Solitary, Only Sons In Families: Psalm 68:6

Ps 68:6  God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

The Psalmist in the text is not talking about solitary folk being adopted into families of moms, dads, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. So, what is the Psalmist really saying? The first use of the word "families" (Strong's #1004, "bayith") was used in the instructions given to Noah for the building of the inside of the ark.

Ge 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within <01004> and without with pitch.

Abraham was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ who left his father's house for another land.

Ge 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house <01004>, unto a land that I will shew thee:

We see "bayith" translated many times in the context of a father's house in the book of Genesis, and then, in chapter 39 we find the word translated as "prison". Wow, what a drastic change. Joseph was in the "bayith" ("house") that was the inside of the ark, but now it's called a "prison".

Ge 39:20 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison <01004>, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison <01004>.

Turning back to Psalm 68:6, it's easy to see Joseph's imprisonment in the same light as the solitary in families (the household of God) and being bound with chains.

Ps 68:6  God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains:

Bayith ("families") is also the "house of God" and "all the house of Israel":

Ex 40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house <01004> of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

Bayith ("families") was within the vail.

Le 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within <01004> the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

"Bayith" is also the "house of bondage":

De 13:10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house <01004> of bondage.

"Bayith" can also refer to the house of the wicked.

Pr 3:33 The curse of the LORD is in the house <01004> of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

The elect must be delivered out of the house of bondage, just as Joseph had to be delivered from his prison. I do not believe the body of Christ is delivered out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, or the prison, until Christ returns to judge the quick and the dead.

Only Sons, Only Begotten Son

In the Bible, does "only son", or "only child" refer to a son's or child's birth order status in a household? Or, does it really mean "unique"? With just a few comparisons of the word "solitary" (Hebrew "yachiyd", Strong's #3173) in Psalm 68:6, a ton of correction can be received. All six translations of the phrase "only son" in the Old Testament is "yachiyd". In Genesis 22:2, God instructed Abraham to offer his "only son", Isaac.

Ge 22:2  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Isaac was Abraham's only son by Sarah at the time and Abraham's rightful heir, but he was not his "one and only" son. Ishmael was in Abraham's loins, just as Levi's life was acknowledged in his ancestor, Abraham, even before he was born to Jacob.

Heb 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

We have to understand how God communicates, because it's not the way man twists His truths into his own lingo. Here are a few examples of the way God would say "one and only", using other Hebrew words:

1Ki 8:9 There was nothing in the ark save <07535> the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

Ge 7:23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only <0389> remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

Ec 7:29 Lo, this only <0905> have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

2Sa 7:22 Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside <02108> thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Getting back to the translation of "solitary" ("yachiyd") in Psalm 68:6, it's easy to see a much deeper meaning that is unrelated to the idea of "one and only". We see that Isaac, as Abraham's "only" son, is also the "solitary" who is set in families (the house of God"). The elect are to mourn in sackcloth and ashes "as for an only son".

Jer 6:26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son <03173>, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

The mourning is not the kind of mouring we would have for a single son, because any loving parent would mourn equally for a son who was not the "one and only" son. Other, surviving children would certainly provide some comfort to ease the parents' loss, but the mourning, itself, would be the same for any son. There is more to an "only son", or "solitary son" than meets the eye.

The word "yahchiyd" which is translated as "solitary" and "only son" comes from the Hebrew word "yachad" (Strong's #3161). It conveys the meaning of being united to something. 

Ge 49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united <03161>: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

Ps 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite <03161> my heart to fear thy name.

The solitary, only sons of God are united to Him because they are set in His family, or household. They are "yachiyd", "solitary", "only sons" and also "desolate and afflicted":

Ps 25:16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate <03173> and afflicted.

What about "only sons" in the New Testament? Are we to think of such sons as "one and only" or as "solitary" and "desolate"? In the KJV, we find the phrase "only son" just one time in Luke:

Lu 7:12  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

The Greek word translated as "only" in Luke 7:12 is "monogenes" (Strong's #3439). The word "monogenes" comes from the word "mono" (Strong's #3441)and, rather than conveying the idea of "one and only", the true meaning is alone, set apart, or without another.

"mono"

Mt 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone <3441>.

Not "just one", but rather, "with no one else", "solitary".

Mt 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone <3441>: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

"mono" definition - from thefreedictionary.com:

A prefix that means "one, only, single," as in monochromatic, having only one color. It is often found in chemical names where it means "containing just one" of the specified atom or group, as in carbon monoxide, which is carbon attached to a single oxygen atom.

 

The word "containing" in the above definition is the key to understanding the oneness of "monos" and "monogenes".

Here is the glorious PARADOX. Like their Lord Jesus Christ, the elect are solitary. But, they are in placed in the household of God. John 16:32 is the perfect complement to Psalm 68:6.

Joh 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone <3441>: and yet I am not alone <3441>, because the Father is with me.

This present life provides for God's people the flood, the Red Sea, the wilderness, the prison, the lion's den and the exceedingly hot fiery furnace. There are storms, shipwrecks, droughts, famines, sickness, earthquakes, and even death. Believers are not yet saved. We are part of the world that is under judgment. If we were not to go through these trials, we would not have to "endure unto the end". This is how we understand words like "endure", "hope", "patience", "promise", "trust", "watch", "continue in prayer" and "walk by faith".

