The Hammer of God

A Severe Warning Against
Toronto Blessing/Charismatic Leaders
 From Jeremiah 23)

By: K. B. Napier 

We read in scripture that the prophet Micah was hated by the king of Israel, because he told the truth and never told the king anything he wanted to hear!  Jeremiah chapter 33 gives a terrible warning against the false prophets of the Toronto Blessing movement (who predict only good for its course). As the movement has been spawned by charismaticism, the warning applies to all charismatics. Also, because the Toronto Blessing is totally false, it follows that all charismatic leaders who 'prophesy' in favour of the Toronto experience are false prophets.

Charismatic leaders would be correct in their claim that those who oppose them are blaspheming the Lord IF their most basic assumption was ALSO correct - that the Toronto movement is fundamentally of God.  Those of us who oppose the movement do so on the premise that the movement is not of God.  If such a premise is indeed true (we would not dare oppose the movement otherwise), then the whole argument used by charismatics crashes about their ears and it is they, not us, who blaspheme God!

As the writer of this Article, and as one who has fought against the Toronto movement since it first appeared in the UK, I sincerely warn those who attend Toronto-style meetings, or who attend the new-wave charismatic-style churches (and established charismatic churches), to come away from them; to ignore charismatic pastors and prophets; to renounce their involvement in error; to denounce charismaticism itself; to cast-off its influence and teaching and to turn back to God after repenting.  As we shall see from the present study, these are vital steps to take if you are not to come under the awful hammer of Almighty God.

Almost the entire chapter (verses 1-4 and 14-40) is quoted verbatim - important in the case of charismatics and others who do not use the AV Bible.  Verses are printed as bold italics, within quotation marks.  The author's commentary is inserted between the verses, using regular lettering.

vs 1.  "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD."

(a) The word 'Woe' ( Hebrew howy) is ultimately rooted in a primitive word (’ahahh) that expresses an exclamation of personally-felt pain...'alas!', 'oh!, 'o!', etc.  The word 'woe' is similar to the Hebrew akmen meaning extremity, climax, highest degree.  Thus the warning given to false pastors by God is founded not only on His holy hatred for sin, but also on His love for His people.  Those who have the unenviable task of remonstrating with fellow Believers should always imitate the way of the Lord.  They must never rebuke out of human anger, but should do so from a basis of heartfelt sadness and pain, with the hope that the erring one will return to the fold.  Note that although God does this, He also determines to accomplish His warning, even to death.  Thus our human emotions must never deter us from administering holy and just warnings to the Brethren and others.

(b) 'pastors' in the text is ra‘ah, a primitive root word meaning to tend, pasture or feed, to shepherd.  It can also refer (figuratively) to a ruler or teacher, and is used of an idolater, Israel as a 'flock', and 'to associate with'.  The meaning in this text can be both 'ruler' and 'shepherd', for at that time the civil office was part of the religious office. Such does not exist today. It is not, then, a precedent for current charismatic emphasis on rulership. 

In this text, a pastor is one who should feed (goodness to) God's flock.  However, the pastors of Israel evidently neglected that task, hence God's judgement upon them.  The same judgement applies today to charismatic leaders who deny proper nourishment to the people of God.  The leaders, by teaching error, have become idolaters, thereby earning the other, negative, meaning of the word 'pastor'.

(c)  We see that these false pastors 'destroy and scatter' the sheep.  That is, the effect of their falsity is to cause the sheep to perish (’abad), be destroyed, go astray (into error), be exterminated, be lost.  These pastors actually cause the destruction, which is an indication of divine judgement (as ’abad specifies).  The 'scattering' (puwts) means to be dispersed, to break/shatter or dash to pieces.  Charismatic pastors, especially during the enacting of the Toronto Blessing, have scattered the sheep and driven them into error, thus breaking them to pieces spiritually, bringing Holy wrath on their heads.

(d)  The Lord takes a dim view of all this, because, He says, they are the "sheep of my pasture".  They do not belong to the pastors, but to God, so pastors have no right to endanger the spiritual lives of the sheep.  The sheep (tso’n) equal a 'flock' or 'multitude', and equate with the Church today.  Charismatic leaders have divided the whole flock of God, scattering them in confusion, causing fear, and bringing many into bondage to the enemy.

vs 2.  "Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD."

(a)  God, then, is 'against' these false pastors.  By taking the sheep down the wrong path, they remove God's safe hands from the helm of Israel.  The same happens today in our churches, when pastors teach error, feeding Believers poison instead of Truth.  There appears to be an implication here that the now bad pastors were once faithful.

(b)  The pastors have 'driven' (nadach) the flock into error.  This carries the idea of force or compulsion.  They have thrust the flock away (from God and Truth), banished them, made them outcasts.  This is especially noticed in Toronto Blessing churches, where leaders have allowed people no time to assimilate and digest what is going on.  The very swiftness of the phenomenon has demolished a realistic examination process and, in a very obvious way, the flocks have literally been driven into heresy, and made to be outcasts in God's eyes.

 (c)  The pastors "hath not visited" the sheep of God.  That is, they have not paid attention to their welfare, but have sought them in vain.  They have 'missed' them and so there is a spiritual 'lack'.  Furthermore, we see that they have 'visited' the flock not with God's words, but with false words, either from themselves or from Satan (both are equal and both are sin).  So, God is here saying that the false pastors do not speak with His authority and power, even though they claim to do so.  As we shall see later (if you are charismatics or pro-Toronto Blessing), this brings the wrath of God upon your heads except you repent.

