Give Us a King

Page 1

GIVE US A KING Our obsession with Replacing God

Dr. Bernie L. Wade


GIVE US A KING

GIVE US A KING

2

BERNIE L. WADE


"The greatest spite he (the devil) can do to the church of God is to tempt the rulers of the Church to pride..." "...and no sin is more displeasing to Him (God) than pride of heart..." - Matthew Henry

GIVE US A KING

3

BERNIE L. WADE


TRUTH, LIBERTY AND FREEDOM PRESS

Doctrine is Truth lifted from Scripture and dedicated to purpose.

GIVE US A KING

4

BERNIE L. WADE


Books by Dr. Bernie L. Wade Does God Have a Name? Baptism According to Matthew 28:19 The Next Wave – Restoration of the Charismata I Was the Ugly Duckling Charismata – A History of Apostolic Reformation The Israel of God The Biblical Marriage Manual How to Be a Christian Without Going to Church IS CHRISTMASs CHRISTIAN? The Israel of God - A Destiny Enjoyed History of the Apostolic Faith Church of God - AFCOG History of the International Circle of Faith - ICOF History of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ History of the Original Pentecostal Assemblies of the World GIVE US A KING

5

BERNIE L. WADE


BOOKS BY ROBERT STRAUBE

The Church The Ministry What is a Church Understanding the Fivefold Foundational Discipling Principles Ephesians 4:11-14 "And He Himself gave some [to be] apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"

BOOKS BY OTHER AUTHORS

I AM – By Dr. John Roberts CHURCH GOVERNMENT – By Dr. Barney Phillips I Slept With Potiphar’s Wife – By Bobby Sutton Before I Knew You - Lea Bates

GIVE US A KING

6

BERNIE L. WADE


GIVE US A KING ©2012 Dr. Bernie L. Wade

Published by Truth, Liberty and Freedom Press (T.L.F.P.). PO. Box 72 Sulphur, KY 40070 Printed in the United States of America ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

GIVE US A KING

7

BERNIE L. WADE


Table of Contents:

Foreword ............................................................................................... Page 9 Introduction .......................................................................................... Page 11 CHAPTER ONE. Man Rebels Against God ......................................................................... Page 16 CHAPTER TWO Israel Rebels Against God ...................................................................... Page 39 CHAPTER THREE. America Rebels Against God ................................................................... Page 52 CHAPTER FOUR Christians Rebel Against God .................................................................. Page 92 CHAPTER FIVE God's Plan for His People ...................................................................... Page 139

GIVE US A KING

8

BERNIE L. WADE


FOREWARD

GIVE US A KING

9

BERNIE L. WADE


GIVE US A KING

10

BERNIE L. WADE


INTRODUCTION

RELIGION IS NOT WHAT GOD SAID). What God said is clear, written in His Word [the Bible] and does not change based on societal mores.

The spirit of CONTROL is foreign to the Spirit of the God. The dictionary says that control is "to exercise authority or dominating influence."1 It was not the plan of God for men to rule over other men. Control was born in rebellion to God and historically first manifested in the administration of Nimrod; the father of religion and human government. Some would say that religion and human government are the same thing. Perhaps they are right. Dictionary.com gives this definition of religion:

God created man and put him in a Utopian world. In this paradise he gave him one basic rule. A simple rule. One that even my two year old granddaughters can understand – DON’T

TOUCH THE TREE! It is difficult from our vantage point to understand that very idea of human government was never part of the plan of God. The dominance of men who would exalt themselves to rule over others is the very history of humankind.3 Religion (and religious systems) were formed from this same concept by men like Simon Magnus (Simeon the Sorcerer), who sought to control the Spirit of God and thought something as base as money could buy him favor.

“a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affair”.2 Noticeably missing from the definition is the common expectation that religion is somehow a gift from God. Rather, it is apparent that religion is merely a system devised by men. I explain it more simply this way: RELIGION IS WHAT MEN SAY THAT GOD SAID. (NOTICE:

Those who are part of these religious systems or human 'governments' often think they have arrived at some selfcreated Spiritual utopia where they

1

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion 3 2 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/control http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion 2

GIVE US A KING

3

11

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/control

BERNIE L. WADE


alone (or a few of their friends and themselves) are the voice (s) of God. Like Satan, these set their throne to the 'north' and expect all to fall in goose step to pay homage to them. Religious deception is widespread, but mostly unrecognized. When a person is deceived he is misled by false appearance or statement. Such a person thinks things are one way when in reality they are a different way. This sort of delusion Scripture warns us will abound in the last days especially religiously.4

religion. This is, without exception true of all false Christ’s. These religions, founded by men, miss the point that God has a government but it is not under the imprimatur of men. God's plan (His government) has ALWAYS been superior to human government.

The history of mankind is the history of human government and the religion f men. The resurgence of such men and their religious systems in what should be the people of God is disconcerting causing us to wonder if the very elect will indeed be deceived.

WHAT IS CAESARS? Human government is a counterfeit of God's government. This is part of the continued attempt by fallen and sinful men to legitimize themselves and replace a role that belongs to God. Throughout the ages kings (men posing as the replacement of God) invoked what they called Divine Right. From the viewpoint of God this is a ridiculous. God never appointed man to be worshipped by other men.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matthew 24:24. While the point is often overlooked, Jesus points to the first sign of a false Christ. These would bring the ability to show signs and wonders. In other words, they would seem like miracle workers. These would manifest what would seem like unexplainable manifestations connected to their

There is no Divine Right given by God to kings other than what God has given to ALL mankind. No man was ever made ruler over the people because God wanted men to rule over each other. Rather, men who rule over each over do

4

Religious Deception. Dan Corner. PO Box 265 Washington PA 15301 www.evangelicaloutreach.org

GIVE US A KING

12

BERNIE L. WADE


so in rebellion to and rejection of God. Monarchs claimed “the Divine Right to rule as set forth by the theory of government that holds that a monarch receives the right to rule directly from God and not from the people.”5

act directly against God's commands, the subject should disobey but must submissively accept any penalty of disobedience (The doctrine of "passive obedience"). The doctrine was neatly encapsulated in the satirical song, The Vicar of Bray, which insisted that "Kings are by God appointed, And damned are they that dare resist, or touch the Lord's anointed". 4. Monarchy is the best form of government, but other forms are valid. 5. (Some - but far from all adherents of the Divine Right of Kings also maintained the principle of indefeasible hereditary right: i.e. the belief that while the legitimate heir to the crown is alive it is wrong to swear allegiance to any other ruler even one actually in possession of power).6

In other words, these monarchs claimed that God had chosen them to rule. Thus combining their human Government with religion. This is a serious departure from the will of God and more than one prophet of God has been put to death by a king because they had the audacity to speak out against the practice.

Divine Right of Kings - Definition 1. In every kingdom, the king's power comes directly from God, to whom the ruler is accountable; power does not come to the king from the people and he is not accountable to them. 2. In every kingdom, the king makes the final decisions on all aspects of government (including the church). Other people and institutions that exercise political power do so as delegates of the king, and are subordinate to him. 3. However tyrannically kings act, they are never to be actively resisted. (The doctrine of nonresistance). If the king orders an 5

6

http://faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/367/36 7-04.htm

GIVE US A KING

http://faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/367/36 7-04.htm

13

BERNIE L. WADE


While this idea of divine right seemed to be new, it was merely a revisit of the same system that Nimrod had where he made himself both king and priest or as a plethora of ancient texts record – the priest-king. The priest-king begins at least 2500 BC and is a common component of every known civilization. Remember the common component of all false religion – defy the one true God. Even while claiming obedience to God in theory – defy him in practice. Replace God’s divine plan with man’s religion.

The priest-king is prevalent in every civilization drawing its root from Babylon before the confusion of the languages

THE PRIEST-KING

by right of his priestly office functioning as vice-regent of a deity.7 Thus the real motive behind the priest-king was not to be both King (leader of the government) and Priest (leader of the religion); but rather the idea was to use human government and religion to exalt himself to be God or no less than his direct representative. In other words, God on earth.

The ancients were fascinated with blurring the lines between God’s plan for their lives and the ones they wanted to follow. Like Adam and Eve the will to sin The priest-king was a companion of circa 2500 BC the freedom to choose. God could have eliminated sin by taking away choice but that is not His plan. Thus, the concept of a priest-king was well known from the time of Nimrod and throughout history to present day. The most notable priest-king in the modern day is the Pope of Rome who claims to be god on earth and the leaders of the kings of the earth.

In Scripture there was a clear distinction between human government and the worship of God. While God allowed human government ( even though it was against His divine plan for Man) He had no tolerance for those who would attempt to use their self will to invade His realm in an attempt to make themselves God or even a god. The pattern for this type of rebellion was set in Lucifer and men have repeated it

Websters defines a priest-king as a sacerdotal ruler : one who rules as king GIVE US A KING

7

http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/priest-king

14

BERNIE L. WADE


more often than we would want to imagine.

spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” The problem would arise when Saul, a man filled with pride, decided that he could devise his own plan (a revision of the plan of God); religion.

SAUL AS PRIEST-KING

Most notable of those who decided they could be both king and priest was Saul who God had allowed Israel to appoint king when they rejected God. However, After completing the mission against when Saul decided he could also fill the the Amalekites Saul decided not to kill role of priest God’s anger was kindled ALL of those he had vanquished but to against Saul. While there are numerous keep some alive, including the king of commentators about the sins the Amalekites; Agag. of King Saul, they often miss what was really “The Lord of life, the "…the idea of hereditary his unforgiveable Creator--God Himself, legislators is as inconsistent transgression – once said something as that of hereditary judges, making himself very sobering. He or hereditary juries; and as like God. This said that the day of absurd as an hereditary was the sin of our death is better mathematician, or an Adam and Eve, than the day of our hereditary wise man; and as Cain, Nimrod and birth.8 Why would ridiculous as an hereditary a long roll of He tell us that? poet laureate." others. God said Because at the end, that He will NOT after the life is Thomas Paine, The Rights of (1792) give His glory to finished, the real another. It is apparent person is known. That life that He means what He with all of its opportunities says. and obstacles, accomplishments and failures is ready for review.”9 The prophet Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king “The chilling fact of God's Word is the over His people, over Israel. Now individual life analysis that God Himself therefore, heed the voice of the words of then performs—an autopsy not of the the LORD. Thus says the LORD of cause of death, but of the purpose of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he life. That is why the constant theme of did to Israel, how he ambushed him on 8 Ecclesiastes 7:1-2 the way when he came up from Egypt. 9 Discover the Book Ministries. Saul–Rejected by Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly God. John Barnett. Part 8. Series. David’s Little destroy all that they have, and do not Secret. – A Life that Serves God. February 19, 2006. GIVE US A KING

15

BERNIE L. WADE


Paul's exhortations to us in the church revolve around the idea of finishing well at the finish line, a life that survives the fires of the judgment seat, and a "well done good and faithful servant" analysis of our race by the Lord Himself.” 10

Third, he justifies what he has kept because of its fine quality (the best of the sheep and the oxen). Fourth, he claims to have done it for a spiritual reason (to sacrifice to the Lord

“That brings us back again to the life of King Saul. The ominous warning of Saul’s life is that he had everything going for him. He was big, strong, blessed, gifted, chosen, empowered, and given every opportunity to serve God. But he didn’t. Saul failed because there were severe deficiencies in his character.   

God doesn’t need brains — He wants character. God doesn’t need brawn — He wants integrity. God doesn’t need anyone’s wisdom, power, or wealth — He wants obedience. God doesn’t need ambitious confidence — He wants humble dependence.”

The Amalekites battle against Israel

your God). Of course, while all this made perfect sense to Saul (in his proud selfdeception), it meant nothing to God and Samuel. This is the basis of religion. What makes sense to men is often of no value to God. Worse, religion is in defiance to God. In fact, it was worse than nothing - it showed that Saul was desperately trying to excuse his sin by word games and half-truths.

“Saul’s excuses are revealing. First, he blames the people, not himself (They have brought them . . . the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen). Second, he includes himself in the obedience (the rest we have utterly destroyed).

10

But even in his excuse, Saul reveals the real problem: he has a poor relationship with God. Notice how he speaks of God to Samuel: “to sacrifice to the Lord your

Saul-Rejected by God. John. Barnett.

GIVE US A KING

16

BERNIE L. WADE


God”. The LORD was not Saul’s God. Saul was Saul’s God. The LORD was the God of Samuel, not Saul. In his pride, Saul has removed the LORD God from the throne of his heart.

what was God’s summary of Saul’s life? God only needs one word—rejected. Saul rejected God by disregarding His Word in pursuit of his own will, so God rejected him. Beware – religion is the pursuit of the will of men.

“O sinners, you do miscalculate fearfully when you give to God’s servants such false explanations of your sins!”

“The Hebrew word that the Holy Spirit chose to describe Saul’s treatment of God is the Hebrew word mawas. This word is used 76 times in the Old Testament and most often translated: despise (25 times), refuse (9 times), reject (19 times), abhor (4 times), become loathsome (1 time), and melt away. None of these are good!

Saul continues, “The rest we have utterly destroyed”. As it turned out, this was not even true. Saul, in fact, did not even do what he said he did. There were still Amalekites he left alive. David later had to deal with the Amalekites.11 Haman, the evil man who tried to wipe out all the Jewish people in the days of Esther, was in fact a descendant of the Amalakite king, Agag!12 Most ironic of all, when Saul was killed on the field of battle, the final thrust of the sword was from the hand of an Amalekite!13

In context when ever this word is used about someone’s response to God-- it is always bad. This is the word (despised) that described Israel’s murmuring in the wilderness just before He sent the plague to kill many of them; this is the word that described Job’s boils and sores (loathsome); and this is the word that is used by God for Israel’s attitude they (despised) the worship of God the basis for His allowing Israel to be destroyed by her enemies and carried off into captivity.”

When we don’t obey God completely, the “left over” portion will surely come back and trouble us, if not kill us!”14 “So 11

1 Samuel 27:8, 30:1, 2 Samuel 8:12. Esther 3:1 13 2 Samuel 1:8-10 14 I Samuel 15. God Rejects Saul as King. ©2001. David Guzik. 12

GIVE US A KING

17

BERNIE L. WADE


According to 1 Samuel 10:8, God told Samuel to tell Saul to wait for seven days after which they would meet. But as Samuel did not arrive after 7 days15 and (supposedly) with the Israelites growing restless, Saul started offering sacrifices without Samuel. As a result of not keeping God's instructions, and for taking the duties of the priesthood into

one of the grandsons of Esau (Son of Edom). So, they were cousins to the Israelites. Amalek is the first foe to attack the people of Israel after they had come out of Egypt as a free nation; twice designated in the Pentateuch19 as the one against whom war should be waged until his memory be blotted out forever — became in rabbinical

his own hands, God took away Saul's kingship16, but there is more to this than perhaps what meets the eye.17

literature the type of Israel's archenemy.20 In the tannaitic Haggadah21 of the first century Amalek stands for Rome22; and so does Edom (Esau), from whom Amalek descended.23 A kinsman of the Israelites, Amalek displayed the most intense hatred toward them: he inherited Esau's hostility to his brother Jacob. One has to wonder what his parents put in his heart that made him so vicious toward his cousins.

Samuel instructed Saul to kill ALL the Amalekites.18 Having forewarned the Kenites who were living among the Amalekites to leave, Saul went to war and defeated the Amalekites. Saul killed all the, women, children, poor quality livestock and men, and left alive the king and best livestock. When Samuel found out that Saul had not killed them all he kills the Amalekite king in an ugly scene displaying the anger of God with those who disobey His Word.

19

Ex. xvii. 14-16, Deut. xxv. 19 The Jewish Encyclopedia. Amalek, Amalekites. 21 The Haggadah is a book that Jews read on the first night of Passover. It tells about slavery in Egypt and the miracles God did. The word haggadah means "telling," which comes from the Biblical command: "And you shall tell your child on that day, saying: 'Gd did (miracles) for me when I left Egypt so that I would fulfill the Torah's commandment." (Exodus 13:8 and Rashi) 22 Bacher, "Ag. Tan." i. 146 et seq., 211 et seq 23 Genesis Chapter 36. 20

The Amalekites were not Arabs as is commonly misunderstood. Amalek was 15

1 Samuel 13:8 1 Samuel 13:14 17 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul 18 This was in accordance with the mitzvah (commandment of God). 16

GIVE US A KING

18

BERNIE L. WADE


came to bite them. Then Moses fasted and prayed, saying: "O Lord, who will in the future spread Thy Law, if Amalek succeeds in destroying this nation?" And with uplifted arms, holding the staff and pointing heavenward, he inspired Joshua and the people with his faith until the victory was won.29

“When other nations hesitated to harm God's chosen ones, his evil example induced them to join him in the fray. "Like a robber he waylaid Israel"; "like a swarm of locusts"; "like a leech eager for blood"; "like a fly looking for sores to feed on"24

Saul in a pattern that resembled Lucifer, Nimrod and plethora of others who have lifted themselves up to be worshiped as God not only decides not to eliminate these the Amalekites who were in defiance of God’s plan he also decides to take the place of God by exalting himself. This action may have pleased the people, but it invoked the wrath of God. Rather than follow God’s instructions Saul decided to use his own wisdom. Thus, the plan of God to rid Israel of its arch enemy is thwarted because of disobedience. God is not looking for us to figure out a plan; He is merely looking for obedience.

Amalek - 'am laḳ meaning the people which licketh25 Amalek hurried over hundreds of miles to intercept Israel's march.26 Like the heathen Amalek used witchcraft to secure victory for his men invoking the enemies of God to aid in his treachery.27 “In rabbinical literature stress is laid on the moral lesson of the episode. Amalek was but the scourge in the hand of God to punish the people of Israel, who had become "faint and weary" in the observance of God's commands and "feared not God." They lacked the power of faith and therefore said: "Is the Lord among us or not?"28 Like a wayward child that runs back to its father when a dog comes snarling along, the Israelites were unmindful of God's doings until like a dog Amalek 24

The Jewish Encyclopedia. Amalek, Amalekites. A reference to licking blood. David Patterson. A Genealogy of Evil. Anti-Semitism from Nazism to Islamic Jihad. Cambridge U Press. 2011. Pg. 43, 233 26 The Jewish Encyclopedia. Amalek, Amalekites. 27 Yalḳ. Reubeni, and Chronicle of Jerahmeel, xlviii. 28 Ex. xvii. 7, 8 25

GIVE US A KING

HUMAN GOVERNMENT

29

19

Pesiḳ. l.c. and Pesiḳ. R. xii., Mek. BeshallaḦ

BERNIE L. WADE


Because of history and expediency mankind has come to perceive human government as something to be desired but it was NEVER the plan of God for His people. Even the best of human governments is terrible flawed and the worst have done unspeakable crimes against humanity. In contrast, God is perfect, just, true and pure.

at him. Mark 12:12-17. “Christians have traditionally interpreted the famous passage "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God, the things that are God's," to mean that Jesus endorsed paying taxes. This view was first expounded by St. Justin Martyr.”30 Yet, we must pause and wonder what exactly is it that belongs to Caesar?

When Jesus was asked about putting human government in its perspective by the Pharisees Jesus said, “Why are you trying to trap me?” “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”

“Did Jesus really mean for His followers to provide financial support (willingly or unwillingly) to Tiberius Caesar – a man, who, in his personal life, was a pedophile a sexual deviant, a murderer and who, as emperor, claimed to be a god and oppressed and enslaved millions of people, including Jesus’ own? The answer, of course, is: the traditional, pro-tax interpretation of the Tribute Episode is simply wrong. Jesus never meant for His answer to be interpreted as an endorsement of Caesar’s tribute or any taxes.”31 Rather, Jesus was telling the listener to pay their debts. The things of men belong to men. However, the things of God belong to God!

They brought the coin, and He asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give to

All three synoptic Gospels open the scene with a plot to trap Jesus. The questioners begin with, what is in their 30

Render Unto Caesar: A Most Misunderstood New Testament Passage. Jeffrey F. Barr. March 17, 2010. 31 Render Unto Caesar. Jeffrey F. Barr.

Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed

GIVE US A KING

20

BERNIE L. WADE


minds, false flattery – "Master [or Teacher or Rabbi] we know that you are a true speaker and teach the way of God in truth." No wonder Jesus cautioned to beware when all men speak well of you.

(2) They force Jesus to base this answer in Scripture. Thus, they are testing His scriptural knowledge and hoping to discredit Him if He cannot escape a prima facie intractable interrogatory.

As David Owen-Ball forcefully argues in his 1993 article, "Rabbinic Rhetoric and the Tribute Passage," this opening statement is also a challenge to Jesus’ rabbinic authority; it is a halakhic question – a question on a point of religious law. The Pharisees believed that they, alone, were the authoritative interpreters of Jewish law.32

As Owen-Ball states, "The gospel writers thus describe a scene in which Jesus’ questioners have boxed him in. He is tempted to assume, illegitimately, the authority of a Rabbi, while at the same time he is constrained to answer according to the dictates of the Torah."33 "The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor."

By appealing to Jesus’ authority to interpret God’s law, the questioners accomplish two goals:

WHAT THEN BELONGS TO GOD? “In the Hebrew tradition, everything rightfully belonged to God. By using the words, "image and inscription," Jesus has already reminded His interrogators that God was owed exclusive allegiance and total love and worship.”34

(1) They force Jesus to answer the question; if Jesus refuses, He will lose credibility as a Rabbi with the very people who just proclaimed Him a King; and

33

32

Rabbinic Rhetoric and the Tribute Passage. David T. Owen-Ball.

GIVE US A KING

34

21

Render Unto Caesar. Jeffrey F. Barr. Render Unto Caesar. Barr.

BERNIE L. WADE


The counter question is not what belongs to Caesar but rather, what belongs to God? In context, the saying is thoroughly ambiguous. The word "render" means "give back." The first half of the saying could thus mean, "It's Caesar's coin - -go ahead and give it back to him." We can imagine Jesus saying this with a dismissive shrug. Rather than a pronouncement about the legitimacy of Roman imperial rule or political authority in general, his words might very well have been a brilliant way of evading the trap.35

reminding us of the words of the Psalmist, King David. In Psalms 24:1 he makes it very clear that everything belongs to God including the founding and ownership. Psalm 24 1The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.37 God ordained that He alone would rule over mankind. God did not invite man to be co-Regent. He does not need man’s help; He wants man’s obedience. Men decided independent of God that they would rule over other men. This was first attempted by Cain over Abel. Cain killed his brother in a fit of jealous rage. His posterity learned other methods of defying God. Human government and religion have been their most successful tools to pervert the plan of God. In place of the perfect reign of God over His people we have had a plethora of men (at various levels) who have inflicted their will over their fellow man.

In answer to what is God’s Apostle Paul said, “For the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.”36 This leaves very little for Caesar to lay claim! The whole earth and all the increase of the earth belongs to God. What belonged to Caesar? Some coins with his image on them. Jesus said, “Give him back his coins, but the earth is mine!” Of course the Apostle was merely repeating to

Historically and Biblically the first known man to rule over other men was Nimrod. He built a number of cities including Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, all in Shinar.38 He established an earthly

35

What Belongs to God? Jesus' famous 'render unto Caesar' saying flummoxed his opponents and leaves today's Christians scratching their heads. By Marcus Borg. 36 I Corinthians 1:10.

GIVE US A KING

37 38

22

http://niv.scripturetext.com/psalms/24.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimrod

BERNIE L. WADE


throne in defiance of the God of the Heavens. No doubt that Satan brought his knowledge of the eternals with him when he came to earth. This became the pattern of Nimrod's alternative plan to the plan of God. Satan planned to set up his own throne. Nimrod did, right here on earth.

exported to others who would continue his rebellion against God.

The Word of God is a history of those who were willing to stand against the systems of men and follow the one true God. Abraham was one of those unwilling to compromise with the administration of Nimrod choosing rather the righteousness of the one eternal god over the pleasures that Nimrod's government could offer.

The uniqueness of the covenant God made with Abraham was that this chosen people was committed to the worship of Almighty God, one true God as opposed to the triad of gods offered by Nimrod, Semiramis, Tammuz and their counterparts by other names. Unlike the heathen who had all adopted some version of this original trinity, the people of God were monotheistic.

This challenge was one that Nimrod boasted that he could overcome but the God of Abraham (as always) prevailed. In the end Nimrod’s kingdom was destroyed but his ideas, concepts, human government and religion were

GIVE US A KING

"Although the notion of a divine triad or Trinity is characteristic of the Christian religion, it is by no means peculiar to it. In Indian religion we meet with the trinitarian group of Brahma, Siva, and Visnu; and in Egyptian religion with the trinitarian group of Osiris, Isis, and Horus, constituting a divine family, like the Father, Mother and Son in mediaeval Christian pictures which they borrowed from the pagans". In other words, the concept of the Trinity did not come from Jesus Christ, the Apostles or the New Testament Church. Instead, it came from Nimrod and was exported to

23

BERNIE L. WADE


The Greek mysteries passed down into the impressive mystery of the Mass (yes, the same Mass the Roman Catholic Church uses today came from the Greek worship of their pantheon of gods and goddesses). Other pagan cultures contributed to the syncretistic result. From Egypt came the ideas of a divine Trinity.”39

the other nations who followed his plan for human government and religion. A question few ever stop to ask is, why is the Trinity a belief held firmly by most of Christendom, while it is completely lacking in the Bible’s teachings? Almost all ministers will admit that they don’t understand it, it is not written in the bible but they continue to try to make the bible compatible with the concept. How can we expect people to believe something we don’t even understand, can’t find in Scripture and worse has questionable historical roots? Ask yourself why? Who benefits from such a concept? Is this the religion of men? Or the Word of God – in that is the answer.

The commitment by Abraham to one God as opposed to a group of gods or a triumvirate of gods and goddesses gave the people of God a special place in the mind and heart of God and in the history of the world. If they had only never strayed from their commitment history would have been much different. The plan for the New Testament Church was to be this unique people, set aside for the worship of Jesus Christ (God’s pattern from which the shadow of the Old Testament was derived). A holy people dedicated to one God. God gave the fivefold ministry to His Royal Priesthood (body of Christ) to counteract human government with Spirit led administration. It has always been God's messengers that have delivered the message of His superior plan. This was true when Nimrod and his triad rebelled against God, when Pharaoh and his pantheon of gods stood up to God, when the various Canaanite factions with their various gods and goddesses thought they could

The historian Will Durant offers this startling explanation, "Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it… The Greek language, having reigned for centuries over philosophy, became the vehicle of Christian literature and ritual; GIVE US A KING

39

24

The Story of Civilization, Vol. III. Will Durant.

BERNIE L. WADE


stand up to God's people and it remains true today. For every group of counterfeit ministers and ministries God has at least one genuine prophet, apostle, pastor teacher or evangelist or member of His Royal Priesthood (Body of Christ) who is willing to heed His call.

those to whom others look for leadership. As Apostle John said, “these things ought not be! Like those kings who promoted Divine Right we have seen the attempt to morph the things of the world with the things of God. This is a challenge to the fivefold ministry in this hour and the Royal Priesthood whom they serve. The mantra of International Circle of Faith with whom I have the privilege to serve; Jesus in the Heart of Every Man, Woman and Child has never been more important, but to achieve this we must have a vibrant, humble, God fearing fivefold ministry working with a committed faithful, meek and Holy Body of Christ (Royal Priesthood). This cannot be an option. Defeat is not an option. The eternal destiny of so many depends upon our commitment.

If we are honest, the current overall condition of those we generally favor as part of the Bride of Christ or call The Church is deplorable. As the ministers of God we have been unfaithful to our true calling. We have abandoned our posts and allowed the money changers to make profit out of the house of God; prostituting the Gospel for a paycheck. We have men and women claiming to be ministers of the one True God who are in open adultery, homosexuality and other sins of the flesh. Like the fertility cults that God hated and drove out of the Land of Canaan, we are seeing that which is unthinkable and certainly unspeakable manifest in the lives of

GIVE US A KING

The ministers of generations past were an entirely different kind of people. These were humble men and women of God, who fasted, prayed, and sought the face of God for a Rhema Word for His people. The earmark of ministers of God is that they are were compassionate, approachable and committed to the cause of Jesus Christ first and foremost; whatever the personal cost. Presently, in the place of the humble minister we have a brazen modern ministry that is more worried about things than people, focused on luxury

25

BERNIE L. WADE


more than sacrifice, has generally forgotten how to fast, is lax, more committed to money than to prayer and in short is cold and indifferent. Like Jacob of old it is past time for us to return to Bethel. We must go back to that place of prayer where we all started, back to that place where we made that commitment to serve God, "Whatever it takes!" As the people of a Holy God we can no longer (if we ever could) take a pass or back seat to those who would offer the world or the religious systems of the world as an answer to the challenges that face us all.

Second: As servants to the Royal Priesthood (Body of Christ, His church) those called to fivefold ministry must call on our fellow ministers in the fivefold ministry to join us like the priest in the Old Testament that would weep between the porch and the altar. Let the priests, the LORD'S ministers, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not make Your inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, 'Where is their God?"42 Third: We must call the Royal Priesthood (the Body of Christ) to join us in this REPENTANCE. Like the wicked city of Sodom we need to realize that judgment is coming swiftly if we do not repent. Woe to the Unrepentant Then began he (Jesus Christ) to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the

First: We must fall on our faces and REPENT to God. Like King David our prayer needs to be "We have sinned against you God and against you alone". Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, And done the evil thing in Thine eyes, So that Thou art righteous in Thy words, Thou art pure in Thy judging.4041

41 42 40

http://yltbible.com/psalms/51.htm

GIVE US A KING

26

http://nasb.scripturetext.com/joel/2.htm http://nasb.scripturetext.com/joel/2.htm

BERNIE L. WADE


day of judgment, than for you. And you, Capernaum, which are exalted to heaven, shall be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in you, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.43 44

equal part with the Word of God. We must take the Word of God first and foremost. Let God be true and all men be liars. Sixth: We cannot pretend that the manipulations of men in long robes and tall mitres are somehow part of the work of the Holy Ghost when we know that this is merely the work of men at best and more directly a return to the worship of the Priests of Dagon (Nimrod). Like Nineveh (one of the cities Nimrod built) we must sanctify the fast. It is past time to push aside our plates, find a place of prayer and implore out God to intervene on our behalf. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Fourth: We must renew the cry for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to take preeminence. We cannot stand for partisan religious politics fostered by the walls of a plethora of religious organizations, ministries and ministers. We must demand a return to the unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ. We cannot be soft on sin, unwilling to call the homosexual as well as the white collar criminal to repentance. Fifth: We cannot allow the concepts ideas and writings of men whether in private or in church counsels to take 43 44

Seventh: We must see the resurgence of the teaching priest and the true prophet. Like in Scripture, our people perish because of lack of knowledge.

http://bibleapps.com/matthew/11-24.htm http://kingjbible.com/matthew/12.htm

GIVE US A KING

27

BERNIE L. WADE


We must give the teacher the rightful place to teach doctrine. Doctrine is truth lifted from Scripture and dedicated to purpose. This dedication to teaching needs to be our passion. We must see the restoration of the true prophet. Because we have allowed counterfeit and pseudo prophets to operate for profit in our midst the people of God are confused, lack true direction and are left following a plethora of false leaders in a counterfeit revival which is much more about the manifestation of the flesh than it is the demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit. The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.3Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. 4But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. 5And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. 6And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity. 7Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.45

45

http://kingjbible.com/2_chronicles/15.htm

GIVE US A KING

28

BERNIE L. WADE


CHAPTER 1 MAN REBELS AGAINST GOD

GIVE US A KING

29

BERNIE L. WADE


"In the course of Providence, the people frequently suffer for the misconduct of the rulers." - Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's Commentary

GIVE US A KING

30

BERNIE L. WADE


But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom

rosebush that he had ever seen. Ironically, the beautiful rosebush was growing in front of a garbage dumpster! The rosebush had not chosen the place where it was planted, but it was still performing the purpose for which it was made. We could all learn a lesson from that rosebush. Bloom where you are planted.

(Hebrews 1:8. KJV).

IN THE BEGINNING In the Genesis account (Genesis Chapter 1) we learn that Almighty God created the entire Universe. By Divine Right (the only truly divine right). He committed oversight of His creation to Adam and Eve. Thus, Utopia was born. The concept, the place, the idea of a utopian world was not myth. Eden was that Garden of God, Utopia or Paradise. Here the first couple (Adam and Eve) lived in a sinless world. Here God delighted to come from His throne (Heaven) to Earth (His footstool) and commune with mankind. It was perfect. Mankind was accomplishing the will of God; returning praise to Him, the purpose for which he was created.

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve (unlike the rosebush) have the distinction of being the first to disobey God. It was not an accident, it was by choice. Like most of those who came in their wake this first couple initially decided that they could get by with rebelling against God. Once their lust was conceived it brought forth the manifestation of their sin. They followed up by conspiring to cover up their transgressions and then lied to God. From our vantage point it seems ridiculous that they thought they could hide anything from God. Mankind does the same things every second of every day; sins, attempts to cover it up and then lies about the whole affair. Like Solomon's reference to the adulterous woman, "they eat and wipe their mouths and think they have done no wrong"46. Like Adam and Eve, God then confronts them, and they receive the fruit of the sin they have sown. The

However, there would soon be trouble in Paradise. This garden of God (Eden) was the habitat for God's caretakers of creation. However, environment is not indicative of man's actions, reactions, choices or decisions. Regardless of environment, man can do good or evil. A friend of mine told me that while traveling he saw the most beautiful GIVE US A KING

46

31

Proverbs 30:20

BERNIE L. WADE


decision by Adam and Eve to choose the things that God had forbidden over fellowship with God would forever be a problem for the posterity of this first couple.

Himself. Certainly, Adam and Eve realized that they had an agreement and that violation of the Commandments of God would have consequences; dire consequences. The knowledge of good and evil was the domain of God. This is one of the things that God reserved for Himself in granting man dominion of the earth. Man does not truly know the heart of other men. This is an area only God knows. Only God can truly know the heart of man. Thus, while God had given dominion of the whole earth to man it was with limits. Unfortunately, man was not satisfied with the limits set in the agreement with God. God in His infinite wisdom had given man the easy job of just enjoying His creation. The difficult tasks of discerning the hearts of men He reserved for himself. This is simply an area that man is not equipped to handle so God made it off limits, do not disturb, stay out, don't touch!

DOMINION God had given dominion47 of all of His creation to mankind as a precious gift. Though unworthy of the trust, man has been given a great responsibility and an opportunity to prove himself faithful. While the oversight of this domain belongs to mankind, God required that they leave one tree alone. It was not a suggestion; it was a commandment or terms (conditions) of the agreement between God and man. Violation of the terms would mean the potential for dissolution of the agreement. It was not unlike a rental agreement; violate the terms and you are evicted.

In Genesis 2:17 God tells Adam regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, “in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die". It is evident that Adam understood that violating the law of God would have severe consequences. Even if you pontificate that Adam did not know what death was, it still was obvious that he understood there would be severe consequences if he ventured beyond the role of dominion over the earth that God had given him. Mankind had been given the power to choose his destiny.