POTUS & Luke 12:48

Luke 12:48(b): “….For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

In citing the last part of Luke 12:48 from the Parable of the Unfaithful Servant at the National Prayer Breakfast on February 2nd, President Obama completely perverted its true meaning. The President would like us to think that Luke 12:48 is talking about him taxing the rich until they are poor.

OBAMA: “I think to myself, if I’m willing to give something up as somebody who’s been extraordinarily blessed, and give up some of the tax breaks that I enjoy, I actually think that’s going to make economic sense. But for me, as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’s teaching that ‘for unto whom much is given, much shall be required.' ”

Why does POTUS feel that he has to give up some of his tax breaks to help others who are not so blessed? The “much” that is given to the servant in the Parable of the Unfaithful Servant refers to the servant's understanding of his lord’s will. He was responsible for what he "knew" because it was given to him. Verse 47 reveals the true context of the passage:

Luke 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

The commentators and bloggers I have heard and read on this topic have completely missed the mark in their responses. Governor Mike Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, responded to the President’s Prayer Breakfast remarks by citing Luke 20:25. In the passage, Jesus responded to a question from the chief priests and scribes.

Lu 20:22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s.

25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.

Governor Huckabee's response not only missed the mark; it can also be used to bolster the President’s warped message. ‘What is Caesars?’ becomes the next question if we cite Luke 20:25 as our response. A more powerful response in defense of the free market system is Matthew 20:15, from the parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. Although Jesus’ teaching was spiritual, and not concerned with the world’s economic systems, His parables (earthly stories conveying spiritual truths) naturally reveal the realities of everyday life. The parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard shows us how the laborers hired by the Goodman of the house early in the day complained about the penny they agreed on for their wages. They didn’t feel it was right for the laborers who were hired in the eleventh hour to receive the same penny they received. Matthew 20:15 records the Goodman’s response:

Mt. 20:13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

Moreover, faith-based giving, not redistribution of wealth, is taught in Luke 6:45.

Lu 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

The President noted that, as a Christian, his faith mandates him to care for the poor. That’s really great. However, Barak Hussein Obama’s faith as a Christian, or anything else, does not mandate him to rob Americans of their God-given right to bring forth good out of the abundance of their hearts. Free enterprise is not only fair and “good”. It’s also biblically sound.

"A society that puts equality... ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom." - Milton Friedman

Salvation and the Book of Esther

Here is a bit of Purim teaching from Darrell Lockridge, a Purim (March 7-9) date predictor (Latter Rain msg. #53500):

DARRELL: "Purim is significant because it shows that the end will come after the gospel goes into the world (127 provinces). In the meantime, many will become saved (i.e., become Jews) after hearing the gospel (i.e., the King's commandment)."

Es 8:17* And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

Another wonderful false teaching moment from the date setting cult-denomination.

In Esther 8:17, we see that the Jews had joy and gladness whithersoever the king's commandment and decree came. This decree was a reversal of his original decree to destroy the Jews in Esther 3:11-13. We also see that many of the people of the land became "Jews", for the fear of "the Jews" fell upon them. Darrell, a true-blue Camping-trained trampler of the Word, claims that "Jews" means "saved" and that the king's commandment means "the gospel". Darrell rambles on with other fantastic definitions, such as "joy means salvation" and "2300 days is the silence in heaven".

The King's Revised Commandment in Esther 8:11:

Es 8:10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:

11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

Darrell's idea that this decree typifies the gospel that saves should make anyone extremely wary. Where is Christ in the king's decree? Where is the cycle of sin, judgment, repentance and mercy? Where is the atonement that had to be made for the Jews? 

WHERE IS THE BLOOD THAT HAD TO BE SHED FOR THE JEWS' REDEMPTION?

Le 17:11  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

The color of the gospel is red, not the black and white of the book of Esther. Naturally, the Camping date setters' will argue that the blood of atonement was shed before the foundation of the world. Even if this heretical notion was true, where is it recorded in the book of Esther? The king's commandment granted the Jews of his kingdom the right to stand for themselves and to conquer their enemies. The king's decree is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Many of the land became Jews:

Believers are feared, but never by those who are Christ's. They are feared by the "nations that are under the whole heaven" and "the land" the believers tread upon.

De 2:25 This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.

De 11:25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.

In Esther 8:17, many of the land became "Jews", but they were not really Jews at all. They were of "the nations" under heaven referred to in Deuteronomy 2:25.

There are true Jews who are truly of Israel:

Ga 2:15  We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

(Of course, Paul is talking about the "divine nature" of God: "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." - 2 Pet. 1:4)

And there are false Jews who are fakers.

Ro 9:6  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

Re 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Re 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

These Jews of Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 will come and worship at the believers' feet. Completely contrary to Darrell's teaching, the Jews in King Ahasuerus' kingdom who became Jews out of fear of the Jews by nature are of the synogogue of satan. The elect are Jews by nature who fear only God, never men. 

Jer 32:39  And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:

Ex 18:21  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

1Pe 2:17  Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

The Problem With Purim

I never studied the Feast of Purim, nor the book of Esther, but after hearing so much about Purim as the latest date prediction over the past few months it started to nag at me. I guess it was simmering enough to come to a boil and today was the day I figured out why I have been really uncomfortable hearing about it so much.