(d)  And so God will 'visit' upon the pastors for the "evil of (their) doings".  Evil here is roa‘ meaning badness, bad quality, wilfulness.  It is rooted in ra‘a‘ which expands the meaning to include 'to be displeasing' (e.g. to God), sad, injurious, wicked, to do wickedly/commit mischief, to break or shatter.

(e)  The 'doings' (ma‘alal) are deeds, acts or practices - usually in a bad sense.  The word has a root meaning of dealing severely with someone, making a fool of someone, to be thrust forth wickedly, or to play the child.  We have shown elsewhere that charismatic leaders act childishly (NOT 'child-like') and that their activities make fools of people (just as Satan makes fools of them!).  That these men are severe with others (NOT 'loving') is seen in the way they scorn and hate those who reject the false 'Blessing', and the way they shun those who turn away from their teachings.

(f)  Note that the One speaking is The 'LORD'.  That is Jehovah ('the existing One', or 'self-existing One') - the proper name of God.  It is rooted in hayah meaning to exist or to be.  It is exactly the same as the name given in Genesis 46:3, Exodus 3:6 etc., where God calls Himself "I God", or "I (am) God.".  The interesting point here is that the word 'God' (’elohiym) is plural, indicating more than one person and referring to 'divine ones' or 'the one true God'.  The singular, prolonged form of this word is rooted in ’el meaning the one true God, Jehovah, or 'mighty One'.  Which brings us to Exodus 3:14 where God names Himself "I AM THAT I AM" (or, "I AM").  The one word for this phrase or name is hayah or Jehovah/LORD.  The word 'saith' means an utterance by God Himself, or through a (true) prophet - both being equal, for both are from God.  But they are only equal if they really ARE from God!  That is why God prefixes His words in this text with "saith the LORD", to distance Himself from the falsity of the bad pastors.

vs 3.  "And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase."

(a) They shall be 'fruitful' (parah) - that is, they shall bear fruit or show fruitfulness or 'branch off'.

(b)  They shall also 'increase' (rabah) - become very great and numerous.  These numbers do not just refer to the faithful of our own time.  They increase over all of time, until the end of the earth. 

(c)  Note that this fruitfulness and increase are found in the 'remnant' of the flock, NOT in those who follow after false pastors!  Note also how charismatic leaders continually insist that we should accept their 'fruit' and that the huge numbers involved in their work are 'proof' of their authenticity. 

The reason God said He will destroy them is because they scattered His flock.  And that is exactly what charismatic pastors do today!  Therefore, the 'fruit' that they claim must, by definition, be false, and the huge numbers must be illusory (in terms of salvation and true following).  In Isaiah the 'remnant' are those of His people who stay close to the fold, near the shepherd and the sustenance He brings.  Charismatics and neo-charismatics, however, stay close to their leaders and to charismatic theory.  There, friends,  is the big and eternal difference!

vs 4.  "And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD."

(a)  When God says that the pastors did not 'visit' the flock in verse two, the word includes the meaning 'lack' - they did not feed the flock and so the people lacked something.  In this verse God Himself says He will see they do not lack, giving them proper sustenance; whereas the bad pastors only gave them poison.

(b)  "Neither shall there be lacking".  That is, the people will not seek in vain.  as Christ promised - those who seek after him shall find rest and nourishment!  Charismatics KNOW they lack (seek in vain), because they persist in rebuilding their flagging (in)security with countless 'refreshing' meetings and  'testimonies'.  They would not need these if God had really touched them!

We now come to the appalling truth concerning the false prophets and leaders of Israel.  The same charges can be brought against today's charismatic leaders.  Do not dismiss Arminianism as being merely another side of the same salvationary coin!  Do not confuse charismaticism with true theology!  What do we mean by 'true theology'?  We mean, what God actually says in His word. See what God says about these people...

vs. 14.  "I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah."

(a)  The prophets - nabiy’ - in this text are false prophets.  The term is rooted in naba’  meaning to prophesy as a false prophet.  God is therefore galled by men who masqueraded as true prophets, mixing with the true prophets and thereby confusing and misleading the people of God.  In those days the office of prophet often coincided with that of priest.  Today, we see pastor-prophets similarly confusing the people, with false signs and wonders which they attribute to God.  The end can only be destruction (see Isaiah 17 and also 2 Chronicles, when 400 false prophets gave a false prophecy and only one prophet (Micah) told the truth.  Large numbers of prophecies from one's own circle do not necessarily constitute the truth.  Sometimes the lone voice in the desert is the true voice.  Let charismatics beware!

(b)  God says that what these men do is "an horrible thing". In this text 'horrible' means to split open (as in a storm, dread, bristle with horror, to sweep away, come as a storm).  This is exactly what the Toronto Blessing has been, and is, doing - it is splitting apart the churches.  It came as a storm and is sweeping away Christians and unbelievers alike.

(c)  The false prophets are said to commit adultery.  This is mainly figurative, meaning to follow after idols, to worship them and to devise false theology to support what is being done.  'Adultery' can also mean literal adultery.  Note that many charismatics today are literally and figuratively adulterous, in the wake of the Toronto experience.  For many years they have invented their own ideas and theories concerning prophecy and Biblical texts. 