The concept of dominion is one of selfgovernance, sovereignty, and ownership.48 All of this was in the ‘title deed’ granted to Adam and Eve by God. God gave man dominion of the earth but there were things that he reserved for 47

Genesis 1:26 http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/dominion 48

GIVE US A KING

32

BERNIE L. WADE


that this is not an area that mankind has oversight; God sees everything. How could a perfect God create evil? He did not create evil; rather he gave choice. With the wrong choice there are dire consequences. Fortunately, Scripture answers these notions succinctly.

Later, Eve repeats these stipulations given to Adam in her conversation with the Serpent making it clear that the consequence of her actions were understood by both Adam and Eve. The addition of Lucifer to the equation added the personage of one who had rebelled against God (perhaps he was the inventor of rebellion) and could testify that he had survived but in a state so much less than his original glory. God's tendency to allow time for repentance escapes the willfully ignorant.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. – James 1:13-15

Some have pontificated that God did not give man a choice. They propose that man was pre-destined to sin. Can we really offer that God put man in the garden and then made a covenant with him only to set him up to fail? Rather, set him up to sin?! Such a notion takes God from being a benevolent Creator to being a diabolical manipulator. The reality is God is a benevolent Creator. Men have been guilty of being diabolical manipulators.

CHOICES

Sin is an offence that separates us from God! If we proffer that man was predestined to sin then surely Lucifer was pre-destined to sin! How would such an idea be consistent with a perfect Creator who has never sinned? How could that which God created and proclaimed “Thou west perfect in thy ways from the day that thou west created, till iniquity was found in thee", be flawed? That which is perfect must be absent of evil and while we have already addressed GIVE US A KING

It is obvious from the volumes of Scripture that God merely gave His Creations choices. He did not create mankind as mindless robots. Rather, mankind was given the gift of choice. And what a beautiful thing choice is for

33

BERNIE L. WADE


us. It gives us the multiple aspects that make us unique. We can choose to love or hate, give or take, laugh or cry, etc. We can choose what kind of shoes we wear, food we eat, and so much more. God did not create evil or prefer failure to His plan. He merely created the capacity to choose. Evil is a choice that is against the plan of God, but God gave man the choice even to choose evil.

that he would not only rebel against God, but that he would challenge God, build his own kingdom, and create his own religion and more. The Greeks had a saying, "He who would be God let him first create his own universe." While skeptics postulate that man was pre-destined to fail; this is obviously incompatible with the Word of God. Men like Enoch proved that man can certainly succeed and even excel under God’s divine plan. To presume that God put man here only to fail is a fatalistic position that changes the plan of God as outlined in His Word, prompting questions like 'if God's goal in placing man in the garden was failure then why the pretense? ‘Why would He rely on Satan to tempt man? Yes, He knew that Satan was rebellious (but Satan also had a choice). To conclude that He would then make a creation pre-destined to follow Satan is paramount to saying that man was created for Satan. This is a preposterous notion. Yet, many well meaning people will offer a premise that Adam and Eve had no choice in the matter. Rather, these claim the first couple was pre-programmed to bring sin and confusion into their world and curse their posterity. This is the belief system found in many cults - most notably the Mormons.

Evil is mankind's way of saying, "I know more than God. I will take my destiny into my own hands". What Adam and Eve chose was not the production of God but the antiphrasis of God. The origin of anti-Christ thought is found in this rebellion in the Garden of Eden. While Lucifer had his rebellion well thought out; that mentality would take time to fester in mankind.

We would agree that God could have provided an environment that did not include such a tree as the Tree of

It would take till after the flood for an offspring of Adam and Eve to decide GIVE US A KING

34

BERNIE L. WADE


Knowledge of Good and Evil, but that would have eliminated man's free will. While this makes sense to men, it was not the plan of God. God created man to have the choice to obey or rebel. To expect that man did not have a choice when we know that even the Angels had choice is preposterous. In case you missed the point, one-third of the Angels chose to rebel against God and follow Lucifer. It is evident that they were not 'fated' to do so but rather they made a conscious choice.

future indiscretions both for themselves and for their posterity.

This free will is tied to nearly everything we do. We teach our children the right way to go and then slowly give them the freedom to follow that path hoping that they will continue to make right choices. Fortunately, most of our children do make the right choices. It is when our children make the wrong choices that it greaves our hearts. When this happens we are required to bring correction to the situation. If we don’t bring correction, then often at outside source is forced to take that responsibility for us.

WAR IN HEAVEN "Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down– that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. -Revelation 12:3-4, 7-9

One of the tenets of good parenting is to make sure that the child is aware of the penalty for making the wrong choice. This is the pattern that God created for Adam and Eve. This is also the way that God feels about sin. When man sins it greaves the heart of God. They had been made fully aware that there would be a penalty for sin. Adam and Eve's infraction had to be dealt with in a manner that would provide deterrent to GIVE US A KING

35

BERNIE L. WADE


his or her thoughts and actions."52 "Lucifer was one of the angels of the Lord's host, but he fell from his exalted position and was cast out of heaven. There is no doubt that his fall was related to him wanting to be “like the most High” (Isaiah 14:14). He coveted the worship that was due only to God and even tempted Jesus in the wilderness to, “fall down and worship” (Matthew 4:9) him."53

This passage from Revelation tells us about the battle between the forces of Good and the forces of Evil from the vantage point of Calvary. Lucifer was the Anointed Cherub. Anointed means to be set apart for Gods Divine purpose. It also means bestowal of Gods divine favor, and appointment to a special place or function."49 Lucifer was created perfect in all his ways, but iniquity was found in him. Sin was not put there by God. Lucifer created it.50 Like man, the angels were created perfect, and with a free will. Satan was lifted up because of his beauty, he corrupted the wisdom by reason of his brightness (Ezekiel 28:17).51 This apparent War in Heaven prompted the expulsion of Lucifer and some of the heavenly host from Heaven making it obvious that they had a choice or free will. It is also apparent that they made willfully made the wrong choice. "A belief in free will touches nearly everything that human beings value. It is difficult to think about law, politics, religion, public policy, intimate relationships, morality—as well as feelings of remorse or personal achievement—without first imagining that every person is the true source of

Frightfully, men have often followed a similar pattern. Man is susceptible to want to be seen like the most high taking the place God reserved for Himself. The angels were originally created to do the will of God, carrying out His commands (Psalm 103:20-21). They worshipped God (Hebrews 1:6), and were ministers of them who would

49

g The Origin of Satan. Who Was Lucifer. http://www.angelfire.com/mi/dinosaurs/lucifer.html 50 Ezekiel 28:15 51 Exekiel 29:17. The Origin of Satan. Who Was Lucifer. http://www.angelfire.com/mi/dinosaurs/lucifer.html

GIVE US A KING

52

Free Will. Sam Harris According to the Scriptures. Stars, Idols and Demons. Appendix III of Our Creators Revelation to Mankind. 53

36

BERNIE L. WADE


be heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14). But Lucifer said within his heart “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God” (Isaiah 14:13). The “stars of God” evidently refer to the angels in this passage, and Satan sought to usurp the command that God had over them. Little has changed. Notice here, Satan's plan was to Lord over the other angels. He was already created a very special angle, but it was not enough to be a special angel or as some say Archangel, Lucifer wanted more. Men are often in a place where they seek to control others and some are even so bold to think that they have command over the angels. When God laid down the foundations of the earth on the third day of creation (Genesis 1:9-13), “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:7) The angels (morning stars) then must have been created before the third day when God caused dry land to appear (Psalm 104:1-5). Perhaps then, these “morning stars” were created on first morning of the first day when “God said, Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Stars emit light, and Paul refers to Satan as “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14),

FREE WILL Free will unfortunately is a word which has its foundation in philosophy; it is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints.54 Some expect that we were created without choice. However, this is not a Scriptural position. Our use in this book of free will is to merely indicate choice not to invoke a theological argument. Choices; good and bad, are the foundation of all of the human experience. Regardless of your theological perspective, man has from his creation in the garden been gifted with choices. Some philosophers termed this as free choice. While it is certainly not free (we who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus have been bought at a great price), it is certainly a choice.

54

GIVE US A KING

37

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will

BERNIE L. WADE


"The question of free will, moral liberty, or the liberum arbitrium, ranks amongst the three or four most important philosophical problems of all time. This is not a discussion of philosophy, but one of choices. It ramifies into ethics, theology, metaphysics, and psychology. The view adopted in response will determine a man's position in regard to the most momentous issues that present themselves to the human mind.

mans lust after the things that God set as 'out of bounds' continue to drive him to delusion. This is the seedbed of philosophy (the religion of man), humanism, imagination, fatalistic or predestination though and much more. John Lennon would later write the song Imagine: Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky...56

On the one hand, does man possess genuine moral freedom, power of real choice, true ability to determine the course of his thoughts and volitions, to decide which motives shall prevail within his mind, to modify and mould his own character? Or, on the other, are man's thoughts and volitions, his character and external actions, all merely the inevitable outcome of his circumstances? Are they all inexorably predetermined in every detail along rigid lines by events of the past, over which he himself has had no sort of control?"55

It is the heart of rebellion against God to deny His existence, His enemies and that those things in His Word are true. It is interesting that the words imagine and imagination when used in Scripture are usually connotations of evil; i.e. mans imagination was on evil continually.57 It has been said that Imagine is the anthem of the atheist. However, it is really the anthem of those who would rebel against the plan of God. There is a heaven, there is a hell and there is a God.

One of the problems with free will is that it is in that area of The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil that God has reserved for Himself. Jesus Christ wonderfully restored the dominion of the earth that mankind had voluntarily surrendered to Satan but man has never been given access to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Thus,

Like Satan (Lucifer), Nimrod rebelled against God and like all that follow this humanistic path wide is the path that leads to destruction. 56

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/john_lennon/i magine.html 57 Genesis 6:$

55

New Advent. The Catholic Encyclopedia. Free Will. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06259a.htm

GIVE US A KING

38

BERNIE L. WADE


Mythology in particular, the gods had not only already determined your fate; they were playing a game with the mortals. This is the source of the view of God as some diabolical sadist. However, this is not a view held by Scripture.

How you answer these questions will likely determine almost everything in your life. If you hold that you have free will then you will weigh very heavily each decision that you make holding that these will have an impact on your eternal destiny. If you imagine that there is no heaven and no hell then you need not worry about your decisions.

For those who embrace fatalism their whole world is constructed in view of their expectation. These often hold that there is only one person on the earth that you are supposed to marry. That perfect one and you are on some mission to find this perfect union. Some fatalists explain failed marriages on their failure to meet this expectation. In contrast, those who hold to free will are far less focused on some utopian 'the perfect one' and are grounded in finding that person with whom they have the most compatibility. Ideally for those of us who are Biblical Christians this would be a fellow believer in Christ Jesus.

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12) If you do not believe in free will, opting rather to expect that everything has already been pre-determined then you will likely embrace the idea that everything is pre-destined and your personal input is minuscule and the divine plan of God does nearly everything from determining your shoe size to who will be the next ruler of England. The ancients often referred to this as the 'Fates'. They held that the 'gods' (Fates) had already determined your fate. In many cases, Greek and Roman

GIVE US A KING

39

BERNIE L. WADE


much the same signification."58

ABSOLUTE PREDESTINATION

Predestination teaches that some particular persons are predestined to life, to death, etc. "Certain individuals are predestined) to eternal life".59 Followers of this dogma assert that the numbers of those will gain eternal life or eternal damnation is fixed and unalterable. These things, they hold, were determined before the foundation of the earth. So, thus, like ancient Mythology you simply have no choice. Instead these teach you were fated to be who you are and you cannot change the outcome.

Fatalism is the driving force behind a plethora of doctrines that divide believers. Rooted in the philosophy Absolute Predestination (often referred to as once saved always saved) comes from the word predestination.

Rather than accept responsibility for his actions mankind is bent on finding some means or method to blame God for his poor choices. "The predestination of all future human acts by God is so interpreted as to shut out any possibility of freedom. An inflexible internal necessity turns man's will whithersoever God preordains."60

"The verb predestinate is of Latin original, and signifies, in that tongue, to deliberate beforehand with one's self how one shall act; and in consequence of such deliberation to constitute, foreordain and predetermine where, when, how and by whom anything shall be done, and to what end it shall be done.

The challenge is that from philosophy we have gotten theology. Instead of simply believing the word of God we are

So the Greek verb which exactly answers to the English word predestinate, and is rendered by it, signifies to resolve beforehand within one's self what to do; and, before the thing resolved on is actually effected, to appoint it to some certain use, and direct it to some determinate end. The Hebrew verb Habhdel has likewise GIVE US A KING

58

The Doctrine of Absolute Predestination. Jerome Zanchius's. Stated and Asserted. Translated from the Latin of Jerome Zanchius by Augustus Montague. Toplady, A. B. The Sovereign Grace Union. Henry Atherton. Honorable General Secretary. The Parsonage. 98 Camberwell Grove, London S. E. 5. 1930. Chapter 1. 59 IBID. Zanchius's. Chapter 2. 60 http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06259a.htm

40

BERNIE L. WADE


faced with understanding philosophical theological interpretations. I expect that we will have to choose.

Mohammed presented himself as both king and priest founding his own religion based on the ancient writings of the goddess Kore (Semiramis) the moon goddess. To this Mohammed added his own opinion (Divine Right), and the input of others into a collection of writings generally referred to as the Koran or Quran. These writings created the basis for Islam the religion of Muslims.

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord - Joshua 24:15 (NIV)

KORE

MUSLIMS AND PREDESTINATION

“The Islamic World is no longer somewhere else... instead, Chicago, with its 50 mosques and nearly half a million Muslims, is part of the Islamic world.”61

The goddess Kore is known by a plethora of names in various cultures including Persephone, Ceres, Cora, Core, Preswa (Persia), etc.62

Following in the tradition of the Middle East [the original home of Nimrod] 61

“The ancient tribe of the Korites (from which the beautiful and sacred work, the

The Harvard Pluralism Project

GIVE US A KING

62

41

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persephone

BERNIE L. WADE


Koran, gets its name - the book of the Korites, were the guardians of the sacred places of the Kore. It is from her they (and therefore the Koran) get their name. It is to this day the task of this tribe to guard the holy stone of Mecca. It is an interesting note that the feminine aspect related to Kore in this part of the world was the one who dispensed the ancient Law. The name of this goddess was Sin, the Moon Goddess. The place she dwelt was a certain mountain in the range known as the mountains of the moon.”63

becomes Persephone ('she who brings destruction').64 “ “Koran Mohammedan scriptures, often erroneously thought to have been written by Mohammed. Moslems don't believe this.(1) But many don't know the Koran was an enlarged, revised version of the ancient Word of the Goddess Kore, revered by Mohammed's tribe, the Koreshites (Children of Kore), who guarded her shrine at Mecca. The original writing was done long before Mohammed's time by holy imams, a word related to Semitic ima, "mother."(2) Like the original mahatmas or "great mothers" in India, the original imams were probably priestesses of the old Arabian matriarchate. It was said they took the scriptures from a prototype that existed in heaven from the beginning of eternity, "Mother of the Book" - i.e., the Goddess herself, wearing the Book of Fate on her breast as Mother Tiamat wore the Tablets of Destiny. Sometimes the celestial Koran was called the Preserved Tablet. (3) There was some resemblance between this and other legendary books of divine origin, such as the Ur-text, the Book of Thoth and the Emerald Tablet of Hermes.”65

She is in turn also one of three guises of the Triple Goddess — Kore (the youngest, the maiden, signifying green young grain), Persephone (in the middle, the nymph, signifying the ripe grain waiting to be harvested), and Hecate (the eldest of the three, the crone, the harvested grain), which to a certain extent reduces the name and role of Demeter to that of group name. Before her abduction, she is called Kore; and once taken she

“My mother called me Kore Maiden, Girl, but my name is first Persephone, 64

Graves, Robert. The Greek Myths. Penguin, 1990. ISBN 0-14-001026-2. 24. pp.94–95. 65 The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets. Barbara Walker.

63

http://www.sacredcircles.com/THEDANCE/HTML/ DANCEPAG/AAGLOSS/KORE.HTM

GIVE US A KING

42

BERNIE L. WADE


Destroyer of Light. For I am both my mother's daughter and my mother's mother, after all; and the shadows are my true home. “

matters not, for it comes hand-in-hand with religions which teach that there is some separate outer space god who is exclusively male. In Islam, this god is interpreted through the minds of Muslims as being an Arab or Persian man, as opposed to the Jewish man of the Judeo-Christian ideology. This racist, ethnocentric, culturally bigoted and sexist interpretation of any "infinite" god would appear to be absolute nonsense. Yet, in what seems to be supreme arrogance and megalomania, many individuals would like the entire world to believe it is true.”66

OPPRESSION OF WOMEN

“Islam’s widespread practice of amputating the clitoris and sometimes part or even all of the vulva from the genitalia of Muslim women, affirmed in a hadith by Mohammed himself, most likely also traces back to the founder’s deliberate abuse of sex to lure pagan males into his cult. The more the male sex drive is purposefully aroused, the more the female sex urge may have to be proportionately suppressed, lest orgiastic hell begin to spread. “67

A constant in most religions is the oppression of their subordinates; especially women. Religion, for the most part is geared to oppress women. Islam is among the worst of those religions that oppress women. “This repression of the female is sadly ironic when one considers the roots of Islam, but it is not unexpected in a world that, for the past several thousand years, has done everything within its power subjugate women simply because of physical differences, a maledomination need shared with the apes and other "lesser beasts." While some may claim that this subjugation and enslavement of women is a cultural tradition, rather than a religious one, it

GIVE US A KING

“Indeed, the Koran verifies Allah's lunar or night-sky status: "Remember the name of our Lord morning and evening; in the night-time worship Him: praise Him all night long." (Q 76:23) And at Q 2:189: "They question you about the phases of the moon. Say: 'They are 66 67

43

http://www.truthbeknown.com/islam.htm http://www.bibleone.net/print_tbs74.html

BERNIE L. WADE


seasons fixed for mankind and for the pilgrimage. "All Semites had once a cult of the moon as supreme power. When Mohammed overthrew the old religion of Arabia, he did not dare get rid of the moon cult in a radical manner. Only much later was he powerful enough to forbid prostration before the moon (Koran Sure 4:37).

hundred, you will vanquish a thousand of them" (8:65).68 One of the sites for this Arab worship of the "hosts of heaven" was Mecca. Regarding the Kaaba of Mecca, that holiest of Muslim holies, Walker (487) writes:

Before Islamic times the moon deity was the most prominent object of cults in ancient Arabia. Arab women still insist that the moon is the parent of mankind. "Sir G. Rawlinson traces the name Chaldeans back to the designation of the ancient capital Ur (Chur) to be translated as moon-worshipers. The Semitic moon-god was 'the special deity and protector of women.' The Babylonians worshiped the goddess Ishtar, who is identical with the great Arabian goddess and has the epithet, Our Lady... She also has the title Queen of Heaven, which really means the Queen of the Stars. She was horned and was, as all lunar goddesses, represented by a heavenly cow.'” The Qur'an tells us: "not to make friendship with Jews and Christians" (5:51), "kill the disbelievers wherever we find them" (2:191), "murder them and treat them harshly" (9:123), "fight and slay the Pagans, seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem" (9:5). The Qur'an demands that we fight the unbelievers, and promises "If there are twenty amongst you, you will vanquish two hundred: if a GIVE US A KING

"Shrine of the sacred stone in Mecca, formerly dedicated to the pre-Islamic Triple Goddess Manat, Al-Lat (Allah), and Al-Uzza, the 'Old Woman' worshipped by Mohammed's tribesmen the Koreshites. The stone was also called Kubaba, Kuba or Kube, and has been linked with the name of Cybele (Kybela), the Great Mother of the Gods. The stone bore the emblem of the yoni, like the Black Stone worshipped by votaries of Artemis. Now it is regarded as the holy center of patriarchal Islam, 68

44

Institute for the Secularization of Islamic Society

BERNIE L. WADE


and its feminine symbolism has been lost, though priests of the Kaaba are still known as Sons of the Old Woman." And a translator of the Koran, N.J. Dawood (1), says:

of respondents also expressed agreement with the statement "America is an immoral, corrupt society").”70 In the Middle East absolute predestination takes more than one form, but generally the person believes that whatever he is about to do has already been scheduled (or predetermined) and there is nothing he can do about it. Someone dies, it was his time; someone survives, insha’llah, Allah willed it; I will see you tomorrow, Insha'Allah, I will see you tomorrow if Allah wills it. Thus, from their viewpoint, the words of their prophet cannot be altered or questioned as it has already http://www.sacredcircles.com/THEDAN CE/HTML/DANCEPAG/AAGLOSS/KOR E.HTMbeen pre-destined to be truth.

"Long before Muhammad's call, Arabian paganism was showing signs of decay. At the Ka'bah the Meccans worshipped not only Allah, the supreme Semitic God, but also a number of female deities whom they regarded as daughters of Allah. Among these were Al-Lat, Al-Uzza and Manat, who represented the Sun, Venus and Fortune respectively." According to the Koran: "No soul will ever die unless it is Allah’s will. The length of each life is predetermined according to the Scriptures. Those who wish to receive their reward in this world will receive it, and those who wish to receive their reward in the world to come will also receive it. And We will undoubtedly reward those who serve Us with gratitude."69

"By this logic, all three thousand people who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 as a result of Islamic jihad would have died at that hour regardless. And furthermore, because Allah did not intervene, it was Allah’s will that it happened. The Jihadists, who perpetrated this act, were only puppets on a stage, obeying the will of Allah according to a pre-written script. They did not cause all those deaths and all that destruction; rather, according to Islamic logic, Allah caused it as punishment for our sins, the sins of

“An April 2001 survey by CAIR found 69 percent of Muslims in America saying it is "absolutely fundamental" or "very important" to have Salafi (similar to radical Wahhabi Islamic ideology) teachings at their mosques (67 percent

70 69

Dr. Dorothy Muthuswamy

Qur’an 3:145

GIVE US A KING

45

BERNIE L. WADE


America as a collective entity."71

as other texts such as the hadiths.”73

Winston Churchill said, “the Muslim belief in predestination engenders a “fearful, fatalistic apathy” which “paralyses the social development of those who follow it,” for Allah’s will is fixed in a one-size-fits-all pattern and is not unique to the individual believer.72 with some 270 million people dead in its name Islam represents one of the bloodiest and most repressive ideologies that humankind has yet come up with. This subject is highly important not only because of Islam's expansion and the coming together of its leaders from around the world, but also because certain Muslim leaders, anxious to rectify Islam's bad rep, are making statements such as, "There are 1.8 billion Muslims in the world, and 99.9% are peace-loving" (Haitham Bundakji). Were this statement true, it would be both frightening in its enormity and reassuring in its docility.

"Try this for a scenario. A very nice person, Abdullah (Servant of Allah), living in America, has a history of being decent to everyone he knows. He would never, ever consider being unkind to his fellow man. One day Abdullah heard talk that reminded him of his predicament. He knows he is a good person and loves his religion; however, he also knows that he is either going to paradise or hell. The imams cannot tell him for sure which path he is on; only Allah knows. He wants to go to paradise, of course, but he also knows he could be on the path to hell, which was predestined, Insha'Allah. What can he do to assure himself of paradise? He must choose martyrdom. He does not hate Jews or Christians, but Allah does, according to the Qur’an, because they +are unbelievers, the worst of all animals in His sight. So gentle Abdullah finds some radical to sell him a couple of grenades, he walks into a New York delicatessen, and when he finds himself in the midst of a few folks who just came in for something to eat, he pulls the pins on the grenades, knowing that by killing Allah’s hated enemies, and dying himself in the process, he will feel no pain and fly to paradise immediately on

Islamic doctrine is anything but "peace-loving," as it constantly calls for the slaying of "idolaters" and "infidels" (e.g.), among other harsh commentary in the Koran as well

71

Islam, Predestination and Free Will. Rebecca Bynum. November 2006. 72 Islam, Predestination and Free Will. Rebecca Bynum. November 2006.

GIVE US A KING

73

46

The Origins of Islam.

BERNIE L. WADE


the wings of little green birds."74

respect evidently given to human free will. Indeed, in the western world at least, if someone claims to be coerced by God, (“God made me do it”) we consider that person to be of doubtful sanity. However, according to Islamic thought, Allah is not limited by natural law, or by reason, or even by goodness and truth. Said Pope Benedict XVI in his Regensburg address:

"Now suppose instead of Abdullah, we were discussing Iran’s leadership? They are building nuclear weapons to obliterate Jews and Christians, primarily. If they succeed, they will rule the earth. If they don’t, they still go to paradise for trying. It is win-win for them."75

As opposed to this, the faith of the Church has always insisted that between God and us, between his eternal Creator Spirit and our created reason there exists a real analogy, in which unlikeness remains infinitely greater than likeness, yet not to the point of abolishing analogy and its language (cf. Lateran IV). God does not become more divine when we push him away from us in a sheer, impenetrable voluntarism; rather, the truly divine God is the God who has revealed himself as logos and, as logos, has acted and continues to act lovingly on our behalf. Certainly, love transcends knowledge and is thereby capable of perceiving more than thought alone (cf. Eph 3:19); nonetheless it continues to be love of the God who is logos. Consequently, Christian worship is worship in harmony with the eternal Word and with our reason (cf. Rom 12:1).

The most heinous acts, collective and individual, can be rationalized as “Allah’s will” and this of course is a prescription for social chaos. The violence and attitudes that the canonical texts of Islam naturally give rise to are repeatedly demonstrated wherever Islam is suddenly unconstrained, as with the removal of Saddam Hussein’s regime, or the pseudo-nationalism of the PLO and its many security forces, as is clearly observed in Iraq and Gaza today.76 "Another limitation of God is the divine 74

On the matter of Predestination. HJS. Politico Mafioso. http://politicomafioso.blogspot.com/2012/01/onmatter-of-predestination-by-hjs.html 75 Islam, Predestination and Free Will. Bynum. 76 Islam, Predestination and Free Will. Rebecca Bynum. November 2006.

GIVE US A KING

The unspoken assertion here is that the divine will can be known, that good and

47

BERNIE L. WADE


St. Thomas Aquinas By: John Salza (paperback, TAN, 337 pages). Who would dare argue with such authority as Thomas Aquinas? Well, this author for one. Let God be True and all men be liars (Romans 3:4).

evil can be distinguished by reason, and that God can be approached through the mind – by our decisions first to know good and to then be good. In Islam, on the contrary, the bridge to God through the reasoning mind is cut. Allah demands unquestioning obedience and total sacrifice, including the sacrifice of the ability to know good from evil as an individual, private matter, for the will of Allah is not a personal experience. The Islamic system has totally usurped the place of the living God for the believer: worship and obedience are one."77

"What western reason would deem psychopathological murder/suicide, Islam calls the “martyrdom of the sainted” without guile. The reason of Islam exists entirely within the bounds of Islam. A bridge of reason simply does not exist between our two worlds, as it does not exist between the individual Muslim and the will of Allah. And reason cannot compromise with unreason without destroying the basis for its existence. By the same token, unreason cannot become reasonable without destroying itself as well. There is simply no way the hoped-for “reform” of Islam by way of reason would not end in Islam’s ultimate destruction, but this is not an outcome to be feared. It should be welcomed."78

Theologians are pressed to give answers on their dogma of Predestination they often revert to the mysterious saying, "It is like the Trinity, you just have to believe." This is an evasion on their part but their followers generally don't realize the shortfall. This type of answer is the cornerstone to all false religions. It is like the Theory of Evolution (or the religion of Evolution if you prefer). Proponents have great faith that their theories are true. God, in His infinite wisdom gave us His word so that we would not be confused. The dogma of Pre-destination is the idea of men not the Word of God. Proponents of Pre-destination (to answer inquiries) refer to books like: The Mystery of PredestinationAccording to Scripture, the Church, and

Pope John Paul II, kissing the Koran

77

78

Islam, Predestination and Free Will. Rebecca Bynum. November 2006.

GIVE US A KING

Islam, Predestination and Free Will. Rebecca Bynum. November 2006.

48

BERNIE L. WADE


No matter what disasters befall a person, it is good for him, whether he realizes that or not, because Allah does not decree anything but it is good, as He Says (what means):”79

THE QURAN (KORAN) ON PREDESTINATION

"Say, “Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector.” And upon Allah let the believers rely.” [Quran 9:51] Allah Predestines whether a person will believe “Belief in Al-Qadhaa’ Wal-Qadar (Divine Decree and Predestination) is one of the pillars of faith in Islam. The Muslim’s faith is not complete unless he knows that whatever befalls him could not have missed him, and whatever misses him could not have befallen him. Everything is subject to the Will and Decree of Allah, as Allah Says in the Quran (what means): "Indeed, all things We created with predestination". [Quran 54:49]

"And if your Lord had pleased, surely all those who are in the earth would have believed, all of them; will you then force men till they become believers? And it is not for a soul to believe except by Allah’s permission; and He casts uncleanness on those who will not understand." S. 10:991002580 Everything Happens by the Will of Allah

All the disasters and tribulations that happen on earth, or happen to the individual, or to his wealth or family, etc., were known to Allah before they happened, He has written them in Al-Law Al-Mahfooth (the Preserved Tablet) as He Says (what means): "No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being — indeed that, for Allah, is easy.” [Quran 57:22]

GIVE US A KING

79

http://www.missionislam.com/health/beliefpredes tination.html 80 Comparative Index to Islam. Predestination. http://www.answeringislam.org/Index/P/predestination.html

49

BERNIE L. WADE


Nor can a soul die except by Allah’s leave, the term being fixed as by writing. If any do desire a reward in this life, We shall give it to him; and if any do desire a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give it to him. And swiftly shall We reward those that (serve us with) gratitude. S. 3:145 .

Guidance Allah guides whom he pleases to the straightway (10:25). Allah decides who will be left to stray and who will be guided (35:8). Allah opens or hardens hearts to Islam (39:18-22). He gives some little and others much (39:52). It is interesting that while there is a world of difference in the views of Christians, Jews and Muslims their differences on key theological issues like this are often very much the same. Of course Christians, Muslims and Jews all agree that God is ultimately in control; that s not in question.

And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures-- none knows them but He; and He knows what is in the land and the sea, and there falls not a leaf but He knows it, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything green nor dry but (it is all) in a clear book. S. 6:59

“Since the Qur'an was recorded hundreds of years after the Holy Scriptures, it naturally echoes many themes of the Bible and the paradox between “choose” and “chosen” exists in that text as well. In comparison, the Qur'an verses are more extreme than their Biblical counterparts in their bold contrast. The Qur'an verses on the responsibility of people to decide are very emphatic, while the verses for Allah’s control over who believes and who does not believe are also stated strongly.

Allah Causes Error It is impossible for a person to correct those who Allah has caused to be in error (4:88).81 Ordained Misfortune Allah decrees ahead of time every bad thing that happens to the earth or individuals (57:22). Decisions The Qur'an is a warning to all men: to those who have the will to walk straight or upright, yet no one can decide to do so except the ones who are given that ability by Allah (81:27-29, 76:29-30).

Christians are used to taking such paradoxes in the same spirit that they view the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. They believe that some truths are beyond

81

http://www.answeringislam.org/Authors/Fisher/Topical/ch12.htm

GIVE US A KING

50

BERNIE L. WADE


understanding because God’s ways are higher than our limited comprehension. Many Muslims, however, struggle with this paradox of free will and predestination. A Muslim reading this collection of twenty-six verses might have a real conflict of faith because they believe everything taught in the Qur'an must be completely logical. They believe the same “logical” standards are innate in all people, which gives them an additional reason to reject the Holy Trinity, but they are left with this illogical yet divine paradox of free will and predestination.”82

Inquisition, or the deification of a political system such as communism, that creates conditions in which human sacrifice, often on a massive scale, becomes justified. In this view, the cultural structure essentially replaces the concept of a living God (dealing directly with autonomous human beings) and thus human freedom, happiness and ultimately lives are sacrificed to the cultural form in proportion to the fanaticism engendered by the belief in it."83 Much is made in conservative Christian circles of Muslims and the bent of the entire Muslim population (although this is usually denied) toward radical fundamentalism and extremism. As we have already covered, the root of this problem is their fatalistic approach which is at the core of their religion and as a result shapes their world view. Thus, in their world view, Islam is destined to rule the world.

RADICAL CHRISTIANITY

Unfortunately, Muslims have not cornered the market on extremism. Fatalism is certainly not confined to religion but adding religious fervor or fundamentalist devotion to a fatalistic viewpoint certainly helps. If you view all political events as having direct correlation to the will of God, then you will see the world much differently than if you see the world as being under the

"According to Richard Weaver the endowing of cultural forms with the idea of immanence historically gives rise to social cruelty. It is the deification of a cultural system, such as the deification of the Church during the years of the 82

83

http://www.answeringislam.org/Authors/Fisher/Topical/ch12.htm

GIVE US A KING

Islam, Predestination and Free Will. Rebecca Bynum. November 2006.

51

BERNIE L. WADE


dominion of mankind and political strife as the continuation of strife between men. This struggle between men began with Cain killing his own brother Able and has never stopped.

IN THE NAME OF GOD

In Christianity we have had many examples of a fatalistic approach to the world. While God gave all mankind choice, some who profess Christ have merged their belief system with Aristotle and fatalistic thought morphing their form of Christianity into a predestinated regime that does not reflect the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Western media paints a picture of Islamic terrorists that would make one think there are just a handful of misguided people following a personal agenda rather than a whole religion focused on world domination. "To be sure, we believe that the Islamic terrorists are incorrect in thinking that they are doing God’s will. But we don’t just believe that they are following a mistaken interpretation of God’s will; we see them as fundamentally evil."84 Perhaps they are evil (or at least some of them) but it is nearly impossible to separate a religious follower from their belief system. Arguing will change nothing. It has been said that when you argue with a fool it is impossible to discern who the fool is. Jesus gave Peter the answer to conflict when he decided to take his sword to solve spiritual challenges, “they that live by the sword will die by the sword.”

What emerges from this mixture is fundamentalism, authoritarianism often leading to extreme teachings, methods and results. Some of these are famous or infamous such as Jim Jones and Jones Town, David Koresh and the Branch Dravidians in Waco, Texas and the list goes on. These were brought to a frightful death primarily motivated by their Jim Jones fatalistic interpretation of Scripture. However, we will not delve into those in this book. The Bible, some argue, condones violence by the people of God against unbelievers. Yet, they ignore that "King David was not allowed to build the Temple because of the blood on his hands—notwithstanding the fact that he was absolutely justified and even praised for all the blood that he

84

Rationalist Judaism. Killing in the name of God. Sunday September 11, 2011. Nathan Slifkin.

GIVE US A KING

52

BERNIE L. WADE


spilled."85 These also ignore the plethora of Scripture instructing followers of Jesus Christ to keep the Commandments of God.

DECEIVED that reason will not prevail." It is noteworthy that even those who consented to the brutal murder of Jesus Christ did so under the guise of religion. The Romans had a trinity of other gods to embrace and did not recognize the Jewish god, but they were not particularly interested in opposing him either.