Where to begin? What I have come up with is not easy to express, but I'll give it my best shot for anyone who might be interested. I think it's best to start with Revelation 11:10. In the previous verses in Revelation 11, the two witnesses are overcome and killed after finishing their testimony and left unburied in the streets of the great city.

Re 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

Did you ever wonder what on earth the exchange of "gifts" is all about in Revelation 11:10? This question has bugged me ever since I first read it. Now I see that this practice is illustrated by the Philistines' "great sacrifices" and "rejoicing" in Judges 16:23-34 after they captured Samson.

Jud 16:23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.

When we compare passages like Judges 16:23-24 and Revelation 11:10, we can see afresh how the elect body of Christ is always "one" body represented by all of its members throughout time. So we now have a doctrine showing the unsaved sending gifts to one another and making merry on our hands. What else could this be pointing to? It seems to me that this is exactly what everyone does who celebrates the Feast of Purim. The Camping date setters are the "Jews" who are celebrating this Jewish festival right along with all the other Jews around the world. They are sending each other financial gifts and studies loaded with "proofs" of the date instituted by Mordecai, or, rather, Chris McCann. They are celebrating what they perceive to be the "death" of those who reject them and their date predictions.

Moses did not institute Purim. The observance of Purim was established by a Jew named Mordecai.

Es 9:20 ¶ And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,

21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,

22 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

Do you get a funny feeling to know that the phrase "the Jews" is used a whopping 38 times in the book of Esther? This repetitious phrase does not have the same ring as "the children of Israel" which makes me think that the book of Esther is pure history. The phrase "her people" (Esther's people) is recorded three times and "his people" (Mordecai's people) once. Since we read of both "Esther's people" and "Mordecai's people", how do the date setters keep the types straight in their teaching? Are they both typifying Christ?

However, in the whole King James Bible, we find the phrase "the children of Israel" 603 times, but not even once in all ten chapters of the book of Esther. Hmmm.... I smell something very fishy.

Esther 9:22 states that "portions" were sent to one another and "gifts" to the poor, just like Revelation 11:10.

Mordecai and the Jews feasted and partied because of those who tormented them! Esther, Mordecai and their fellow Jews were not tormented by believers who are typified by the two witnesses of Revelation 11, but the story of Esther is all about "the Jews". One reason I never had a desire to study the book of Esther is because I could never find any spiritual message to be gleaned therein. Where is the name of God mentioned? The passages of Esther that I read never spoke to me in any way until now, and what a huge spiritual message it turns out to be.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Mordecai, a Jew, proposed a date that was agreed upon by his people and which Jews all over the world celebrate today with merriment and gift giving.  And now we have Campingite date-setters planning to observe this very same festival by being raptured. Would you like to know what will be happening in Israel on the day the date setters once again find themselves stranded here on earth with the rest of us?

"Most holidays in Israel are celebrated at homes and temples, but Purim, which commemorates the Jews' refusal to compromise their religion, is celebrated with a tremendous amount of communal pageantry. Streets and pedestrian areas are filled with masquerading people who create a carnival atmosphere at the many nighttime celebrations. Israel is essentially a nation of tee-totalers, but this is the one day of the year when everyone who can is encouraged to get blotto. Liquor flies off shelves, and people try to get so drunk that they slur the blessings and curses that traditionally are said this day. Everywhere, carnivals, clowns, and street performances spring up. Special foods include Oznei haman, or Haman's ears, a fruit-filled pastry." (http://travel.epicurious.com)

In his book, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, Alfred Edersheim writes about the Jews who celebrate Purim in recent times:

"In our own days, though the synagogue has prescribed for them special prayers and portions of Scripture, they are chiefly marked by boisterous and uproarious merrymaking, even beyond the limits of propriety".

Are post-Mosaic festivals man-made additions to the Bible? Where are the detailed guidelines for these other holy days found in the Scriptures? Why does God make so much out of the law of Moses?

Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses‘ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Mr 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

We read the phrase "the law of Moses" 22 times in the King James version. There is no verse that speaks of the "law of Mordecai".

Many folks suggest that Jesus observed the Feast of Purim by citing John 5:1, but all I see is a time reference in that verse.

Joh 5:1  After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

It is interesting that Mr. Edersheim (a Jewish convert to Christianity who lived from 1825 to 1889) prefers this translation of John 5:1:

Joh 5:1  Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews.

What a difference a few words can make. "...there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem" and "Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews".

J. B. Phillips' version of John 5:1:

"Some time later came one of the Jewish feast-days and Jesus went up to Jerusalem".

However, to his credit, Edersheim does not make a case for the observance of Purim and I do not find any reason at all to believe that the timing of Jesus' arrival was anything more than a coincidence. Jesus wanted to be where the people were gathered. There were many references to the timing of feasts that coincided with events recorded in the scriptures. For example,

Joh 13:1  Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

Another festival-related time marker is found in John 10:22:

Joh 10:22  And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

Purim was instituted by Mordecai and the Feast of Dedication (or "Chanuchah", or the "Feasts of Lights") was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus.

Alfred Edersheim writes in The Temple, Chapter 17, in regard to Purim:

"...according to the Jewish Talmud, its general introduction after the return from Babylon formed a subject of grave doubt and deliberation among the 'eighty-five elders' - a number which, according to tradition, includes upwards of thirty prophets (Jer. Megillah, 70b*). Even this shows that Purim was never more than a popular festival."