Like Finney, who was a revivalist, they think that they can use any means to bring people into the Kingdom.  Thus they are not really believers in God's sovereignty, but they are believers in their own works and cleverness.  They devise all kinds of ways to seduce people into their churches.  Their aim is good - to save the lost - but their methods betray the nature and leader of their ways (on this point, see Outline Ref. No. 0-00067: 'The Logos Visit to Swansea - the Facts').  That is, what they do is evil for it comes from Satan.  He causes them to believe that men and women may be saved by human efforts, thus reducing the full effect of sin and conscience, and obviating the need for true repentance and responding only to the Holy Spirit.  In this, charismatics are the same as Roman Catholics, whose salvation relies on what the 'church' says (through its leaders) rather than on the personal calling of God to repent.

Today charismatics have set up false gods of their own making.  Now (1995), they are working feverishly on a new theology to support their whims and fancies.  When they have completed this task, they will make their consciences  quiet and render them inoperative.  Once they have their new theology they will cement their sins in solid form.  This will enable them to appear true and faithful - just as JW's do on the doorsteps of the gullible.  They will convince themselves.  When later generations arrive in their churches, they will find a fixed and fully established theology, and will not realise it is false, for it is so close to the real thing, true text being woven together with intricate threads of human, sinful interpretation and almost impossible to unravel. 

The true reason for the sudden arrival of the Toronto Blessing was NOT to revitalise charismatic signs and wonders, but was to SIFT THE CHURCHES. The churches were divided into pro- and anti- Toronto experience.  This was Satan testing the waters.  He wanted to plant an initial seed-bed.  It never was his intention to simply re-introduce signs and wonders!  He wanted to see how many Believers would fall to his outward and obviously evil promptings.  The rationale is perfect!  If so many are willing to fall to what is obviously evil - then how many will fall when Satan uses more subtle techniques? Can you not see this?  As Micah warned his king, he could foresee sheep roaming the hills without a shepherd! 

This is what has happened in the churches - many of the faithful are scattered and confused.  A large number of them still refuse to 'come off the fence' and so they are like those without a pastor.  More importantly, by refusing to 'get involved' they lay themselves wide open to the onslaught of Satan.  Only by fighting in the battle do soldiers get to recognise their enemy! Only by fighting in battles do soldiers hone their skills and wits and become veterans! Already, by not taking part in the battle and by retaining the famed evangelical stance of aloofness, the faithful cannot see the wider picture painted by Satan.  And their pastors, good men of God, join this passivity - the very condition required by Satan if he is to promote his plan! 

Good pastors are warning their own flocks and think this is sufficient. With great respect for their calling, I suggest it is not. The time has come for all faithful pastors to make a stand for Truth.  They must do so openly and in public view.  People are still being drawn into the Toronto net in large numbers.  Those who came away from it are being drawn back into it, because of the silence of good pastors.   Because faithful pastors remain silent, those who wish to leave charismatic errors DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR TRUE TEACHING! Those who remain faithful are having their convictions slowly eroded, by the charm and persistence of pro-Toronto leaders, whose new theology is beginning to attract the attention of Christians who previously stood their ground.

When the next 'wave' comes, it will contain many of the current features.  Why?  Because Satan has been successful!  But he also knows that he must use other methods in order to seduce the faithful.  So he will become more subtle.  Just a few short weeks ago, although I am known as a staunch anti-Toronto preacher, I came under a very subtle attack of Satan. He attempted to infuse me with a very clever and complex argument, that I may be wrong in one or two areas of my opposition.  I tried to sketch out how this affected me in 'Here & Now' (No. 14 July 1995).  Frankly, I suspected that it was a seduction attempt by Satan, but I found it hard to resist.  NOW, IF THAT CAN HAPPEN TO ONE WHO HAS THE FACTS AND WHO HAS FOUGHT FOR SO LONG - WHAT CAN SATAN DO TO THOSE WHO HAVE HITHERTO REMAINED PASSIVE AND WHO HAVE RELATIVELY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE?

I came to see that if I 'changed my story' only once, then that would spell the 'beginning of the end' for my ministry - indeed, for my entire life.  It was at that time of realisation that God gave me this particular text to work with - hence the Article!  I therefore warn pastors AGAIN - your passive stance will drag you down.  Satan has already seduced about 90% of all churches.  Now he will concentrate on pastors and members of faithful churches.   God will indeed protect those who remain in Him.  But if the Believer harbours even a minor speck of doubt in his inner being, Satan will find it. 

He will also work on ignorance.  Do you know that even after 18 months of Toronto activity, there are church pastors and deacons who know next to nothing about it?  Satan will use this, too, by planting 'knowledge' where none existed before!  The new charismatic theology will go a long way toward this seduction process, by providing 'gap filler' knowledge.  It is likely that faithful men will thereby imbibe false teaching without realising its source.  Thus, before too long, even the faithful pastors will be quoting and teaching 'explanations' that arose from charismatic minds, because they are so subtle. BE WARNED. COME OFF THE FENCE.

