Exhibit A*
GodDay 12.12.12
Restoring Honor to God and Fathering the Fatherless
“A Day like no other, GodDay, will begin on 12-12-12. A sound will be released that will awaken a city to awaken nations. This sound of awakening shall go forth and an army of awakening shall arise in kingdom government and demonstration. Supernatural signs, wonders and miracles shall continually increase. Mass deliverance and salvation will break out in cities and regions. Places that were once dead in sin will spring forth in revival. News networks will report locally and globally about this phenomenon. Those who embrace this move will experience economic turnarounds. The very economies of cities shall be revived and awakened as they enter into My Day and embrace my righteous cause. Yes, I will favor those who favor righteousness and the righteous,”[1]
It is becoming an annual occurrence. Once again the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) has scheduled an event on a calendar date that has numerological repetition. This year it is GodDay 12.12.12, featuring NAR head apostle C. Peter Wagner. Like the New Age Datesetters who are focusing on 12-21-12, the numbers are given esoteric significance.
The use of month-day-year date annotation is simply a manifestation of the calendar we use. Here is a brief description of our modern calendar system:
The Gregorian calendar, also called the Western calendar and the Christian calendar, is internationally the most widely accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582; the decree, a papal bull, is known by its opening words, Inter gravissimas. The reformed calendar was adopted later that year by a handful of countries, with other countries adopting it over the following centuries.[2]
Yet, the NAR and related evangelical leaders have persisted in this date-setting numerology, especially since the turn of the millenium when it became so easy to combine single digit dates on the calendar, such as 01-01-01, etc. According to NAR critic Sandy Simpson at www.deceptioninthechurch.com,
The brief history of the New Apostolic Reformation is full of the celebration of mythological superstitious calendar dates. The apostles and prophets of this movement have proven themselves to be false over and over again by their superstitions and alignment with New Age mythology.[3]
03-03-03
Simpson has been documenting the chronology of this "superstitious date setting" since 3-3-3 when Ted Haggard sent out an e-mail calling people at his New Life Church to pray on March 3, 2003. Haggard noted that this was a day with significance to the New Agers, but countered that
The World Prayer Team therefore calls on all Christian churches and individuals to set aside at least 3 minutes to pray at 3:33 PM in their time zone on 03/03/03.[4]
False prophecies seem to go on during these special dates. Benny Hinn reported having a dream about the significance of March 3, 2003, which helped fundraising for TBN:
...God Himself awoke Benny with a prophesy that is frightening to say the least. That's right God told Hinn that "rivers of blood" will come in the near future unless fervent prayer is exercised on behalf of TBN partners and the Body of Christ in general. He told Rod Parsley on this program that great judgment is coming and this is in addition to the fire, shaking, shuddering, and raining that is also supposed to come upon the church as seen in Hinn's past dreams. He said in closing that Mar. 3 will be a day to be remembered because God personally told him that He would do "something" super supernatural that day.... [5]
Simpson noted that "nothing happened of any importance on that day out of the ordinary" and that there were no "rivers of blood."
06-06-06
Simpson reported that on June 6, 2006 "the apostolic networks came together to do "prayer" and "violent worship" to allegedly protect the world against the devil's plans for 6/6/6." This time the NAR called June 6 “A Global Day of Violent Praise.”[6] To carry the numerology further, the NAR started and ended the collective prayers at 6 pm, and even quoted from Isaiah 66:6, Psalm 66:6, and Genesis 6:6. Characteristically, they blew shofars and spoke out decrees.
07-07-07
On July 7, 2007, Lou Engle of TheCall, who is closely associated with the IHOP and NAR movements, gathered at the Titans Stadium in Nashville to try to start a new "Jesus Movement" and renew "covenant vows" with the Lord.[7] At this point Engle was trying to fulfill the old Bob Jones (Kansas City Prophets) false prophecy about the significance of filled stadiums.[8] This event was to launch the long-awaited recruiting for "Joel's Army" to create the "New Breed" of the Latter Rain cult, a teaching popularized by Mike Bickle, Rick Joyner, Paul Cain, and others. See "TheCall 7-7-7 Nashville" HERE and HERE, for example, and note that there are more films from this event posted online.
08-08-08
Rick Joyner, and his pal Lou Engle - who both seem fixated on this numerology - held a "Solemn Assembly" on 08-08-08 to "consecrate the state" of California. The event was coordinated by IHOP. The photos are posted online HERE. They went to San Fransisco, not to share the Word of the Gospel, but rather to "pray and fast" because it was a "city under seige" and "demonic subjugation." They were hoping for "a shift to take place & righteousness to break forth" as a result of their spiritual warfare prayers and identificational repentance.[9] It was all connected with California's controversial Proposition 8 "Marriage Amendment."[10] Interestingly, this prayer event was accompanied by "Christian Native Americans and others are covering the portals as The Big Bear Medicine Wheel Gathering is happening on 08-08-08."[11] Some of the activities sounded downright bizarre and occult!