Killing one another “in the name of God” is nothing new to the marred and scarred history of mankind. There are a plethora of crimes committed in the name of God and these come from adherents to every world religion. The religious Crusades and Inquisition of the Middle Ages, as well as the World War II Nazi blood fest of [humanity including] the Jewish Holocaust, now silently attest to the intolerance and brutality engendered by religious hatred and hatred of religion."86

It is noteworthy that even those who consented to the brutal murder of Jesus Christ did so under the guise of religion. The Romans had a trinity of other gods to embrace and did not recognize the Jewish god, but they were not particularly interested in opposing Him either. It simply was not politically expedient or in modern vernacular we would say PC (politically correct) for the Romans to oppose the Jewish religious system so they washed their hands of the decision. Doing so publically game them the support of the people.

"Instead of mankind being made into the image of God as God intended (Gen. 1:26), mankind has created “god” in its own image. That is because the human race has LOST the TRUE KNOWLEDGE of the supreme authority who lovingly created the brotherhood of mankind. Mankind has been completely MISLED by its irrational religious bias instituted on the faulty foundation of EMOTION rather than knowledge. Humanly devised religions based upon hatred of others are absolutely IGNORANT of true religion and so

THE CRUSADES While much has been written about the Crusades, the summation is this, the Muslim Religion (or corporation if you will) has been in a war with the Catholic Religion (or corporation) for more than 1000 years. Both sides have invoked the name of God to support their cause

85

Ibid. Slifkin. The Trumpet.Com. Killing in the Name of God. J. Tim Thompson. 86

GIVE US A KING

53

BERNIE L. WADE


explaining to their followers that "Allah wills it" or" God wills it!". The reality is that both are merely using men as pawns in a tug of war over control of a large chunk of land. Tens of Thousands have died and none of it has brought glory or honor to Jesus Christ. Contrary to the proclamations of the clerics on both sides it is not the 'will of God' for man to kill each other. God cursed Cain for killing his brother. This curse was not merely for Cain but was a curse on those who would resort to putting their hand against another and taking their life.

generally perceived as a 'nice guy'). Noticed none of these things are the criteria mentioned by the Apostles as doctrine of the New Testament Church for a follower of Jesus Christ, but all of these things are politically correct. According to the theology of John's church he was saved when he was a child. He repeated the 'Sinners Prayer', went to the altar and repented, was baptized, shook the preachers hand and became a member. John's church teaches that based on this he is saved and can NEVER lose his salvation. John is a Patriot. He loves God and his country. He served four years in the United States Army where he was a munitions expert. He is the one of the organizers of the annual God and Country Day at his church.

Using a real world example, much like the example of Abdullah from our previous section we will talk about John Smith. John attends the community church in his Southern town. John and his family have attended this church his entire life and even before. The church strongly adheres to the Calvinistic teachings common among Baptists, Presbyterians and others who embrace Reformed Theology. John is very involved in his church. He has served as a member of the deacon board, taught Sunday school and more. He is well thought of in his community and those who know him well would consider him a Christian (based on the fact he is a member of a group that calls themselves Christians and that he s GIVE US A KING

After a Sunday morning sermon (one of many on the subject) John becomes impassioned about the clinic that has begun operating in their town. This clinic is financed by a pro eugenics group called Planned Parenthood and they offer abortions to women in the community. John knows that the Bible holds abortion as murder. This is sin in the eyes of God. However, John is not sure that just praying about the problem is achieving any real results. So, one morning

54

BERNIE L. WADE


(acting alone) he takes a bomb that he has built and detonates it inside the clinic. He sees himself as doing the work of God. Unfortunately, several people are injured in the blast. Two are killed including a doctor and another woman. John did not intend to kill anyone but he is not overly disturbed that his actions caused the deaths.

circumstance it is not any more extreme than the fundamental Muslim who screams "Allah wills it!" while he blows up a building expecting that he will get some eternal reward. In both cases the idea of pre-destination and fatalism have determined the actions of the religious adherents like a self fulfilling prophecy. This is not to contend that all adherents of fundamentalist groups will act in such a manner, but it is a fact that some have and no doubt others will follow in their footsteps.

After all, he reasons, it is the will of God. John is convinced he is righteous dealing with the 'enemies of God' who are murdering the innocent. When he comes to trial for his crimes he is glad to proclaim that he did what he did in righteousness and give a plethora of Scripture to support his stance. When asked if he is still saved in spite of his actions he remains convinced that he is saved. The absolute predestination of his church seems to confirm that he is saved no matter what his actions. While this is not quite as glamorous as the promises made by his Muslim counterparts to their adherents but like other supporters of pre-destination John's church has extended eternal life to him. Quite impressive. Yet, in the final analysis only God gets to decide. Here we have an individual acting this out and while it is extreme it is no more extreme than the 'holy wars' that have raged for more than a millennia between the Muslims and the Catholics. While this may seem like an extreme GIVE US A KING

Members of self proclaimed, Calvinistic, churches have used their fatalistic approach to God, religion and life to commit crimes of a variety of things from assault to murder. Some consider all other religious groups (even other Christian ones) as "Satanic frauds preaching Armenian lies".87 The later point is a reference to Joseph Arminius. He was a theologian and an opponent of the fatalistic view of pre-destination teaching. "Arminianism, a theological movement in Christianity, a liberal reaction to the Calvinist doctrine of predestination. The movement began early in the 17th 87

"Memo on the Church". Archived from the original on June 2, 2008.

55

BERNIE L. WADE


century and asserted that God’s sovereignty and man's free are compatible. The crux of Arminianism lay in the assertion that human dignity requires an unimpaired freedom of the will."88

not. God created man with the ability to think and make decisions. Without these choices man would be but a robot, but God desired communication with mankind that was out of love and choice.

FREE WILL OR FATALISM The difference between free will and fatalism is on the one hand (free will) you believe that God has given you a tremendous amount of input into the outcome of your life and a plethora of choices (some good and some bad). You understand that your choices have a bearing on your eternal destiny. On the other (fatalism) you have virtually no input. You are destined or pre-destined as they say to be whatever it is you are good or bad and you have no free will. You are meandering through life like everyone else and while but your decisions and input have little or no bearing on the end result. The end result has ultimately been decided for you by a power much higher than yourself.

Free will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long been debated in philosophy89 and religion. In our case we are the 'agents' of God or His ambassadors. The choices we make affect our lives, our eternal destiny and reflect to others the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. As His ambassadors (agents) we are the earthly representation of Christ thus we are aptly references as such in Scripture.

Both sides believe in a Sovereign, Eternal God. The difference comes down to the amount of input you credit to mankind and to the choices that God allows. While it is true that God could have created mankind with some kind of robotic impulses the reality is that He did 88

We are Ambassadors therefore in the place of The Messiah, and as if he

Arminianism. Encyclopedia Britannica. 89

GIVE US A KING

56

Wikipedia. Free Will.

BERNIE L. WADE


who is God requested of you by us in the place of The Messiah, we beseech you therefore: “Be reconciled to God.”90

to salvation. In Christianity, theologians have taken various sides on the idea of fatalism. While most Christians would decry the idea that they espouse fatalistic ideology, the reality is that there is little difference in between predestination (or absolute predestination) and fatalism. Thus, driving the concept that we are forever locked into a predetermined fate void of any real choice or free will.

The ancients denied that men have free will opting rather for determinism or something similar to it. Determinism should be distinguished from predeterminism, the idea that the entire past (as well as the future) was determined at the origin of the universe.91 Fatalism is a special form of determinism where every event in the future is fated to happen. Fatalism does not normally require that any causal laws or higher powers are involved powers are involved. Que sera, sera.92

The theological doctrine of divine foreknowledge is often alleged to be in conflict with free will, particularly in Reformed circles—for if God knows exactly what will happen, right down to every choice, that calls into questions the status of choices as free. If God has timelessly true knowledge about one's choices, this seems to constrain individual freedom.93This problem is related to the Aristotelian problem of the sea battle: tomorrow there will or will not be a sea battle. If there will be one, then it seems that it was true yesterday that there would be one. Then it would be necessary that the sea battle will occur. If there won't be one, then by similar

However, theologians and well meaning followers of Christ often quote Scripture in such a way that they wrest it to adapt it to a fatalistic approach to everything from the grace of Jesus Christ to politics 90

Aramaic Bible in Plain English. 2010. 2 Corinthians 5:20. 91 Determinism. http://www.informationphilosopher.com/freedom/ determinism.html 92 Determinism. http://www.informationphilosopher.com/freedom/ determinism.html

GIVE US A KING

93

Alston, William P. (1985). "Divine Foreknowledge and Alternative Conceptions of Human Freedom". International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 18 (1): 19–32. doi:10.1007/BF00142277.

57

BERNIE L. WADE


reasoning, it is necessary that it won't occur. This means that the future, whatever it is, is completely fixed by past truths—true propositions about the future.94

bringing him into the Promised Land. So will it be again in the near future. We need not remind our readers that Satan is the avowed and age-long enemy of God and that all through the course of human history he has been opposing his Maker and seeking to secure the scepter of earth’s sovereignty. Further, we need not dwell upon the fact, so plainly revealed in Scripture, that Satan is an imitator, parodying and counterfeiting the ways and things of the Lord. But the climax of all Satan’s schemes has not yet become history, though the inspired Word shows us clearly what form this climax will assume. God’s purposes for this earth are to be realized and consummated in a man, "the man Christ Jesus" who will yet reign over it as King of kings and Lord of lords. Satan’s designs will also head up in a man, "the man of Sin" who will for a short season reign over the earth as its acknowledged King.”95

MAN MAKES HIMSELF 'LIKE GOD'

“Genesis 10 and 11 give us the history of the postdiluvian world; they show us the ways of men in this new world—in revolt against God and seeking to glorify and deify themselves; and they set before us the principles and judgments upon which this world is founded. Like everything else in Genesis, the historical events recorded in these brief parentheses are remarkable in their typical significance and reach. In the clearer and fuller light of the New Testament we cannot fail to see that Nimrod foreshadowed the last great World-Ruler before our Lord descends to earth and ushers in His millennial reign It is deeply significant that the person and history of Nimrod are here introduced at the point immediately preceding God calling Abram from among the Gentiles and

No book on man’s fascination with replacing God would be complete without a fair discussion of Nimrod his open rebellion to God and the systems he devised to control men and defy God. The law of the harvest tells us that when seed is sown it produces a harvest. It is doubtful that Adam and

94

Aristotle. "De Interpretatione" in The Complete Works of Aristotle, vol. I, ed. Jonathan Barnes. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1984.

GIVE US A KING

95

Gleanings in Genesis. A. W. Pink. Nimrod and the Tower of Babel.

58

BERNIE L. WADE


Eve could have comprehended the crop that would grow from the seed of disobedience they sewed in the Garden of Eden.

We often pay attention to ‘war in heaven’ but it is war one earth that has far more affected our destiny.

Nimrod is the architect of human government and its companion religion. These he used in his bid to exalt himself as the world’s first king. "One would suppose that being “very religious” instead of atheistic would DECREASE the slaughter rate. However, just the opposite is true. Man’s inhumanity to man has been INCREASED by human religion! History bears out that many times religion has been the CAUSE of war and mass death, not the SOLUTION that it should be!"96 This is primarily because people misunderstand religion. There is the misconception that religion is somehow the imprimatur of God or more succinctly what God said. However, religion is not what God said.

"Nimrod was eighteen years old, war broke out between the Hamites, his kinsmen, and the Japhethites. The latter were at first victorious, but Nimrod, at the head of a small army of Cushites, attacked and defeated them, after which he was made king over all the people on earth, appointing Terah his minister. It was then, elated by so much glory, that Nimrod changed his behavior toward God (Yhwh) and became the most flagrant idolater. When informed of Abraham's birth he requested Terah to sell him the new-born child in order that he might kill it.97 Terah hid Abraham and in his stead brought to Nimrod the child of a slave, which Nimrod dashed to pieces."98 "Nimrod is generally considered to have been the one who suggested building the Tower of Babel and who directed its construction. God said: "I made Nimrod great; but he built a tower in order that he might rebel against Me."99 The tower is called by the Rabbis "the house of Nimrod," and is considered as a house

Religion is just what man said that God said!. Religion is what men have devised. In the history of human kind there have been some 15000 different religions created. All of these in some form or fashion follow the pattern established by Nimrod (except that of the Bible). 96

97

Jew. Encyc. i. 86a, s.v. Abraham in Rabbinical Literature 98 Jewish Encyclopedia. Nimrod. 99 Ḥul. 89b

Ibid. Killing in the name of God.

GIVE US A KING

59

BERNIE L. WADE


Resen."103

of idolatry which the owners abandoned in time of peace; consequently Jews may make use of it100.

Nimrod is the prototype of a rebellious people, his name being interpreted as "he who made all the people rebellious against God".104 He is identified with Cush and with Amraphel, the name of the latter being interpreted as "he whose words are dark".105

After the builders of the tower [of Babel] were dispersed Nimrod remained in Shinar, where he reestablished [or continued] his kingdom. According to the "Sefer ha-Yashar" (l.c.), he at this time acquired the name "Amraphel" in allusion "So was Nimrod a to the fall of his princes Godly ruler? The during the dispersion. scripture says that he Amraphel means was a "Mighty One." 40-ton head of Greek god “Zeus” (Nimrod according 101 ‘sayer of darkness’ This expression comes to Turkish people) capped with a Persian tiara. or in other words one from the Hebrew word who speech is evil. Modern baby "Gibor" which means TYRANT; And names books have recreated this name the name Nimrod means "LET US 102 to be ‘keeper of the gods’ or the god REBEL." This may give us much more of gods. This is whitewashed but light. Being a ‘mighty one’ in our accurate in that this man set himself up modern vernacular is much different to be God just like Lucifer. He has been than being a Tyrant who is focused on known by a variety of names including rebelling against God. Nimrod, Hammurabi, The Jewish Encyclopedia says, Nimrod According to the Targum of pseudowas "he who made all the people Jonathan (to Gen. x. 11), Nimrod had rebellious against God." Nimrod was left Babylonia before the building of the also known as a mighty hunter "before tower, and had gone to Assyria, where the Lord." This also has a hostile he built four other cities, namely, meaning. The Hebrew translation of Nineveh, Rehobot, Calah, and 100

'Ab. Zarah 53b NAS Old Testement Hebrew Lexicon. Strong’s number 569. 102 http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/mea ning_of_Amraphel.html 101

GIVE US A KING

103

Jewish Encyclopedia. Nimrod. Pes. 94b; comp. Targ. of pseudo-Jonathan and Targ. Yer. to Gen. x. 9 105 Gen. R. xlii. 5; 104

60

BERNIE L. WADE


(before) means "AGAINST".106 So rather than understanding this as something positive we should understand that this verse is pointing out that Nimrod was fighting against God!107 He was also the first to make war on other peoples.108

same vices. Nimrod and his kingdom of Babel, rather than hosting the genesis of cultures that took the worship of the true God to the ends of the earth, is one of the clearest Old Testament Biblical types for the Antichrist and the coming world government and apostate world church.110 Nimrod corresponds with the type of the Man of Sin who will expressly dominate as “King over all the children of pride” (John 41:34). Like Satan, Nimrod set about to create his own throne and subsequently his own kingdom. He was focused on setting up his kingdom on the earth. The tower of Babel was a high place of worship. There is a definite connection between the worship of Nimrod and the later worship of the “supreme being” of Babylon, Marduk.“After their deaths, Nimrod and his wife Semiramis (the ancient “queen of heaven”) were confirmed by their priests as gods and given homage as Marduk and Astarte.”111

“Nimrod obviously had an inordinate desire for fame, which is also consistent with archeological finds bearing his image. His consuming desire was to make for himself a name.”109 Some say that he was literally the incarnation of Satan. However, we have no Scripture to support such a notion. It is much more likely that he merely gave himself so over to the control of Satanic forces that it was difficult or impossible to differentiate between Satan and a man given over to the 106

http://babylonmysteryreligion.com/The%20Wine %20of%20Babylon. 107 Midr. Agadah to Gen. x. 9 108 Jewish Encyclopedia. Nimrod. In Rabbinical Literature. 109 Nimrod and Babel. A Type of the Anti-Christ. Sandy Simpson Apologetics Coordination Team. 2006.

GIVE US A KING

110

Nimrod and Babel. A Type of the Anti-Christ. Sandy Simpson Apologetics Coordination Team. 2006. 111 Nimrod and Babel. http://www.ldolphin.org/Nimrod.html

61

BERNIE L. WADE


which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power. He also said he would be revenged on God, if he should have a mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to reach. And that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers. Nimrod’s ambition was to establish a world empire. To accomplish this, two things were necessary. First, centers of unity, a city headquarters; and second, a motive for the encouragement and inspiration of his followers. This latter was supplied in the “let us make us a name.” (Gen. 11:4)

What he failed to recognize was that what he was claiming for his own already belonged to another and that owner, the Creator of the Universe was not amused. It is Nimrod that defies the plan of God. Like Lucifer, Nimrod sets up his own Kingdom in defiance of God. Nimrod takes a role reserved for God king. It is Nimrod that creates the concept of religion and human government. Under Nimrod the idea of an edifice to wow the masses begins as he sets the people to the task of building the Tower of Babel.

It was an inordinate desire for fame. Nimrod’s aim was to keep mankind all together under his own leadership “lest we be scattered.” (Gen. 11:4) The idea of the “tower” (considered in the light of its setting) seems to be that of strength —a stronghold—rather than eminence.112

Josephus wrote: “The Antichrist is described as giving his worship to a “god of forces” (Dan. 11:38 KJV) or “god of fortresses” (Dan 11:38 NKJV). The word for forces or fortresses in Hebrew is ma‘owz meaning strength, strong, fortress, hold, forces, fort, rock,

"Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it were through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage

GIVE US A KING

112

62

Ibid. Nimrod and Babel.

BERNIE L. WADE


strengthen. (Strong’s) It is possible that this god of the Antichrist (though actually Satan) will be Nimrod Marduk that Babylon worshipped as a god of fortresses. This would mean that the Antichrist is worshipping himself in a preexistent type. This would be consistent with the character of Satan. No one yet knows these things but the Nimrod typology seems consistent with this “god of fortresses”.

wiser by the destruction of the former sinners; but he caused a tumult among them, by producing in them diverse languages, and causing that, through the multitude of those languages, they should not be able to understand one another. The place wherein they built the tower is now called Babylon, because of the confusion of that language which they readily understood before; for the Hebrews mean by the word Babel, confusion…"

Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod, and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to God; and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains, nor being in any degree negligent about the work: and, by reason of the multitude of hands employed in it, it grew very high, sooner than anyone could expect; but the thickness of it was so great, and it was so strongly built, that thereby its great height seemed, upon the view, to be less than it really was. It was built of burnt brick, cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water.

"Finally, Nimrod, the priest-king of Babylon, died. When he died his body was cut into pieces, burnt and sent to various areas. Similar practices are mentioned in the Bible (Judges 19:29; 1 Samuel 11:7). The people of Babylon mourned greatly from the death of Nimrod, but his name would live on thanks to the leadership of his wife. Shortly after his death, his wife, Queen Semiramis, claimed that Nimrod was now the Sun-God. Semiramis also claimed that she gave birth to an illegitimate son whom was a reincarnation of Nimrod. This son was named Tammuz which is a counterfeit to our real savior and king, Jesus.

When God saw that they acted so madly, he did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since they were not grown GIVE US A KING

Émigré claimed that Tammuz was supernaturally conceived and was the

63

BERNIE L. WADE


coming one the savior. This is why in every religion you will always find a MOTHER and SON. Some also have all three (Nimrod, Semiramis, and Tammuz), the TRINITY. There is no doubt that she had known about a coming messiah for it was prophesied from the beginning (see Gen. 3:15). Satan also knew and set up a counterfeit from the true, centuries before Jesus came."113

fail to see that there is here, beneath the historical narrative, something deeper than that which appears on the surface; yea, that there is here a complete typical picture of the person, work and destruction of the Anti-Christ.”114

“To sum up. In Nimrod and his schemes we see Satan’s initial attempt to raise up a universal ruler of men. In his inordinate desire for fame, in the mighty power which he wielded, in his ruthless and brutal methods-suggested by the word "hunter"; in his blatant defiance of the Creator, (seen in his utter disregard for His command to replenish the earth,) by determining to prevent his subjects from being scattered abroad; in his founding of the kingdom of Babylon—the Gate of God—thus arrogating to himself Divine honors… and finally, in the fact that the destruction of his kingdom is described in the words, "Let us go down and there confound their language"(Gen. 11:7)— foreshadowing so marvelously the descent of Christ from Heaven to vanquish His impious Rival, we cannot 114

Gleanings in Genesis. A. W. Pink. Nimrod and the Tower of Babel.

113

http://babylonmysteryreligion.com/The%20Wine %20of%20Babylon.htm

GIVE US A KING

64

BERNIE L. WADE


CHAPTER 2 ISRAEL REBELS AGAINST GOD

GIVE US A KING

65

BERNIE L. WADE


"Men will allow God to be everywhere except on his Throne" - Charles Spurgeon

GIVE US A KING

66

BERNIE L. WADE


between this God of Moses and the pantheon of gods from Egypt. In Egypt, in the tradition of Nimrod (Dagon) even Pharaoh was considered a god. It was unprecedented for a man to defy the Pharaoh and all the other gods of Egypt. They had defied the eternal God of heaven, but not the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh as pontifus maximus was infallible. Like the Medes and the Persians his word was law and unchangeable. From a natural standpoint defying the power of the Pharaoh looked like folly.

Long before the advent of Moses, the seed of rebellion was sown in the heart of the descendents of Abraham. Like their ancient ancestors they were gifted with choice; choose this day whom you will serve. They could follow the God of their forefathers; the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or they could rebel against God like Adam, Eve, Cain, Esau and a plethora of others. Previous to Moses God had made covenant with men. Most notable of these are Adam and Abraham. These were the head of their family and were entrusted to instruct their families to follow the one true God.

Moses was not a king. He was not the representative of a king, but he was representative of the KING OF KINGS! Moses had no army but he had the armies of heaven at his disposal. He was the representative of God to His people. Moses was to Pharaoh like Abraham had been to Nimrod; representative of the one, the only the Almighty God. God did not want His people to be confused with the worship of a human (king). He commanded his chosen people to "have no other gods before Him."115 The demonstration of power that comes from God through his servant Moses is unprecedented in human history. Nimrod had defied the God of Abraham and God manifested his power in an unprecedented manner confusing the languages. Pharaoh would make the

In Moses, God takes a step further in bringing not just a family head but God had given to the Children of Israel a vessel to facilitate deliverance. Unlike the Kings (Pharaohs') of Egypt who like their forefather (Nimrod) relied on divination, astrology, astronomy and the like, Moses relied on his God. The stakes were high for the show down

GIVE US A KING

115

67

Exodus 20:3.

BERNIE L. WADE


same mistake and God would manifest His might and demonstrate his power in an unprecedented manner.

However, the level of human rebellion that is manifest against Moses is off the Richter scale. Even though they were eyewitnesses of the demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit, the Israelites missed the point. Moses has to deal with rebellion in a plethora of people but no more difficult than Korah. "The Korah who fought against Israel was the son of Izhar, the son of Kehath, the son of Levi, becoming the great-grandson of Levi, the third son of Jacob born to Leah who became the progenitor of the tribe of Levi (Num.16:1; Gen. 29:31-35). The details about the rebellion of Korah along with Dathan and Abiram are narrated in Numbers 16:1-40.

Here was Moses; one man taking on a king and his realm. Nimrod had defied God generations before but God was not bound by time or eternity! The sins of the fathers were about to be visited upon the children. Like God always does He provided time and opportunity for repentance (choice) but these chose to defy God. He was ready for this challenge long before the foundation of the earth. This was area generally reserved for large armies but God was going to manifest His power so that no one could doubt that He alone was God. The might of all of Egypt is nothing to contend with the God of Moses.

They resisted Moses' leadership and as a result were swallowed by the earth along with many of their households. However the children of Korah were spared and remained alive (Numbers 26:11) and later wrote some Psalms [PVC]."116

The sorcery of Egypt is demonstrated by Jannes and Jambres as they oppose Moses leaves their religious system (also implemented by Nimrod) in derision and embarrassment. As a parting gift for their rebellion God destroys the host of Pharaoh in the Red Sea triumphing over the political and religious systems of Babylon and Egypt. There is no human in history that can match the miracles that Moses performed with the power of his God. GIVE US A KING

"Moses also shared his ministry with his sister Miriam (a prophetess) and his brother Aaron. And yet it was these two who turned against their brother and their leader. Some things never change. 116

68

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korah

BERNIE L. WADE


How like Satan this is. Satan, who was given much authority under God, wanted more power and authority. He wanted to be number one. And so, wanting to be “like God,” (actually meaning he wanted to be God or superior to God) he rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:1119), promising Adam and Eve that they, too, could be “like God” (Genesis 3:5; see 3:22)."117 Deceivers often offer things that they do not have and have no possibility of attaining. Apostle Peter references this line of thought when he chides,

ministry with others. I believe that when people came to Moses for “judgment,” they came to him for guidance, that is, to know “the will of God” for their lives regarding some particular issue. In this sense, Moses was functioning as a prophet when he judged the people who came to him. And when the 70 men were set apart to assist Moses in this ministry, they too were empowered to prophesy. This was sufficient to demonstrate that they had been given the divine enablement necessary for them to carry out their “prophetic” ministry. All of this was to assist Moses and the people of Israel."118 The emergence of the prophetic under Moses was necessary as the apostle is not the lone ranger leading his people at his own discretion but rather the apostle is reliant on God and on Godly prophets to confirm the course that he is on is indeed from God.

Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? (Acts 15:10).

"We know from history (secular and biblical) that some kings were so insecure in their rule that they eliminated every possible successor to the throne, every potential competitor. This is why Herod slaughtered all the male children two and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16-18). Jewish history says that this had happened before when Nimrod attempted to kill Abraham and failed. There is too much of this mindset of

APOSTLESHIP Finally, in spite of themselves, Israel settles into the apostolic leadership of Moses. Under his tenure the prophetic ministry is born. "Moses was not threatened by the thought of sharing the

118

Moses: The Premiere Prophet. Bob Deffinbaugh. Profiting from the Prophets. Introduction.

117

Moses. The Premiere Prophet. Bob Deffinbaugh. Moses Ministry is Maligned.

GIVE US A KING

69

BERNIE L. WADE


think) such things as: “If you want a job to be done right, you just have to do it yourself.” Moses welcomed the assistance of others, and in the process, the ministry in general was greatly enhanced and he ministry of Moses in particular. His leadership prospered because he encouraged the ministry of others and gladly shared his ministry."120

limiting the Spirit in Christian ministry. Out of a misguided sense of loyalty to Moses, Joshua perceived the prophesying of the 70 as a threat to the leadership of Moses. Moses did not see it that way at all. He did not seek to hoard the gift God had given to him. He wished that all might possess it, and he welcomed it in others."119

We cannot afford to miss the contrast Following the leadership of Moses here. Kings seek to comes another dynamic eliminate those who leader in Joshua and might share the burden then a long line of of leadership while the qualified prophets. Yet, Apostolic anointing of the people wanted a Moses was not king. They wanted not to threatened but rather, be different but to be like welcomed the diversity. the heathen. However, This pattern gives us a the blame is not entirely model for ministry that their fault. I teach our EVERYTHING RISES AND would set a pattern for leaders this simple FALLS ON LEADERSHIP – things to come in both principle, "EVERYTHING Bernie Wade the Old and New RISES AND FALLS ON Testaments. A pattern that would be LEADERSHIP". Men who are genuine the earmark of a fivefold ministry both led by God are a blessing. Men who are for Israel and for the New Testament led by flesh are a curse to themselves church. Later, Moses' administration and those whom they attempt to lead. (apostolic governance) would give us Pastor, Teachers and Evangelists in the Nowhere is the void of Godly leadership Levitical priesthood, rounding out this more pronounced than in the lives and pattern of fivefold ministry. times of the Prophet Samuel. It is proof that one man can make a difference but "Today, as in days gone by, there are one man cannot change the hearts of far too many leaders who endeavor to men alone. run a “one-man show;” they would not have it any other way. They say (or 119

120

Ibid. Deffinbaugh.

GIVE US A KING

70

Ibid. Deffinbaugh.

BERNIE L. WADE


There can be no mistake that much of what calls itself ministry in our modern culture is just like the sons of Eli. The problem has become so epidemic that even our news headlines feature what seems to be an unending stream of stories about media preachers and men of names who have not only fallen into sin but remain unapologetic and/or continue to portend to be ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ while living in open sin. Like the whorish woman that Solomon wrote about, “they eat, then wipe their mouths and claim they have done no wrong” (Proverbs 30:20).

ISRAEL UNDER ELI Let's examine the condition of the Church in Israel. Instead of being the Spiritual leaders that God had designed them to be, the priests at the time of the young Prophet Samuel had fallen into unspeakable sin. "The sons of Eli were sons of Belial121 - They were perverse, wicked, profligate men; devil's children. They knew not the Lord. These men were the principal cause of all the ungodliness of Israel. Their most execrable conduct, described 1 Samuel 2:13-17, caused the people to abhor the Lord's offering. An impious priesthood is the grand cause of the transgressions and ruin of any nation."122

Our sensitivities have been bombarded with men who have been or claim to be ministers having affairs (even with other ministers of renown), announcing from their pulpits that they are in sin but will continue in that state (claiming that the bible is not really against sin) and a litany of other manifestations that would make Sodom and Gomorrah blush.

121

1 Samuel 2:12 Eli's sons were wicked men; they 121 had no regard for ... Now the sons of Eli were 121 sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. Eli's sons, [Hophni and Phinehas,] were good-for-nothing priests; they ... 1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; http://biblesuite.com/1_samuel/2-12.htm. Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. 1 SAMUEL 2:12 Now the sons of Eli [were] sons of Belial; they knew ... http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1-Samuel-212/ 1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli [were] sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. ... from the King James Bible Online (KJV Bible). 122 Clarke's Commentary on the Bible.

GIVE US A KING

Like our modern ministry these unrepented men (sons of Eli) had turned the people of God away from Him and focused them on the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life (I John 2:16). In the process they pimped the people of God using them for everything from enriching themselves to sexual perversion.

71

BERNIE L. WADE


grandfather and not even God, because even the glory has departed from the place."123 There is much more here than first meets the eye. The Philistines were devout worshippers of Dagon (Nimrod). For these heathens to take possession of the Ark of the Covenant seemed to the people of Israel to be the defeat of their God! Yet, their thinking was all wrong. The Ark of the Covenant was not God. The Ark was merely the place where God chose to meet with Israel. Like their pagan neighbors the people of Israel were quality of equating an object with God. The one true God, eternal in the heavens cannot be contained in things made by man.

God cursed these leaders, causing one of their wives to lament that the Glory of God had departed Israel and thus names her newborn child ICHOBOD. Sadly, there is little evidence that the Glory of God was ever restored to natural Israel. "In the Book of 1 Samuel, his name is said to be a reference to: the glory has departed from Israel, because of the loss of the Ark to the Philistines, and a lesser reference to the deaths of her father-in-law, Eli and her husband, Phinehas. She repeats the phrase, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured," to show her piety, and that the public and spiritual loss lay heavier upon her spirit than her personal or domestic calamity (I Sam. 4:21-22). Doubtlessly, she knew the corruption of her husband and his brother but perhaps had never considered the implications and that their sin would lead to a national tragedy.

There is no denying that they understood this to be a profound judgment from God upon their culture. God was not defeated, He was, however, about to have another chapter in his long battle with Nimrod and his legions. ( Read the full account in I Samuel).

Yairah Amit suggests that his name indicates "the fate of this newborn child who would have no parents, no

GIVE US A KING

123

72

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible.

BERNIE L. WADE


ISRAEL UNDER SAMUEL

many leaders in ministry make, especially as they grow older. Samuel just could not look objectively at his sons. He would excuse sins in them that he would see more clearly in others. This is a common mistake people make with their family, especially with their children. Samuel appointed them as his lieutenants to superintend certain affairs in Beer-sheba, which he could not conveniently attend to himself. But they were never judges in the proper sense of the word; Samuel was the last judge in Israel, and he judged it to the day of his death.124 Unfortunately, his sons walked not in his ways.

The death of Eli brings to the fore a man who had come to the ministry through the unwavering faith and commitment of his mother. Thank God for praying mothers. Samuel is a story told to children around the world. The child who was given by his mother to Eli for a lifetime of service in the Temple. Samuel, the child who heard God audibly speak to him. The prayer and dedication of his mother Hannah manifested in a righteous man who loved God and kept His commandments.

Their iniquity is pointed out in three words: 1. They turned aside after lucre; the original signifies to cut, clip, break off; and therefore Mr. Parkhurst thinks that it means nearly the same with our clipping of coin. It however expresses here the idea of avarice, of getting money by hook or by crook.

After the death of Eli a change of leadership takes place in Israel but the overall spiritual condition of the people in the nation of Israel does not change. Apparently, it only gets worse. Eli’s death ends one era and ushers in another. Although the Prophet Samuel himself was righteous; even after a lifetime of his service the general condition of the people of God does not change. After a long time as the house prophet in Israel we learn that: "He (Samuel) made his sons judges."

The Targum says, “They looked after mamon dishkar, the

Samuel was wrong to appoint his sons as judges over Israel. Nepotism is a common problem with people in general, but is a very harmful mistake GIVE US A KING

124

73

1 Samuel 7:16

BERNIE L. WADE


mammon of unrighteousness;” of which they did not make unto themselves friends but enemies (Matthew 6:24). 2. They took bribes: gifts or presents, to blind their eyes. 3. They perverted judgment - they turned judgment aside; they put it out of its regular path; they sold it to the highest bidder: thus the wicked rich man had his cause, and the poor man was oppressed and deprived of his right.

While the men of Israel clamored for a king like their heathen counterparts their goal was supposedly to have a better system of government than the one led by the prophets of God. However, nowhere in history does the leadership of kings bring a greater sense of justice. One king might be an improvement over another but none of them are an improvement over the government of God. God made it very clear that human government was an inferior plan to the plan that God designed for mankind. Yet, the people of Israel like every civilization in history clamored for a man to be their king – GIVE US A KING. A king did not help the heathen neighbors of ancient Israel. Kings generally pervert righteousness in favor of personal or political gain. This does not mean that a king might not dispense some right decisions. Remember: even a stopped clock is right twice a day. "This (distorted system of justice) was the custom throughout the world [in

THE MAGNA CARTA

GIVE US A KING

74

BERNIE L. WADE


nearly all countries] up until the time when the MAGNA CARTA was obtained (1215 AD); he that would speed in the king’s court must bribe all the officers, and fee both the king and queen!"125 In many ways it did not change then as kings continue to pervert justice for personal gain, but most saw the Magna Charta as an effort to improve the injustices.

brought the subject to his right. Of those times it might well be said, as Homer did, Iliad xvi., ver. 387. oi bih agorh skoliav krinwsi qemistav,ek de dikhn elaswsi, qewn opin ouk alegontev"128

Commentary writer Adam Clark said this, "I have found in our ancient records the most barefaced and shameful examples of this kind".126 Men who were in positions of authority grossly perverting justice was not the exception, it was the rule. The Magna Charta was an attempt to change some of that, “To no man will we sell, to no man will we deny or defer, justice and right.”127

“When the laws are perverted by force; when justice is expelled from her seat; when judges are swayed from the right, regardless of the vengeance of Heaven.” Or, in other words, these were times in which the streams of justice were poisoned in their source, and kings, judges and others in position neither feared God nor regarded man.