Let me be frank about something else, too.  There are faithful Christians in my own home city who will not join the  fight, simply because of me.  They know me as one who tells the truth, but who also is 'controversial'.  Rather than be linked with myself, they allow Satan to run riot.  Let such good folk come to see, that I do not ask them to join ME - they must fight the battle because they are God's men, called to strike against evil and lies by our Holy God.  That such men may not like me, or do not like my 'methods', is  beside the point!  As far as the Lord is concerned, He sees false prophets doing "an horrible thing" and He expects His men to stand and be counted.  I can tell these men that the fight is hard and brings no favours.  Even now, local Toronto leaders strive to silence and discredit me, in many ways.  But my fear of the Lord is greater than the anxiety thrown upon me by Toronto leaders...and I DO feel that anxiety at times.

Once more, then, I call on faithful pastors to make a public stand.  All it would take is something like a large advertisement in a local newspaper, containing the blunt statement that the Toronto Blessing is deception, and the  names of pastors who reject it.  Pastors did exactly that a few years ago when someone went on TV claiming to be the Christ!  This movement is of far greater import, yet pastors will not take the necessary and obvious step.

(d)  God says that false prophets "walk in lies".  Lies - sheqer - refer to deception, fraud, wrong, falsehood, the falsity of self-deceived prophets, false tongues, etc.  Based on the root shaqar - it means to deal falsely, to be false, to trick or to cheat.  Charismatic leaders, themselves deceived but thinking they act in truth, trick the people; they cheat them into deception.  We cannot sit back and allow it to happen in silence, for our silence is construed as acceptance (see O/67).  In this way good men who remain silent actually condone evil.

The Jews of Germany were persecuted and thought that this was their lot.  That is why so many stayed in the land and endured the misery, thinking it must surely come to an end.  Only a few saw what would be the natural result of the persecution.  In a short time the Jews were all incarcerated.  Even then, many thought this was the sum of their lot.  But it was not to be so: gas chambers and ovens came next.  And so the atrocities pressed onward with excruciating pain and thoroughness.  When the full intentions of the Nazi machine dawned, it was already too late and so the Jews became resigned and stoical.  Their bravery and suffering stands as a monument for all time.  The point is this - today, pastors and others 'put up with' the Toronto movement because they think it will just fizzle out and disappear like all other fads.  That is their mistake!  It is not a fad, nor will it just go away.  It will go on and on, without rest or end, until the Lord Himself rolls up this world.  It is what scripture tells us.  Just as you think Satan is giving you a rest, along comes another and worse atrocity.  So, staying silent is not the answer.  Unlike the majority of Jews in Nazi Germany, you are able to escape the vile activity and do something about it.  Not to do so is tantamount to self-induced spiritual genocide.

(e)  Not only do the false prophets teach evil and lies, but they also ensure that others do the same things!  That is, they "strengthen the hands" of evildoers.  To 'strengthen' - chazaq - means to be caught fast, to grow hard (in a bad sense), to be severe or grievous, to make bold and strong, to encourage to make severe, to take hold of.  This is what Toronto leaders do.  They take hold of people and keep them fast by lies and deception.  In the midst of lies God's people grow hard toward God and reject Truth.  They ignore the strong pangs of their consciences and become severe toward those who oppose them.  This is why they come to hate and scorn Believers who do not accept the Toronto experience....from start to finish the experience is designed to take people away from God and true love for the Brethren.  Toronto adherents thereby become 'evildoers' - ra‘a‘ - bad, evil, displeasing to God, etc.  And they attribute their harshness and bitterness to God (thinking they are loving), whilst still accusing those who oppose them of 'blasphemy'!

(f)  They become so hardened to God that "none doth return" (from wickedness).  To return - shuwb - is to turn back to a true spiritual relationship with God.  Thus the words 'none doth' render the word to mean 'apostasy', or the turning away from God, to be enticed away instead of repenting and being refreshed.  So, the very opposite of 'refreshing' is going on!  Dazzled by the bright lights engendered by charismatic signs and wonders, people are enticed away from God, thinking that their experiences are of God.  I cannot but think of people I know who fell to the lie.  They presently claim to be renewed by the Holy Spirit, but they display hatred and sinfulness toward others (including myself), whilst still claiming to be filled with a new love!  Even before their new experience, these folk were bitter and untaught.  It is all very, very sad, for now they think they have an excuse for their actions.  God says that He judges them in their sin and sees them as being no different from the evildoers of Sodom.

vs.15.  "Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land."

(a)  What will God do to these false prophets?  He will "feed them with wormwood".  To 'feed'  - ’akal - means to devour, consume, destroy, oppress, to waste.  'Wormwood' means bitterness and is rooted in a word meaning 'to curse'.  God will, then, destroy and curse 'Toronto' people with bitterness - a bitterness we already see being used against God's faithful.

(b)  He will also cause evildoers to "drink the water of gall".  The gall - ro’sh - refers to venom, something poisonous or bitter.  This is interesting because the word 'water' can mean urine, violence, things that are transitory.  Thus, God will give the deceived what they want, which will be bitter and poisonous, as useless as urine, and built upon violence.  Toronto people are, then, dying of spiritual starvation and thirst, whilst they drink copious amounts of gall (yet they call it the 'river of God'!).  The Toronto experience is violence against the person, for it destroys.  It gives what is demonically-transitory and replaces what is fixed and eternal of God.