On the 8th of Aug. of 2008 the nations have convoke a special ceremony to open the portal of Orion. The portal of Orion is a spiritual corridor to establish the powers of darkness over the earth. August 8, 2008 the countries have convocation for a special ceremony to open the portal orion. The portal orion is a corridor to establish the spiritual powers of darkness on the earth.[12]
09-09-09
Numerous prophecies abounded across the Internet about September 9, 2009 with corresponding events. One of the more interesting prophecies on The ElijahList was yet another prediction of a "super shift" to "another season of change and great shaking" beginning in September and "continuing throughout October, and will gain both momentum and velocity by December 31st." This Dec. 31 date was said to be significant because it was a "blue moon."[13] Often the esoteric numerology ties in with signs in heaven and on earth according to these NAR folks.
Another significant NAR September 2009 event took place when Bob Jones had yet another vision. This vision gained special notoriety recently when it was used to justify the David's Tent DC (also see previous post). The original account of the vision was published on The ElijahList:
In September 2009, in a trance, Bob was aboard a train with many other shepherds. Each one had a special seat assigned by the Holy Spirit. Bob asked the Conductor, "What is this train?" The Conductor told Bob it was the glory train and handed him a time capsule that was shaped like an egg. The egg had new life in it! It contained the beginning and end of time. Bob asked the Conductor, "When can I open this egg and when will this train arrive?" The Conductor said the time was within the egg and the egg will be opened in 2012.[14]
The interpretation of this event was that this "glory train" was "The Ellipse" where Davids Tent DC was located, which NAR leader Jolene Hamil said "is an oval shaped park shaped like an egg"
We are now in the final 24 hours of Davids Tent DC. The egg of promise has most definitely hatched. The glory of the Lord is NOW being restored as a bridal canopy across the land.[15]
10-10-10
Rick Joyner was published on The ElijahList on this date, corresponding with his advertised 10-10-10 Ignite Conference (with Todd Bentley), proclaiming a prophecy about getting a "double portion of prophetic revelation." It was a typical Dominionism NAR "prophecy," proclaiming that
We are entering the time of the ultimate clash between light and darkness, but as we also see in this text—the light wins! The nations do not turn to the darkness but to the light.[16]
11-11-11
Lou Engle held yet another youth event, the highly publicized TheCall Detroit. Footage of the event is posted online, HERE and HERE and elsewhere online.
Meanwhile John Benefiel of HAPN (of the NAR) had been busy casting Baal out of America in 2011, and this project culminated at the Lincoln Memorial on 11-11-11. A series of "prophetic" visions on about the significance of this date also formed the basis of the 2012 David's Tent DC event just before the elections. Here is how it was described:
...this effort culminated by presenting to the Lord a Declaration of Covenant this July 4, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Then on 11-11-11, as part of the DC40 initiative, we returned to the Lincoln Memorial as leaders assembled in state capitals across our nation. From coast to coast, we reminded God of His covenant, and asked for His hand in marriage again!
I can say that beyond any doubt, the Lord responded with YES. Here’s just two expressions of His verdict. On the eve of 11-11-11, as we gathered for the DC40 prayer time, Apostle John Benefiel had a vision. A thick, weighty substance began to form and connect from region to region. John realized he was seeing God’s glory being restored in this nation... as a bridal canopy!
As we were resetting covenant with the Lord on 11-11-11, Chuck Pierce and Dutch Sheets were in Kansas, at the very place where the “X” intersected in Cindy’s vision. Chuck and Dutch felt a release to governmentally call for God’s glory to be restored as a bridal canopy to the land![17]
Exhibit B*
James Nesbit, who creates this mystical artwork[18] depicting the theology of the Latter Rain, Joel's Army, the New Breed, and the 7 Mountains, described the purpose of these Washington, D.C. 2011-2012 initiatives as follows:
The Biblical Calendar began for us this year with the 51 Days of Fire (DC40) prayer initiative: 40 days praying in Washington DC and 11 days Philadelphia, 10/3/11 through 11/22/11. The power of the initiative was the union of all the states praying "As one” for those 51 days. Each state took a point man position in leading the states in praying for our nations capital through that state, and night after night via conference call each state passed the torch to another, beginning with the state of Hawaii and ending with the state of Delaware....
Now here we are coming to Georgia.... We are coming to release the sounds of heaven, the synergy of intercessions of the year biblical year 5772 and move in the governmental power of the one song.