Translated: “When guilty mortals break the eternal laws, Or judges, bribed, betray the righteous cause.”

"It was customary in those inauspicious times, for judgment to be delayed in the king’s court, as long as there was any hope that more money would be paid in order to bring it to issue. And there were cases, where the king did not like the party, in which he denied justice and judgment entirely! The Magna Charta brought them to book (or helped), and

LIKE THE HEATHEN

125

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible Clarke's Commentary on the Bible 127 The Magna Charta 126

GIVE US A KING

128

75

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

BERNIE L. WADE


reign of king Rehoboam. Forgotten in the tumult of ‘Give US A KING’ was the prayer of a godly mother, Hannah, whose dedication to Almighty God had produced Samuel and given Israel a righteous ruler. What should have followed was a nation of righteous women praying for their children and raising up more righteous leaders.

HANNAH'S PRAYER

The Elders in Israel were frustrated. Like Korah and company that had complained against Moses, they wanted change. They simply were not happy with the administration of things being in the hands of God. They thought that the answer to this would be found in having a king. Of course there was nothing logical about their thought process, but men seldom do what is in their best interest by following God.

Ver. 1. My heart exulteth in Jehovah; My horn is exalted in Jehovah. My mouth is incited over mine enemies, For I have rejoiced in thy salvation. Ver. 2. There is none holy like Jehovah, For there is none besides thee; There is no rock like our God. Ver. 3. Do not magnify yourselves, speak not proudly, proudly. Let not prevarication come out of your mouth; For the God of knowledge is Jehovah, And by him actions are directed.

The reference here from a Biblical perspective is chilling. What they were saying is that they no longer wanted God they wanted the system of rebellion against God put in place by Nimrod, the enemy of God!

Ver. 4. The bows of the heroes are broken, And the tottering are girded with strength.

Their neighbors, the Philistines were happy to worship Dagon (Nimrod) so the Israelites wanted the same system. They wanted the government of Nimrod instead of the government of God. No wonder Samuel was so distraught. To concede the imprimatur of Israel to an earthly king was like trading brass for gold (and that would come later in the

GIVE US A KING

Ver. 5. The full have hired out themselves for bread, And the famished cease forever. The barren hath borne seven, And she who had many children is greatly enfeebled. Ver. 6. Jehovah killeth, and maketh alive; He bringeth down to the grave,

76

BERNIE L. WADE


and bringeth up.

give strength to his King. And shall exalt the horn of his Messiah.129

Ver. 7. Jehovah maketh poor, and maketh rich; He bringeth down, and he even exalteth.

In fairness, the people of Israel had seen two (or more) generations of abuse at the hands of men who claim to represent God. The Israelites forgot that there was what God said and what men claimed that God said. Their dependence on only hearing the voice of God through a man had caught up with them. Generations before God had preferred to communicate directly with them but they deferred to have God communicate to them through Moses. “The Torah's claim is that the entire people heard God speak at Mount Sinai, experiencing national revelation. God did not just appear to Moses in a private rendezvous; He appeared to everyone, some 3 million people. This claim is mentioned many times in the Torah. [Moses told the Israelites]: 'Only beware for yourself and greatly beware for your soul, lest you forget the things that your eyes have beheld. Do not remove this memory from your heart all the days of your life. Teach your children and your children's children about the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horev [Mount Sinai]...”130

Ver. 8. He lifteth up the poor from the dust; From the dunghill he exalteth the beggar, To make him sit with the nobles, And inherit the throne of glory. For to Jehovah belong the pillars of the earth, And upon them he hath placed the globe. Ver. 9. The foot of his saints he shall keep, And the wicked shall be silent in darkness; For by strength shall no man prevail.

God spoke to you from the midst of the fire, you were hearing the sound of

Ver. 10. Jehovah shall bruise them who contend with him; Upon them shall be thunder in the heavens. Jehovah shall judge the ends of the earth; And he shall

GIVE US A KING

129

Kennicott’s Bible

130

http://www.aish.com/h/sh/se/Did_God_Speak_at _Sinai.html

77

BERNIE L. WADE


words, but you were not seeing a form, only a sound. He told you of His covenant, instructing you to keep the Ten Commandments, and He inscribed them on two stone tablets.' (Deut.4:913)

did God seal this covenant, but with us ― we who are here, all of us alive today. Face to face did God speak with you on the mountain from amid the fire.' (Deut. 5:1-4) “Throughout history, tens of thousands of religions have been started by individuals, attempting to convince people that God spoke to him or her. All religions that base themselves on some type of revelation share essentially the same beginning: a holy person goes into solitude, comes back to his people, and announces that he has experienced a personal revelation where God appointed him to be His prophet.”131 Maimonides writes:

'You have been shown in order to know that God, He is the Supreme Being. There is none besides Him. From heaven he let you hear His voice in order to teach you, and on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words amid the fire.' (Deut. 4:32-36)

Israel did not believe in Moses, our teacher, on account of the miracles he performed. For when one's faith is based on miracles, doubt remains in the

Moses called all of Israel and said to them: 'Hear, O Israel, the decrees and the ordinances that I speak in your ears today ― learn them, and be careful to perform them. The Lord your God sealed a covenant with us at Horev [Mount Sinai]. Not with our forefathers

GIVE US A KING

131

http://www.aish.com/h/sh/se/Did_God_Speak_at _Sinai.html

78

BERNIE L. WADE


far more credible.133 Only the God of the Bible verified his existence to 3 million people at one time! Religion is all the work of men only the followers of the God of the Bible are different.

mind that these miracles may have been done through the occult and witchcraft... What then were the grounds of believing him? The revelation on Sinai which we saw with our own eyes, and heard with our own ears, not having to depend on the testimony of others...132

The people of Israel were right to take a stand but their reliance on some manmade method was gross error. An error that would multiply and mutate through the decades until they could not tell their way from the way of the heathen.

“Thus said the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.” (Jeremiah 10:2)

REPLACING GOD It took generations from Israel to go from asking God to speak to them through Moses until they were comfortable having God just give them a human government like the heathen nations but it happened.

So an entire nation who heard God speak from Mount Sinai now was deciding that they would choose another God! “There are 15,000 known religions in all of recorded history. Given this inherent weakness, why do all of them base their claim on personal revelation? If someone wanted their religion to be accepted, why wouldn't they present the strongest, most believable claim possible ― i.e. national revelation! It's

I Samuel 8:4-5. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations (heathen or gentiles).” 133

132

http://www.aish.com/h/sh/se/Did_God_Speak_at _Sinai.html

Mishna Torah - Foundations of Torah 8:1

GIVE US A KING

79

BERNIE L. WADE


The Elders of Israel were right that a change was needed. However to continue repeating the same mistakes that the heathen were making expecting a different result is INSANITY. What was needed was a nation of Hannah’s; men and women who would entreat God to hear them and answer their prayers.

to make Israel something special, and they wanted to be just like everyone else! Poole says of this, “woeful stupidity! Whereas it was their glory and happiness that they were unlike all other nations . . . that the Lord was their only and immediate King and Lawgiver.”134

To want a king so they could be like the other nations is a major mistake. Whenever we attempt to be like the world we are on the wrong path. The model that the world had was the one that Nimrod began in Babylon. The nations of the world (then and now) are built on this error of rebellion against God. It was the beginning of a long and ugly future for Israel when they chose Nimrod's system over the imprimatur of Almighty God. There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is DEATH.

Then they said, "And that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." "What? Had the LORD God never won a battle for Israel before? God had just won a spectacular battle for Israel in 1 Samuel 7. Israel did not want a king. They had a king in the LORD God. What they wanted was the image of a king. Their desire for a king was really the desire for someone to look at with their own eyes that looked like what they thought a king should look like."135 This was exactly the error that caused a third of the heavenly host to follow Lucifer.

They had been chosen to be unlike the heathen. They were to be a people directly governed by God. Changing to an earthly king would mean they were a people who were ruled by the dictates of flesh. "God never wanted this to be the goal for Israel. God wanted to make them a special treasure to Him above all people . . . a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6). God wanted

GIVE US A KING

God speaks to Samuel the truth of the whole matter. "They have not rejected you (Samuel) they have rejected me." God is telling Samuel that they had chosen Nimrod over YHWH! Israel's elders should have called for a national

80

134

I Samuel 8. Israel Demands a King. Gene Gucik.

135

I Samuel 8. Israel Demands a King. Gene Gucik.

BERNIE L. WADE


time of fasting and prayer to seek the face of God for His will. However, this is NOT the direction they took.

Samuel gives the people a plethora of reasons NOT to want a king: I. He will force your sons to join his army.

"What was the difference between a king and a judge? A judge was a leader raised up by God, usually to meet a specific need in a time of crisis. When the crisis was over, usually the judge just went back to doing what he was doing before. A king not only held his office as king as long as he lived; he also passed his throne down to his descendants.

II. Some will ride in his chariot III. Some will serve in the cavalry IV. Others will run ahead of his own chariot. V. Some of them will be officers in charge of a thousand soldiers, and others will be in charge of fifty. VI. Still others will have to farm the king’s land and harvest his crops VII. Some will make weapons and parts for his chariots.

 In addition, a judge would not have a “government.” He was there to meet a specific need in a time of crisis. A king would establish a standing government, with a bureaucracy, which is both a blessing and a curse to any people.

VIII. Your daughters will have to make perfume or do his cooking and baking. IX. The king will take your best fields, as well as your vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his own officials.

 In Judges 8, Gideon was offered the throne over Israel. He refused it, saying “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.” (Judges 8:23) This was the heart of all the judges, and why Israel went some 400 years in the Promised Land without a king."136

136

X. He will also take a tenth of your grain and grapes and give it to his officers and officials. XI. The king will take your slaves and your best young men and your donkeys and make them do his work. He will also take a tenth of your sheep and goats.

XIII. You will become the king’s slaves XIV. You will finally cry out for the Lord to save you from the king you wanted.

I Samuel 8. Israel Demands a King. Gene Gucik.

GIVE US A KING

81

BERNIE L. WADE


But the Lord won’t answer your prayers.

implemented which was in defiance to God.

All of this was of none affect. The people wanted a king. For too long they had pinned after the gods of the Amorites and others. Their hearts were already turned away from God.

Even the best of these natural leaders was apt to make serious offence to God. Saul tried to not only be king, but he decided that he could also be priest. Why not, that is what Nimrod did, so did the Pharaohs and others. Unfortunately there has only ever been one legitimate KING/PRIEST and that was Jesus Christ. Those men who seek to be both king and priest embark on a trial of error.

THE KINGS LEAD THEM FURTHER AWAY FROM GOD

Historically and spiritually one constant is that those who attempt to fill the office of King and Priest fail miserably. David who was a man after God's own heart doesn't fare any better. Like his predecessors he fails in many ways. "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. And Joab answered, The LORD makes His people a hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why then doth my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab.

The move from the apostolic leadership ordained by God to the imperial imprimatur of a king would take the people of God on a rolling coaster ride. Going from worshipping the Creator of the Universe to following after a human who has attempted to make himself deity can have a devastating effect on people. The various kings would take the people from spiritual leadership and worship of the true God to the institution of human government like the heathen nations or more aptly like Nimrod had

GIVE US A KING

Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. And Joab gave the sum of

82

BERNIE L. WADE


the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword. But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab. And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel."

was God and when man gets in God's place (just like in the garden of Eden) God takes special notice of the impasse. David numbered the people in order to gratify his pride. He did it out of curiosity and ostentation. He derived great satisfaction in knowing that he had an enormous amount of people (warriors) and could brag about it to the other nations. It was a satanically induced, self-sufficient spirit that took control of him and caused him to trust in his own strength rather than the strength and power of the kingdom of God. He sought security in the strength of his armies rather than in the promises of God. He forgot the strength of His God and gloried in the extent of his own reign as king. What exposed him to Satan's temptation in the first place was prosperity. Joab - David's general who was active in the public affairs of the kingdom - was displeased with this decision. He asked his Leader some very piercing questions

David instructs Joab to number Israel

Was it wrong to number the people? No, not necessarily. In Exodus 30:1216, it is recorded that Moses numbered the people for the express purpose of extracting a tax from them to cover the cost of the sanctuary needs. What was the difference between Moses' numbering and David's? Simply this Moses did it out of necessity, while David did it out of vanity and pride. This is the way of man, exalt himself. David thought that his role was not just King, it GIVE US A KING

"...why then doth my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?” Joab was asking David why he would do such a thing that would cause an occasion of punishment to come upon the nation of Israel. Why would he want to get Israel in trouble with God by making the entire nation guilty of sin? The Scriptures tell us that - ...the king's word was abominable to Joab...

83

BERNIE L. WADE


"Nonetheless, Satan was given place through David's pride to harden his heart and blind his mind from any possible reasoning to the contrary. What happened as a result?"...And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel." Seventy thousand men were killed (1 Chronicles 21:14).137 God has been consistent since the Garden of Eden. Sin and trespass will bring death. This was the penalty in the garden, it was the penalty at Babel and so was the penalty on David's poor judgment. We could write volumes on the topic of man's rebellion against God in general and of Israel's rebellion against God in particular, as the whole of the Old Testament Chronicles the continual refusal to follow God in favor of the dictates of men.

137

Pray for all Leaders. Benson Musyini.

GIVE US A KING

84

BERNIE L. WADE


CHAPTER 2 AMERICA REBELS AGAINST GOD

GIVE US A KING

85

BERNIE L. WADE


“As long as people would kill in the name of God the world will not know peace - Hilary Clinton

GIVE US A KING

86

BERNIE L. WADE


DISCLAIMER: We use the backdrop of the resent US elections as one point of reference. We are making no effort to take a political position. My role is to help the Royal Priesthood (Body of Christ). My objective is to help my fellow believers focus on the real task before us; as one of my friends says, 'keep the main thing, the main thing'. The 'main thing' for the Body of Christ is Jesus Christ in the heart of every man, woman and child. I welcome your response, but have no interest in political wrangling.

GIVE US A KING

87

BERNIE L. WADE


PILGRIMS

States said it this way, "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this - that it connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." - John Quincy Adams64 While, for the most part, this was an amenable arrangement even the best of human government cannot replace the imprimatur of the Holy Spirit.139 America's third President, Thomas Jefferson said, "The Bible is the cornerstone of liberty. A student's perusal of the sacred volume will make him a better citizen, a better father, and a better husband."140 A plethora of other founders weighed in on the subject with similar insight including Noah Webster, James Madison, and Patrick Henry. Even the Supreme Court eventually chimed in on the topic of whether or not the United States was a Christian nation. Yet, the definition of what it means to be a 'Christian' nation is certainly an area of much disagreement as some 38000 'Christian' denominations are found in America.

Whether you hold that the founding fathers were devout Christians, secular Deists or garden variety heathens playing popular politics, the references and quotes from the founding fathers about God in general, Jesus Christ in particular and the Bible are unmistakable. "In terms of religious affiliation, the men mirrored the overwhelmingly Protestant character of American religious life at the time and were members of various movements and religious denominations. One was a minister, [three or more] had studied theology but had not been ordained."138 Only two...were Roman Catholics."

“There is no dissonance in these declarations. There is a universal language pervading them all, having one meaning. They affirm and reaffirm that this is a religious nation. These are not individual sayings, declarations of private persons. They are organic utterances. They speak

"The second President of the United 138

139

Under God in the Pledge. ProCon.org. US Founding Fathers. Paragraph 1.

GIVE US A KING

140

88

Swamp Bubbles. By Kooz. July 3, 2008. Swamp Bubbles. By Kooz. July 3, 2008

BERNIE L. WADE


the voice of the entire people. While because of a general recognition of this truth the question has seldom been presented to the courts, yet we find that in Updegraph v. Com., 11 Serg. & R. 394, 400, it was decided that, ‘Christianity, general Christianity, is, and always has been, a part of the common law of Pennsylvania.” — Supreme Court Decision, 1892 Church of the Holy Trinity Decision v United States

Supreme court's insight). The Supreme Court also affirmed more generally that the United States is a "religious nation". This speaks more to the heart of the matter. Yes, the United States is a religious nation. Further, the majority of the citizens claim Christianity as their religion. However, this does not mean or portend that the majority of Americans are followers of Jesus Christ. Remember: Religion is what man says that God said; not necessary what God actually said. Religion is what man says that God said; not necessary what God actually said.

DEMOCRACY

As a follower of Jesus Christ it is somewhat comforting to have our Nation's highest court affirm our Christian foundation. However, it is debatable what all of that means when held to close scrutiny. Can a nation, any nation, really be a Christian one? I would propose that a nation cannot be a Christian nation. A nation might be established with Christian principles, the people of that nation might be devout followers of Jesus Christ and that Christ like nature would make the people Christians and where these Christians dwell might rightly be called a Christian nation (that was the basic premise of the GIVE US A KING

The very idea and the initial inertia to press the will of the people toward a representative form of government rather than become like the Monarchies of Europe came from these pilgrims. Too often their followers had felt the sting of some imperial edict and they wanted a new government; one of the

89

BERNIE L. WADE


Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, & Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the first Colony in the northern Parts of Virginia; Do by these Presents, solemnly and mutually, in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid: And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Officers, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general Good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience. IN WITNESS whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape-Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Domini; 1620.

people, for the people and by the people. The idea of such a country seems to have been on the minds of nearly all the pilgrims or 'Separatists' as some termed them. William Bradford said that the people were of a mind to "would use their own liberty; for none had power to command them...."141 For a plethora of reasons these agreed to the now well known Mayflower Compact but it is evident that a seed of desire for more freedoms was sown that their posterity some 150 years later would recognize and act upon.

Mayflower Compact : 1620 Agreement Between the Settlers at New Plymouth : 1620

It is evident that while the signers of the Mayflower Compact affirmed an alliance with King James they were also staking their claim to be self governing. Their posterity just four generations later would affirm a similar document that would begin with these amazing words; WE THE PEOPLE...

IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign 141

Bradford, William (1898). "Book 2, Anno 1620". In Hildebrandt, Ted (PDF). Bradford's History "Of Plimoth Plantation". Boston: Wright & Potter. Retrieved 2006-06-01.

All of this came about because of an GIVE US A KING

90

BERNIE L. WADE


label democratization."142

oppressed people who were seeking freedom. What is certain is that people hungry for an opportunity and a place to worship God without the constant fear of government intervention came to the "New World" to fulfill that dream. Braving the hardships of transatlantic travel, the unknown of a previously foreign world and the threat of reprisal from the natives whom they were trying to displace, these Pilgrims, as they were generically referred to, made a stake in what would become the United States of America.

"But theirs was a religious, not a political agenda; moral and theological principles were involved, and from their perspective, there could be no compromise. For them 2 Corinthians made it clear: "Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord."143

"They [the Pilgrims] believed that the reforms of the Anglican church had not gone far enough, that, although the break with Catholicism in 1535 had moved some way toward the Puritan belief in and idea of religious authority grounded solely in Scripture, by substituting king for pope as the head of the church, England was only recapitulating an unnecessary, corrupt, and even idolatrous order (Gill, 19-21). In one basic respect, the Pilgrims are a logical outcome of the Reformation. In its increasing dissemination of the Bible, the increasing emphasis on it as the basis of spiritual meaning, the subsequently increasing importance of literacy as a mode of religious authority and awareness, a growing individualism was implicit. This individualism may then have easily led to an atomization or dispersion of authority that the monarchy duly feared, and that later generations of Americans could easily

GIVE US A KING

"The Pilgrim Story — the hazardous voyage, the 1620 landing, the fearful first winter, the First Thanksgiving at Plymouth — is the founding story of America. This dramatic saga of courage and perseverance has inspired the American people throughout the nation’s history. It has been depicted through monumental history paintings, ranging from Henry Sargent’s heroic 13’x16’ Landing of the Pilgrims to Jennie 142

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/puritan/purhist.ht ml 143 http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/puritan/purhist.ht ml

91

BERNIE L. WADE


Brownscombe’s First Thanksgiving.

CHRISTIANS IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES

The true story behind these images is even more heroic."144 These Pilgrims not only were successful in establishing their freedom of religion in this New World, but in time their quest for religious liberty became a 'right' recognized in the government of the United States of America through the Bill of Rights. Additionally, they established a plethora of schools to preserve their way of life for their posterity. Some of these schools (Like Harvard) became institutions that set the standard for how education in America and in the rest of the world.

A country founded on such important Christian values could not escape its foundational teachings entirely. Yet, Americans (like Israel at the time of Samuel) are fast loosing contact with their foundational Biblical teaching. While the politically correct or PC mentality has invaded the thought process and actions it has also impacted those who would be followers of Jesus Christ. The strong voice of the pulpit challenged American leaders. Voices like George Whitefield who pioneered itinerant evangelical preaching in the American colonies"71 and challenged it's leaders to pick up the cause of freedom that led to the American Revolution and American independence. Even the least of the religious community in the American colonies was impressed by the preaching of Whitefield. Benjamin Franklin attended a revival meeting in

Because of the commitment of the Pilgrims and their posterity, the United States became a bastion for religious liberty and people the world over have long considered the United States to be a Christian nation. For more than 200 years followers of Jesus Christ in and from the United States have been instrumental in spreading the Gospel message all over the world making America the center of the Christian world. The United States has been the seedbed for a plethora of 'revival' movements that have spread globally. By 1990 87% of people in the United States identify themselves as Christians.145 144

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/puritan/purhist.html 145 Religious Tolerance.org. Copyright © 2001 to 2012 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance.

GIVE US A KING

Originally written: 2001-DEC-15. Latest update: 2012-DEC-04. Author: B.A. Robinson

92

BERNIE L. WADE


Philadelphia and was greatly impressed.146 Although unlikely, the revivalist preacher (Whitefield) and the worldly Franklin developed a lifelong close friendship.

Methodism of Wesley and Whitefield to the American frontier), Jonathan Edwards, Henry Ward Beecher, Norman Vincent Peale, Aimee Semple McPherson, Bishop William Seymour, Charles F. Parham, Billy Graham and a plethora of others. These transformed those around them, challenged the people to repent and come to a new level of relationship with Jesus Christ.

DEMOCRACY AND THE PULPIT American clergy were among the first to take a strong stand for democracy including freedom for slaves, freedom of religion and other points that became pillars in the Bill of Rights. "The First Great Awakening democratized religion by redressing the balance of power between the minister and the congregation. Rather than listening demurely to preachers, people groaned and roared in enthusiastic emotion; new divinity schools opened to challenge the hegemony of Yale and Harvard; personal revelation became more important than formal education for preachers. Such concepts and habits formed a necessary foundation for the American Revolution."147

MODERN CHRISTIANS AND INDIVIDUALISM "Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual".148 Individualism makes the individual its focus and so starts with the fundamental premise that the human individual is of primary importance in the struggle for liberation. Based in philosophy liberalism, existentialism and anarchism are examples of movements that take the human individual as a central unit of analysis."149 "An individualist enters into society to further his or her own interests, or at least

Other American preachers that made an amazing impact on the people include Francis Asbury (who spread the

148

The Gospel Coalition. Kingdom People. Trevin Wax... Great American Preachers and Sermons. Interview with Larry Witham. Part 1. 9/10/2008. 149 L. Susan Brown. The Politics of Individualism: Liberalism, Liberal Feminism, and Anarchism. BLACK ROSE BOOKS LID. 1993

146

The Gospel Coalition. Kingdom People. Trevin Wax... Great American Preachers and Sermons. Interview with Larry Witham. Part 1. 9/10/2008. 147 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Whitefield

GIVE US A KING

93

BERNIE L. WADE


demands the right to serve his or her own interests, without taking the interests of society into consideration (an individualist need not be an egoist). The individualist does not lend credence to any philosophy that requires the sacrifice of the self-interest of the individual for any higher social causes."150 Individualism is the ultimate outcropping of the humanistic manifesto of Satan and Nimrod. It is the utopian "you will be a god" come to fruition.

major voice in American politics so that his/her opinions might be known. We have also somehow morphed the concept of government, the religion of fatalism and modern individualism with the very fabric of Christianity giving us something that more closely resembles the Roman Government of Constantine than the religious freedom sought by the Pilgrims. Thus, our modern society resembles the religious, ethical and moral composite of the Emperor Constantine but looks nothing like the

Gospel of Jesus Christ or the New Testament Church.

In American politics this focus on individual rights became the 'rally cry' and by the 1930's politicians were promising every American prosperity with slogans like “a chicken in every pot”. In other words, the politicians were promising the people individual prosperity if they would vote for them. While the Pilgrims sought a government that ensured them freedom of religion, the modern Christian has not only sought to assert his "rights" and be a

American Christians continue to divide themselves along political lines. Already divided by the plethora (some 38000) of Christian denominations modern Christians are dividing themselves into factions based on political parties and proclaiming all those who oppose their party as emissaries of Satan or some similar rant. Twenty years is a long time. Polls show that America is a less Christian nation than it was 20 years ago, and

150

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individualism#cite_ note-ReferenceA-3

GIVE US A KING

94

BERNIE L. WADE


Christianity is not losing out to other religions, but primarily to a rejection of religion altogether, a recently published survey found. "Seventy-five percent of Americans call themselves Christian, according to the American Religious Identification Survey from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1990, surveys showed the figure was 86 percent."151 "William Donohue, president of the Catholic League said he thinks a radical shift towards individualism over the last quartercentury has a lot to do it."152

The New Christian Democrats say this in an article titled "Jesus is a Liberal": "It is clear that we American Christian Democrats are in a jam. We've become the silent majority, we have almost no political voice and the Radical Right has stolen the humble, compassionate, inclusive and loving "peoples" mantle of a Liberal Jesus and converted Him into a judgmental, elitist, ultra conservative fascist poster boy. Let's just say it: "How did Jesus become pro-rich, prowar and only pro-America? It is time to take back our faith. Any Gospel that isn't 'good news' to poor people is simply not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And since when did promoting and pursuing a progressive social agenda with a concern for economic security, health care, and educational opportunity mean you had to put faith in God aside?"154

JESUS WOULD NOT BE A DEMOCRAT There are factions in everything, politics certainly are no different. Yet, those who are followers of Jesus Christ should not be divided from each other. "I’ve met Democrats who insist to me that a true Christian can only vote Democrat, mapping Jesus’ commands to love with compassion onto a progressivist social agenda."153 There you have it. In this view of many only Democrats have the potential to be Christians. 151

CNN Living. RELIGION. America becoming less Christian, Study Finds. March 09, 2009. 152

CNN Living. RELIGION. America becoming less Christian, Study Finds. March 09, 2009.

Ok, let's be real here, was Jesus really 'inclusive? Could any political party in

153

Roads from Emmaus. Why I Love (True) Religion Because I Love Jesus. January 12, 2012.

GIVE US A KING

154

http://www.jesusisaliberal.org/New_Christian_ Democrat.html

95

BERNIE L. WADE


America (or the World) really represent the views of the Christ, the Creator of the Universe? Possibly, but do they is the real question. When we look at these political machines designed by men they much more represent the mentality of the followers of Nimrod or those in Israel that were focused not on God or the manifestation of His Christ but on GIVE US A KING! When we read the words of Jesus Christ we do indeed find compassion for the more but this hardly serves as a claim that He was inclusive.

professing Christians) cheered as Bill Maher made many insulting comments about Christians in general and politicians and other public figures who give homage to Christ in particular. While Maher may have a point about Christians (both Democrat and Republican) being hypocritical, his method of cursing Christ while promoting his atheistic agenda is hardly comparable to anything in the Word of God.

Jesus said he came to bring division. “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. “ Matthew 10:35 While it could certainly be argued that Jesus was indeed inclusive and/or a liberal, but what exactly does that mean. When American politicians use words like inclusive they are generally attempting to explain away God’s judgment against sin in general and sins of the flesh in particular.

“It’s the preachers from the top of Mount Idiot like Bill Maher who are hard to understand. If you want to know Maher’s overriding philosophy on anything, you have to go back to high school and the stoner in the last row, surrounded by sycophants as he makes ugly cracks about his betters. That was the vein of the tweet that Maher chucked at Tebow on Christmas Eve, after the Broncos quarterback was intercepted three times in a loss to the

When they say that Jesus was a liberal are they insinuating that he was a Jewish man running a freak show like Bill Maher? I hope not as that would be a serious insult to Jesus Christ. It is evident that politicians will stoop to nearly anything in order to get votes. Democrats (and some of them GIVE US A KING

96

BERNIE L. WADE


Buffalo Bills. Maher wrote, “Wow, Jesus just [expletive] Tim Tebow bad! And on Xmas Eve! Somewhere in hell Satan is Tebowing, saying to Hitler, ‘Hey, Buffalo’s killing them.’ ”

Olympics with the success of nonAryans, including Jesse Owens. As stated in Albert Speer’s Inside the Third Reich: “He was highly annoyed by the series of triumphs by the marvelous colored American runner, Jesse Owens. People whose antecedents came from the jungle were primitive, Hitler said with a shrug; their physiques were stronger than those of civilized whites and hence should be excluded from future games.”156

Set aside the intriguing question of whether Maher would have the nerve if Tebow were Muslim. Or whether he’s funny. What’s more interesting is why Maher, and other political commentators from Bill Press to David Shuster, feel compelled to rip on Tebow simply for kneeling.155

“In 1933 when Hitler had just come into power, all Jewish players, club owners, sponsors and journalists were excluded. One tenth of the pre-war Jewish German population (40,000) was involved in sport clubs. By 1945, only a few thousand Jews remained in all of Germany.”157 Yet, Bill Maher remains celebrated by liberals and other God haters with affiliation in all political parties.

If this is the liberal we are discussing then it is the farthest thing from Christ Jesus. Historically, this rhetoric from Mr. Maher is frightening at levels far beyond politics and sports. The use of the media to persecute, malign and single out people of faith has a long and sordid history. While Maher who is Jewish happily singles out Christians, 80 years ago people were singling out Jewish people and people of color in much the same manner “as exemplified by Hitler’s infamous distaste during the 1936

"Another thing can be confidently stated, based upon observations of current facts about American politics. The Democrat Party would never have Jesus as a member. Much of the basis for that

155

156

Bill Maher and Tim Tebow: Why are so many offended by the quarterback’s faith? The Washington Post. Sports. Sally Jenkins. December 30, 2011.

GIVE US A KING

Speer, Albert. Inside the Third Reich. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. Print. Quote from page 73 157 “Germany Tries to Purge Nazi Past Before World Cup.” Red Orbit – Science, Space, Technology, Health News and Information. Web. 12 Dec. 2009.

97

BERNIE L. WADE


observation is found in the issues mentioned above. The reality is that on the one hand Jesus would never become a member of their political party and on the other they would certainly NOT let him become a member.

the administration of closet Democrat Mayor Mike Bloomberg one can get an abortion but is limited by his law to how large a soft drink they may purchase from a fast food restaurant. As followers of Christ we agree with the right to free will or choice but never when that choice blatantly violates the law of God. In the Democrat form of 'the right to choose' the unborn child is deprived of all rights - this is certainly not a compatible position with even the most liberal of concepts of Jesus Christ. The Democrats continue to promote homosexual activism. The fascination with those who chose to identify themselves by their debauchery is disturbing. What the leftist term "gay rights" offers as normal a debased, debauched lifestyle that God calls abominable. A choice that brought both a cursed and destruction to Sodom and Gomorrah.

Remember, they resounding voted God off their platform and that was just the general reference to God, not the specific reference to Jesus Christ (which would have been even more opposed). Like modern Israel Americans are clamoring for a different form of government than one that gives homage to the King of Kings. We seem quite willing to give anyone a change regardless of whether or not Jesus Christ is Lord of his life. This is not a new occurrence, even in America. The Democrats' leadership (and rank-nfile) consistently support abortion--or, as they term it, "the right to choose” filing right along with American’s fascination with individualism at the expense of others equating entitlement with God given rights. Those who support these individual rights are extremely inconsistent. In New York City under

GIVE US A KING

98

BERNIE L. WADE


There is a way that men think is right, and its ways are the ways of death.158

I am also sure those who are more committed to being Democrats than they are either followers of Christ or Americans are not happy to have their political choices challenged based on its disagreement with the Word of God.

Liberals defend pornography as art. In America they distort a God given and Constitutionally ensured right - free speech – to become an entitlement to their Godless agenda. This political party comes down on the side of liberal federal judges who have ruled that God should be thrown out of the public places of America.

Sorry, but I am really not interested in your political feelings. Like the three Hebrew men who were about to be thrown in the fiery furnace, “I am not careful to answer these things”.

These judges --and the Democratic Party by supporting them--declare "The Ten Commandments," "In God We Trust" on our currency, and "One nation, under God" in the "Pledge of Allegiance" dangerous to our school children and our society."159 While they rail against these things our children are repeatedly murdered in our schools and their answer is not to let God back in but rather to take more freedoms (this one in the form of the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution) from law abiding citizens.

This is one of the problems that disciples of Jesus Christ need to come to terms with; our hope is not in this world. Jesus did not go around putting His finger up in the air wondering how the political winds were blowing before he took a position. The liberal Jesus was quite comfortable taking a cat of nine tails and whipping the money changers in the Temple. Imagine that!

At this point, I expect that everyone except those who are aligned with the Democrat Party is in agreement with my observations. Yet, I know that even many of them are concerned about the direction of their party and some wonder if they have not opened Pandora's box. 158

Proverbs 14:12

159

Would Jesus Vote Republican? Todd Strandberg. Rapture Ready.

GIVE US A KING

99

BERNIE L. WADE


Jesus at the Temple

rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand!" "There is one thing certain we can state, based upon the integrity of Bible truth. Jesus would never endorse or be a member of any party whose platform supports abortion, gay rights, and a general hostility to Bible-believing Christians."160 This probably excludes any current and possibly every past political party in America. However, some Americans believe they have found the 'promised land' in one of the American political parties that opposes the Democratic parties ideology. Kind of the enemy of my enemy is my friend. It is interesting that when I travel around the world people have a very different impression of what the American Democrat party is about. Much different than what the Democrats actually have in their platform.

Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise?” I don't know this if this is the liberal Jesus but it certainly is the only one that came to redeem mankind from our sins. My hope is in Jesus Christ. Let God be true and all men be liars. The lyrics of an old hymn say, "On Christ the solid

GIVE US A KING

160

100

Would Jesus Vote Republican? Todd Strandberg.

BERNIE L. WADE


JESUS WAS A REPUBLICAN

concoction that man might incant. Marriage between humans (a man and a woman) is the ONLY marriage that God recognizes, so it is certain that he did not condone a marriage between the Christians and the Republicans. So, sorry, my Republican leaning friends, but Jesus was not a Republican.

Somewhere we have been given the idea that Jesus was a Republican. Democrats hate this but Republican generally do little (if anything) to change the perception instead holding fast to the false security that they hold some special advantage or privilege not offered to others. There seems to be many Republican that think Jesus was in fact a Republican or at least he would have been on the side of Republican party. Although Martin Luther King was a card carrying member of the Republican party; Jesus Christ is not now nor has he ever been a member.