Edersheim also notes in regard to the post-Mosaic festivals:

"Besides the festivals mentioned in the Law of Moses, other festive seasons were also observed at the time of our Lord, to perpetuate the memory either of great national deliverances or of great national calamities. The former were popular feasts, the latter public fasts. Though most, if not all of them, are alluded to in the Canonical Scriptures, it is extremely difficult to form a clear idea of how they were kept in the Temple. Many of the practices connected with them, as described in Jewish writings, or customary at present, are of much later date than Temple times, or else apply rather to the festive observances in the various synagogues of the land than to those in the central sanctuary."

I believe I finally understand the prophecy of Revelation 11:10's gift giving and merry making.

Re 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

From http://www.bethshalom.org/:

Purim is the real gift giving holiday!

Posted by webmaster on February 11th, 2009

"Mishloah Manot (sending of gifts) is the custom derived from the Megillah (Scroll of Esther), which we read on Purim. According to the Megillah, “one is to observe Purim as days of feasting and merry-making, and as an occasion of sending gifts to one another and gifts to the poor.”

(Esther 9:22)

We at Beth Shalom would like to revive this tradition and offer you a unique opportunity to shower your friends with delicious homemade treats in a beautiful Purim Hamantaschen-shaped box. Each box contains freshly baked Hamantaschen, fruit and nuts!"

Fruits and nuts, indeed. Merry Purim, date setters. Ho Ho Ho.

Judgment on the Churches?

Although I departed completely out of the churches around the same time Harold Camping brought his 'end of the church age' teaching, I never believed his notion that judgment had come upon the churches. After I left the churches, I found out that I also had to depart out of Family Radio's ministry and we all know that Family Radio is not a church, according to their own definition of a church. Believers (all believers) always flee to the mountains for refuge because we know that God's judgment is upon the whole world.

A big shift in Camping's Judgment on the Churches doctrine comes from one of Camping's followers from whom he is now distancing himself. Gunther Von Harringa is one of the self-appointed Bible teachers who learned everything there is to know about date setting from Harold Camping. Alongside Chris McCann, Von Harringa picked up the Timeline Harold Camping dropped when he was silenced by a stroke shortly after his May 21st, 2011 prediction failed.

A big part of the Camping "end time" message has been God's judgment coming on the churches, beginning on May 21st, 1988. At the stroke of 12:00 a.m. on that date, God allegedly commanded all believers to depart out of the churches so that His fury could be focused on those physical gatherings. All denominations were suddenly the sole target of God's righteous anger, while the Camping followers skipped merrily into the sunset with their Family Radio "Does God Love You?" tracts to save the world. They departed out six full years after the church age allegedly ended, but Mr. C. graciously forgave everyone's tardiness because God tarried in revealing this revelation to him.

Now there is a big change from one of the new and improved date setting teachers, Gunther Von Harringa. From Latter Rain message #53488:

VON HARRINGA:  "We should have learned a great deal from our expereince with judgment falling on the church. Only, there was an error in the way that we framed the statement "judgment on the church." For, in fact, judgment fell on the believers who were in the church, as well as on the non-believers there. That is, all were in the fire. Only, if we are a precious metal, we were not burned. God says,

"Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revelaed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is" (1 Corinthians 3:12-13).

It is not just that the non-believers were being judged during the church exodus, but that the believers were being tried. The test was whether those who professed to be believers would stay in the church or whether they would faithfully leave. So likewise, now that judgment has fallen on the world, not only are the non-elect judged, but the elect are being tried. The test now is whether we will contiue to faithfully watch and pray or whether we will return to the place from which we came."

Gunther now believes that, although the believers were caught up in the judgment that came upon the churches, they were not judged. They were merely tried or tested by ccommand to depart. Of course, the teaching goes on to declare that those who departed out passed that test. Those who obeyed Harold's command to depart were not burned by the fire. Gunther writes: "So likewise, now that judgment has fallen on the world, not only are the non-elect judged, but the elect are being tried."

According to Gunther, the continuing test for the already purified departed out believers today is a desire to know the date of Christ's return. In his LR message, he sets the stage for a new date after the Purim date in March fails.

VON HARRINGA:  "While Purim does appear to be the end of this second phase of judgment, it may be that there is one final phase."

They always need a following to click the "Donate" button and aks questions at their Q&A sessions, so there always needs to be a new date prediction out there, or a study in progress to determine what the next date prediction will be.

Gunther believes that judgment came on the churches in 1988 and, although the believers got caught up in it, they escaped God's fury because they obediently departed out according to Harold Campng's timetable. Gunther cited 1st Corinthians 3:12-13, and in verse 13, we see that "the day" shall declare each man's work. That day is judgment day. Judgment day is a day the date setters don't like, but believers are still going through the fire, although in the end we will be safe "as if" rescued from the fire. On judgment day.

13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

The "day" in verse 13 was not May 22nd, 1988. Unbeknownst to Von Harringa and his date setting denomination, believers are still very much in the midst of the Red Sea, the wilderness, the lion's den, the night, and the fire being purified for "the day". The test is not whether we departed out of the churches or whether we can patiently wait for a new date for the end of the world to be announced. The real test, or at least one of them, is to recognize grievous wolves in sheep's clothing who would try to deceive us into believing that we are already saved and that date predicting is the way, the truth and the life. For those folks, only numbers add up, rather warnings like "no man knoweth" or the saved believer's humple plea for mercy: "Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake" (Ps. 6:4).

