesus and his teachings.

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee (1 Tim. 4:16).

For Those of Us Who Can Discern These Things: Avoid the sin of Jehoshaphat.

Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab (2 Chr. 18:1).  

Behind the phrase "joined affinity" is the Hebrew word for "marry". Jehoshaphat, didn't physically marry Ahab of course, but he made a close alliance with him. Jehoshaphat was a godly king, but in a region fraught with danger, he sometimes felt weak and isolated, particularly as in the past there had been war between Israel and Judah. There was a temptation, therefore, (in order to secure his northern border and also increase national security in the face of common enemies like the Syrians) to join up with the spiritually compromised Northern Kingdom. This displeased the LORD on three counts: firstly, Ahab was an idolater, and cooperation with him was forwarding the cause of the mixture; secondly, Jehoshaphat would then have been trusting in Ahab and not the LORD; and thirdly, the Northern Kingdom under Jezebel was an active persecutor of those who stayed faithful to the LORD.

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them (Romans 15:16).

All who support Israel as a nation and who support believers over here need to be very cautious. Not all teachers or ministries claiming to be "pro-Israel" are doctrinally kosher. Right attitude to Israel is a good thing, but it is not the only thing by which we measure or discern. In A.D. 135 Bar Kochba and Rabbi Akiva were "pro-Israel", but Akiva was a lying prophet, and Bar Kochba was a false messiah! Not every smiling televangelist that claims to be our friend is what he says. Daniel says that in the last days many shall cleave to them [believers] with flatteries. Before committing ourselves to any kind of support in any way for any teacher and ministry over here (or anywhere else for that matter,) we must examine very carefully their doctrines, and with whom and what they consistently choose to associate and identify. If we are unsure what is meant by Dominionism, New Apostolic Reformation, Inner Healing, Spiritual Warfare Movements or any of these other things I mentioned, we need to familiarise yourselves with what they are, the main players and their origins, and what their agendas are. We can not be in the dark about this stuff, it is not something that is over the horizon or on its way. It arrived and walked in the door a long time ago. Worldwide, most of what calls itself Evangelical Christianity is thoroughly infected with it; very few congregations are immune, or untouched, and the same is true here in Israel. We don't have to become a nut-job conspiracy theorists, but we do need to be informed. Particularly pastors and Congregational leaders need to know about these things in order to protect the sheep.

Ultimately, to remain faithful to the LORD, if we have any concern for sound doctrine, as far as ministry and affiliation is concerned, I do not believe it at all possible to endorse, accommodate or support FIRM, or Empowered or any of these organisations or individuals that are spiritually compromised by entertainment of, affiliation to, or toleration of, outright false doctrine and false teachers,--even if these false teacher appear to be pro-Israel. Of course I know that some will misunderstand us, for not doing so or even vilify us, but I can not see any other option.

This is not to say that we are to be hateful or arrogant towards those ensnared in these very serious false doctrines, or not care about these people as individuals, and we should certainly not cease to pray for them; in fact we should beseech God that he have mercy on those so deceived. But to cooperate or ally with those that persist in unrepentant mixture, toleration of Jezebel, convergence with lying prophets and false teachers, (the same kind of false teachers whom Scripture describes as wandering stars and clouds without rain, whom God has appointed for destruction, Jude 12-13) is to repeat the sin of Jehoshaphat. God was merciful to Jehoshaphat, but he did destroy his cooperative venture with the Northern Kingdom.

And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly: And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Ezion–geber.  Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish (2Chr. 20:35-37).

We would do well to take heed.