(c)  Profaneness - chanuphah - or pollution, hypocrisy and godlessness, comes from the lips and actions of the false prophets, who make themselves and others godless, causing them to be defiled (chaneph).  If I may use the illustration of native children in 'lost' tribes - they know that they must not urinate in the pools when they play, for that would defile their own water supply.  Today's Christians, however, seem insensible to the need to keep their spiritual supply clean!  Even the smallest amount of impurity can ruin holiness.

vs. 16.  "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, (and) not out of the mouth of the LORD."

(a)  'The LORD of hosts' may be reasonably translated 'Jehovah of all creation'.

(b )  Do not listen to the prophets who prophesy -'prophesy' here meaning the prophecy of false prophets.

(c)  Do not listen, for they make you vain - habal - to act emptily, to fill with useless, worthless hopes.  The laughter and the prophecies are from prophets who are like 'empty vessels' that make noise but have nothing in them.

(d)  The 'vision' refers either to a dream or a prophecy, which is "of their own heart" - leb - from the heart/soul of men, of human will, or of human emotion/passions.  In other words, invented and not of God.  It is certainly not out of the 'mouth' (or 'river') of God.  River - rooted in pa’ah, meaning to dash to pieces or to shatter.

vs. 17.  "They say still unto them that despise me, the LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come unto you."

(a)  Those who do not listen to God are not simply ignorant or acting foolishly - they actually despise (na’ats - to spurn) Him.  Scripture says that if a man is not for Him, then he is against Him.  There is no half-way position.  We either obey Him or we spurn Him.

(b)  And what is this 'peace' Toronto leaders claim to have, when they spurn the God of their salvation (Isaiah 17)?  There can be no true peace (shalowm [or shalom]), meaning completeness, soundness, safety, prosperity, contentment, peace with God (from a root meaning, to make whole, restore), when charismatics so easily and widely disobey the Lord.  For many years charismatics have spurned God's Truth.  Now, suddenly, they claim He has overwhelmed them with His blessings!  What for?  For being disobedient?  For misinterpreting His word consistently? For misleading God's people?  For preaching a false, Arminian gospel?

It is a fact that many, many ordinary charismatics are anxious and even afraid of the Toronto experience, yet they participate. They do so for fear of rejection by their leaders.  We may argue that their fear of God should overcome their fear of men, but it is not that clear cut.  From the moment they enter charismatic doors, they have been taught that salvation is only found within charismatic walls and that charismatic leaders act directly on behalf of God.  Now if that is all they have ever known, and leaders tell them to obey God (them!) when He wishes to 'bless' them, they cannot argue, for that would be like disobeying God Himself.  May the Lord help these poor people and take the scales from their eyes.

(c) Even so, ordinary charismatics must be careful not to reject their consciences, for God says they act according to their own 'imagination'.  That is, their stubbornness or hardness, leaving them twisted.  The command is very simple - when the charismatic's conscience is pricked, he must immediately leave his church and leaders and must repent, staying away from the source of the evil.  Why?  Because his leaders tell him lies (inadvertently or willingly, it makes no difference) and their 'imagination' is an enemy to them, as the root word sharar tells us.

(d)  The leaders tell them that no evil shall fall upon them.  That is, no pain, no unhappiness, no misery, injury or calamity (from a root word meaning to be broken or to suffer).  Yet, thousands of charismatics are suffering today.  They cannot tell their leaders, nor can they admit it to others, but they are scared and lonely, hurt and  unhappy.  Their misery is the result of their own failure to follow God, but rest assured, the Lord's wrath is  upon those leaders who ought to know better!

vs. 18.  "For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word?  who hath marked his word, and heard (it)?"

(a)  God demands to know if the false prophets really do know His word.  Have they really taken counsel from Almighty God?  Have they stood in His counsel?  'Stood' - ‘amad - meaning to take one's stand, to be a servant, to endure/abide/persist, to hold one's ground/stand firm, to establish.  No - Toronto leaders have NOT stood firmly on the rock of God's Truth.  Unlike true pastor-servants, they have 'called down' (who they perceive to be) the Holy Spirit at will, demanding that He move and fill!  They do not have a clue as to what God says, so they tell lies.

(b)  They tell lies because they have not been in 'his counsel' - cowd - meaning familiar conversation, intimacy with God.  By their own admission, charismatics say that for many years they have been 'spiritually dry'.  This is because they have not obeyed the Lord. They have not been on intimate terms with Him - many of them being unsaved to begin with.  They have not been seated close to God and founded on Him - yacad.

(c)  Thus they have not 'perceived' His word - ra’ah, meaning to see, look at, inspect. consider, learn about, give attention to, discern.  Rather, they have invented their own theories and misinterpreted scripture.  As Toronto leaders have told me, they have followed many theories in their time, from this or that leader, dropping one because it has become stale and then looking for something new!  The Toronto theory is just one of many.

(d)  Nor have the leaders heard God's word - shama‘, meaning to hear with attention, to listen carefully, to give heed, and to yield to, or obey.

(e) Nor have they 'marked' - qashab - God's word.  That is, taken heed...similar in meaning to 'heard'.

vs 19. "Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked."

(a)  By a whirlwind, God means ca‘ar; a tempest or storm, rooted in ca‘ar meaning 'rage'.  (This is evidenced by the later 'fury').  God acts against us with absolute wrath.  It is a mistake for Christians to think God will not, or does not, act against His own people!  His wrath is not held back once He has issued His decree.  A whirlwind drives everything before it, without mercy, as the word 'fury' - chemah (hot displeasure, wrath, burning anger, rage) - indicates.