The "We are the Champions!" battle cry is still heard in the land, wherever people gather together in church denominations a/k/a "fellowships". They believe they were never judged, only tried when they had to depart out of the churches. Their works have been deemed "pure" by their date setting teachers, so they think they are golden.

Psalm 44's Time and Judgment

As I was listening to Psalm 44 today and it popped out at me as an excellent example of "time and judgment" for every believer who ever lived. No, I don't mean every Churchite who goes to church. I mean every believer who ever lived.

A foundational principle believers should bear in mind at all times is that the body of Christ is always one whole, complete body made up of many members. The OT era believers represented the entire body and believers living today represent the entire body, dead and alive. All believers were in the Garden of Eden, the Red Sea, the early churches, etc. and they are all scattered today. We find this doctrine in 1st Corinthians 12 and Romans 12.

Ro 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Believers are all one at all times. There is no pre-church age body and post-church age body. There is no Old Testament body and New Testament body. The great multitude is the 144,000. Believers are so intimately united, we all suffer and rejoice together. If we understand the doctrine correctly, we will understand that souls rejoicing in heaven while believers suffer in tribulation on earth is an impossible idea, although it is accepted by many.

1Co 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

With this foundational principle in mind, I would like to analyze Psalm 44 which reveals the judgment part of "time and judgment" on the entire body of believers.

The first eight verses of Psalm 44 is a look back in time and an acknowledgement of God's great mercy upon His people who trust in His might alone for their salvation.

PSALM 44:1-8 ¶ To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

The Psalmist returns to the present:

PSALM 44:4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

Next comes the "But":

PSALM 44:9 ¶ But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.

Are believers "cast off" and "put to shame"? This is where I see a paradox. On one hand, believers are cast off and put to shame. I believe I am to fully relate to verses like Psalm 74:1:

Ps 74:1 ¶  Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

On the other hand, at the same time, I also fully relate to these verses in Romans 11:

Ro 11:1 ¶ I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

In verse 5, Paul shows how God's grace in his day was the same grace in Elijah's day. There is the remnant at all times, but the remnant still needs saving.

PSALM 44:10-11 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.

What elect believer does not feel the intense burn of being scattered among the heathen?

De 4:27  And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.

Eze 12:15  And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.

PSALM 44:12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.

Isa 52:3  For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

PSALM 44:13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

The Psalmist is not talking about church members. He is talking about "us", which includes the Psalmist, himself.

Jer 24:9  And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.

PSALM 44:14 Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.

La 2:15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

La 2:16 All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.

La 2:17 The LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.

PSALM 44:15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,

Sight of sin, shame for sin, confession of sin and repentance.

Jer 3:25  We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

PSALM 44:16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.

Ps 74:23  Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

PSALM 44:17 ¶ All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;

19 Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.

More time and judgment.

Ps 60:3  Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.

Ps 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

PSALM 44:20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

Ps 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Job 31:4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

PSALM 44:22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

Believers are not cast off, but nevertheless, we pray in humility to not be cast off as we await our completed salvation.

PSALM 44:24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.

Ps 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

Ps 130:7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Wheel of Fortune Game: Date Setters' Version

Dan Stevens, T&J message #11798:

STEVENS:  None of this means we cannot believe the Lord will return on one of the upcoming days of Purim, after all, parts of Esther are heavily focused on God's judgment of his enemies, and the vindication of believers, however I don't believe it wise to think we can be infallibly sure whether our understanding of the bible on this is 100% accurate, after all, we may have missed something.

I have a few problems with Dan's comment.

First, none of this or anything else means we cannot believe the LORD will return TODAY. What would be so horrible with the LORD returning today? Or tomorrow? Or the next day? Dan and his friends are the true mockers Peter spoke about. The day of the Lord will come "as a thief in the night". Do thieves send timepaths to those they are planning to sneak up on? Of course not. The clear message of 2nd Peter 3:10 must be studiously avoided by the date predictors.

2Pe 3:10  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.

Secondly, it is not only the book of Esther that is "heavily focused on God's judgment of his enemies, and the vindication of believers". The entire Bible is focused on time and judgment because "to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him." (Eccl. 8:5-6)

Harold Camping never bothered to mention the "every purpose" part of Ecclesiastes 8:6, nor the fact that "man" in verse 6 is the Hebrew word "adam" which means "mankind". "Mankind" means "every human who ever lived". Whenever we read "adam", we can know that God is including Dan Stevens, Harold Camping, Chris McCann and every other self-appointed teacher who ever lived, along with the rest of mankind. The story about a loving God who saves His people and is angry at the rest of the world is nothing but a sweet children's bedtime story. It is not the message of the Bible.

My third gripe with Dan Steven's comment is that God is not at all heavily focused on the judgment of "his enemies". God is heavily focused on the judgment, repentance and salvation of HIS PEOPLE. In 1st Peter 4:17, Peter said that judgment would fall upon "us", the elect of God, "first". He then wondered about the unhappy outcome for the unsaved at the end of time, since the elect would be dealt with harshly in this life. The date setters follow the doctrine of "Already Saved and Immortal" and therefore, every verse of God's wrath and judgment is erroneously assigned to either (a) church members or (b) those who do not predict dates.