"We can say with equal certainty that Jesus would not be a card-carrying member of the Republican Party. The Grand Old Party may endorse many values that can be traced back to the Bible, but it is still the GOP, not the GOD party. Because the party is run by corrupt man, a perfect and Holy God would never lend His credibility to that or any other earthly organization."161

I don't know where the proposed marriage was held between the Christian Right and the Republican party (perhaps at a Moral Majority rally) but in the last 30 years we have seen the concept of Republicans and Christians intertwined as though the two were married.

"The Republican Party has been branded by the Democrats to be the "party of greed." This label is not stamped without a degree of legitimacy. Man is a greedy being in his fallen state. Politicians within both major parties use the love of money to step on the backs of those they are supposed to serve. There are few innocent of power grabbing for riches within the American political process regardless of party affiliation.

One of the platforms in the Republican party is marriage is between a man and a woman. That is right. God ordained marriage to between men and women. The Genesis story confirms that He created Adam and Eve and put them together. There was no Adam and Steve, Adam and Lilith or any other GIVE US A KING

161

101

Would Jesus Vote Republican? Todd Strandberg.

BERNIE L. WADE


When it gets down to the bare facts, the only advantage the Republican Party offers is that it is the lesser of two evils."162

flawed. To be specific, sin reigns supreme within its ranks because human beings, most wanting to see their star rise above all other stars, as often as not throw character and integrity aside to achieve goals--usually of a selfserving nature. Again, ends justify means in the political process."163

While the idea of the "lesser of two evils" seems like a good option; the concept is not a Christian one. Rather, the concept of the lesser of two evils is found in other religions especially Hinduism. Perhaps it was the doctrine of Nimrod? So, when American Christians vote for the 'lesser of two evils' based on that ideology they are unknowingly embracing an anti-Christ thought process.

History has proven that the leaders of Rome and of Israel at the time of Christ were for the most part some of the most vile and evil men on the planet. Yet, Jesus Christ focused on his mission not on their excesses. This was neither a copout nor an endorsement of their lifestyle. Rather, it was a living example of how we should conduct our lives.

One of the 10 Commandments is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me". It is evident that this includes "thou shalt have no other religions before me". Like Nimrod of old, through political parties we have re-explained the plan of God in new humanistic terms so that unsuspecting American Christians quickly endorse the rhetoric, the candidates and the parties no matter how far they stray from the word of God. Nimrod, like Satan, would have been more than happy to have God endorse him and his plan. However that is exactly the opposite of God's plan. God is not waiting for humans to endorse his plan. "Humanism remains at the core of the GOP's, or any political party's, attempts to rule. This means that it, like its Democratic counterpart, is fatally 162

163

Would Jesus Vote Republican? Todd Strandberg.

GIVE US A KING

102

Would Jesus Vote Republican? Todd Strandberg.

BERNIE L. WADE


PROPAGANDA WARS

Social media and social networking have taken this process and put it on steroids. Now, you can go to your favorite social network and be propagandized by your friends, family and acquaintances and it is not like you didn’t ask for it, you didn’t have to add them to your list of friends! Social media has enlisted tens of millions of unsuspecting Christians in the largest propaganda campaign the World has ever witnessed. What makes it worse is that we have been convinced we are doing the work of God. What honest Christian could argue that the bent of our society is leading us away from God and toward national calamity.

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 ~ Consider the work of God, for who is able to straighten what He has bent? In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider— God has made the one as well as the other so that man will not discover anything that will be after him.

The concept of freedom, liberty and justice from a Biblical perspective is often much different than what people think. While most of the world has been relieved of the ravages of slavery, the reality is that there are many things which seek to enslave us.

Most Americans and with them most Christians have little or no idea that they have been enlisted in perhaps the most cunning war in the history of the United States or even the World. What is happening is that Americans have been enrolled in promoting propaganda. Unlike some propaganda efforts no one has forced us to enlist; we are doing this of our own free will. Unfortunately, not only are Americans in general waging this propaganda campaign, but Christians in many cases are leading the charge with the end result often making them look ridiculous and demeaning the cause of Christ.

GIVE US A KING

I fear that many of us have, without realizing it, taken the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and morphed or confused it with our volunteer positions at the Ministry of Propaganda.

103

BERNIE L. WADE


“I don't think they have realized that they have compromised their ministry. I believe they may be deceived in thinking that they are doing God's will. Unless you have all the facts, in which God is the only one, can we compare it to Scripture and see if it lines up. Either way we keep moving in the path that His light shines and we don't look back. Looking back and walking forward is very dangerous to ones feet and nose, or in my case the belly, which ever sticks out the furthest at the time of impact.”164 The Word of God gives us specific instruction on what we are to do with these challenges. What we do instead is hoist our RIGHTS up so that the entire world can hear us when we promote our rugged individualism.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The “certain unalienable Rights” that are mentioned are “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It is sad indeed that we have drifted so far from our founding and the Bible, that many of our citizens have developed an “Entitlement Mentality.” Actually, there are illegal aliens within our borders who are very aware of this “Entitlement Mentality.” The cold hard fact is that this “Entitlement Mentality” is actually being advertised nationally. Folks are being taught how to get things from the government. Many promises made during the Presidential race were directed toward this so-called “right”. Promises were made concerning health care, housing, higher education, and even the redistribution of wealth from the haves to the have nots. Actually, the prize goes to the person making the most promises in regard to these “Entitlements.” We have become a “Welfare State” yet we do not fare well. These thoughts are not about the haves being greedy…many of the haves are involved in helping the helpless and hurting.

“In the Declaration of Independence we find these words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, --164

1 John 3:17 teaches us, “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

Perry Hartman.

GIVE US A KING

104

BERNIE L. WADE


Jesus told his disciples that they would be hated. I cannot tell you the dozens, maybe over a hundred times in these 27 years of being a pastor that I have encountered people who thought the world owed them the basics of life. Many of these people have a history of making poor life choices with bad consequences. Included in the list of consequences are mental and physical disabilities and diseases from drugs and alcohol, immoral lifestyles such as sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, poor choices regarding education to name a few. Somehow we have developed the attitude, with the help of a liberal government, that it is our (taxpayers) responsibility to take care of the basic needs of these people.166

The US Constitution Article. IV. Section 2 is the only use of the word “entitled” referring to individuals. It states, “The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several states.” The other 3 times refer to the states. The Bill of Rights, as well, grants nothing in the way of entitlements.” Our Nation’s motto is “In God We Trust”, yet it is a reality that many people have a new motto, namely, “In Government We Trust.” Gerald Ford said, “A government big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take all you have.”165

The Biblical view of the subject is summarized in Galatians 6:7-8 which states, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall reap life everlasting.”

However, this is not a method that either Jesus Christ or the Apostles of the New Testament Church employed. Rather,

The truth is, what we have done as a nation and even as compassionate citizens is to step in between God and man, and in essence have told the Lord

165

http://www.holybiblesays.org/articles.php?ID=35 166

3

GIVE US A KING

105

Pastor Lev Humphris

BERNIE L. WADE


that we will not allow the law of “sowing and reaping” in their lives. The result of this is MORE BAD LIFE CHOICES…

BARAK HUSSEIN OBAMA Christian leaders seem to think that the challenges we face are somehow new. However, we are merely facing the same temptations that Satan used on Adam and Eve and then later repeated on Jesus Christ.

,,, after all, there are little or no consequences being allowed to affect them. Look again at 2 Thess. 3:10, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” Notice the bad choice (not working) that has a consequence (not eating). This is one of the major reasons many millions of people in America have turned to government rather than turning to God.

"Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4: 8-10).

If the prodigal son in Luke 16 had lived in America and had received government entitlements, he no doubt would have never returned to the Father broken and repentant. We do a great disservice by not discerning the validity of their need, and we miss the opportunity to point them to the Lord and His Word.”167

During the 2012 Presidential race the democrats endorsed their reigning champion, the incumbent President, Barak Hussein Obama. Like minded religious leaders lined up to be recognized as endorsing him. "Barack Obama's religious background is more diverse than that of most prominent politicians, but it may prove to be representative of future generations of Americans who grow up in an increasingly diverse America. His mother was raised by non-practicing

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved - Matthew 10:22

167

http://www.holybiblesays.org/articles.php?ID=35

3

GIVE US A KING

106

BERNIE L. WADE


Christians; his father was raised a Muslim but was an atheist by the time he had married Obama's mother. Obama's step-father was also Muslim, but of an eclectic kind who could make room for animist and Hindu beliefs. Neither Obama nor his mother were ever atheists, but she raised him in a relatively secular household where he learned about religion."168

Hindu Gods, or they may not even be a God. It is a wonderful smorgasbord – choose whichever one appeases you. "On Easter or Christmas Day my mother might drag me to church, just as she dragged me to the Buddhist temple, the Chinese New Year celebration, the Shinto shrine, and ancient Hawaiian burial sites. In sum, my mother viewed religion through the eyes of the anthropologist; it was a phenomenon to be treated with a suitable respect, but with a suitable detachment as well."170

Then Senator Obama, said this in his book The Audacity of Hope: "I was not raised in a religious household. For my mother, organized religion too often dressed up closedmindedness in the garb of piety, cruelty and oppression in the cloak of righteousness. However, in her mind, a working knowledge of the world's great religions was a necessary part of any well-rounded education. In our household the Bible, the Koran, and the Bhagavad Gita sat on the shelf alongside books of Greek and Norse and African mythology."169 One would glean from this quote that the one God of the Bible might be God, or the moon God of the goddess Kore from whence came the Koran, or one of the trinity of

In other words recognize that religions exist but don’t be committed to any. From this one would be fair to conclude that Nimrod (Dagon or one of this other names) was as much god as Jesus Christ or Mohammed. The God of this household was a secular God who embraced nearly all religions. Only a politician could appreciate such an approach. No one professing to be a follower of Jesus Christ would equate all of the world's religions as equals. This is certainly not a stance that is compatible with one who is a follower of Jesus Christ. We must concede that to claim to be a Christian means very little in America. Many claim to be Christians who are not; most merely assume they are Christians because they are citizens of what is supposedly a 'Christian' nation; whatever that means is also up for debate.

168

About.com. Barack Obama's Religious Beliefs and Background: What Does Barak Obama Believe? 169 About.com. Barack Obama's Religious Beliefs

GIVE US A KING

170

107

About.com. Barack Obama's Religious Beliefs

BERNIE L. WADE


POLITICAL CHRISTIANS

America politician professing Christianity is really a follower of Jesus Christ. The American politician who claims to be a Christian would be a Muslim in Pakistan and an adherent of Judaism in Israel. People want to think that their political leaders have similar world views. Whether they do or not is another story.

Americans love to have their faith affirmed by their leaders, this is a carryover from European Monarch who gave (give) lip service to being Christian rather than some real commitment to following Jesus Christ. Like in ancient times, these monarchs or other political leaders often fancy that they have some special insight into spiritual matters, not because of being moved by the Holy Spirit but because in their pride and arrogance (like Nimrod) they think they can speak into these matters better than those who are called by God. Like the Pope these politicians oft invoke some right or privilege to interfere in matters reserved for God. This is the root of that problem in the Garden of Eden where mankind expected he could eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil without consequences.

DEFENDER OF THE FAITH Politicians simply want the attention and support of the people. During my 2008 visit to the United Kingdom, Prince Charles made this statement, "I want to be the 'Defender of Faiths' (plural) rather than the 'Defender of the Faith' (singular), as has been previous British Monarchs. While the difference may seem insignificant, nothing could be farther from the truth.

In America it would be political suicide to offend the majority of the voters over any serious issue. For political candidates seeking the nation's highest offices not to claim some form of Christianity would greatly reduce their viability as a candidate for office. This is not much different in other countries. For example, in Pakistan, one cannot even be considered for President unless they are a Muslim. Thus, anyone who is serious about politics in their country claims to be an adherent of Islam. This does not necessarily mean that these politicians take time to pray five times a day like other Muslims any more than an GIVE US A KING

The Emperor Constantine took a similar tact. He became Pope of Pontifus Maximus of all the faiths. This divided followers of Jesus Christ with the larger faction giving in to these demands and allowing Constantine to have the preeminence in decisions regarding the Church. The result of this was that the Babylonians who had been instrumental in directing the pagan temples and pagan religious system in Rome came to be in charge of the Church of Rome.

108

BERNIE L. WADE


political party may very well be a serious conflict of interest. Daniel Mena said it this way, "There are two types of men, principled men and politicians". Being a member of an American political party and a Christian may be like equating a member of the Sanhedrin who crucified Jesus with being a member of the Populares (Roman political party of the people). Yet, Christian leaders (from all parties) have allowed their judgment to be affected and embraced the mammon of partisan politics to impact how their assessment of unrighteous men who happen to be the candidate for their party.

In the case of Prince Charles, "The Monarch's title is a specific recognition of his or her responsibility to preserve the unique, sacred status of Christianity in our society. To be sure, its importance is symbolic, but there are few more powerful things than national symbols."171 "Prince Charles's intention is to extend his symbolic protection to members of minority religions – Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Especially the latter, one suspects. How many times does the Prince have to be told that the pure form of Islam utterly rejects the notion of true religious diversity? " And where, Your Royal Highness, do we draw the boundaries of the "Faith" you defend? Is Scientology a proper faith? Is Spiritualism? Is the Church of Jesus Christ of Aryan Nations? How are you going to tiptoe through the theological and constitutional minefield created when unscrupulous, bizarre or extreme religions demand Royal protection – as they will?172

Throughout the Centuries there have been attempts to equate politically minded men with legitimate Christianity. Perhaps the best example is Constantine who was Emperor of Rome. The Roman Catholic Church has done a very good job of reinventing Constantine as some type of Christian hero. Yet, history portrays "Constantine as a scheming secularist, a politician who manipulates all parties in a quest to

CHRISTIAN LEADERS To equate any leader who is a genuine follower of Jesus Christ as a leader in a 171

The Telegraph. Prince Charles's plan to become 'Defender of Faith will help destroy our Christian Identity. Religion. Damian Thompson. November 14. 2008. 172 Ibid. The Telegraph.

GIVE US A KING

109

BERNIE L. WADE


secure his own power."173 "The pagans loved him and some such as Praxagoras of Athens and Libanius showered him with praise and gifts."174 Compared to other Emperors (like Nero) he was apparently less gruesome. Yes, Julian the Apostate (his son-in-law) wrote the Symposium or the Saturnalia which denigrated Constantine, calling him inferior to the great pagan emperors and given over to luxury and greed.175 Gibbon presents a noble war hero corrupted by Christian influences, who transforms into an Oriental despot in his old age: "a hero... degenerating into a cruel and dissolute monarch".176

believers who were hiding in the mountains to survive, and to protect the Word of God. And as a claim aside from the apostle Peter, Constantine was the FIRST pope. Yet the seducing spirits, just like every pope that followed him, controlled him. In short, he was the second coming of NIMROD."177 The use of Peter has been a clever ruse to hide giving credence to the creation of the 'line' of Pope's from Peter to the present day and supporting the Catholic Dogma of Apostolic Succession. The Catholic Papacy uses the keys to the kingdom given to Apostle Peter to mask their Babylonian religion and the keys of Jannus and Cybele.

"Testified records from the underground vaults of the inner Vatican tell the truth about Constantine and his family. Constantinus Maximus was NOT really “Christianized” for he still worshipped the sun god “Sol” (Roman name for Nimrod) even until his death in 337 AD. He also ordered the killing of true

"Peter is the most important figure in Roman Catholicism because the Vatican claims unbroken succession in Popes, with Peter as the first Pope. Research proves this cannot be true, plus we demonstrate that Catholicism simply teaches ancient Paganism with Christian names."178

173

The Age of Constantine the Great. Johann Lowenklau 174 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Gr eat 175 Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Chapter 18, cited in Barnes, Constantine and Eusebius, 274, and Odahl, 282. See also Lenski, "Introduction" (CC), 6–7. 176 Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Chapter 18, "Introduction" (CC), 6–7.

GIVE US A KING

According to Roman Catholicism, these 177

Emperor Constantine: Pagan, Christian, or First Pope? 178 The Keys to the Kingdom. www.cuttingedge.org. Articles

110

BERNIE L. WADE


keys represent all authority in heaven and in Earth, and she (Catholicism), as the "rightful possessor" through the passing of those keys, has all authority. Pope Gregory VII (the "only pope to canonize himself") drew up a Dictatus (list) of twenty- seven theses outlining his powers as "Peter’s vicar, Prince of the Apostles and Chief Shepherd".179

UNBIBLICAL 7) His legates, even when not priests, have precedence over all bishops. UNBIBLICAL 8) A rightly elected Pope is, without question, a saint, made so by the merits of Peter"180 UNBIBLICAL "Nowhere does scripture reveal that these "keys of the kingdom" are "passed on" to anyone, or that the Apostle Peter had any such power over "emperors and kings". Nonetheless, according to Catholic tradition, Apostle Peter reigned as pope in Rome for 25 years (42 to 67 A.D.); (according to the Vatican - former seat of the pagan god) from that point on, the keys were "passed" from one pope to another in what they claim is an unbroken line of "apostolic succession". What is this apostolic succession? Is it an unbroken line from Peter to John Paul II? The truth is that the Roman church knows the list of popes is not genuine. It has been changed many times."181 Somehow, the meaning of the keys has been distorted to take on the pagan meaning instead of the scriptural one. There was a Peter in Rome, but it was not the apostle Peter. There were keys that stood for all authority in heaven and in earth, but they were the pagan keys of Janus and Cybele. Roman Catholicism has adapted the pagan symbols. Like Lot in the Old Testament the Roman Church pitched its tent toward Sodom.

Pope Gregory VII claimed the Pope had the following eight (8) powers: 1) The Pope can be judged by no one on earth. UNBIBLICAL 2) The Roman church has never erred, nor can it err until the end of time. UNBIBLICAL 3) The Pope alone can depose bishops. UNBIBLICAL 4) He alone is entitled to imperial insignia. UNBIBLICAL 5) He can dethrone emperors and kings and absolve their subjects from allegiance. UNBIBLICAL 6) All princes are obliged to kiss his feet.

180 179

181

Vicars of Christ: DeRosa, 58

GIVE US A KING

111

Vicars of Christ: DeRosa, 58 Vicars of Christ: DeRosa, 58

BERNIE L. WADE


Christ said it very well when it comes to assessing the goodness of men.

"Apostle Peter was never at Rome; but the Pope, seizing the scepter of the Pontifex Maximus, the keys of Janus and Kubelé, and adorning his Christian head with the cap of the Magna Mater, copied from that of the tiara of Brahmâtma, the Supreme Pontiff of the Initiates of old India, became the successor of the Pagan high priest, the real Peter-Roma, or Petroma (the tiara of the Pope is also a perfect copy of that of the Dalai-Lama of Tibet."182 It is evident that like Nimrod, the Pope sought to hold the supremacy of all people. As to Constantine himself, "Even after his “Conversion,” facts testifying that he wasn’t really saved were his devious family affairs from his brother-in-law, to his wives and to his sons which most, resulted in Constantine the Great murders.

And Jesus said unto him, Why call me good? none is good, except one, that is, God.184

AMERICAN KINGS

Another point of his “Christianized” contribution was Constantine's mother Helena, who claims to have found the real cross where Christ was crucified! A Pope's Title: Sumo Maximus Pontifex -after his retirement as the “first Pope,” he gave the bishop of Rome his title and moved to Byzantium, Turkey in 330 AD. Then, he gave it a face lift and renamed the place “Constantinople.”183 Jesus

Unlike the Monarchs of Europe, the founding fathers of the United States of America realized that efforts to make George Washington our first king were a step in the wrong direction. They understood that the very concept of human government was flawed and had limited ability to help mankind. “George

Historiography, and Legend by Samuel Lieu and Dominic Montserrat (Routledge, 1998). Constantine the Great: The Man and His Times by Michael Grant (Scribners / Macmillan, 1994). Constantine and Eusebius by Timothy D. Barnes (Harvard Univ Press, 1981). 184 King James 2000 Bible (©2003)

182

Isis Unveiled, Blavatsky, p. 30 183 Life of Constantine by Eusebius of Caesarea (Oxford Univ Press, 1999). Constantine and the Christian Empire by Charles M. Odahl (Routledge, 2004). The Emperor Constantine by Hans A. Pohlsander (Routledge, 2004). Constantine: History,

GIVE US A KING

112

BERNIE L. WADE


Washington and the other Founders believed that all human beings possess natural rights. They believed the legitimate purpose of government is to protect the rights of individuals. The challenge of human government is that the government must be able to control the governed, but at the same time it must be obliged to control itself. In order to ensure that government protects, but does not threaten, individual rights, government must be limited by a constitution, or written law. Respect for the rule of law, by both the government and the citizens, is necessary to maintain the delicate balance between the government’s power and the people’s liberty. As private citizen, Commander in Chief, and President of the United States, Washington repeatedly demonstrated his respect for the principle of the rule of law.”185

myth. In spite of Washington not being a king, there is a plethora of ‘kingly’ myths about him that have perpetuated in American culture. People persist in making their 'kings' into some vision of virtue and righteousness. This has been the case throughout history. It is shocking that even men like Hitler whom most of the world agrees was the leader of an evil empire, is loved, revered and adored by some. Some of the American Founding Fathers and even Modern U. S. Presidents that have been promoted by their political party and friends as Christians. These includes both Jimmy Carter (Democrat) who was touted as a 'born again' Christian and George W. Bush (Republican) who "by most accounts was the most openly religious president in generations."186 I am not questioning here their personal salvation or whether these have had a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ. When all is said and done, only they and God know those things. However, their conduct is an open book that is observed by many.

George Washington, the man who came to symbolize the American Revolution scorned attempts to participate in any system but democracy. He and his fellow Americans had firsthand experience with the abuse of kings and enough was enough. The idea that there was serious support for America becoming a monarchy is reserved for

"For the first 150 years of the American republic, primary responsibility for religious rights and liberties was lodged 186

Frontline. The Jesus Factor. The Spirituality of George W. Bush. PBS.org. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/je sus/president/spirituality.html

185

http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/classroo m/rule_of_law2.html

GIVE US A KING

113

BERNIE L. WADE


in the states. No federal law governing religious institutions in their relation to the government was ever passed. The federal government got into the act where religion is concerned--at least in a big way--only during the last half century. In recent years, a constitutional position has emerged that might be called strong separationism. This position seeks to strip public life of religious markers, emblems, and ceremony."187

in a plethora of ways. Like Sodom and Gomorrah of old our focus on our self has led us to justifying eugenics, euthanasia and other ideologies of humanism manifesting in a culture that aborts its young (primarily minorities and the poor) and not only protects but seeks to give special entitlement to those who identify themselves based the worship of their sexual organs. This debauchery of open rebellion against the law of God they have clocked under the white washed banner of homosexuality. The rest of America, also unwilling to give God His rightful place in their lives willfully placates these obscenities. American politicians fearful of losing a vote have also jumped at the chance to endorse those with this agenda including the American

AMERICAN IDOL

One of the most popular television shows in American history is a modern show aptly called American Idol. In a nation filled with people focused on themselves it is hardly a surprise that such a show would gain popularity. The American fixation on self is manifested President, Barak Obama. Obama claims to be a Christian while others say that he is a closet Muslim, but neither of these supports such a blatant violation of the law of God.

187

Frontline. The Jesus Factor. PBS.org. Against Secular Monism; on Secularism & Religion. Jeane Bethke Elshtain. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/je sus/art/elshtain0.gif

GIVE US A KING

114

BERNIE L. WADE


having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was fed by the king's country. And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man (Acts 12:20-22).

Joining into the propaganda war are millions of unsuspecting and expectedly well-intentioned Americans (many also claiming to be Christians). "When President Obama gave his acceptance speech I heard the voice of God". This is a post from a self proclaimed Apostle on their Facebook page after the 2012 Presidential elections in the United States. I would love to say that I am surprised by such a comment, but frankly, I am not surprised at all. Somewhere along the way those who should know better, especially those in the leadership of the Church have mutated the will of the people with the will of God. However, it may be that this "apostle" is merely another in a long line of people who use titles as a way to cover their insecurities or add some sort of importance to themselves. I do not know. I am simply saddened that someone whom others may perceive as having significance or even spiritual understanding would think in such a manner and/or make such statements public. As the people of God we should be very careful about such declarations. It matters not the office or the office holder, God is NOT going to give His glory to another.

Don't miss the point here. I am not concerned with your political persuasion. Whether you claim to be a Democrat, a Republican, a Libertarian, a conservative, liberal or whatever is not the point. What you do or don't do in the polling booth has absolutely no bearing on who you are a Christian. Just the opposite may be true. Your choice whether or not to vote and who to vote for may well reflect your values as a Christian, but regardless of the outcome your obligation to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is not changed or affected. Jesus instructed his followers to pray for those

We have a similar incident in the New Testament. And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, GIVE US A KING

115

BERNIE L. WADE


in authority. THE MESSIAH My Facebook friend is not alone in her acclamation. “Nation of Islam leader, the dishonorable minister Louis Farrakhan, calls Barack Obama the “Messiah”:

As Christians, there are a plethora of things that should concern us about political situations. Those who live in the United States and other countries where they are permitted to voice their opinion through the vote should not confuse that right with the will of God. God is not bound by political elections, the will of men or the imprimatur of political power. God does not bow to kings, make obeisance to presidents or wait for permission from Parliament. Entertainer Jamie Foxx spoke these blasphemies to the audience at the 2012 Soul Train Awards

“You are the instruments that God is going to use to bring about universal change, and that is why Barack has captured the youth. And he has involved young people in a political process that they didn’t care anything about. That’s a sign. When the Messiah speaks, the youth will hear, and the Messiah is absolutely speaking.”188

“It’s like church over here! First of all, give an honor to God and our Lord and Savior, Barack Obama.” I hope Mr. Foxx as an entertainer knew that he was speaking in jest, but based on the response of those who claim to represent Jesus Christ, it is doubtful. As to his vision of church, it may well be that is how his church operates but those who follow Christ understand the purpose of the Church is to bring glory to Jesus Christ, not to any man. In fairness, in our entertainment oriented modern church environment that simple message may not have gotten to Mr. Foxx. “It’s highly possible that Foxx, being a comedian, was simply joking by his paraphrasing of a highly familiar greeting or preface statement often spoken in many African-American

188

http://writewingpolitics.wordpress.com/2008/10/ 10/farrakhan-calls-obama-the-messiah/

GIVE US A KING

116

BERNIE L. WADE


churches where the words “Barack Obama” appear in the above quote, the greeting would normally say, Jesus Christ.

few times I’ve caught him on TV, I immediately recognized that he has an affinity to and an intimate knowledge of the Black church. The reason his audience laughed immediately at his “joke,” was because they also readily picked up that this was a familiar expression in the Black church. Therefore, I am going to give Jamie Foxx the benefit of the doubt and assume that he was joking.

But that begs the questions: Is this acceptable comedy to those of us who believe that Jesus is simply off limits to joke about in this manner? Is the Foxx comment a violation of the third commandment, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7)? Is the Foxx comment an example of what Jesus meant when He said, “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh…every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:34b, 36b)? Was Foxx attributing praise and descriptions to President Obama that biblically only can be said of Jesus, thereby committing some form of blasphemy (Matthew 12:24, 31, 32; 1 Timothy 1:12, 13)?

If Foxx was joking, it was a very bad and inappropriate joke; if he was not joking it is an assault on the Christian faith. There is one Lord, and his name is not Barack Obama! His Name is Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; and He shall reign forever and ever. There is none like Him; not even the highly beloved, respected, appreciated and iconic historical figure, President Barack Obama!”189

Jesus’ comments about blasphemy were in response to the Pharisees attributing to the power of the devil, the credit for what should have been attributes to the power of the Holy Spirit (Mt. 12:28). Did Foxx, by invoking the name Barack Obama in a place where only the name the Lord Jesus Christ belongs, commit a violation similar to what the Pharisees committed in Matthew 12:24?

Americans seems to think that their political leaders are righteous especially 189

WHY BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS SHOULD BOYCOTT THE JAMIE FOXX MOVIE “DJANGO UNCHAINED” Posted by Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr. November 27, 2012.

I don’t watch Jamie Foxx often, but the GIVE US A KING

117

BERNIE L. WADE


desperate as the civil war,” Thomas wrote. “But it’s a good bet that Obama is more ambivalent than he lets on about the proper roads fostering prosperity while at the same time, cutting red ink, a challenge that divides the best of economists.”

more righteous than the leaders of other countries. Even if they know that they are not, they will attempt to make it seem that way. While the average American politician may be no more righteous than a Roman Emperor there is still the effort by all political parties on behalf of their candidates.

Baker noted that Thomas has declared Obama as being a God-like figure before.

“The popular news publication Newsweek recently released an online cover story about Barack Obama that has generated controversy among readers because of its large-lettered headline “The Second Coming.” “Conservatives have long joked that the national press corps see Barack Obama as the second coming of Jesus Christ,” writes Brent Baker of Newsbusters.

“In a way, Obama’s standing above the country — above the world,” Thomas said during a 2009 interview on MSNBC. “He’s sort of God. He’s going to bring all different sides together.” Many have been describing Obama as a type of messiah even before his first four years in office. Writer Dave Jolly notes that during the last election, Maggie Mertens, associate editor for the Smith College newspaper, penned an article entitled “I Will Follow Him: Obama as My Personal Jesus.”190

“Today, Newsweek … made it official.” While writer Evan Thomas insinuates later within the body of the article that the comparison was rather to Abraham Lincoln, others have found the cover to be a messianic statement that makes a play of Scripture.

Florida A&M professor Barbara

“Obama may not be the second coming of Lincoln, and our times are hardly as

GIVE US A KING

190

http://christiannews.net/2013/01/21/newsweekhails-obama-as-messianic-second-coming/

118

BERNIE L. WADE


Thompson published a book titled “The Gospel According to Apostle Barack.” The book likens Obama to Jesus Christ and Martin Luther King, Jr.191

In all fairness Barak Obama is certainly not the only American politician or President to be equated with apocalyptic of biblical figures. He is also not the first to be compared to the world’s most despicable leaders; he is merely the latest.

While the supporters (or fans) of Barak Obama promote him as god or their Messiah or whatever, his opponents see him as the opposite. In general, the two extremes both represent the same thing; a false hope in the ability of men to make a better world than the one that God Almighty created. This hope in human government is understandable for those who have no hope in Jesus Christ. Those who are following Christ should know better and should have their faith solely in Christ Jesus.

Ronald Reagan is among those who was (and still is by some) called the anti-Christ and the Beast.

While supporters of Barak Obama characterize these comparisons as unfair they ignore that George W. Bush was also compared to Hitler by his opponents. Our concern as Christians should be to not trivialize the horrible acts of despots.

It was perhaps events or times like these that prompted Apostle Paul to say, “ If I had hope in this world only, I would be of all men most miserable.

191

http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/topstories/inauguration-poster-likens-obama-tojesus.html

GIVE US A KING

119

BERNIE L. WADE


WILLARD MITT ROMNEY

perhaps even Evangelical Christian. However, Mormon's are NOT followers of Jesus Christ and repeated efforts to change their public image will not change that fact. Those in America who did not ‘drink the kool-aid should be commended. Doing evil to supposedly bring good is also not a Christian principle.

As their 'champion' the Republican party nominated Mitt Romney for President of the United States for the 2012 Presidential elections. Romney came from a political family. Both of his parents were politicians. His father having served as a governor and ran for President of the United States in 1968. His mother also ran for Senate. Like Mr. Obama, Romney does not come from a family of Christian. Rather, he and his family they are committed adherents of the Mormon faith.

MORMONISM IS NOT CHRISTIAN

Mormonism is a cult based on the book of Mormon. Like many false religions Mormon's give credence to the Bible but only secondary to the Book of Mormon. This of course is not a position held by those who follow Christ and believe the Bible is the Word of God. Yet, in a massive media campaign the Republican party propaganda machine attempted to pass Romney off to the American people as a devout and GIVE US A KING

Perhaps you have had the opportunity to have two young men with elder badges knock at your door. These are part of a vast network of priests in training for the Church of the Latter Day Saints (LDS), better known as Mormons. These polite young men have been trained by the Mormon propaganda machine. They probably spoke to you about family and made a general presentation of their religion and themselves as being wholesome. On some level that is perhaps true. Perhaps there is a humanistic level of

120

BERNIE L. WADE


wholesomeness and family in their cult.

preached unto you, let him be accursed.

However, the religion of these young men denies that Jesus Christ is the manifestation of God who came to redeem mankind from sin. Those who are followers of Jesus Christ understand that the Word of God tells us that everyone who denies that Jesus Christ is the manifestation of God in the flesh is an anti-Christ.

1) Since it was supposedly by the mouth of an angel that Joseph Smith got his dogma (and other major group to make such claims find their ancestry in the religious system of Babylon and Egypt; notably Semiramis - wife of Nimrod), it is relevant that the topic applies to the followers of Joseph Smith as well as others who embrace this type beginning of which there have been hundreds of religions systems. In his quest to replace God man has created many myths and elaborate schemes.

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Denial of this essential doctrine of Christianity points out a glaring fact, Mormons or followers of Joseph Smith and the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints are not followers of Jesus Christ . What they are is a cult based on two streams: Masonic Tradition and the perverted thoughts of a teen age boy (Joseph Smith) who was raised in the Baptist religious system.

The young men said it did bother them, but the end result is they continued in their sin. Fortunately, the book of Mormon (the testament of the LDS) boldly proclaims that it is just that "another testament" (or another gospel).

The last time I had two such young men at my door, I asked them to tell me honestly if they believed the bible. They said that they did. So, I then asked them if it bothered them that the bible says:

"The reason Mormonism is not Christian is because it denies one or more of the essential doctrines of Christianity. Here is a basic list of what true Christianity teaches as essential doctrine according to the Bible.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have GIVE US A KING

1. There is only one God in all existence (Exodus 20:1-4; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8; 45:5).

121

BERNIE L. WADE


2. Jesus is divine (John 1:1;14; 8:24; Col. 2:9) 3. Forgiveness of sins is by grace alone without works (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 3:28; 4:1-5) 4. Jesus rose from the dead physically (John 2:19-21; Luke 24:39) 5. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-4)

Bible. The 8th Article of Faith from the Mormon Church states, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly." This means that when the Bible contradicts Mormonism, the Bible isn't trustworthy. This allows them to say and teach whatever they want, even when it contradicts scripture."193

ERRORS Mormonism denies that there is only one God in all existence and also denies the forgiveness of sins alone in Christ alone. Therefore, it is outside Christianity. It is not a Christian religion."192 In Mormon theology, many lost truths are restored in the Book of Mormon, which Mormons hold to be divine scripture and equal in authority to the Bible.

This is not a book on the errors of Mormonism. The topic would take up volumes. However we will briefly discuss the topic of Mormonism. There were 6 million Joseph Smith Mormons in 1995. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, was born on Dec. 23, 1805 in Vermont, USA. In 1820 (aged 14 years) he allegedly received a vision: “...I asked the personages (demons?) who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was rightand which I should join. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they

Some claim that Mormonism is a Christian religion because they accept parts of the Bible. However, this is a very poor argument as Mormons themselves do not claim to be real followers of Christ or Christianity. To claim that Mormons are Christians because they believe parts of the Bible is like saying that Muslims are Christians because they also believe parts of the Bible.