(b)  Such fury is 'grievous' - chuwl - to cause to be in anguish or pain, to be distressed, to writhe in travail.  This grievousness will fall upon the heads of charismatic leaders and followers alike. 

vs 20.  "The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly."

(a)  The 'latter days' appear to refer to the time after Christ.  Is it referring to Today?  It means latter-time (the future), last, or end.  Charismatics claim that these are the last days - in which case they predict their own destruction!

(b)  It is a destruction by God's anger - ’aph.  This word is from 'nostril', which is not so strange, as it is rooted in ’anaph, meaning to breathe hard as when angry - and it always means God's anger.  His anger will not return. That is, He shall not turn back His anger, or restore the people He is angry against.  That is, He will not 'refresh' them.

(c)  He will act until He has 'executed' His thoughts - He shall act with effect, to put in order something, to squeeze or to press hard (as grapes in a wine-press).

vs 21.  "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they have prophesied."

God has no part in the prophecies or the movement of the Toronto Blessing, nor in the general charismatic fallacy.  He has not sent the Toronto Blessing.  This is seen in the next verse.

(a)  And in the latter days these false prophets shall 'consider it perfectly'.  That is, when they are finally destroyed they shall discern fully and have understanding of their past error and their fate in God's hands.  Sadly, it will then be too late to turn back.

(b)  The false prophets have no word from God, "yet they ran".  That is, they ran swiftly to tell everyone what they have been 'told'.  This is how the Toronto sin has spread - fast and loose.  No-one stopped to wonder if it was of God, or not.  They just ran, full speed, to tell everyone about it.  Rodney Howard Browne believes he must 'infect' all the pastors who attend every meeting.  This is so as the 'blessing' runs even faster through the land.  The momentum and crushing urgency of this movement has been a significant hallmark and it is to be shunned.

vs 22.  "But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings."

If Toronto leaders really were of God, then they would have stopped the evil being manifested in Toronto meetings.  But they do not!  They claim that it would be wrong, because they might inadvertently quench the Spirit. It is no excuse.

vs 23.  "(Am) I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?"

Is God far off or is He 'at hand' - or near (personally related to); present?  No, he is not 'afar off' - remote, far away.  This is a warning to all who desecrate His word - and an encouragement to all who genuinely love Him and His word.  The Lord is telling the false prophets/priests that they ought to beware, for He sees and hears everything they do.

vs 24.  "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth?  saith the Lord."

Just as the false priests and prophets of thousands of years ago could not hide from God, nor can the false prophets and pastors of today, whether they are charismatic or not.  I am amazed by the arrogance and brazen attitudes of charismatic leaders, who flaunt their errors with pride!  They have no fear of the Lord and are convinced in their own hearts of their own importance.  An American 'Toronto' preacher told a packed Swansea, UK, audience (I cannot refer to them as a congregation) that he was very special and that God had told him so!  He recounted, with great glee, that he had sat next to a lady on the 'plane, who was afraid of flying.  He told her that God had chosen him for a special mission in life and that as long as he (the preacher) was alive, the lady would live in complete safety!  And the foolish audience cheered and clapped.  The Lord saw this man and heard his arrogant lies!

vs 25  ."I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed."

God has heard charismatic leaders as they falsely claim to have had visions and prophecies.  Today, these leaders utter 'prophecies' as though they were reading stories, in great numbers!  But, God says they are lying.

vs 26.  "How long shall (this) be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, (they are) prophets of the deceit of their own heart."

How long indeed!  Their prophecies are from their own hearts, not from God.  As scripture readily tells us, the heart is exceedingly wicked and is capable of all manner of atrocities.  They are deceived by their own minds and feelings, for their hearts are wrong before God.

vs 27  "Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal."

(a)  The 'fathers' of charismaticism fell for the lie and slowly turned to other gods of their own making.  They joined with Roman Catholicism and other cults and developed their own idea of what a Believer really is.  They reformulated God and demanded that He dance at their every whim.  They have dreams given by Satan and immediately run out to tell everyone how gracious 'God' has been to reveal such things to them. Each comforts the other in his delusion, thus forgetting the true God of scripture.  Of course, they claim to follow the One, True God - but negate their claim by what they say and do. 

And they send their children to sit at the feet of evil masters, too....at the 1995 Greenbelt Festival, held annually and organised by charismatics, there were classes for young girls to help them 'get in touch with their sexuality', and where they were encouraged to take part in sensual exercises to heighten sexual awareness.  There was also a New Age church there, holding meetings.  Plus, of course, the Christianised version of rock music!  For sending their children into such vile things, parents and charismatic leaders will be judged.

(b  )Baal - Ba‘al - means 'lord'.  He was the main false god of the Canaanites/Phoenicians.  The name comes from ba‘al, meaning owner, lord (as in foreign god) and, significantly, 'Master of Dreams' - a title given to Satan.  The title is rooted in a word of the same spelling that means to be lord over, to rule over.  Thus the lord followed by charismatics is a false god, one who is master of their dreams, who rules them mercilessly.  He owns them, lock, stock and barrel!  Note who this lord really is - Satan.  He can make dreams (and visions/prophecies) in any shape or form, fooling people into believing they come from God.  Yes, he is certainly their master!

vs 28.  "The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.  What (is) the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD".