Dan and his fellow date-setters got led far, far away from the truth of the gospel when their leader, Harold Camping, decided that "Israel", "Judah", "Zion", "my people", etc. refers to the believers only when the verse or passage conveys God's mercy. Harold Camping stammered over this verse during his popular Jeremiah study:

Jer 30:11  For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.

Oh dear. How can we possibly relate to the wonderful mercy in the first part of Jeremiah 30:11 when all of a sudden, God turns into this very unloving monster by threatening correction and even (gasp!) punishment? So, is Jeremiah 30:11 relevant, or was the whole Jeremiah study a complete waste of time? The date setters share the same delusional "We are the Champions!" belief with the self-righteous champs in the churches. Unfortunely, Dan and his friends naturally fail to recognize themselves in many verses of correction, such as Jeremiah 30:11. They forgot all about the "remnant" that is always present with "Israel".

My fourth gripe with Dan Steven's Purim comment is that he is trying to convince as many people as he can that it is perfectly fine to turn the word of God into a cheap game show. "Hey, we can play this guessing game. No harm done, right? We can believe in it, and yet not believe it at the same time."

Dan's teaching is very far from the stance of a true believer who only believes what God has included in His revelation. In one EBible Q&A question on the meaning of "no man knoweth" in Mark 13:32, date setting teacher Chris McCann completely ignored the verse and launched into one of his speeches on something else, entirely. It was amazing to read McCann's reply that was posted at one of the new Purim websites echoing McCann's every word. They don't even bother trying to address the scriptural prohibitions against their date predicting anymore. McCann completely ignored the verse, and yet, someone actually thought his answer was so good that it should be published! Many of us saw the same tactic repeated over and over again on Harold Camping's call-in program. Harold's kids are all grown up now and making their daddy very proud.

Daniel 12:13: Not Tied to Purim

Campingite date setter Chris McCann is sure getting a lot of mileage out of Harold Camping's "You all have peanut minds" teaching. McCann, the main voice behind the latest end of the world prediction for March 7th through 9th (Purim), cites Daniel 12:13 as a major timepath clue for his prediction.

Da 12:13  But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Chris has a couple of reasons for citing Daniel 12:13. One reasons is the way Chris and the Jews would write the date March 7th according to the Hebrew calendar.

MCCANN:  "12.13 happens to be the date of Purim. Let's read from Esther 9:

16 But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,

17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar;...

We would write the month and day of Purim this way: 12/13."

I can tell you right now without the slightest reservation: I would never in a million years write the month and day of Purim that way. Nor any other way, for that matter.

MCCANN:  Is it a coincidence that God has given us a verse in Daniel 12:13 that has 3 words that fully identify with the feast of Purim---and that the chapter and verse themselves give the very date of Purim?

Peanut minds considering Chris' rhetorical question are shaking their heads and thinking, "No, not a coincidence at all. Chris McCann is the smartest man on earth, truly a gift from God. Where is his DONATE link?".

Another reason Chris believes that he, alone, has the inside track on the next date prediction is his belief that three words used in Daniel 12:13 are linked to the 9th chapter of the book of Esther and McCann has apparently discovered several amazing timepaths in that book. Those words from Daniel 12:13 are "rest", "stand" and "lot". The first two words are found in Esther 9:16:

Es 9:16  But the other Jews...stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies

The next word borrowed from the eerily numbered Daniel "12.13" verse is "lot". That word is found in Esther 9:24.

Es 9:24  and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;

This teaching is so seriously flawed, I can't even believe it's out there, and from a grown man who is in charge of raising a family. I'm sure that any rational, thinking person can see right through McCann's flaky premise, but I'm going forward to address his utter stupidity with my own word study. We see that Daniel will "stand" in his lot at the end and the Jews in Esther's day "stood" for their lives from their enemies.

Da 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Es 9:16 But the other Jews that were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,

We now come to the word "lot" in Chris McCann's psychedelic Magical Mystery Purim Tour. 'Let's go to the video tape', as a certain t.v. sportscaster likes to say:

Da 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Es 9:24  Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;

In Daniel 12:13 above (which Chris McCann hopes and prays his audience will never bother to question), we see that Daniel, a believer, will stand in his lot, or his portion, on the last day. In Esther 9:24, however, we see that Haman, the enemy of the Jews (including Daniel), cast the lot, or his portion, in order to destroy them. Chris isn't even comparing fruit with fruit, much less apples and oranges and even much less spiritual with spiritual.

Daniel, a believer, was told to "stand in" his lot at the end, which is the time of the resurrection. This is not at all "casting the lot", which is what Haman did.

Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:

Re 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Like, Haman, Chris McCann is casting the lot ("pur", "purim") every time he opens his mouth or posts links to his perverted timeline studies.

Es 9:25 But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

Es 9:26 Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur.