We have entered into the "Era of His Presence" and the Latter Rain outpouring that will produce a Great Awakening that will never end until the return of the Lord. We are crossing over into the era of Holy on earth as it is in heaven.[19]
Exhibit C*
12-12-12
All of which brings us to GodDay 12.12.12 in Orlando, Florida, "a day of Divine Order and Apostolic Government" where "Apostolic decrees & Prophetic Proclamations will be made that Shift the atmosphere and release Awakening to America and the nations." Ostensibly the event is about "the Fatherless," but it seems to have a typical NAR agenda to shift things into their version of an awakening. C. Peter Wagner and New Age/NAR leader Mark Chironna are featured with other NAR notables. It has been advertised on TheElijahList.[20]
The Truth:
According to Sandy Simpson, true believers should not have anything to do with this sort of date-setting and significance. It is connected with occult divination, augury and superstition.
False prophets have always been known and identified as using divination and augury to try to set dates for certain events. The dates they set, though they hold festivals to celebrate them, never produce the results they predict. Their superstitious behavior and their adherence to these mythologies are one way to identify them as false prophets....
False prophets devote themselves to godless myths (superstitions) and the celebration of certain augured mythological dates. Yet true believers are not to engage in such things.
1Ti 1:4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith. (NIV)
1Ti 4:7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. (NIV)
2Ti 4:4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (NIV)[21]
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
(Galatians 4:9-10)
(Galatians 4:9-10)
Endnotes:
1. "A Prophectic Decree by Dr. Joshua Fowler," posted at http://www.globalawakeningcongress.com/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar
3. Sandy Simpson, "The New Prophets And Apostles and Superstition," 5-22-07, http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/newprophetssuperstition.html
4. Ibid, quoting from several earlier articles at http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/333hinn.html and http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/answertotedhaggard.html
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. See the February 1996 article by Ed Tarkowski, "The Significance of Filled Stadiums," The Christian Conscience (Vol. 2, No. 2), published online at http://www.discernment-ministries.org/Articles/FilledStadiums.pdf
9. http://ca4jesus.blogspot.com/2008/08/8808-consecrate-state.html
10. http://injesus.com/message-archives/christian-living/CaPastorsPrayerNetwork/solemn-assembly-more-action-items
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Larry Randolph: "Urgent: The Court of Heaven is in Session. It's time for the Church to Get on Their Face - The Verdict is NOT IN YET!" The ElijahList, Sept 1, 2009, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-090109-Randolph.html. Note that he contacted Bob Jones of the KC Prophets for verification of his prophecies.
14. Bob and Bonnie Jones, "Peace, Prosperity and the Returning Glory!" TheElijahList, January 16, 2012, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word_pf.html?ID=10639
15. For an extended discussion on this, with documentation, see "Can the Bible Ever Mean What it Never Meant?" by Dr. Orrel Steinkamp, 11/15/12, http://herescope.blogspot.com/2012/11/can-bible-ever-mean-what-it-never-meant.html
16. Rick Joyner, "He is Releasing a Double Portion of Prophetic Revelation," The ElijahList, Dec 10, 2010, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/9402. Bold in original.
17. http://www.lamplighterministries.net/Securing%20the%20Secret%20Place.html
18. http://www.jamesnart.com
19. "Releasing the Sounds of Heaven Across GA! James Nesbit's insights," Kairos Transformation News, e-mail August 6, 2012. http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=bfae996e8e9f5c15009deb17f&id=1c61008801&e=3434bf27b1
20. "Are You Ready for Global Awakening?" The ElijahList, Nov, 11, 2012 e-mail advertisement, HERE.
21. Ibid, http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/newprophetssuperstition.html
Exhibit A appeared in an e-mail sent out by artist James Nesbit for Prepare the Way Ministries International on March 7, 2012, "DC40 March 12-17 DC Itinerary - DC40 Documentary Webcast." This graphic was widely used to promote the DC40 event in 2011, which culminated on 11-11-11. Note the renaming of District of Columbia to "District of Christ."
Exhibit B and Exhibit C appeared in an e-mail sent out by artist James Nesbit for Prepare the Way Ministries International on October 15, 2012, "Important Notice and Schedule," promoting the David's Tent DC event. These two graphics depict the prophecies about a BRIDAL CANOPY lying over the Washington D.C. The "bridal canopy" is part of Mike Bickle's IHOP (Latter Rain) false teachings, http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/05/mike-bickles-gigolo-jesus.html
NOTE: This article was co-published in a special arrangement with Apprising Ministries. The AM version is more complete, containing the actual footage of some of these events. It is posted at http://apprising.org/2012/11/19/12-12-12-nar-date-setting/