(a) If a prophet really has been given a word by God, then let him speak it in truth.  'Faithfully' - ’emeth - is sureness, truth, reliability, stability, as spoken of God, true doctrine.  It is contracted from ’aman, meaning to support, confirm, nourish, to be carried by a nurse, verified.  But charismatic prophecies and teachings are not verified and confirmed by scripture.  Nor are they nourishing. Rather, they deny scripture.  How can we call their words 'of God' when they 'prophesy' that women writhing in abandoned sexual movements are 'birthing Christ'?  Or when they claim that people roaring like lions is 'God telling them that Christ is still Lord of Judah'?  They cannot discern the Satanic, so why listen to them?

(b)  What is the chaff to the wheat?  That is, how can false prophets pretend to be true prophets when the difference is so marked?

vs 29.  "(Is) not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer (that) breaketh the rock in pieces?"

(a)  Charismatics make much use of the words 'fire' and 'river' etc., but they never bother to discover what God means by them.  In many instances, for example, the mention of 'rivers' is a reference to violence and enormous destructive power. In this text, 'fire' means God's all-consuming anger.  Thus God is warning false prophets that He will destroy them and their falsity with His 'river' and His 'fire' - words much used by leaders!

(b)  The 'hammer' is a reference to a forge-hammer, used to literally beat metal into submission by heavy pounding.

(c)  The pounding by God 'breaketh the rock in pieces'.  That is, the judgement of God will scatter/break/shatter/dash to pieces, the rock on which false prophets build their foolish ideas.  The 'rock' signifies that which they place their trust in - defined earlier as the imaginations of their own heart.  Thus the Lord is here telling them that He WILL pound them and He WILL lay bare their human devices, to their eternal shame.

vs 30.  "Therefore, behold, I (am) against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour."

False prophets are liars and thieves.  They 'steal' what God really says from the hearts of men.  That is, they 'go by stealth'.  If we are absolutely blunt about it, this means charismatic leaders KNOW they are doing wrong.  Indeed, it is my contention that every man knows when he sins.  Why, then, do charismatic prophets do it?  There can be many reasons, including a desire for power over others, perceived status, what they regard as 'authority' over others (but which is really unfettered meddling and ungodly oppression), self-delusion, etc.  With others, they are themselves deceived (by Satan) and, as is the nature of deception, they do not know they are deceived.  We must all pray that leaders will have the scales removed from their eyes and will not resist the ensuing need for repentance and public renunciation of error, even though they will feel embarrassed.  We assure such men that if they deal honestly with the situation, we will give them our full and sincere support.

vs 31.  "Behold, I (am) against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith."

God is against prophets who falsely claim to be speaking from God!  Make no mistake about it - He will not be mocked!  The Lord says that they 'use their tongues'.  In this text the word 'tongues' is a reference to slander.  That is, false prophets slander God Almighty, by claiming to say something from God that He did not say.  They are therefore lying about Him and spreading falsehoods.  It is, then, slanderous.

vs 32.  "Behold, I (am) against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them:  therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD."

(a)  Again, God despises false prophets for their lies, as they claim to be repeating God's prophecies and visions.  They cause Christians to sin by inducing them to believe their lies.  If such lies are sustained for long periods, then whole churches have stunted spiritual growth, as Christians believe, repeat, and build-upon lies. Their whole spiritual outlook is warped.

(b)  False prophets cause people to stumble by their 'lightness' - pachazuwth - their recklessness, their extravagant claims and their sheer frivolity.  That charismatic activity is reckless is seen in the root of pachazuwth, pachaz, meaning to be wanton and 'frothy'...there is more froth than substance!  The suggestion here is that charismatics could not really care less what they do, so long as they spread their lies and they enjoy themselves.

(c)  The result of their lies is that they do not profit the people.  That is, the Christians in their care do not benefit from their lies.  Rather, they lose credibility and impetus to grow, as they continuously seek newer and brighter follies.  Note that there is no room for tolerance in all this - God says that the people receive no benefit AT ALL.  We hear many well-meaning folk say that maybe the Toronto Blessing/charismaticism has 'some good'.  But God bluntly and flatly denies such a nonsense.  We are either for Him or against Him; prophets and pastors are either truthful or liars.

vs 33.  "And when his people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What (is) the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden?  I will even forsake you, saith the LORD."

(a)  What is the burden - or, 'utterance' - of God?  They are NOT what false prophets say. The false utterances of false prophets who love to tell everyone things they pretend are from God....God hates such.

(b)  He says that if they dare to relate such falsity, He shall 'forsake' them - natash.  This means He shall cast them down, reject them, abandon them to their own devices. Their minds and hearts, because of their perverted theology, shall 'lie fallow', yielding nothing.  He shall let them fall, completely alone, for He shall desert them.  That is the meaning of natash!  And that is what is now happening to charismatics.  In their fervour to accept what is not of God, they believe that the bright baubles of their false signs and wonders are of the Holy Spirit.  Thus they clamour for even more and produce false fruit.  In all this they thank God for His 'blessing' - not knowing that He has already left them alone.  They have been forsaken and abandoned by Him. 