193

Is Mormonism Christian. Matt Slick. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry. http://carm.org/is-mormonism-christian Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Macmillan 1992, pp. 106-107; Matthews, Robert J., A Bible! A Bible, Bookcraft, 1990, p. 13; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Deseret Book, 1976, pp. 9–10,327

"In order to justify its aberrant theology, Mormonism has undermined the authority and trustworthiness of the 192

http://carm.org/is-mormonism-christian

GIVE US A KING

122

BERNIE L. WADE


were all wrong; and the personage (demon?) who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight...”194

people stormed the jail, shooting and killing Joseph and Hyrum Smith. The Mormons consider him a martyr. Brigham Young then took over the leadership. He led the group westward to found Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 24, 1847, which became their headquarters. When Young died in 1877, they had 150,000 members.

Smith claimed a second vision on Sept. 21, 1823 where “a personage (apparently a demon) appeared at my bedside” to inform him of the location of a box containing golden plates buried at Manchester, New York. In 1827 Smith claimed to receive the golden plates upon which the Book of Mormon is alleged to have been written. He claimed to have finished translating the plates on March 26, 1830. The supposed 'golden plates' have never been seen by anyone else.

Walter Martin writes: “With one special revelation, the Mormon church expects its intended converts to accept the unsupported testimony of an undiscerning 14 year old boy, saying that nobody ever preached the gospel of Christ from 96 AD to 1820.” He did not even know the gospel definition in I Cor. 15:1-4, that “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day”. This is the gospel. How much discernment and in-depth Bible knowledge did Joseph Smith have at age 14 to allow him to recognize truth from error? No Bible prophet began their ministry at 14.

On April 6, 1830, at Fayette, New York, the Mormon church was organized, with 6 members. They then moved to Kirtland (Cleveland), Ohio, publishing the book “Doctrines and Covenants”. Smith was imprisoned in Far West, Missouri, for fighting. After escaping, he and his people fled to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he organized a small army. When a local paper, the “Nauvoo Expositor”, published anti-Mormon material, Smith ordered the press destroyed and the paper burned. This act of destruction led to Smith’s arrest and imprisonment. He was sent to a jail in Carthage, Illinois, with his brother Hyrum. On June 27, 1844, a mob of 200 194

MORMONS AND MURDER Brigham Young ordered the massacre of 150 non-Mormon immigrants. This became known as the Mountain Meadows massacre. Young ordered Bishop John D. Lee in 1877 to murder a wagon train of helpless immigrants. 20 years later

Pearl of Great Price 2:18,19.

GIVE US A KING

123

BERNIE L. WADE


Lee was tried, convicted and executed for their murder by the U.S. government. In his book “The Confessions of John D. Lee”, Lee confessed his murders, but charged that he was acting on the orders of Brigham Young. was supported by other lieutenants in the massacre who would not have acted without the consent of Bringham Young.

testify as follows: “We, the undersigned, have been acquainted with the Smith family... and have no hesitation in saying that we consider them destitute of that moral character which ought to entitle them to the confidence of any community. Both Joseph Sr. and Joseph Jr. were considered entirely destitute of moral character, and addicted to vicious habits”.196

THE STORY OF THE BOOK OF MORMON

The anti-Christ personal life of Joseph Smith: i) Smith and his father regularly dug for treasure, using “peep stones” and “divining rods”. ii) Many Mormon people testified to the outright immorality and polygamy of Joseph Smith. These are in the Berrian collection in the New York Public Library. iii) “Joseph Smith was known for his habits of exaggeration and untruthfulness”.195 iv) E.D. Howe quoted statements of 62 residents of Palmyra, New York, who knew the Smith family personally. They

In a collaborative effort with the demonic personage that appeared to Joseph Smith he authored the Book of Mormon (BoM). As a novel it could have been a best seller. As a book of religion, history, or fact it is comparative to other false religions. As a book of Christianity it is a false gospel written by

195

P. Tucker, in “The Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism” (1867), quoting duly sworn statements of Smith’s neighbors.

GIVE US A KING

196

Mormonism Unveiled, Zanesville, Ohio, 1834, p.261.

124

BERNIE L. WADE


a false prophet as the Apostles aptly prophesied some two millennia ago.

thing as Urim and Thummim spectacles and none have ever been produced. Ironically, the Biblical use of the Urim and Thummim is a reference to "revelation and truth"197 and the deception of Joseph Smith is exactly the opposite. No Egyptologist has ever unearthed a “reformed Egyptian” language. It has Roman letters inverted or placed sideways, mixed with Greek and Hebrew letters. That Joseph Smith was clever is not in question. That Joseph Smith was a con artist is also not in question. That his deception is well known is also not really in question.

The BoM claims to be the history of two ancient civilizations on the American continent. The first group left the Tower of Babel about 2250 BC, crossing to Europe and sailing to Central America. They were totally destroyed because of “corruption”. The second group allegedly left Jerusalem around 600 BC, before the Babylonian destruction and captivity. They sailed to Peru. These supposedly were righteous Jews, led by Nephi. This is good stuff for a novel but the Mormons claim it as fact and have forged their religion around the same. The Mormons claimed that Christ appeared to the Nephites, to preach the gospel to them, institute baptism, the communion service, the priesthood and mystical ceremonies. They supposedly later on split into two warring camps, the Nephites and the Lamanites (American Indians). The Lamanites allegedly wiped out the Nephites completely in a battle in Palmyra, New York, in 428 AD. The Lamanites supposedly were cursed with dark skin for their evil deeds. This later point is the start of a long and sordid history of racial bigotry on the part of Mormons.

These are only a few of the plethora of Mormon lies perpetrated on the uninitiated. Volumes have been written about the subject. This is Mitt Romney's religion and the Republican propaganda machine thought they could dupe the American people into believing that he was just like them.

Joseph Smith in 1827, claimed to dig up golden plates written in “reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics”, and by using Urim and Thummim spectacles, translated them into English in 1830 as the Book of Mormon. There is no such GIVE US A KING

Bringham Young

197

The Jewish Encyclopedia. 1906. Urim and Thummim.http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/arti cles/14609-urim-and-thummim

125 Bringham Young

BERNIE L. WADE


MORMONS AND DARK SKINNED PEOPLE

Since he could not hold this Priesthood, he could not enter the Mormon Temple. This doctrine in no way, shape, or form can be substantiated in Scripture. Only in the LDS does this racist doctrine exist. Brigham Young believed that Satan was the king of the Black people making them impossible to be redeemed. Young's position was good for business and his business was deceiving all the white people that he could.

Nothing is more disturbing to the modern world than the distorted position of the Mormon religion on persons of color. According to the Book of Mormon black people, American Indians and all others of dark skin are the "seed of Satan". Representing the racial prejudices of many American in the 1800's and not representing anything closely akin to the New Testament Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Mormon's see people of color with disdain. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)cannot escape their racist past and no number of Presidential candidates can change history.

“But let them apostatize, and they will become gray-haired, wrinkled, and black, just like the Devil"198 From his Baptist family, the young Joseph Smith brought the dogmas of pre-determination, pre-destination and fatalism he had been taught as tenets of his new religion. No need to make everything up. A partial truth is always more palatable. Mormons teach that when the council of the Gods were planning how to redeemed mankind Jesus desired to save man by giving them their free choice, however Lucifer objected and wanted to force men to serve God. "Therefore, the Gods rejected Lucifer's plan, which resulted in a war between the good spirit children, and the spirit children that sided with Lucifer (a third of them). But there was a group of spirits

For nearly 150 years, the Mormon Church taught that ALL blacks were cursed. Hence, a black Mormon male could not hold a role in the LDS Priesthood because of his dark skin.

GIVE US A KING

198

Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 332

126

BERNIE L. WADE


that were less valiant in this war. Hence, God (the head God) was very displeased with them so He turned their skin black."199

there, and men receive rewards here based upon their actions there, just as they will receive rewards hereafter for deeds done in the body.

So, according to these Mormon sacred writings persons of color are cursed. If this sounds like something right out of the KKK manual don't be surprised. Satan loves confusion and falsehood, hatred, bigotry and other sins of the flesh.

The Negro, evidently, is receiving the reward he merits.200 While this is certainly strange to Christianity it is a common theme in humanistic religions like Hinduism and other Eastern religions. Add Reincarnation to the list of non Christian dogmas that Mormons incorporate into their belief system.

According to Mormon leaders "There is a reason why one man is born black and with other disadvantages, while another is born white with great advantages. Don’t be surprised if this rhetoric sounds just like other rhetoric geared toward entitlements. The Mormons claim that the reason is that we once had an estate before we came here, and were obedient; more or less, to the laws that were given us there (re-incarnation).

Satan's efforts in the garden of Eden were no less successful than the deception brought through Joseph Smith and his followers. If native Americans are not of Jewish descent (as the BoM claims, then the BoM cannot be true. It's interesting to note that many Mormons are now admitting that MOST native Americans are of Asian or Mongolian descent.

Those who were faithful in all things there [pre-existence] received greater blessings here, and those who were not faithful received less. . . . There were no neutrals in the war Bringham Young in Heaven. All took sides either with Christ or with Satan. Every man had his agency

They admit that there were others here before Lehi. But if that's so, where and who ARE the Lamanites? They have found none. And the BoM is full of prophesies concerning the Lamanites in these latter days. If Lamanites don't exist, prophesies cannot be fulfilled which further shows the BoM to be a work of fiction.”201

200

Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:61, 65-66; emphasis added 201 DNA Evidence about the origin of Native Americans. January 24.

199

Mormonism and Black Skin. http://christiandefense.org/mor_black.htm

GIVE US A KING

127

BERNIE L. WADE


Further, it is highly unlikely that any of the sons of Seth were connected to the cursed descendents of Cain. The seed of Cain all died in the flood.

Those who were less valiant in preexistence and who thereby had certain spiritual restrictions impose on them during mortality are known to us as the negroes. Such spirits are sent to earth through the lineage of Cain, the mark put upon him for his rebellion against God, and his murder of Able being a black skin. . . . Noah's son married Egyptus, a descendant of Cain, thus preserving the negro lineage through the flood. . . . the negro are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concern. . . . "202

The Bible does not give the names of the wives of either Noah or his sons. However there is literature from as far back as the second century that does name their wives.

BOOK OF JUBILEES In the Book of Jubilees, known to have been in use from the late 2nd century BC, the names of the wives of Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth are as follows:

This is more invention by Joseph Smith and his false religion. There is NO reason to believe that Ham married a woman who was not a near kinsmen.

of Rake'el, son of Methuselah  Wife of Shem - Sedeqetelebab  Wife of Ham Ne'elatama'uk or Na'eltama'uk

http://www.exmormon.org/mormon/mormon067.h tm 202 Mormon Doctrine, 527-28; 1966 orig. ed., changed in the current ed.; emphasis added

GIVE US A KING

Wife of Noah - Emzara, daughter

128

BERNIE L. WADE


propaganda.204

Wife of Japheth - 'Adataneses

It adds that the three sons after some years struck out in different directions from the original camp near Mount Ararat and founded three villages bearing the names of these three mothers of the human race.”203

Joseph Smith said this about Black people, "Had I anything to do with the negro, I would confine them by strict law to their own species, and put them on a national equalization". In all of Joseph Smiths supposed revelations from the angel, he could not get the revelation that all mankind, regardless of skin color is of the same species.

Racism, fatalism, pre-destination, and reincarnation; quite the mixture. It is interesting that this same 'religious fervor' is the cornerstone of white supremacy organizations such as the KKK and the Neo Nazi's they just don't hide behind religion to manifest their hatred. However, they are not alone. Many political, social and religious movements have used racial hatred, economic envy, and more to fuel their

The spirit that appeared to Joseph Smith was called Moroni. The Urban Dictionary speculates that "Moroni" originated from an obvious inside joke when Mormonism founder Joseph Smith mused that no one would ever 'C' (see) how MORONIc his teachings were. 'Mormons' (in Smith's mind: 'Mor-ons'

204

Joseph Fielding Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 270; History of the Church, 5: 218; emphasis added

203

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wives_aboard_Noah 's_Ark

GIVE US A KING

129

BERNIE L. WADE


the flood.207

with an added 'm' on the syllable, or 'Moron-Men' re-spelled using only one vowel) would encapsulate all who 'refuse to C (see), and unquestioningly follow Smith's/Moroni(c) teachings.”205

It is evident that those who believe the book of Mormon don’t believe the Bible so to explain to them that Cain’s descendents were destroyed in the flood or to expect their great prophet Joseph Smith not to have missed that important point when he was creating his false church is not a topic they are willing to understand. Like all things that are manmade, they pale in comparison to the things of God. Men make errors and usually compound those errors given enough time.

There is not end to the propaganda of the Mormon delusion. Not only was Cain called upon to suffer, but because of his wickedness he became the father of an inferior race. A curse was place upon him and that curse has been continued through his lineage and must do so while time endures (forever). Millions of souls have come into this world cursed with black skin and have been denied the privilege of Priesthood and the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel. These are the descendants of Cain. Moreover, they have been made to feel their inferiority and have been separated from the rest of mankind … we will also hope that blessings may eventually be given to our Negro brethren, for they are our brethren---notwithstanding their black covering emblematical of eternal darkness.”206

Here are the facts on the subject of the descendants of Cain.

The insanity of this delusion is that for Biblical Christians (those who follow Jesus Christ) there are no living seed of Cain. This has been the case since the Great Flood and Noah. All of the seed of Cain were destroyed by God through

First, God cursed Cain, then God chose NOT to use his descendants (because of that curse) when he repented that He ever made man and made the monumental decision to destroy mankind saving only Noah and his family.

205

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?ter m=moroni 206

207

The Way to Perfection, 101-02; emphasis added

GIVE US A KING

130

Origen, Sermons on Number, 18.4.

BERNIE L. WADE


BRINGHAM YOUNG Genesis 6: Joseph Smith and his predecessor Bringham Young and a long line of Mormon false prophets have not been able to realize the error of their ways.

5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Bringham Young said even more on the subject:

6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

"You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind. . . .

7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Thank God for Noah. Noah and his family were descendents of Adam and Eve but not through either Cain or Able. Rather, Noah was a descendant of Seth. If you ignore this point you just don’t believe the Word of God. All living people are descendents of Noah regardless of their color. No amount of history revision or visits from satanic forces posing as angels will ever change the facts. Those who deny these facts are intent on rewriting the Word of God. The Morons are not alone in their delusions.

GIVE US A KING

Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which was the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another cursed is pronounced upon the same race--that they should be the "servants of servants;" and they will be until that curse is removed; and the Abolitionists

131

BERNIE L. WADE


cannot help it, nor in the least alter that decree".208 Brigham Young stated that his sermons (including those cited here) are Scripture:

Taylor. Taylor goes on to say: "When he [Satan] destroyed the inhabitants of the antediluvian worlds, he suffered a descendant of Cain to come through the flood in order that he might be properly represented upon the earth."211 Evidently, the Mormons believe that someone (other than Noah and his family) came through the Flood. This is not a concept believed by any civilization in the history of mankind and certainly not one from Scripture. That there is no place for these people to have come from and no place on earth where they lived for thousands of years manifests yet another of the false doctrines of Mormonism. Strangely, there is not even such lineage in the pages of the other Mormon books.

"I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of man, that they may not call Scripture".209 Yet, Mr. Young’s dogma is in direct opposition to the Scripture. "John Taylor, third President and Prophet of the Mormons said this, "after the flood we are told that the curse that had been pronounced upon Cain was continued through Ham's wife, as he had married a wife of that seed. And why did it pass through the flood? Because it was necessary that the devil should have a representation upon the earth as well as God. . . ."210 This is terrible Biblical exegesis, errors, misrepresentation and lies. Yet, even today millions of supposedly educated people follow this confusion and are lobbying to be recognized as Christians.

Notice: Mr. Taylor sees Lucifer as a partner in the Creation of the world which is also not a Biblical position. While the Mormons made a token gesture to allow blacks into their group, little has really changed. Joseph Smith said, Black people are cursed forever According to Mormon doctrine nothing can change the words of their Prophet (Mark E. Peterson, LDS Apostle said this during an address at BYU).

That the "curse lineage" (dark skin) is Satan's representation on earth, was taught clearly by the third President and Prophet of the Mormon Church, John

"President Woodruff added, 'The Lord said, 'I will not kill Cain, but I will put a mark upon him, and that mark will be seen upon every face of every Negro, upon the face of the earth. And it is the

208

Journal of Discourses, 7:290; emphasis added http://christiandefense.org/mor_black.htm 210 http://christiandefense.org/mor_black.htm 209

GIVE US A KING

211

132

http://christiandefense.org/mor_black.htm

BERNIE L. WADE


decree of God that [the] mark should remain upon the seed of Cain, until the seed of Able shall be redeemed, and Cain shall not receive the Priesthood until the time of that redemption.

others. He forbade intermarriage with them under threat of extension of the curse. . . . And He certainly segregated the descendants of Cain when He cursed the Negro as to the Priesthood, and drew an absolute line. Think of the Negro, cursed as to the Priesthood. Are we prejudiced against him?" If I were to marry a Negro woman and have children by her, my children would be cursed as to the Priesthood. Do I want my children cursed as to the Priesthood? If there is one drop of negro blood in my children, as I have read to you, they receive the curse. . . There are 50 million Negroes in the United States. If they were to achieve complete absorption with the white race, think what that would do. With 50 million Negroes inter-married with us, where would the priesthood be? Who could hold it, in all America? Think what that would do to the work of the Church! Now we are generous with the Negro. We are willing that the Negro have the highest kind of education. I would be willing to let every Negro drive a Cadillac if they could afford it. I would be willing that that they have all the advantages as they can get out of life in the world. But let them enjoy these among themselves. I think the Lord segregated the Negro and who is man to change it?"213

Any man having one drop of the blood of Cain in him cannot receive the Priesthood"212 This Mormon went on to say, "Who placed the Negroes originally in darkest Africa? Was it some man or was it God?. . . The Lord segregated the people both as to blood and place of residence. At least in the cases of the Lamanites and the negroes we have the definite word of the Lord Himself that He placed a dark skin upon them as a curse--as a punishment and as a sign to all 212

Race Problems-- As They Affect the Church, address given by Mark E. Peterson at BYU; emphasis added

GIVE US A KING

213

Race Problems-- As They Affect the Church, address given by Mark E. Peterson at BYU.

133

BERNIE L. WADE


LDS Apostle and prolific writer Bruce R. McConkie said this, "Negroes in this life are denied the Priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty… The gospel message of salvation is not carried affirmatively to them. Negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned... Cain was cursed with a dark skin; he became the father of the negroes, and those spirits who are not worthy to receive the priesthood are born through that lineage."214

Mormon media machine has worked diligently to change their public image for social and legal reasons so that Mormon owned companies are compliant with EEOC and other laws in the United States. Nothing has changed within their religion. How could it change? If they change the idea that Blacks are cursed then the whole of their Book of Mormon is a fraud and all of their previous Prophets are liars. For Bringham Young, he was an equal opportunity hater. It wasn't just dark skinned people. He and his bands of cutthroats readily preyed upon anyone (regardless of color), especially women and children to increase their wealth, feed their lust and grow their religious empire. Events like the Mountain Meadow Massacre are among those things that show the mentality of these people and their leaders. Although they have been busy white washing the fence for a modern audience.

"Cain, Ham, and the whole negro race have been cursed with a black skin, the mark of Cain, so they can be identified as a caste apart, a people with whom the other descendants of Adam should not intermarry."215 The

214 215

Mormon Doctrine, 477, 527-28; 1966 orig. ed., Mormon Doctrine, 477, 527-28; 1966 orig. ed.,

GIVE US A KING

134

BERNIE L. WADE


ALEX BOYE

It is sad. When I hear him say, "I am a Mormon" I wonder what that means exactly. Yet, we digress, the point of my temporarily renewed interest in the cult of Mormonism is that this is the religion of Willard Mitt Romney who was a candidate for President of the United States in 2012. My friends of the Republican persuasion cannot understand why such a man would not be relevant to more of the population? Really?! Ask black Americans, exMormons, other people of color, followers of Jesus Christ, descendants of the survivors of the Mountain Meadow Massacre and more. They know and understand things that seem to escape the vision of Republican leaders and their propaganda machine.

In 1978, the Mormons abolished a longstanding practice that kept Black men from seeking the priesthood and Black women from participating in temple ceremonies. In 2006, Mormon president Gordon B. Hinckley publicly declared the faith open to all people. Noticeably missing are any declarations that Black people are now redeemed from all the things that generations of Mormon Prophets have proclaimed. To augment their media campaign and draw in unsuspecting black people to their cult the Mormon Church recruited Alex Boye, allowed him to marry a Mormon woman in their temple and gave him place as their token. It is laudable to see Alex Boye, Nigerian born entertainer doing his commercial spots for the Mormon Church. Here, by Mormon doctrine. is the Seed of Satan doing commercials for the Mormons. I understand that Mr. Boye is happy to receive the money that comes his way as 'token' spokesperson for this cult but

GIVE US A KING

135

BERNIE L. WADE


population and voter based. It worked better than they could have imagined. So important was the knighting of Mitt Romney to the role of a Christian Evangelical by the Christian Right that no stone was unturned and apparently no tenet of Christianity too sacred.

THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION

The willingness of the Billy Graham Evangelical Association (BGEA) to embrace the Mormonism of their champion (Mitt Romney) is un-nerving to those who held or hold the BGEA in good light. That they would willingly and purposely serve as pawns for this propaganda machine is indeed disturbing. As representatives of some Christians the Grahams (both Billy and his son Franklin) were certainly within their expectation by meeting with Mitt Romney or anyone else seeking public office or following the long and sordid legacy of Give Us a King. After a private meeting with the Grahams, the BGEA decided to change their religious position on Mormonism and pass it off as oversight on their part.

For several generations no leader of any group of Christians has been more prominent that Billy Graham. Mitt Romney's people knew this and so they made a pilgrimage to the preacher’s home to seek the help of Billy Graham in their quest to Give Us a King. Ironically, Mitt Romney, a disciple of descendents of followers of Joseph Smith [a heretic who left his Baptist faith to start his own religion] returned to seek the endorsement of America's most well known Baptist. This was more than just another photo op. This was a full court press to see if Mr. Romney's handlers and their propaganda machine could pass their candidate off as an acceptable to America's conservative Christian GIVE US A KING

136

BERNIE L. WADE


RELGIOUS EMPIRES UNITE

In a move that was unexpected to Biblical Christians the Billy Graham Association decided (all on their own) that Mormons really were not all that bad in spite of more than 100 years of leading people to hell. No apology was given to the millions of victims of this cult and their posterity. Unceremoniously, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association removed Mormonism from its list of religious cults. "An article on the Graham website had classified Mormons, along with Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Unification Church, Unitarians, Spiritists and Scientologists, among others, as cults. In the days ahead we may see more of these opponents of Jesus Christ declassified by the BGEA.

“Politics makes strange bedfellows” "It bears repeating. Because I had to let it sit and trickle into my mind for a few minutes. On its face, it’s quite simple. In politics, people would ally themselves with folks they otherwise wouldn’t for the sake of what all involved perceive as the common goal. And these people may not always be politicians."216 Notice the quote says politics MAKES strange bedfellows. Now that reads a little different. I interpret that as “One’s bedfellows’ are made strange by politics”. "Therefore, relationships with one ‘s bedfellows’ which would normally be in concert and harmony, are made strange (i.e.- awkward, peculiar, foreign) by things political. I’m sure there is a highly educated elitist who could help me break this down. But for now, I’m sticking with my interpretation. It seems to ring more true."217

And the propaganda machine spins on: “Our primary focus at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) has always been promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Ken Barun, the evangelical association’s chief of staff, said in a prepared statement. “We removed the (cult) information from the website because we do not wish to participate in a theological debate about something that has become politicized during this campaign.”218 "Let me translate this for you – Mitt

216

218

http://sacredcow.wordpress.com/2007/07/24/pol itics-makes-strange-bedfellows/ 217 Ibid. Strange Bedfellows.

GIVE US A KING

http://blogs.aj.com/political-insider-jimgalloway/2012/10/18/billy-graham-group-removesmormonism-from-list-of-cults/

137

BERNIE L. WADE


Romney is the guy that we want you to vote for since he is the Republican and we can’t get you to vote for him when we are preaching demagoguery against his and other religions so those guys are cool with us now. So if the next Republican candidate is a Jehovah’s Witness, Scientologists or gasp a Muslim will Franklin Graham have the same thought process?”219 Here are some quotes from

record for Romney. He should have just summarized and said, “GIVE US A KING!”. "Just a week after meeting and nearly endorsing Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney at his Montreat, N.C., home, an ailing Rev. Billy Graham is encouraging votes for candidates supporting "biblical values" that include opposition to gay marriage."220 Well, at least they got the Bible’s opposition to sodomy correct. Let’s hope they don’t change their position on that to appease the next man who wants to be crowned king.

BillyGraham.org:

churches first of all in what they believe. Cults always deny some part of what the Bible teaches (which is why some add other so-called “sacred” books to the Bible).

Billy Graham said this, "I realize this election could be my last. I believe it is vitally important that we cast our ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel. I urge you to vote for those who protect the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman." This was clearly an endorsement of Mitt Romney's candidacy. Who is trying to fool who? While we would concede that the Mormons and the Romney are pro family they are NOT fulfilling any BIBLICAL MANDATE! This is just ugly politics an effort through propaganda to GIVE US A KING.

is that it rejects the divinity of Jesus. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was God in human flesh—that He alone was both fully man and fully God. Cults, however, deny this, and often confuse people who aren’t familiar with the Bible by twisting its meaning. I’d love to know what the argument is for concluding that Mormonism is not a cult. I am certainly not alone in my query. Then, to add insult to injury Billy Graham took the offensive and went on 219

E-Roll. October 18th, 2012. http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jimgalloway/2012/10/18/billy-graham-group-removesmormonism-from-list-of-cults/

GIVE US A KING

220

Billy Graham Launches 'Biblical Values' Ads After Meeting Mitt Romney. Huffington Post. 10/18/2012. Jaweed Kaleem.

138

BERNIE L. WADE


Graham of course claimed it was NOT an endorsement. However, this is a weak claim in light of Billy Graham's promise to Romney that he would "do all I can to help you". IF that is not an endorsement, then what does and endorsement look like?

less discreet about his political support than his father. As a Christian leader, Franklin Graham should rightfully speak out on these issues, but the hypocrisy is apparent. He wrote in a recent op-ed that Obama plans to rebuild America in what could amount to creating a "new nation without God or perhaps under many Gods.”221

I support Billy Graham's concern that about the moral decline and cultural shift in our nation. However, this quasi endorsement of Romney would be like Daniel endorsing the king's edict not to pray to any other God for 30 days. After all, one could conjecture that the king’s request was reasonable and Daniel's compliance would not have been an endorsement. Thankfully, Daniel did not see it that way. Daniel did not trust in the arm of flesh. His trust was with his God and when the king came to see him in the den of lions he said, "Daniel, is your god whom you serve CONTINUALLY able to deliver you!?" Obviously the king was convinced. Otherwise who was he addressing!?

Other Christian leaders responded, Craig Hazen, professor of comparative religion and apologetics, Biola University said this in response, "First, because it [removing the article about Mormonism being a cult] likely won't help in any meaningful way; and second, because it gives the appearance that the BGEA might think that—on certain occasions—they will let politics trump principles. Scot McKnight, professor of New Testament, Northern Baptist Theological Seminary said, "The BGEA has politicized theology by removing it. The point of the previous accusation that Mormonism is a cult is because it denies the gospel; now the BGEA has backed off that gospel claim." In self autonomous fashion the BGEA primarily ignored or explained away the

"Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, made headlines in February after questioning President Obama's Christianity and alluding to Obama possibly being a Muslim, and has been GIVE US A KING

221

Billy Graham Launches 'Biblical Values' Ads After Meeting Mitt Romney. Huffington Post. 10/18/2012. Jaweed Kaleem

139

BERNIE L. WADE


critique. "We can vote for an atheist, a Buddhist, or a Muslim who represents our values while never retreating from how these faiths differ from our own. We affirm what we can—largely through our vote— but we stay wise, discerning, and loving about what we cannot affirm. How I wish the BGEA had affirmed political principle without appearing to retreat from religious principle."222

religion. Yet, respectfully I disagree that one can endorse its adherents and not by default endorse their beliefs. “I will never again support anything by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association,” the Rev. Samuel Wynn, a Methodist minister in North Carolina, told Daniel Burke of the Religion News Service. “My question to Billy Graham is, ‘What’s more important for the kingdom of God: politics or the message of Jesus Christ?’ ”Our answer is simple. The Gospel of Jesus Christ takes precedence over everything. Evangelist Bill Keller, who warned against Christians voting for Romney because he fears it will allow the Mormon "cult" to grow, said that it was a "sad moment" when Graham decided to give his support to the GOP candidate.224 What is even more sad is the BGEA's attempt to pretend they did not endorse the Mormon Romney.

"It is unfortunate that the BGEA chose to remove the cult designation describing Mormonism. It will appear to the world that the Graham organization has chosen political expediency over spiritual conviction. It is possible to endorse Mitt Romney, as I have done, and yet maintain that Mormonism is a false religion that leads people away from the one true God."223

"To not just endorse a 5th generation high priest of a satanic cult that propagates a false gospel leading souls to hell, but then remove the warning from his website that Mormons are NOT Christians in order to justify that endorsement is a sad moment, Timothy Beal, an author and religious scholar, who is a Florence Harkness Professor of Religion at Case Western Reserve University, wrote in an open letter to Graham that he feels the evangelist is

This author agrees with Pastor Robert Jeffress that Mormonism is a false 222

Stephen Mansfield, author, The Mormonizing of America (Worthy Publishing, 2012) 223 Robert Jeffress, pastor, First Baptist Church (Dallas)

GIVE US A KING

224

Billy Graham Launches 'Biblical Values' Ads After Meeting Mitt Romney. Huffington Post. 10/18/2012. Jaweed Kaleem

140

BERNIE L. WADE


allowing his voice to be leveraged for a political cause. "It truly pains me to call you out on your decision to be party to this ad", noting that he grew up in a household that revered Graham as a "Man of God" and was inspired by his work.225

willing to drink the purple kool-aid.

FATALISM

Among the concerns is this fatalistic approach to politics that seems to have become the cornerstone of Christian thought in some sectors. Does God decide elections or do men make the decisions? IF God alone makes the decision then voting is a useless exercise.

"[A]s soon as you crack open a Bible, things gets messy and complicated, leading to anything but a clear biblical view on homosexuality, let alone a biblical definition of marriage. Sadly, this is not about trying to be faithful to the text; this is about converting religious capital to political capital. Which is why it is so heartbreaking to see your name and face front and center. I guess I still expect you to rise above that cynical sort of political fray," Beal wrote.226 Much of this desperation comes from a fatalistic view of the world in general, a misplaced view of America's role in that world and a lost vision of the rightful place of Biblical Christianity in impacting that world. Republicans could not grasp why their plan for a Mormon in the White House did not work in spite if their propaganda. It is evident that they were convinced they could sell this Mormon Priest as an Evangelical Christian. Despite their best efforts Americans saw the facade for what it was and were not

"Though the word “fatalism” is commonly used to refer to an attitude of resignation in the face of some future event or events which are thought to be inevitable, philosophers usually use the word to refer to the view that we are powerless to do anything other than what we actually do. This view may be argued for in various ways: by appeal to logical laws and metaphysical necessities; by appeal to the existence and nature of God; by appeal to causal determinism. When argued for in the

225

Billy Graham Launches 'Biblical Values' Ads After Meeting Mitt Romney. Huffington Post. 10/18/2012. Jaweed Kaleem 226

Huffington Post. 10/18/2012.

GIVE US A KING

141

BERNIE L. WADE


first way, it is commonly called “Logical fatalism” (or, in some cases, “Metaphysical fatalism”); when argued for in the second way, it is commonly called “Theological fatalism”.137 137 http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/fatalism/ Without even realizing it, many Christians ideology much more closely resembles the philosophy of Aristotle than it does the Word of God. For example, some boldly proclaim that God is the one who puts politicians in office leaving men powerless to have any real impact. Thus, by their proclamations and the election results they claim God has knighted Barak Obama (among others) to be the President. They quickly quote this Scripture: He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

George Bush was President at the 'will of God". If God puts all the people in charge then he chose them both. Further, if God put all men in charge as some proclaim? Did God put Hitler in office? Kaddafi? The Ayatollah Khomeini? Idi Amin? Pol Pot?

GOVERNMENT AND REBELLION

The problem with the New Thought, as some term their fatalistic or predestination dogma, is that people become very frustrated with God for putting these people in office because they are convinced that that this was the pre-determined plan of God and that they are hopeless to do anything about to resolve the problem. This is really not true.

The fatalistic interpretation to this verse is that God puts politicians in their office. Let's suppose for a moment they are right. Then does this mean that God put George Bush in charge. Quickly you get a chorus of boos from those who are fans of President Obama. However, you can't have it both ways. Likewise Obama's fans would have to accept that GIVE US A KING

Consider this: even if it was the case that it was some pre-determined plan of God, we know that God has been persuaded to hear the earnest plea of His people as in the case of Abraham pleading for his nephew Lot. We also have whole city of Nenevites who were not particular separated to God but they got serious in fasting and prayer in response to the words of the prophet Jonah and God stayed His hand.

142

BERNIE L. WADE


Those who offer this fatalistic approach to politics usually quote from the book of Daniel, where Daniel writes of God putting kings up and taking them down. Promoters of the pre-destination or fatalistic dogma contend that this verse is proclaiming that all political office holders are given their position by the imprimatur of God. This is simply a gross abuse of personal interpretation of Scripture. This verse does not say that all political office holders are elected or appointed by God.

example, when the people rejected God, He gave them a king. The receiving of a man as a leader instead of following God came at a serious price.' This is a far cry from "We are going to change our doctrinal position so that we can endorse a politician." What good does this do? Politics is said to be the art of compromise. Thus, when the Church begins to 'play politics' they are effectively dabbling in 'strange arts'.

Rather, what the verse points to is that "Time, duration, succession are his, and under his dominion."138 Of course these are under His dominion of this there is no real debate; at least among those who believe the Bible is the Word of God.227 People like King Nebuchadnezzar needed a reminder but most followers of Jesus Christ understand that God has the 'final answer'. EVERYTHING is under his control. Yet, we must also concede that God, in his infinite wisdom has given dominion of the whole earth to mankind.

Apostle Paul admonished us: "Be ye not conformed to this world..." God brought Babylonians (kings, rulers, tax collectors..) to shape His chosen people, fix the line of His blessing for the coming King Jesus (incarnation). Is God now shaping America by brining ungodly men to rule over us as he wishes like the Babylonian king to shape us for Jesus’ second coming. Perhaps, but I am not convinced that is where we are in the plan of God. From my vantage

It is in the course of his providence that one king is put down, and another raised up; and therefore he can distinctly tell what he has purposed to do in the great empires of the earth. For 227

Adam Clarke Commentary. Daniel Chapter 2. Verse 21.