Chris McCann's Echoes

T&J message #11781 from Chris McCann to his T&J group is an invitation for First Quarter 2012 date setters to view a promo ad by one of Chris's followers. As a Camping follower-turned-number one critic, I am fully aware that, without God's guiding hand of correction on me, it could easily have been me in the video instead of the mind-numbed robot who posted it. I suppose I still give Chris McCann way too much credit, because I was surprised that he would ever want anyone to view this sorry demonstration. Chris apparently believes the video helps his cause. Notice the McCannite's eyes, when they are visible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aixCqqC8jJE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Whew. If you ask me, this video screams "CULT!" at a minimum of 194 decibels (the loudest sound possible). There was a rush of blogs and videos posted recently and they all bring the same message:

"We have learned a lot since October 21st and you must go to these websites for more information".

The primary website listed on the Purim sites is invariably Chris McCann's, along with two or three others that echo Chris' studies, with links to his sermons on the book of Esther. Just like Harold Camping felt compelled to showcase a group of parroting speakers on his Echoes program, Chris also needs his own parrots to lend an air of credence to his scam. He naturally senses that he can't be the only voice proclaiming that March 7th through March 9th, 2012 will be the end of the world. He desperately needs backup, but all they are doing is pointing to him.

Chris is heavily promoting all the carbon copy Purim sites so that when March 7th through March 9th passes us by (IF the LORD tarries), he will be able to say, "Hey, I wasn't the only one. Look at all the others who saw it, too.". There really is nothing new under the sun, is there?

Increased Knowledge For All Elect

From an email exchange last Sunday:

ME: “How could the essential gospel change so much as soon as Harold Camping is born?”

Camping Date Setter: “information increased (the little book was opened - after Mr. Camping was born)”.

Me: "Excuse me. I don’t think so. Just how did “information” increase? Did you ever study Daniel 12:4 for yourself?

Da 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

The Hebrew word for “knowledge” is Strong’s #01847;

The Hebrew word for “increased” is #07235.

With these two big words, we can compare to:

Ec 1:16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great <07235> experience of wisdom and knowledge <01847>.

The way I see it, King Solomon had “increased knowledge” before Mr. C. was born. So how are modern day date setters special?"

The book was sealed for Daniel, but it was sealed amongst the believers. Regardless of the dispensation, the elect of God always had God's truth while it was hidden from the unsaved.

Isa 8:16 ¶  Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

Isa 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

All elect know the secret of the LORD.

Ps 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

 

Pr 8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

Pr 8:9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

 

Daniel 12:10 is not a verse that was set aside for those born in Harold Camping's day.

 

Da 12:10  Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

 

Jesus wasn't talking to the Camping-era date setters in Matthew 13:11.

 

Mt 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Note to Kevin Brown at FNS: Blogging is Free

Kevin Brown is another slick Family Radio star on the rise who has his hand out for donations as he climbs the pastoral ladder to success. His ministry is called Friday Night Studies (FNS) and, of course, God is the ministry's CEO. (Now, where did we hear that line before?)

At Mr. Brown's website, we have to actually watch a few videos to learn what his FNS creed is. The FNS "About Us" page doesn't tell us much, but we find out a little bit more at his DONATE page:

FNS:  "One thing to note is that this is God’s ministry, and God is working through a number of individuals. There are a number of individuals, used by God, off-camera. Some of those individuals are listed below:

Harry Dysart – Computer Support

Terri Vito – Music Assistant

Joan Romberger – Accompaniast

Bill Burton – Web Design

Please pray for this ministry that it be always faithful.

Please also pray for the individuals involved with this ministry, as well as all of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

Remember, this is God’s ministry. Anyone who financially supports this or any other faithful ministry is helping to fulfill God’s command to “feed sheep.”

Right. And don't forget to click "DONATE" to help FNS produce all these wonderful videos. Did Bill Burton depart out of Chris McCann's church to join Kevin Brown's church?

Just who is Kevin Brown and why does he think that God is "working through him and the others 'off camera'? What exactly are his credentials? I know that he is a male who fathered eight children. But what does he believe? Which church denominations nurtured him with false doctrines of men? Why should I click on any video at his website? Should the intriguing title "The Exorcist" make me so wildly curious that I will want to devote an hour of my time to finding out what it is all about? I did click on one of the Q & A videos and learned that Mr. Brown seems to have received correction on the "Sabbath". Well, good for him! Also that he is a nutritionist by day and offers his audience interesting insights on health issues such as the benefits of drinking raw milk and a little wine instead of water. He claims that he and his group are receiving much correction since October 21st, but apparently not in regard to the matter of playing church.

The titles of the written studies on the FNS website are just as vague. We see on the "About Us" page that Guy Von Harringa is credited with the written studies part of the FNS ministry.

I would like to know why Kevin Brown needs people to donate money to his "ministry" and why he thinks he is the "Answer Man". Anyone can start a blog and write about anything and everything. It's completely FREE, and therefore very easy to "freely give".

Mt 10:8  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Go ahead. Feed all the sheep you want. Just quit asking for donations. And while you're at it, inform your sheep that they, too, may very well be used by God if, "if", Christ, alone, is shepherd instead of the fake, phony creeps in wolves clothing who are only out to be applauded while they make a fast buck.

Kevin, Chris, Guy, Gunther and all the rest of them can easily feed every last sheep in the world for FREE. Just go to blogger.com and get going. "Freely" does not translate into "Donate".

Ac 20:35  I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

I miss the days when I could read publications and written studies and write about them. Nowadays, it's safer for the grievous wolves to use videos. Videos make it very hard to comment on what is being preached and slicksters like Kevin Brown know that very well.