They are as fallow fields - producing no fruit because nothing was planted in the first place.  God help them!  Except He enters their darkened lives with His mercy, they shall continue in their error. As their lives go on, the confidence in their own interpretations shall wane and depression shall take the place of their present self-induced 'happiness'. Their superficiality shall give way to the reality of their emptiness, but because they believe God is with them still, they shall not understand.  Thus they will seek more and more of what has made them sick, whilst God remains far away from them.  God help them!  God could cause them to die, but that is not the worst form of punishment.  No, the worst form of destruction is to be left alone by Almighty God, the God of our salvation; left to our own devices. Once the Lord has acted in destruction, He cannot and will not take back what He has done.  It is a matter of urgency, then, that those charismatics who are Christians, MUST come away from their error. Leave your leaders and churches; leave your false signs and wonders and get back on to the righteous path!

vs 34. "And (as for) the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the LORD, I will even punish that man and his house."

God shall punish them - prophets, leaders and those who listen to them.  He shall punish, or destroy, all who pretend to prophesy in His name and all who lead in His name, when they have no such calling.  Not only that, but He shall destroy everyone who belongs to them - their 'house' - that is, the churches who imbibe the falsity and even the households of those who seek the pleasures offered by falsity.  Beware, Toronto Blessing adherents!  Beware, charismatic leaders and those who follow them!

vs 35.  "Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the LORD answered? and What hath the LORD spoken?"

Like sheep without a shepherd, the people shall roam the hills, falling and stumbling, blind and fearful.  Drunk with the false prophecies of the past and addicted to the false signs and wonders that previously sustained them, they shall panic, for the ground of their being has been snatched away.  God will reveal to them the true nature of what they have done.  Their leaders will then appear as they really are - blind leading the blind, pathetic creatures devoid of truth and understanding.  They shall cry out to each other - What is God saying? What is God saying?  But there shall be no answer, for He has already left them, long ago.  It will, then, be futile to ask What has the Lord spoken? for he spoke long ago, warning and demanding obedience.  But they did not take heed and so He abandoned them, to feel the sting of their foolishness.

vs 36.  "And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God."

(a)  Everyone shall say his own thing!  Each shall rely on his own word (as they do today) and shall lift up his own soul, for God is not with them.  The emptiness they shall feel in that day shall be too much to bear and they shall cry out in despair, but the Lord shall not listen.  Thus they shall have their own utterances return on them as an echo of judgement, to mock their previous disobedience.

(b)  It shall be so, for they 'perverted' the words of God.  'Perverted' means to overturn, overthrow, to turn against, to be reversed, to turn every way.  Satan loves to reverse God's word and ways.  Once he turns people from the true path, they have no real path to follow and so they turn this way and that.  Charismatic folly leads to a land of fancy and whim, where God is not.  Charismatics have overturned His word and turned against Him, thinking, in their rush to grab baubles, that they are grabbing God!

(c)  They shall no longer hear God speak, for He has abandoned them.  They shall not mention false utterances, but shall only cry out in spiritual pain.

vs 37.  "Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the LORD answered thee?  and, What hath the LORD spoken?"

In their panic, and although they already know in their hearts that God has gone, they will still seek the falsity of their prophets - for they shall have nothing else left.  The prophets, themselves abandoned, shall no longer speak, for they know their end.  God has judged them and they shall be forlorn, dreading their lives.  Yet the people will continue in their folly, asking them for their false words.  As before, they shall ask the prophets, not God Himself!

vs 38 -39. "But, since ye say, The burden of the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD; Because ye say this word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD; Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, (and cast you) out of my presence:"

Foolish people!  You continue to rely on your prophets and pastors even though they mislead you and feed you poison!  So, the Lord shall 'forget' you, utterly.  That is, He shall nashah - deprive you of Himself.  When a people are forsaken, they have nothing left of worth.  He shall 'forsake' you - natash - leave, abandon you for your sins, of which you do not repent.

vs 40  ."And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten."

(a) Charismatics - your shame will be legend.  Your names shall be on the roll of dishonour, remembered in heaven (as 'perpetual' signifies) for ever, eternity!

(b)  Your names shall be a 'reproach' upon you - remembered with scorn and shame, a disgrace, for you have been 'upbraided' by God and did not listen.

(c)  Your shame shall be 'perpetual' - everlasting.

(d)  The shame (disgrace, ignominy) is that you have dishonoured your Lord and been confounded for your efforts, suffering eternal humiliation in the process.

(e)  And this shall not be forgotten - that is, not ignored, but forever kept in mind.  What can be worse, than to have your sins kept forever in God's mind?  Nothing!

This warning of judgement from God should strike terror into the hearts of charismatics everywhere. Abandon your folly before God abandons you.  Your false signs and wonders and the spectacular utterances of your false prophets are not worth the punishment meted out by a jealous God!  Do not cling to these things and to these people, but flee away from them, knowing that the Lord's angel of death is behind you, hovering and destroying those who will not listen.  These are frightful words for they are God's words, sent to warn and to admonish you.  Listen and be safe!  Do not listen and be destroyed....there is no option.  God has wondrous things in store for those who repent and turn back to Him in truth.  The biggest hurdle you will face is to realise that what you thought was a refreshing from God is really a deception of Satan.  Once you face that, the rest becomes visible and everything falls into place. 

Bible Theology Ministries

© September 1995

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