GIVE US A KING

143

BERNIE L. WADE


point, the American churches are not praying seriously, their faith is faded by their ignorance, pride, and lusts.

church instead of works of the Holy Spirit. Good music and loud preaching are their ways to do their things like the pagans or religions are doing for their personal satisfaction.

Many of the church workers do not listen to God. Many of these are stopping the work of the Holy Spirit in the churches. Like Israel in the book of Judges many churches are doing what is right in their own eyes. Many allow worship and preaching, but do not give any chance (time) to practice the gifts (especially the gifts of healing, prophecy, miracles) and fruit of the Holy Spirit (worshipping and serving in the Spirit).

American churches have become like religious Mafia (Who used people to make big profits); health care is under them; public education is under them, prisoners are under them, foreign policies are under them, medias are under them, news groups are under them, film industries are under them… and the list goes on. So perhaps God gave American Churches a Babylonian King (even advisers or Govt. officials) to rule over them until they bow down before God and listen to Him like Daniel. America has replaced God of the Bible with all sorts of lies, half truths not only in many so called “churches” but also perpetuated and propagated by nonChristians everywhere. For several generations now, Christians(who are supposed to “know better”) have granted their children to attend public schools where the children are exposed to such ungodly teachings as the Theory of Evolution, sex education(even in kindergarten !), celebration of Halloween, pagan holidays and other deeply offensive matters before God.

Many American Churches are not honoring the men and women of God who are gifted by the Holy Spirit to use them to do the things of God. Most of the church pastors governing their church politically by abusing the word of God because the Holy Spirit is unable to use them for God because He is very gentle (but Almighty). They use believers’ faith and feelings to run their

GIVE US A KING

Yes indeed, whole generations have been exposed to the lie that we somehow come from monkeys and or slime, children having sex is inevitable so “just be sure to wear a condom”,

144

BERNIE L. WADE


witchcraft, homosexuality, devil worship, Islam, the Easter Bunny and other purposeful misguided items have been sold as “truth” in public schools and brought about the common American teenager's response from a their liberal teacher's constant drilled mantra to her(his) students; “do what feels right”(as long as it has nothing to do with Christianity or your parents). Relativism rules over parent's rights or obligations in the USA all because we parents allow it."228 "In regards to Relativism rather than Biblical Truth being taught and accepted not only in schools but society also, this attitude has opened the door for allowing the lie that living a homosexual or any sinful lifestyle for that matter, is acceptable. This is far from God's Biblical truth. Many churches in America are off turning a blind eye to sin, trying to build numbers up in their churches by compromising with the Word Of God"229

228

Black Robe Regiment Pastor. Of Bullying Don't Blame the Bible. October 1, 2011. 229 Ibid. Black Robe Regiment.

GIVE US A KING

145

BERNIE L. WADE


CHAPTER 4 CHRISTIANS REBELS AGAINST GOD

GIVE US A KING

146

BERNIE L. WADE


"Another real problem created by the doctrine of the divine sovereignty has to do with the will of man. If God rules His universe by His sovereign decrees, how is it possible for man to exercise free choice? And if he can not exercise freedom of choice, how can he be held responsible for his conduct? Is he not a mere puppet whose actions are determined by a behind-the-scenes God who pulls the strings as it pleases Him?"

God’s sovereignty decreed that man should be free to exercise moral choice, and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil. When he chooses to do evil, he does not thereby countervail the sovereign will of God but fulfills it, inasmuch as the eternal decree decided not which choice the man should make but that he should be free to make it. If in His absolute freedom God has willed to give man limited freedom, who is there to stay His hand or say, "What doest thou?" Man's will is free because God is sovereign. A God less than sovereign could not bestow moral freedom upon His creatures. He would be afraid to do so." -A.W. Tozer

"The attempt to answer these questions has divided the Christian church neatly into two camps which have borne the names of two distinguished theologians, Jacobus Arminius and John Calvin. Most Christians are content to get into one camp or the other and deny either sovereignty to God or free will to man. It appears possible, however, to reconcile these two positions without doing violence to either, although the effort that follows may prove deficient to partisans of one camp or the other."

GIVE US A KING

147

BERNIE L. WADE


Man exalting himself like to be God was the deception offered by Satan in the Garden of Eden.

in New York at JFK. The passengers on the plane? Four men who called themselves The Beatles.

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. -Genesis 2

America was no stranger to idol worship, they had been busy exalting a plethora of idols to fill the void in their lives that was supposed to be given to God. Long before Paul, John, Ringo and George they had followed Jerry (Jerry Lee Lewis), Elvis, and a long list of others. What was this music phenomenon? Was it a religion, another exaltation of man over God? Give us a king! The Beatles would become so popular that they have their own bible - The Beatles Bible.230

This did not turn out well for our Adam and Eve. In our quest for a king we have made men our idols in everything from music, to sports and even, unfortunately, to the ministry. Like a 'new cart' we have brought every conceivable conveyance of the world into what should be the Church. We have allowed the world to so infiltrate the church that we cannot tell them apart. Like those who ran the temple at the time of Jesus Christ's earthly ministry we have made merchandise of the things of God.

The Beatles bible says "Not quite so popular as Jesus Christ" a reference to a quote from John Lennon of the Beatles. That men would even attempt to equate themselves with God is always disturbing to Biblical Christians.

FOUR KINGS

THE BEATLES ARE BIGGER THAN JESUS ~ John Lennon231

Humans have made idols of many things, but the worship of man is paramount. Nimrod is just the first of long line of those who have exalted themselves above the people, formed their one throne or religion.

On March 4, 1966, this quote of John's was printed in an interview by reporter (and friend of John's) Maureen Cleave in the London Evening Standard: "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."

Pan Am flight 101, left London Airport early on the morning of 7 February 1964, bound for New York City. Thousands of screaming American girls greeted this plane when it touched down

GIVE US A KING

230

http://www.beatlesbible.com/1964/02/07/beatle s-american-invasion-begins/ 231 http://beatlesnumber9.com/biggerjesus.html

148

BERNIE L. WADE


"If I had said television is more popular than Jesus, I might have got away with it, but I just happened to be talking to a friend and I used the words "Beatles" as a remote thing, not as what I think - as Beatles, as those other Beatles like other people see us. I just said "they" are having more influence on kids and things than anything else, including Jesus. But I said it in that way which is the wrong way." Reporter: "Some teenagers have repeated your statements - "I like the Beatles more than Jesus Christ." What do you think about that?"

Reportedly, John Lennon was reading extensively about religion at the time. It was a small part of the article. No one took notice of it in Britain. "And then, five months later, on July 29, a teen magazine in the US of A, Datebook, reprinted the quote as part of a front cover story. As a result, radio stations in the south banned Beatles music. There were rallies of boys and girls stomping on their records and bonfires of Beatles material. John received death threats, and the KKK protested a Beatle concert in Alabama."232

John: "Well, originally I pointed out that fact in reference to England. That we meant more to kids than Jesus did, or religion at that time. I wasn't knocking it or putting it down. I was just saying it as a fact and it's true more for England than here. I'm not saying that we're better or greater, or comparing us with Jesus Christ as a person or God as a thing or whatever it is. I just said what I said and it was wrong. Or it was taken wrong. And now it's all this."

"This statement, hardly noticed in the UK.. was used to beat Lennon and The Beatles in a very unfair and very nonChristian way. John was not comparing the Beatles to Christ or god or religion. The Jesus lovers, acting in their best Christ-like behavior, threatened to kill John. Who says terrorism is limited to radical Islam?"233So John apologized (or explained):

The Beatles and their followers embraced the occult with all of its dark arts opening a Pandora's box that may never been shut. Yet, the Beatles were promoting a religion. They were promoting themselves as the kings. All of their album covers, movies, etc. have religious over tones, symbols and the like. We will just glance at one.

John:

232

http://beatlesnumber9.com/biggerjesus.html http://beatlesnumber9.com/biggerjesus.html

233

GIVE US A KING

149

BERNIE L. WADE


Notice that Diana Dors' arms are positioned to form two triangles (pyramids). There is also a doll of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi pointing "as above, so below", a hookah (drug bong), a purple velvet snake (serpent/satan/phallic), Snow White (from mason Walt Disney), a Mexican Tree of Life (usually depicting the serpent Satan offering Adam and Eve forbidden knowledge in the Garden of Eden), and a Saturn trophy (sun/ Satan) near the "L" (90 degree square). Note Ringo's flat hat ("Here come ol' flat-top") resembling that of 15th century occultist Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, and George's Masonic bicorne hat. The drum is the "sun" that makes the flowers grow. The Beatles in black appear to be mourning the "death of the sun" into its earthly grave (sunset), as the ancient Egyptians did. Or perhaps they are mourning the death of Paul, since the bass guitar made of yellow flowers seems to spell "PAUL?". Notice that John and George are happy while only Ringo and "Paul" are sad. To the right of "BEATLES" in red flowers appears to be a square and compasses, also in red flowers.”234

“The Beatles called these people their "heroes". One of their "heroes" is Satanist Aleister Crowley. Other "heroes" include four Indian gurus (occult mysticism), Carl Jung (occult psychology), Edgar Allan Poe (alcoholic horror mystic), Aldous Huxley (globalist, eugenicist, LSD promoter), William S. Burroughs (homosexual junkie murderer), Karl Marx (satanic father of communism according to Marx and Satan), Oscar Wilde (homosexual writer), George Bernard Shaw (racist eugenicist), Lewis Carroll (pedophile), Marlene Dietrich (decadent lesbian singer), James Joyce (alcoholic writer), Lenny Bruce (junkie comedian), H.G. Wells (eugenicist occultist writer), Terry Southern (obscene writer), Sigmund Freud (neurotic father of psychoanalysis), a doll of six-year-old Shirley Temple with a shirt that says "Welcome The Rolling Stones" with blood-stained gloves (implied pedophilia), and a legionnaire from the Order of the Buffalo (behind the standing Shirley Temple).

GIVE US A KING

Rumors about the extent of John's relationship with the Beatles' gay manager Brian Epstein in Spain are still not resolved. John himself said "...the rumors went around that he and I were having a love affair. Well, it was almost a love affair, but not quite. It was never consummated. But it was a pretty intense relationship. It was my first 234

http://pinballking.blogspot.com/2010/07/whatswrong-with-beatles-alot.html

150

BERNIE L. WADE


experience with a homosexual that I was conscious was a homosexual [i.e. not his first experience with a homosexual]...I was rather enjoying the experience...I liked playing a bit faggy, all that. It was enjoyable...".

and most people totally missed the significance. While Elvis would even pause during his concerts to sing a Gospel song, these new 'kings' had no real religious upbringing, no connection to Christ and no interest in being a Biblical Christian. Instead they openly hated God, defied religion and promoted John Lennon as their religious spokesman. The music of John Lennon hosts a myriad of praises for Satan, religious references and blasphemies against God in general and Jesus Christ in particular. Hell has enlarged her mouth beyond measure.

So, the Beatles were as they said, AntiChrist. However, they were VERY RELIGIOUS. Their open promotion of all things that defy the One True God of the Bible is almost without equal in the modern world. The work of Satan was greatly advanced by these men who partnered with him.

"Even after leaving the Beatles, Lennon continued to reject religious teaching. His solo single, "Imagine", has been described as an 'atheist anthem', while his song "God" contained the lyrics "I don't believe in Jesus", "I don't believe in Bible", "I don't believe in tarot", and "I don't believe in mantra/Gita/yoga". Although he commonly rejected the notion of a god, he did maintain a form of spirituality."235

WE SOLD OUR SOUL TO ROCK N ROLL

It might astonish people that John Lennon was more right than even he may have realized. The premise of his quote was that the Beatles were more influential on the young people of England, the United States and more. I have likened Lennon as the high priest of the new religion of Rock N Roll. More aptly the religion should be called the Rebirth of Humanism and Rock N Roll was just one music genre used to deliver the message.

His form of spirituality was just like Nimrod, anything that defied God. While the Beatles collectively rejected Jesus Christ, they chased a myriad of false Gods including Sathya Sai Baba a well known shaman and closet homosexual. In 1964 the Beatles press officer, Derek Taylor said it quite plainly that the Beatles were anti-Christ; "... completely

Elvis Presley would carry the title of 'The King', but John Lennon and his friends carried this new genre to levels that none could have imagined. This was an open assault on followers of Jesus Christ and the message of the Gospel

GIVE US A KING

235

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_beliefs_of_ The_Beatles

151

BERNIE L. WADE


anti-Christ. I mean, I am anti-Christ as well, but they're so anti-Christ they shock me which isn't an easy thing."

over there who said he was an atheist. The papers nearly refused to print it because it was such shocking news that somebody could actually be an atheist... yeah... and admit it."

From an interview with Playboy Magazine:

Starr: "He speaks for all of us."236 McCartney: "We probably seem antireligious because of the fact that none of us believe in God."

Today many people say "the Beatles are my religion". The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said:

Lennon: "If you say you don't believe in God, everybody assumes you're antireligious, and you probably think that's what we mean by that. We're not quite sure 'what' we are, but I know that we're more agnostic than atheistic."

“The Beatles were angels on earth.” "Counterculture icon Dr. Timothy Leary declared that The Beatles were mutants – prototypes of evolutionary agents sent by God, endowed with a mysterious power to create a new human species, a young race of laughing freemen. Radio personality Howard Stern told Paul McCartney of the importance of the music of The Beatles in his life:

Playboy: "Are you speaking for the group, or just for yourself?" Lennon: "For the group."

“The Beatles are more of a religion to me than any organized religion. Their music does more for my spirit and elevates me to a higher plane than any religious ceremony ever did.” Stern was relaying what many Beatles admirers feel. There is a ‘cosmic” connection to the band which is not so easy to define. To many, they are a form of religion. After their breakup John remarked that The Beatles were a kind of religion and

Harrison: "John's our official religious spokesman." McCartney: "We all feel roughly the same. We're all agnostics." Lennon: "Most people are, anyway." Arguably, Ringo then went on to hint that some members of the band were in fact atheist, but felt unable to say so.

236

McCartney: "In America, they're fanatical about God. I know somebody

GIVE US A KING

http://www.beatlesinterviews.org/dbbtspb.int2.h tml

152

BERNIE L. WADE


that the festivals at Woodstock and on the Isle of Wight were the youth getting together and forming a new church."237

position clearly with an album titled "WE SOLD OUR SOUL TO ROCK N ROLL". This was beyond 'shock' this was worship. Unfortunately, Americans have sold their soul way too cheap receiving nothing of value in the bargain. American's sold their children to this wave from hell and didn't seem to care. What the Pilgrims were willing to die for we have not valued.

"The Beatles were spiritual apostles of sorts who may not have explicitly sought converts, but they evangelized a kind of gospel that resonated with numerous devotees across a broad spectrum of beliefs. The search for a meaningful spirituality was an important part of their motivation."238

RELIGION

Above: the Beatles with one of their gods.

The Beatles were just one wave of an invasion. American youth were unprepared for where this would take them. In the past 50 plus years since John Lennon made his statement Rock and Roll had not only have more influence on the world than Jesus Christ, Rock n Roll has impacted and dare I say influenced the church to the point that the church is barely discernible from the world.

"Religion is what man said that God said no necessarily what God actually said."239 The spirit of CONTROL is foreign to the Spirit of the God. While God expected His creation to make righteous choices, the pagans left nothing to chance. They would not permit someone to decide to follow righteousness. Control was their only answer. This control was born in the administration of Nimrod and is the driving force behind human government. Religion and religious systems were

Later, Black Sabbath (another Rock n Roll group from England) stated their 237

The Center for Beatle Scholarship. The Beatles and Religion. 238 The Center for Beatle Scholarship. The Beatles and Religion.

GIVE US A KING

239

How to Be a Christian Without Going to Church. Dr. Bernie L. Wade. 2012. Truth, Liberty and Freedom Press (TLFP).

153

BERNIE L. WADE


the suffering and injustices in this life because heaven awaits them. It prevented the masses from questioning and ultimately changing the current ways so the people who were in power could stay in power."241

formed from this concept of control and kept alive by men like Simon Magnus (Simeon the Sorcerer) who desired to control the Spirit of God. Those who are part of these humanistic 'governments' often think they have arrived at some Spiritual utopia. Simply put, men use religion to control people.

The Apostle John was inspired to write in Revelation about the immediate future of his world when a “religious” government will MURDER some of God’s true people after they are accused of religious heresy. They will be killed “in the name of God” because “the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you [God’s people] will think that he doeth God service” (John 16:2). Nothing has changed. For Centuries this exact plan has worked very well for the prince of darkness. Satan is presently working this society into FRENZY. He knows he has only a short time left and he is full of blood-drenched WRATH! (Rev. 12:12). Violence TOWARD religion, by or in the name of God are sure signs of satanic religion wearing a thinly veiled guise of false piety and self-righteousness. Satan’s religions are filled with hatred, malice and violence toward mankind because that is the nature of Satan (Ezek. 28:16). These religions speak of God, but their heart is far from Him. They offer him lip service while they plan their wickedness. Human government is a counterfeit of God's government.

While we don't like the source; Karl Marx was right when he said: "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people."240 Could it be that Karl Marx was more right on this than we realize? Yes, I understand the man was a Communist, but remember even a stopped clock is right twice a day. "I understood this quote to mean that 'religion' in the general sense keeps the people listless and sedated as an opiate or opium leaves people. Opiates can cause a person to sleep their life away, not caring about eating, working, or even their loved ones, eventually sleeping themselves to death. Religion means a "set of rules", rules to follow in order to guarantee an afterlife. It's used by the people in power to control the people who are not in power (the masses). It convinces them to accept and endure

241

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_the_quot e_religion_is_the_opiate_of_the_masses_mean

240

Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right. Karl Marx. 1843

GIVE US A KING

154

BERNIE L. WADE


movement of men \focused on insisting that all ministers go through a series of levels (like the Masonic order) to attain the ministry or wear certain vestments in alignment with the RCC, their Mother church. Although, none of the Apostles or ministers of the New Testament Church wore special garments these pretenders have decided they know more than the NT Church. This is NOT a new controversy (see REFORMATION in this chapter).

In contrast, God has a government. God gave the fivefold ministry to His Royal Priesthood (body of Christ) to counteract human government with Spirit led administration. God’s true Church obeys His commandments, and His “very elect” love mankind as themselves and teach them God’s TRUE ways of selfless love and peace (I John 5:3; Matt. 22:36-40). We must look to the “fruits” to see if a church is of God or of Satan. You can be certain that if violence toward mankind is done or advocated by a church, IT IS NOT THE TRUE CHURCH OF GOD!"242

Brought from the pagans by proponents of the Babylonian system to the Church at Rome circa the 3rd Century, by the 1500's the wearing of vestments had become common place for ministers and was generally associated with the state-run church. However, the reformers would have much to say on this man made custom brought to the church from pagan worship. While much older in origin (coming from the time of Nimrod) the problem for the followers of Jesus Christ began to come to light in the 3rd Century AD. It is not surprising that vestments would provide ‘staging grounds’ for revolutionizing the Roman Emperor Constantine’s state-church. Constantine was intent on leading the world's religions. As such their leadership had to comply with the Imperial expectations in regard to dress. Vestments, common in pagan religion, had their genesis in association with Christianity through the will of Constantine’s to establishment of the Church as an Imperial office:

VESTMENTS

In man's quest to get a king he has also set about to make himself a king. In order to make themselves appear more than men, or certainly above others, men bent on power and position have adopted many ruses. Those who use religion for this purpose have adopted a plethora of titles and religious garments to show that some are more equal than others. This is most evident in the 242

“With the public recognition of the Church in the fourth century all the bishops found themselves enjoying the status of senior imperial officials. They soon came to be preceded, like their

The Trumpet.com. Killing in the Name of God.

GIVE US A KING

155

BERNIE L. WADE


elder colleagues, by lights and incense when they made their official way to church. Like them, too, they wore the dress of the Roman upper classes, made obligatory for imperial officials by Theodosius I. But in the fourth century the clergy were indistinguishable in their dress from any decently attired Roman official.”243

Meekness— The opposite to anger and irritability of disposition. Long-suffering — never permitting a trial or provocation to get to the end of your patience. Forbearing one another— Sustaining one another — helping to support each other in all the miseries and trials of life: or, if the word be taken in the sense of bearing with each other through the love of God working in our hearts, we should bear with each other’s infirmities, ignorance, etc., knowing how much others have been or are still obliged to bear with us.”244 The modern pastor holds little semblance to the Scriptural ones. We have taken the pastor who is by Scriptural mandate to be a servant and given him a throne like Nimrod. For some, this throne is not enough. Their desire is to rule over other men and their thrones. Thus, they have created all manner of titles and methods to enact their will upon the people. Thus, as one man in Africa so well said it, "we have Bishops evangelizing Bishops". This is not anything new, just a revisit to sins of the past. Solomon observed a similar phenomenon in his day:

In man's insatiable desire to replace the throne of Almighty God with earthly paradigms we have changed the role of the man of God. First we have objurgated the role of the fivefold ministry in favor of one centered on one man. Generally this one man ruler has been called pastor (although some groups have other titles for the same or similar role). Scripturally, the pastor is to be a servant of the people (Eph. 4:2).

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. (Eccl 10:7)

"It is by acting as the apostle here directs that a man walks worthy of this high vocation; signifies subjection or humility of mind.

Solomon, in his wisdom gotten from God understood the nature of men. "What this error in the ruler is simply an injudicious distribution of offices, and

243

Anglican Rose. Page 32, the Orthodox Liturgy. http://anglicanrose.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/ves tment-controversy/

GIVE US A KING

244

Adam Clarke Commentary. Ephesians. Chapter 4. Verses 2-4.

156

BERNIE L. WADE


raising people to places of trust and confidence, who are destitute of merit, are neither of name nor family to excite public confidence, and are without property; so that they have no stake in the country, and their only solicitude must naturally be to enrich themselves, and provide for their poor relatives."245

during the reign of Thomas a Becket, and Cardinal Woolsey. These insolent men lorded it over the whole nation; and the people and their gentry were raised or depressed according as their pride and caprice willed. And, through this kind of errors, not only a few sovereigns have had most uncomfortable and troublesome reigns, but some have even lost their lives.”246

These men give positions and titles to lewd and base men who interested in position and power. This is as common today as it was at any low point in history. This is true both in what we call the church and in the political realm. Thus, replacing the humble servitude of the man of God given by imprimatur of the Holy Spirit with political appointees. This was the modus operandi of the Roman Government and has continued more or less the same for other governments. The problem for us is that this is how we now operate what we expect is God's church. It is evident that we are only receiving ourselves. Adam Clarke commented on Solomon's words thusly, 'This is frequent in the governments of the world; and favoritism has often brought prosperous nations to the brink of ruin. Folly was set in dignity; the man of property, sense, and name, in a low place. Servants-menial men, rode upon horses-carried everything with a high and proud hand; and princes, — the nobles of the people, were obliged to walk by their sides, and often from the state of things to become in effect their servants. This was often the case in this country,

In a misplaced effort toward legitimacy the modern church has decided to adopt the Roman hierarchical system to replace the humble minister of yesteryear. Prayer and fasting have been replaced with pomp and ceremony. We have replaced the humble servant of God who served the people of God with a collection of miniature popes who exalt themselves and prostitute the Gospel of the

245

246

Adam Clarke Commentary. Ecclesiastes. Chapter 10. Commentary on Verses 5-8.

GIVE US A KING

Adam Clarke Commentary. Ecclesiastes. Chapter 10. Commentary on Verses 5-8.

157

BERNIE L. WADE


Kingdom of Jesus Christ. We have replaced the pure gold of the Holy Spirit with the brass of human government. Like Satan and Nimrod men are setting up their own personal kingdoms, and donning the appropriate attire to set themselves on their throne.

Isaiah 14 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

"The gift of the ministry is one of the greatest gifts which Christ has bestowed upon the world. It is in reference to this that the Psalmist, predicting the ascension of Christ, thus loftily speaks of its blessed results.”247

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

"Thou hast ascended up on high: Thou hast led captivity captive; Thou hast received gifts for men, even for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them" (Eph 4:811).

Satan's sin was pride manifested as rebellion against God. Satan wanted to put himself in the place of God as he said, I will be like the most High. Unfortunately, men usually repeat the sins of the past rather than learning from them and avoiding them. Men are not satisfied with being servants they, for some reason, want to take the glory, adoration and honor that belongs to God and heap it to themselves.

THRONES

"The Church of Rome, at its first planting, had the divinely bestowed gift of a Scriptural ministry and government; and then "its faith was spoken of throughout the whole world"; its works of righteousness were both rich and abundant. But, in an evil hour, the Babylonian element was admitted into its ministry, and thenceforth, that which had been intended as a blessing, was converted into a curse. Since then, instead of sanctifying men, it has only been the means of demoralizing them, and making them "twofold more the children of hell" than they would have been had they been left simply to

247

The Plain Truth. God's Hand Behind Today's News. The Sovereign Pontiff The Two Babylons Alexander Hislop.

GIVE US A KING

158

BERNIE L. WADE


themselves."248

Sometimes Byzantine Emperors fancied themselves theologians, Kings in the line of David, sharing in the sacerdotal office as a quasi-priest, offering wisdom, gifts, and blessings to the church. The Eastern Emperors held the following traditional prerogatives summed by the Nine Articles of the Council:

Apostle James spoke directly about the idea of a man with a fine robe wearing gold rings (James Chapter 2). Biblical Christians cannot miss the comparison to these modern money changers who have taken over the Church.

The emperor had the right to veto the election of an arch-bishop who did not please him.

"The great ecumenical councils of the church were all summoned by the Roman Emperor, and at times settled by his intercession"249 taking the church from the control of Godly and anointed men to control by men who violated ALL of the commandments of God."250 "In fact, the Nicene Creed was sealed by Constantine who threw in lot to the Trinitarian party in order to end the controversy. Byzantine Emperors main concern was typically the peace of the realm which the Church ensured via the curia of souls.

He could modify as he saw fit the hierarchy of Episcopal sees, make transfers of bishops and, sign of the times, grant bishoprics as benefices. He ratified appointments to the chief ecclesiastical offices, that is to the upper ranks of the patriarchal administration. He ensured that the boundaries of the dioceses, as established by him, were respected. He would free from all patriarchal censure, and if an archon and member of the senate infringed on canon, the patriarch would impose a punishment only through his intermediary, who would represent his role as defender of the Church and the canons. He could retain in Constantinople or send back to their diocese bishops who had come or been summoned to Constantinople on important business without the patriarch having a right to object.

248

The Plain Truth. God's Hand Behind Today's News. The Sovereign Pontiff The Two Babylons Alexander Hislop. 249 Note: intercession used here is not an indication of prayer, but rather the control of the Emperor void of any spiritual understand or insight. 250 http://anglicanrose.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/v estment-controversy/

GIVE US A KING

He might demand from every new bishop a promise of loyalty to his person and the empire.

159

BERNIE L. WADE


He could require all the bishops to approve and sign the synodal acts.

JESUS THE FISH GOD?

The bishops were obliged to take note of these articles and should not propose for election to an Episcopal see anyone who was not a friend of the emperor."251

Part of the exaltation of man is to position himself above God, this can be accomplished by lifting himself, debasing others or both. Nimrod claimed that he was a God. The ancients claimed that Nimrod was above God and told many parables about his exploits and his supposed triumphs over the God of Abraham in an attempt to convince the people that Nimrod was indeed a god. These various tales are the basis of what became the Pantheon of God for later civilizations. "In our day we have seen a revival of another ancient symbol, the fish. I remember first reading about it years ago and was quite impressed. According to their tale some early Christians who were persecuted had a secret sign among them. They would make a semi arc with their foot in the dirt, and if the other person opposite them did the same thing, they would know that they were Christians. The two arcs, intersecting at the front and the back, would form a sort of simple fish design."252 252

JESUS the FISH GOD? Avram Yehoshua. http://www.seedofabraham.net/fish.html

251

http://anglicanrose.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/v estment-controversy/

GIVE US A KING

160

BERNIE L. WADE


make them fishers of men, but could any of these be a reason why He would come to be equated with a fish? Then one day I realized that in the Bible there was a god that was represented as a fish, actually, half fish and half man. It was the god of the Philistines, the enemies of Israel. His name was Dagon which means 'fish' in Hebrew."254

Sounds great, except it is not true. There is no evidence that is was Christians making such a sign and if the sign was being made to the Roman's it represented one of their God's; not Jesus Christ. The Greek word for fish is ichthys. According to what we have been led to believe, each letter would be taken and used as an acronym to stand for; Jesus Christ Son of God Savior. "I thought that was pretty neat."253 However, that is also a fabrication. This was not a symbol even remotely connected to the New Testament Church of followers of Jesus Christ in Rome, Jerusalem, Antioch or anywhere else.

"That Dagon was not confined to just one location is also seen from the fact that in Ugarit, a great city that flourished before Moses took Israel out of Egypt, two temples, 'dedicated to the god Baal and his father Dagon have been found.' Bestiality was practiced among their gods and most likely in the temples by the people. 'Fertility religions such as Ugarit's place great emphasis on the reproduction of the land, in crops and in the womb. This emphasis helps explain their stress on sexual unions.' 'At Ugarit' 'homosexual priests and priestesses' 'acted as prostitutes.'255 There are volumes on this subject for those who care to research.

Unger's Bible Dictionary states that, "in Christian symbolism, the fish is of great significance. It is among the earliest art forms; generally thought to be the symbol for Christ." Unger comments that water baptism was in the mind of those who made the fish to be a symbol for Christ. Yes, baptism was part of their plan but the truth about the symbol is really something much different. "Where is the biblical connection between Jesus and something that would associate Him as a fish? And how does water baptism make Jesus into a fish?" I realized that Jesus fed many people with just a few fish and some bread (making Him Lord and Master of the fish, the bread, the feast and more). He was called the Bread of Life and He said to Peter and Andrew that if they followed Him, He would

254

JESUS the FISH GOD? Avram Yehoshua. http://www.seedofabraham.net/fish.html 255 Illustrated Manners and Customs of the Bible. James Packer. Ugarit.

253

JESUS the FISH GOD? Avram Yehoshua. http://www.seedofabraham.net/fish.html

GIVE US A KING

161

BERNIE L. WADE


representation of Nimrod (of ancient Babylon) resurrecting out of the ocean depths as a half-man, half-fish. Dagon is the diminutive of dag, and signifies fish.

THE FISH TRADITION

"One need only look at Christianity to see... the Fish tradition! It's under everyone's nose. The real Priests of Dagon of old wore a mitre headdress and the Catholic religion uses this same design on their papal headdress!" -SIRIUS

The Babylonians believed and worshipped a being, part man and part fish that emerged from the Erythraean Sea. The Erythrean Sea is an ancient name for the Red Sea (our modern Persian Gulf). Representations of this fish-god have been found among the sculptures of Nineveh. The Philistine Dagon was of a similar character. And this also explains the symbol claimed by some for Christianity, the fish - the "Ichthys" which is Dagon. Say it is not so! Christians worshipping Dagon?! God help us all!

So, why do we have this strange fish tradition and who does it really magnify? There is no mention of such an idea

FISH ON FRIDAYS? The worship of Dagon also affected people's eating habits. This may explain the mystery of why the Catholics abstain from eating fish on all days except Fridays. Whether they realize it or not, they are practicing the ancient pagan rite of worshipping Dagon. "As to the ritual of his worship... we only know from ancient writers that, for religious reasons, most of the Syrian peoples abstained from eating fish, a practice that one is naturally inclined to connect with the worship of a fish-god."256

from Jesus, the Prophets of the Old Testament, the Apostles of the New Testament or the leaders of the New Testament Church. So from where did it arrive in the modern era? According to Egyptian mythology, when the judges found Osiris [Nimrod] guilty of corrupting the religion of Adam and cut up his body, they threw the parts into the Nile. It was said that a fish ate one of these chunks and became transformed. Later, Isis [Semiramis] was fishing along the river bank when she fished up a half-man, half-fish. This sea creature was Dagon, the reincarnated Nimrod. And Dagon is the

GIVE US A KING

"Dagon was not just the god of the Philistines. If Ugarit was any indication 256

The Catholic Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia Press, Inc. 1913.

162

BERNIE L. WADE


of how Dagon was worshipped, we can see that the people were totally debased. Why would someone who loves Jesus Christ want to take a pagan symbol and suggest that it represents Jesus Christ? I can think of no good biblical reason. If you see someone wearing a police uniform, you naturally tend to think they're a cop. If they are not, they are an impostor. If we take upon ourselves a symbol of paganism, which essentially comes from Satan, how can this serve our desire to reflect Jesus Christ?"257

true church! PLEASE! Don't be fooled by these interlopers. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. – Galatians 6:7 Dagon was represented as either half fish and half man, where the upper part of his body would be fully human (something like a mermaid) or, 'the head of the fish formed a MITRE above that of the man, while its scaly, fan-like tail fell as a cloak behind, leaving the human limbs and feet exposed.' Very strange thing to develop in the first place but remember man has demonstrated he will go to any length in his rebellion against the one Eternal and True God. Man is quite focused on replacing God. Alexander Hislop, the Scottish minister who authored The Two Babylons tells us more about Latos (the Egyptian fish god version of Dagon) and shows us that many gods whom we might not have associated with being a 'fish-god' were indeed known by that title: "The name 'lat,' or the hidden one, had evidently been given, as well as Saturn, to the great Babylonian god. This is evident from the name of the fish Latus, which was worshipped along with the Egyptian Minerva, in the city of Latopolis in Egypt, that fish Latus evidently just being another name for the fish-god Dagon.

Dagon the Fish God This is the tradition of the Roman Church that they borrowed from the Babylonians. The Protestant Reformers distanced themselves from the Papacy and rejected all of these pagan trimmings. Today, we have a plethora of people picking them back up. Then they pretend that anyone who doesn't embrace their fish god, their fish cult and all that it represents is not the

We have seen that Ichthys, or the Fish, was one of the names of Bacchus; and the Assyrian goddess Atergatis, with her son Ichthys is said to have been cast

257

JESUS the FISH GOD? Avram Yehoshua. http://www.seedofabraham.net/fish.html

GIVE US A KING

163

BERNIE L. WADE


into the lake of Ascalon."258 "That was news to me. This thing seemed to be more widespread then I had first imagined. I hadn't known that pagan gods were symbolized as fish."259

used the term to represent their fish god. Even with the Greek letters inside it 'to identify it' as Jesus, we find ourselves enshrouding Him in a pagan symbol. Why would we want to use something that represents a pagan god, to portray Jesus?”262

Babylon was the place where paganism and rebellion to God fermented and Nimrod (Oannes) is the first of all the fish gods. "It seems that this fish god taught Man many things and that it was the water or sea that originally transformed him from just a man to the fish god. In other words, the man was transformed into another being by the waters In Babylon, the fish god came out of the 'Red Sea or Persian Gulf, half man and half fish' and 'civilized the Babylonians, taught them arts and sciences, and instructed them in politics and religion. His name was Oannes whom Hislop presents as another name for Dagon, Bacchus, Tammuz and Nimrod."260

'And the Serpent cast out of his mouth a flood of water after the Woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.' Rev. 12:15

"Jerome calls Dagon, the well known Fish-god Piscem moeroris, fish of sorrow, which goes far to identify that Fish-god with Bacchus, the 'Lamented one'; and the identification is complete when Hesychius tells us that some called Bacchus, Ichthys, or 'The Fish.'"261

"The symbol here (in Revelation) is certainly very remarkable. If this was the dragon of fire, it might have been expected that it would have been represented, according to popular myth, as vomiting fire after the woman. But it is not so. It was a flood of water that he cast out of his mouth. What could this be? As the water came out of the mouth of the dragon, that must mean doctrine, and of course, false doctrine. It was then precisely that our Lord Jesus

"Using the symbol of a fish to represent Jesus doesn't appear to be a good idea. It seems that the whole pagan world 258

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. BEROSUS, BUNSEN'S Egypt, vol. 1, p. 707 259 JESUS the FISH GOD? Avram Yehoshua. http://www.seedofabraham.net/fish.html 260 JESUS the FISH GOD? Avram Yehoshua. 261

262

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. BEROSUS, BUNSEN'S Egypt, vol. 1, p. 707.