The Grueling Work Of Date Setting

Just try to imagine how much work goes into the game of date predictions. This is an all day and night effort for most date setters, and in the case of men like Harold Camping, it becomes an entire lifetime of calculations and guesses about that one day in the future which no human being can ever nail down.

Harold Camping liked to tell his audience how he would always be in the Bible and making notes every chance he got. For example, while standing in line at the bank, while waiting for his wife to get ready to go out, while waiting for a stop sign, etc., etc. He probably neglected his family a whole lot for the sake of all the people he would be deceiving via his nightly radio show. A whole, entire, long life was devoted to ZIP, NADA, NOTHING, except for deceiving many people into throwing away their lives to partake in his hobby. Do we doubt that the remaining Calendarites are also screwing up their priorities with this feverish work?

There are plenty of ways to find ways of following a works gospel in our present age of grace, but they aren't good enough for the date setters. They already have the work of observing Sunday as their holy "Lord's Day", but it apparently isn't enough. They had to create their very own, special work by taking a forbidden activity and turning it into the only way they can be ready to meet God.

An active Latter Rain group date setter made this point to his fellow LR members:

LATTER RAINER:  "...we know that many people were frustrated because they believe that Matthew 24: 36, says that no man can know the day, nor the hour of Christ coming."

Yes, guilty as charged. I am one of the many who were frustrated because I believe that Matthew 24:36 does, indeed, say that no man can know the day, nor the hour of Christ's coming. How can anyone say that it doesn't say that?

Mt. 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Matthew 24:36 does not refer to the "Son" the way Mark 13:32 does. The date setters claim that the "Son" in the latter verse refers to the "son of perdition", even though it is just two little words away from the word  "Father". But, here in Matthew 24:36, we see the phrase "but my Father only". How does one turn that into a command to know dates? Jesus also made it a point to let us all know that His words were aimed at "all" in Mark 13:37. The word "all" does not mean "all, except the believers before Harold Camping was born".

Mr 13:37  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Just think about all the time and effort that went into coming up with the silly "son of perdition" type reasons for condemning all of us who actually believe verses like Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32. A date setting acquaintance shared his idea of an "interesting number breakdown" to Purim in March with me. When I said it wasn't the least bit interesting, he was suprised:

"Surely you must find this somewhat interesting? We must not close out to interesting number breakdowns."

How many "interesting" calculations and timepaths have been incorporated into each date prediction that has failed? There is no end to what we can do with the numbers 1 through 10. It is never-ending work we can busy ourselves until the cows come home. Or until Jesus returns as a thief in the night to overtake those who are still in darkness. Don't let the works calendar and all the other traditions of men and their churches keep you in darkness.

1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

A lot of lives are being wasted by the date prediction pastime, but the children of the date setters remain the biggest victims. Drugs, alcohol, smokes, bible calendars. There is no difference. They all get a lot of folks through the day.

As a quasi-1994? believer, I am qualified to criticize the date setting craze that continues to waste so many lives. Thankfully, I had the word of God hidden in my heart from my youth and it served to prevent me from falling completely into the delusion and making drastic changes. It is for this reason that Proverbs 22:6 is one of my favorite verses.

Pr 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

I am always reminded of the churches' pastors and Family Radio and EBible teachers whenever I see one of the Orkin Pest Control commericals on t.v. Two Orkin commercial spots show termites delivering a couch (or a pizza) that were never ordered. Another shows an uninvited termite getting into a hot tub with a couple (naked, no less), and another spot shows mice taking over a house during a family's vactation. The commercial below shows Jennifer on a blind date, when Todd the Termite from blinddatelove.com shows up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R5ZtFCOMMo&feature=related

The symbolism contained in these commercials is powerful. The false teachers want in - but the Bible that is hidden in the believer's heart (the Orkin man) keeps pests in their place! You have to love that Orkin man.

Double Deception From Chris McCann

Harold Camping's five months hoax apparently was just a preview. We now need to have it doubled. Who else but Chris McCann to assume such a daunting task? Mr. Mc-C. is bigger than Eli Manning and Tom Brady combined, when it comes to date setting.

Here is the long and short of Chris' latest amazing timepath to the end of the world on Purim from T&J message #11742:

First, there is the cup of God's wrath (Ps. 11:6, Jer. 25:15, Rev. 14:10, etc.). Next, the phrase "Babylon is fallen" is doubled in Rev. 14:8. We then learn from Chris that, just two verses later in Rev. 14:10, Babylon (those in darkness who reject Chris' current date prediction) "...shall be TORMENTED with fire and brimstone…". Revelation 9 is also found in Revelation chapter 18 (another case of doubling), and we see that the cup of God's wrath is to be doubled in Rev. 18:6. Therefore, although those of us who believe that the Lord comes as a thief in the night completed our first five months of torment on October 21st, those five months must be doubled. In case you lost track of where we are at this point, we are now into our fourth month of the doubled five months of torment, with just five weeks to go before we witness Chris and the rest of the Campingtes not being raptured. ((sigh)) Again. 'If the LORD tarries' goes without saying.

To sum up, May 21st, 2011 through October 21st, 2011 was the first five months of our torment. The doubling of our torment extends from October 21st through March 7th, 2012. Not exactly 153 days or five months, but close enough, I guess.

Chris McCann is a delusional fraud. 

Chris McCann is a delusional fraud.