GIVE US A KING

JESUS the FISH GOD? Avram Yehoshua. http://www.seedofabraham.net/fish.html

164

BERNIE L. WADE


Christ began to be popularly called Ichthys that is, 'the Fish,' manifestly to identify him with Dagon."263

he Bible, how could we 'attach' it to Yeshua (Jesus) without usurping God's authority to direct our lives?"265

It seems like Unger's was right when it stated earlier that water baptism was in the mind of those who made the fish to be a symbol for Christ. Unfortunately, pagan water baptism has no basis in the Word of God. It's magic of the worst kind. Incantations over the people to marry them to Satan. "Within the Roman Catholic Church there are many false and pagan ceremonies, theologies and practices that originated in Babylon and not the Word of God. The Catholic Church was flooded with these pagan ways and symbols.264

The answers are not really that hard. This is why we have multiple prophets who proclaimed that they people should not practice idol worship. This is why the ten commandments include "Thou Shalt have NO other gods before me!" We cannot attach things to Christ. The book of Revelation gives eternal penalties to those who "add to" and similar penalties to those who "take away" from the plan and the Word of God. "If I place upon Yeshua something that is not biblically ordained, but comes from paganism, I am drawing Yeshua into the pagan realm, not elevating or transforming a pagan symbol into a Christian one. The Bible is our authority for what we believe, and therefore, what we should practice. Resting our belief on anything else places us on dangerous ground."266

"Hislop goes on to say that it was the design of the Roman Catholic Church to bring paganism into Christianity. A goal that they excelled in. "Can we take the rites and symbols of Bacchus and Apollo and make them Christian?

So, what of the fish symbol that is reimmerging among Christians today? It is a violation of the Commandments of God: "4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:

is, 'Why would we even want to?' 263

Alexander Hislop cites 'Augustine, De Civitate, lib. xviii. cap. 23, vol. ix. p. 665.' 264 The extent of paganism in the Catholic Church is overwhelming. And some of it has flowed into the Protestant churches.

GIVE US A KING

4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and 265 266

165

JESUS the FISH GOD? Avram Yehoshua. JESUS the FISH GOD? Avram Yehoshua.

BERNIE L. WADE


make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

movement leading the charge to turn or in some cases return the entire church to the Roman Catholic Church system. The promoters of these new Papists are quick to condemn all that refuse to adhere to their new papal systems and their commitment to the RCC. In order to exalt themselves above their peers and to manifest their pride, they physically made the journey to Rome to meet with the Pope, kiss his ring, and make a covenant with the RCC leaders.

4:17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 4:18 The likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:" - Deuteronomy 4:15-18. KJV. It was not just by chance that the Scripture mentions the worship of the fish. It was a real problem in the time of Moses and remains the same.

"Without such confession, in the Church of Rome, there can be no admission to the Sacraments, any more than in the days of Paganism there could be admission without confession to the benefit of the Mysteries. Now, this confession is made by every individual, in SECRECY AND IN SOLITUDE, to the priest sitting in the name and clothed with the authority of God, invested with the power to examine the conscience, to judge the life, to absolve or condemn according to his mere arbitrary will and pleasure. This is the grand pivot on which the whole "Mystery of iniquity," as embodied in the Papacy, is made to turn; and wherever it is submitted to, admirably does it serve the design of binding men in abject subjection to the priesthood."268

THE NEW PAPISTS

This new effort by non Catholics to spread the RCC has been made possible primarily because of Vatican II. Vatican II was a counsel held by the RCC that purposed to adjust the RCC to seem more ecumenical and return the daughters of the Protestant movement to their Mother (RCC). The RCC has

According to the Roman Catholic Church, "The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, he is Jesus Christ himself, hidden under the veil of flesh."267 There is a new papist

268 267

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter I. Distinctive Character of the Two Systems

Catholic National July 1895.

GIVE US A KING

166

BERNIE L. WADE


legitimate from the RCC perspective.270

used the aftermath of Vatican II as an olive branch to bring other groups under the imprimatur of the Pope of Rome.

The Pope made it clear that without his imprimatur "their ministers effectively phonies with no right to give communion." The Vatican's statement had fewer misgivings about the Orthodox Church, which had "true sacraments" and a genuine priesthood. But their failure to acknowledge the Pope's authority meant they suffered from a "defectus", politely translated from Latin as "a wound". 271 Pope Benedict said, "It is nevertheless difficult to see how the title of 'Church' could possibly be attributed to [Protestant communities], given that they do not accept the theological notion of the Church in the Catholic sense and that they lack elements considered essential to the Catholic Church."

"Whatever were our opinions about the Council's various doctrines before its conclusions were promulgated, today our adherence to the decisions of the Council must be whole hearted and without reserve; it must be willing and prepared to give them the service of our thought, action and conduct. The Council was something very new: not all were prepared to understand and accept it. But now the conciliar doctrine must be seen as belonging to the magisterium of the Church and, indeed, be attributed to the breath of the Holy Spirit."269

The New Priests of Dagon. Adherents to the RCC through the JCAAPB.

Since Vatican II in the 1960's no stone has been left unturned to give the RCC pre-eminence in all of Christendom. Pope Benedict has left no doubt where he stands. In the traditional stance of the Roman Church these non-Catholic groups are not even churches, removing aspirations by some to be seen as 269

However, these new adherents to the RCC see themselves as having their 270

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jul/11/ca tholicism.religion 271 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jul/11/ca tholicism.religion

http://www.vatican2voice.org/

GIVE US A KING

167

BERNIE L. WADE


of celibacy." 272

own imprimatur to oversee all ministers but they have merely enslaved themselves and their followers to a religious system that is the modern representation of Nimrod's rebellion against God. Some of these deceived men have even created their own version of the Catholic Church (referring to themselves as the Old Catholic Church and the like). Others have simply brought the trimmings of Babylon to their denominations. The promoters of this strange fire come in a variety of flavors. It is sad to say that many who profess to be Spirit filled are drinking the purple kool-aid of this deception.

POST VATICAN II PARTNERS Post-Vatican II ecumenical partners, such as the Anglicans, dialogue partners, such as the Orthodox Church and Mormons, and even communities that were one anti-Catholic, such as the Baptists are eagerly seeking active partnerships with the Catholic Church to protect such values and religious freedom.273 Protestants are protesters of the authority of the Catholic Church, and therefore reject the Pope, who is a direct representative of that authority. These Protestants have obviously abandoned their protests.

Religious Empires. Will the Orthodox Church agree for a piece of the 'rock'? Archbishop Christosmos meets with the Pope

The marriage of the RCC with contemporary Protestants has touched nearly all denominations, organizations and groups from Pentecostals to the Orthodox Church. Some might say, Wait, a minute! These cannot be Catholic priests, they are married. Yes, you are partially right, but give credit to Dagon's priests they have been doing more than molesting little boys. The RCC already thought of this problem. "Under an obscure provision of Catholic law, former Protestant priests may become ordained without taking a vow

GIVE US A KING

'THE Pope was recognized as the overall authority in the Christian world by an Anglican and Roman Catholic commission which described 272

http://www.goddiscussion.com/25936/marriedman-to-become-a-catholic-priest/ 273 Pope: Americas need renewed missionary spirit, well-catechized laity. Catholic News Service. Carol Glatz.

168

BERNIE L. WADE


Rome".275 Among those who have been directly connected (or subjugated) to the Pope are groups like the JCAAPB, the I.C.C.C., FGBCF and others. Lutherans like Karl-Hinrich Manzke Bishop of the German Lutheran Schaumburg-Lippe.276 Names like Ralph A. Bohlmann (President of the Missouri Synod Lutherans)277, Kathryn Kuhlman278, Billy

him as a "gift to be received by all the Churches". ...if a new united Christian Church was created it would be the 'Bishop of Rome who would exercise a universal primacy. The 43-page document, The Gift of Authority, has been produced by the 18member Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, after five years of debate. The commission concluded that the Bishop of Rome had a "specific ministry concerning the discernment of truth" and accepted that only the Pope had the moral authority to unite the various Christian denominations. Mark Birchall, a member of the Church of England Evangelical council, said: "It speaks as if the Bishop of Rome has always been on the side of the angels while it is well known that for several centuries past the Bishop of Rome was certainly not. The primacy of the Pope is a gift to be shared."274

275

The monks of Mount Athos and some conservative sectors of the Orthodox world accuse the Ecumenical Patriarchate of yielding to Rome on the question of Petrine primacy. http://www.asianews.it/news-en/MetropolitanZizoulas:-Defend-ecumenical-dialogue-againstthose-who-oppose-it-16625.html 276 A Pope for Protestants. July 12, 2012. 277 1987/meeting-with-the-pope 278 Kathryn Kuhlman. Healer and New Age Diva. Kuhlman was a founding member of a New Age movement that synchronized Christianity and spiritualism together with pop psychology and a lavish serving of capitalism. Robert Duncan. In response to reports that she had a private audience October 11, 1972 with Pope Paul VI, some extreme Protestants still find their blood boiling: "Katherine Kuhlman was a witch that was accepted by many. Do you suppose that the Pope blessed her for serving Jesus? Or could it be that an anti-Christ was blessing one of his own servants." http://www.speroforum.com/a/13001/KathrynKuhlman-Healer-and-New-Age-diva

Archbishop Chrisostomos of the Orthodox Church continues dialogue with the Pope in spite of concern from his Bishops that the dialogue is a plan to "subjugate the Orthodox to the pope in 274

Electronic Telegraph-UK News May 13, 1999 Oliver Poole

GIVE US A KING

169

BERNIE L. WADE


Graham279, Rev. Harold Bennett (Baptist), Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit (General Secretary of the World Counsel of Churches; also Lutheran), David Du Plessis, Robert McAllister, Roy E. Brown, William S. McKinley, Earl Paulk, Jim Swilley, Joseph Milner, Peter R. Edwards, J. Delano Ellis, Paul S. Morton, Benson Idahosa, and a long list of others.280

precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication." Rev. 17:4. Her iniquity is thus described in the fifth and sixth verses: "And upon her head was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration."

Billy Graham said, "I find myself closer to Catholics than the radical Protestants."281 Graham on his graduation speech from Catholic Abbey he stated: "Finally, the way of salvation has not changed. I know how the ending of the book will be. The Gospel that built this school [Catholic] and the Gospel that brings me here tonight is still the way to salvation"282 "Why would Baptists, Pentecostal, and other “Protestants” openly submit to men who proclaim that their spiritual heritage comes from Rome. Why would “the Church” have a “spiritual covering” made up of a system of men who allowed, appeased, and helped the Nazi Party to flourish & expand their empire in the 1930’s & 40’s?"283

No group claiming to represent the Church is wealthier than the American Church. We need to heed this warning from Apostle John. "When Linacer, a distinguished physician, but bigoted Romanist, in the reign of Henry VIII first fell in with the New Testament, after reading it for a while, he tossed it from him with impatience and a great oath, exclaiming, "Either this book is not true, or we are not Christians."

This corrupt church is described as representing great wealth. "And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and 279

Billy Graham's Love Affair with the Popes http://www.wels.net/news-events/forward-inchrist/november281 Philadelphia Evening Bulletin 24 may, 1966 282 "Belmont Abbey Confers Honorary Degree," Paul Smith, Gazette staff reporter, The Gastonia Gazette, Gastonia, North Carolina, Nov. 22, 1967 283 Watch n Pray. Finally Reality meets Faith. Why Expose. Part 1. 280

GIVE US A KING

He saw at once that the system of

170

BERNIE L. WADE


Rome and the system of the New Testament were directly opposed to one another; and no one who impartially compares the two systems can come to any other conclusion."284 "Every Biblical scholar will confirm this truth. Anyone that travels to the Vatican and goes to meet the pope has to address him as “HOLY FATHER”. Bowing down before the authority of the Papacy would have been unthinkable to the founders of EVERY protestant denomination. But we are now in a time were the “church” has become ‘catholic’ by definition."285 The modern Papists are eager to enslave themselves to this old Roman system. Apostle Paul warned the Galatian Church:

back into slavery, you are already free in Christ!”286 "The Saviour Himself is the door of the sheepfold: 'I am the door of the sheep.' Into this fold of Jesus Christ, no man may enter unless he be led by the Sovereign Pontiff; and only if they be united to him can men be saved, for the Roman Pontiff is the Vicar of Christ and His personal representative on earth."287 Satan's lie is complete, "you will be god!”

(Galatians 5:1) Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. The Galatians had been delivered from the bondage of pagan legalism. They were now being led by Judaizers who were trying to put them back into the bondage of legalism by requiring them to keep the Jewish Law. But the promise of the path to freedom was really a deception designed to bind them in a system of never-ending emptiness. Achievement, holiness, purity, maturity were all desires. Failure, self-hatred, sin, and immaturity would be the inevitable result. “Stand fast” was the battle cry in the spiritual war for the spiritual life of these believers. Paul was telling them, “Don’t give in, don’t go

Pictured to the immediate right of Pope Paul VI is David Du Plessis. Also pictured to the left of the Pope are Robert McAllister and Justus Du Plessis.

Like the Mystery woman of Revelation, these new papists insist that only those who get their robe and MITRE from their organizations are "legitimate". They spend vast amounts of time touting themselves. Like the Roman Church, they posture that only their ministry is legitimate and charge a large fee to join their group. Like other cults they rail on 286

The Renewed Mind. Living Your Identity in Christ Through Renewing Your Mind. Stand Fast in Liberty. Galatians 5:1. 287 Pope John XXIII in his homily to the Bishops and faithful assisting at his coronation on November 4, 1958

284

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter IV. Doctrine and Discipline 285 Watch n Pray. Finally Reality meets Faith. Are All Catholic? Part 3.

GIVE US A KING

171

BERNIE L. WADE


those who refuse or fail to comply in an attempt to exalt themselves above other men. Those who do not kowtow are referred to in a variety of ugly rhetoric. "And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priest and either not to pardon or to pardon, according as they refuse to give absolution, provided the penitent is capable of it."288

JOINT COLLEGE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PENTECOSTAL BISHOPS

"If the head be corrupt, so also must be the members. If the Pope be essentially Pagan, what else can be the character of his clergy? If they derive their orders from a radically corrupted source, these orders must partake of the corruption of the source from which they flow. This might be inferred independently of any special evidence; but the evidence in regard to the Pagan character of the Pope's clergy is as complete as that in regard to the Pope himself."289

"If you know a Bishop, did you ever ask the question, how did they become one? In the “Contemporary African American Church” usually the College of Bishops comes to the rescue whenever a pastor decides that he wants to join the dark side. But what is a College of Bishops?"291

"The Roman Pontiff judges all men, but is judged by no one. We declare, assert, define and pronounce: to be subject to the Roman Pontiff is to every human creature necessary for salvation that which was spoken of Christ 'thou has subdued all things under his feet' may well seem verified in me... I have the authority of the King of Kings. I am all in all and above all, so that God himself and I, the vicar of God, have but one consistory, and I am able to do all that God can do."290

"The term ‘College of Bishops’ is used in Catholic theology to describe the bishops, as the successors of the Apostles in communion with the Pope, who is the Bishop of Rome, as a body.

288

Liguori, Duties and Dignities of the Priest», p.27 289 The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter VI, Section II. Priests, Monks, and Nuns 290 The Bull Unam Sanctam... Issued by POPE BONIFACE VIII

GIVE US A KING

291

Watch n Pray. Finally Reality meets Faith. Clown College. Part 5.

172

BERNIE L. WADE


holiness"292

With the Pope, the college shares the pastoral care and government of the Roman Catholic Church." Like other famous Baptist, most notably Billy Graham, these Baptists also love the Papacy.

The Bishop MITRE does not represent the descent of the Holy Spirit! Where did these guys think up this heresy? The Mitre is not even remotely related to the Holy Spirit. This is strange fire just like the sons of Eli offered. "Notice that the website does NOT talk about the key, because the cross keys are the symbol for the Vatican, and by just having one key, one staff, a stole, and a miter, the seal pledges submission to Rome as the Holy See (Two keys= Full Authority, One Key = Partial Authority/ Servant to Full Authority )."

"In a 2003 book called 'The Bishopric: A Handbook on Creating Episcopacy in the African-American Pentecostal Church' (page viii), it is revealed that Bishop Delano Ellis, Archbishop Roy E. Brown, Bishop Paul S. Morton and Archbishop William S. McKinley came together to CREATE The Joint College of African American Pentecostal Bishops. The JCAAPB has a seal and is described on the website:"

If you compare Joseph Ratzinger’s Seal to the JCAAPB seal they are very similar (you may have to look carefully to see Ursa Major – The Great Bear or The Big Dipper in the JCAAPB seal, but it is clear in the pope’s seal.)293

"The STARS represent the four Founding Bishops: Bishop J. Delano Ellis, II, Bishop Paul Sylvester Morton, Archbishop Roy Brown, and Archbishop Wilbert Sterling McKinley. The three STREAMS represent the three Reformations: United Pentecostal Churches of Christ, Full Gospel and Pilgrim Assemblies. The BISHOP'S MITER symbolizes the Acts 2:3-4 descent of the Holy Spirit on the birth of the Church. The flowing STOLE on either side of the Arms is the symbol of the yokemanship of all who serve with the Primate (Archbishops) on the promulgation of the message of

GIVE US A KING

"Secrets are being kept from the masses, and when you go to church on Sunday, your Bishop/Pastor is not telling you the whole truth. The FGBCF is part of a DARK agenda and their leaders have been ‘secretly’ trained and tutored by Roman Catholicism. These Full Gospel Baptists, “ministers”, have to travel to an “Illuminati” religious training facility in Vatican City, Rome. Every 292

Watch n Pray. Finally Reality meets Faith. Clown College. Part 5. 293 Watch n Pray. Finally Reality meets Faith. Clown College. Part 5.

173

BERNIE L. WADE


Churches of Jesus Christ (PCJC)."295

Bishop that wants to go to the next level in these Religious systems MUST go to the Vatican to Worship and bow down before the Papacy!"294

An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person— usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne.

Like Satan these men are building themselves kingdom's and thrones. When they speak of the service where a man takes on their mitre they call it an ENTRONEMENT. When I first heard this I was appalled. Enthroned?! Are you kidding? John saw a vision of heaven and he said there is only ONE that sits on the throne!

Bishop J. Delano Ellis

Here is an example of the modern worshippers of Dagon and their enthronement of men:

And Jesus said unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head. Who do these people represent? Certainly not Jesus Christ! Perhaps you have read and understood that Jesus did not have a place to lay his head and He could walk on water and do miracles! When have any of these men in with their enthronements accomplished such!? None of the Apostles, no one in the Bible and no one in the early church believed such heresy. ALL of the Apostolic Fathers rejected this open obeisance to Dagon.

"Sunday, June 12, 2011 was undoubtedly the most amazing Pentecost celebration of Bishop Hezekiah Walker’s life. As thousands packed into the new sanctuary of the Prayer Tabernacle Cathedral in Bridgeport, CT to witness the “Enthronement” service to officially install Bishop Walker into the office of Presiding Prelate of the Pentecostal

"In a year 2000 Vatican City training class, Catholic Priest Roger J. Landry instructed the Joint College of Pentecostal Bishops with a teaching entitled ” Significance of Rome, the See of Peter, in the Early Church” and in that indoctrinating speech he declared: “...the Bishop of Rome is the Successor of Peter in his primatial

294

Watch n Pray. Finally Reality meets Faith. Secret Societies. Part 7.

GIVE US A KING

295

174

http://mygospeltoday.com/?p=3494

BERNIE L. WADE


service in the universal Church; this succession explains the preeminence of the Church of Rome, enriched also by the preaching and martyrdom of St. Paul. In the divine plan for the primacy as "the office that was given individually by the Lord to Peter, the first of the Apostles, and to be handed on to his successors", we already see the purpose of the Petrine charism, i.e., "the unity of faith and communion" of all believers.

Manya Brachear discloses what Gospel singer Larry Trotter did when he led ministers to commune with the Papacy in 1996: “In 1989, Ellis' telephone rang. Trotter, who had become a Baptist preacher, introduced himself as Ellis' son--his spiritual son. The two became reacquainted, and soon Ellis invited Trotter to be a part of his newly formed Pentecostal denomination. For years, Trotter maintained a dual alignment, helping Ellis advance his ecumenical goals of galvanizing Pentecostals while continuing to preach as a Baptist. Ellis later founded the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops, an alliance of leaders from 27 historically black Pentecostal denominations. Seven years later, Trotter led a group of college members to Rome in an effort to learn some of the ancient traditions of Christianity preserved by the Roman Catholic Church.”297

The Roman Pontiff, as the Successor of Peter, is "the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity both of the Bishops and of the multitude of the faithful" and therefore he has a specific ministerial grace for serving that unity of faith and communion which is necessary for the Church to fulfill her saving mission.”296

Writing on a blog, bishop Lawrence L. Hancock, Sr. testifies: " In addition, I am an active member of the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops. I don’t publish this

Revelation 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. In a 2004 Chicago Tribune article,

297

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-1203/news/0412030182_1_baptist-congregations-ellisson-full-gospel-baptist-fellowship

296

Watch n Pray. Finally Reality meets Faith. Secret Societies. Part 7

GIVE US A KING

175

BERNIE L. WADE


information because I am the only member of the College in Northwest Ohio. It is an honor to be a part of College of Bishops that is respected globally. In fact, our College will journey to the “Vatican City” Rome, Italy for our Annual Congress in 2010 hosted by the Roman Catholic Church and the New Pope."298

Jerusalem. No one can prove that the Catholic Pope is a 'direct line' to anything other than Constantine the Emperor of Rome. Even the Catholic church has changed its lineage and other Pope's history some 62 times.300

"To clarify, some protestant Black Bishops, believing that the last order of apostolic succession is only thru the laying on of physical hands, by an apostle, believe that apostolic succession is traced to the Catholic church, since they agree with the Catholics that Peter was its founder. Therefore, since they believe Catholics can trace back to the apostolic hands of Peter, believed to be their first pope, then bishops who have been prayed for, or had a Catholic pope lay hands on them, have received and can also confer apostolic succession, by laying their hands on others to become bishops, as a result of the Catholic pope laying hands upon them. It's my understanding that many of these Bishops actually had Pope John Paul II lay hands on them and pray for them."299

Apostle James was the Bishop at

On a personal note, this writer remembers well some of the ministers who served before the administration of these new Papists. These were humble men that had hazarded their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor for the Gospel. Men who put the needs of the people they served before their own comfort. Men who wore shoes with holes in the bottom. Men, who worked a day job while they served a small congregation. For many they had not only fought the ignorance of racism they withstood the onslaught of religions organizations that refused to allow the free flow of the Holy Ghost. When their peers embraced the Babylonian mandate and ridiculed them because (in

298

300

This is all the work of terrible error. As we have covered, Peter was NOT the first Pope, there is NO evidence he was ever even in Rome, Peter was not even the Bishop at Jerusalem (one of the five Bishoprics of the First Century Church).

Watch n Pray. Finally Reality meets Faith. Secret Societies. Part 7. 299 Watch n Pray. Secret Societies. Part 7.

GIVE US A KING

http://exministries.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/jdelano-ellis-jcaapb-certifies-openly-homosexualbishop/. Will Ford.

176

BERNIE L. WADE


their expectation) they did not measure up, these men stood for the Apostles doctrine, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Pentecostal experience.

HOMOSEXUAL PRIESTS What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for

It is the legacy of these unsung heroes of the faith that the New Papists are offering up on a charger to the Pope. I cannot help but wonder if the late Bishop Charles Watkins, the founder of the church where J. Delano Ellis has brought his new religion is not doing the proverbial turning over in his grave. How confused the good men and women of God must be who stood resolute for the Pentecostal experience and the message of the Apostolic Faith bands of Charles Parham and others who brought the world the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in tongues that previous to 1900 has been long denied but now is an experience from which we all benefit.

two, saith he, shall be one flesh. -- I Corinthians 6:16 “The challenge for the Roman Catholic Church is that heterosexual men are not joining the priesthood while men of homosexual perversion are joining in record numbers. I have never in my life, in all the readings and books that I have, ever seen any organization as corrupt, and filled full of pedophiles and homosexuals, as I have the Roman Catholic Church.’”301 “Increasingly there is evidence of widespread corruption in the Catholic Church with priests organizing and engaging in homosexual acts and promoting a gay life style within the Church. There is evidence of

301

GIVE US A KING

177

Homosexual Priests. Dr. Max D. Younce, Th.D.

BERNIE L. WADE


Dagon to be homosexuals. However, if there were then that was all the better. The purpose of all that Dagon offered was rebellion against God, against His precepts and His commandments. So, priests of Dagon committing any number of lewd or sexually perverse acts made them all the more qualified.

this occurring in at least three cities, Miami, Rome and London.”302 In 2010 the Italian news magazine Panorama published a report on the homosexual sub-culture among some priests in the Diocese of Rome. A Panorama journalist went undercover with a hidden video camera to several popular gay night spots in Rome for 20 days, discovering “numerous cases” of priests who were “perfectly integrated in the capital’s gay scene.” The report uncovered three priests, two Italian and one French, who, based on the video footage, were seen “dancing half-naked” and engaged in sexual acts.303 These modern priests of Dagon are engaged in behavior and lifestyle exactly like those of their ancient counterparts. Whether by design or the passage of time, the wealth of the Roman Church has taken away all semblance of a group of people with interest in God and placed that interest on the exaltation of man. Remember: the sin of Sodom was pride.

Unfortunately, these perversions are being brought to the Church in an unprecedented manner. The manifestation and revelation of this from the Roman Church and its priests have been the front page news for the past several years. Although the general public has been shocked that these priests of Dagon are steeped in abusing little boys – none should be surprised. Unfortunately, these New Papists are not a whit behind their Roman leaders. In fact they are in the forefront of promoting ungodliness, sexual perversion, and a plethora of other sins of the flesh. They obviously do not cherish the tremendous sacrifice that their forefathers paid to bring restoration of the Apostles doctrine to the people when it had been so long denied to them by the dictates of the Papacy.

The challenge for the New Papists is that they are now part of that same church and apparently their men are no different than the ones joining the mother church. Frankly, there is no discernible difference between these men and those in Sodom.

As previously discussed, politics make strange bedfellows. "In July, the Cleveland based Joint College of African American Pentecostal Bishops released a strongly worded rejection of homosexual clergy."304

There was no mandate for the priests of

This was timely as one of their most influential (and wealthy) priests was

302

The scandal of dissenting homosexual priests in Miami, Rome and London. Deacon Nick Donnelly. August 1. 2011 303 Ibid. Donnelly. Homosexual priests.

GIVE US A KING

304

http://exministries.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/jdelano-ellis-jcaapb-certifies-openly-homosexualbishop/

178

BERNIE L. WADE


did not admit him."306

ousted by members of his mega congregation. "But now, new information reveals that Official Statement was simply an attempt to cover up the school’s knowing admission of an openly homosexual bishop. O. C. Allen founder of an Atlanta homosexual church attended and was certified by school and is now wearing the school’s insignia."305

A former member of the Joint College, who asked not to be named summed up his disgust with Ellis’ gay bishop debacle. “This is a disgrace,” he said.307 Some 100 years after the beginning of the effort to bring restoration to the Apostles doctrine, these men, lifted up in pride, have given all of that away for temporary pre-eminence, some worthless mammon and fleeting notoriety. God help us all! Reaction has been swift, here are some of the published comments:

start. A mere attempt to make man like gods and conform to the antichrist agenda of the catholic church. End it and repent! God NEVER told you to do this and he will NEVER endorse it. Selah. "Bishop J. Delano Ellis, his staff and roster of high powered, high profile bishops had been extremely silent and guarded as questions began to surface. Allen and his cadre of gay clerics sported the insignia of the JCAAPB during their 2012 meeting in Atlanta. Several ministers connected to the school said that Ellis was afraid of the controversy that might erupt if he publicly confronted Allen so he has remained silent, hoping it would not be noticed. But GCMW found out that Allen threatened to sue the school if it

homosexual encounter or homosexual Bishop. Have we forgotten Bishop Eddie Long was part of this group? -ministries said it best, it’s a mess! There is no such thing as an Archbishop which we already knew. This originated out of the doctrines of Balaam and Nicolaitanes in Revelation 2:14 which God said He hated. These folks open that door even before homosexuals came. This type of setting was the incubation platform for error when the 306

http://exministries.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/jdelano-ellis-jcaapb-certifies-openly-homosexualbishop/ 307 Ibid. Exministries. Word Press.

305

http://exministries.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/ j-delano-ellis-jcaapb-certifies-openlyhomosexual-bishop/

GIVE US A KING

179

BERNIE L. WADE


talk on how Catholic rhetoric is the main teaching upon men seeking worship instead being a servant. As ex-ministries put it, it’s the spirit of dumb.

judgment, if not now in this life, certainly at death! "308 Therefore hell has enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoices, shall descend into it. – Isaiah 5:8

Church and we all know the various sexual perversions, especially homosexual priests that they have become partakers of; that joined to a harlot is one.

that only a few people at the College of Bishops knew of his lifestyle. Those Bishops are in the same circle of people and they all know each other. What a shame to let an openly sexual pervert sit through the trainings and even be able to purchase patches for him and his entourage. Absolutely ridiculous. Where are the Elijah’s, Jeremiah’s, Paul’s of this day who should have called out this abomination??? The stain of this error has been spread to many ministers and ministries. Someone asked me what we should do if we have been caught in this error. There is no perfect answer but this would be a good start:

Revelation 21:8 first description of who will be cast into the lake of fire is a COWARD!!!! That room was full of COWARDS, from Ellis on down. SELF PRESERVATION is sending a lot of people to HELL. Don’t be deceived either, Mr. Allen and his crew were not the only SODOMITES that were in that room. Some of those other gentlemen are living is SEXUAL PERVERSION. .

Ask anyone you may have harmed to forgive you. Repent of your pride, arrogance and what every spirit has brought this into your life.

In 2nd Kings 23:7 we see that King Josiah had to tear down the SODOMITE quarters that were inside the Lord’s Temple. This type of behavior has gone on for many ages, but as did King Josiah, this perversion must be DESTROYED from the house of GOD. No one is getting away with this behavior. God will execute His

GIVE US A KING

semblance of the worship of Dagon. ntinue to pray and seek the 308

http://exministries.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/jdelano-ellis-jcaapb-certifies-openly-homosexualbishop/

180

BERNIE L. WADE


fellowship of men and women of God who will pray with you and for you.

Nevertheless he shakes his head sadly and informs you that Catholic doctrine is not Scriptural. It is a mish mash of pagan philosophy and religious customs. He tells you how veneration of the Virgin Mary and prayers to the saints have their roots in pagan goddess worship and ancestor worship. He’ll tell you how the doctrines of purgatory the sacraments have come from Gnosticism, how transubstantiation is pagan Aristotelianism and Catholic beliefs on heaven and hell and the afterlife are infected with the pagan philosophies of Neo Platonism.

spirits that were applied to your life by this invasion from hell.

THE MITRE

Finally there is your secular friend with his own brand of Catholic=pagan anti Catholicism. He does not fear Catholicism because it is pagan. He dismisses it because it is pagan. Secularists use the theory to ridicule or dismiss Catholicism because it shows that ‘all religions are merely different versions of primitive superstition.”309 The true history of the bishop’s miter is found with a simple search on the internet, but explain this piece of historical detail to an extreme Protestant who believes everything Catholic is simply warmed up paganism and you will discover that he thinks you have been brainwashed. The information on the internet was a page on the Catholic Encyclopedia!! He will consider you to be a naive dupe of a sinister regime, and the source of your information is part of a cover up by the Catholic disinformation machine in the secret walled city of the Vatican.

Like the Roman Catholic Pope these groups have adopted the ceremony of wearing the mitre as one of their rites of passage. These claim that all of these vestments are patterned after Christ, but this is a fabrication. There is nowhere in Scripture that such ceremonies, vestments and the like were used by Jesus or any of his followers. Rather, these garments and accompaniments are the vestige of the pagan God Dagon by his various names. While many are aware of this, they wear it anyway. Where did the mitre originate? Dr. Thomas Inman

A second Protestant friend may not be quite so extreme in his Catholic=pagan beliefs. He eschews the wild eyed fundamentalism of the Chick Tracts.

GIVE US A KING

309

Paganism, Prophecies and Propaganda. Three Forms of Anti-Catholicism. Fr. Longenecker.

181

BERNIE L. WADE


discussed this phenomenon in his two volume opus, "Ancient Faiths Embodied in Ancient Names," (1869). He included a representation of a sculpture from Mesopotamia, observing "It is the impression of an ancient gem, and represents a man clothed with a fish, the head being the mitre; priests thus clothed, often bearing in their hand the mystic bag..."

this same mitre is being adopted by ministers around the world and 'sold' as a Christian.

"In almost every instance," added Inman, "it will be recognized that the fish's head is represented as of the same form as the modern bishop's mitre." The fish also appears in another sacred iconograph, the Avatars of Vishnu, where the deity "is represented as emerging from the mouth of a fish, and being a fish himself; the legend being that he was to be the Savior of the world in a deluge which was to follow... The Mystery religion of ancient Babylon/Assyria, was noted for the priestly class of “Dagon” in much the same way that the “Mystery” religion of Rome has copied it. “The two-horned mitre", which the Pope wears, when he sits on the high altar at Rome and receives the adoration of the Cardinals, is the very mitre worn by the Priests of Dagon, the fish-god of the Philistines and Babylonians.”310 "In Babylon there was "Oannes" a fish god who imparted great knowledge to the people. He taught them how to build cities. He also taught them math and geometric laws, and was credited with giving them all the knowledge that they would ever receive. At night, he would go back into the sea to spend the night, because he was amphibious. He had

“The two-horned mitre, which the Pope wears, when he sits on the high altar at Rome and receives the adoration of the Cardinals, is the very mitre worn by the priests of Dagon, the fish-god of the Philistines and Babylonians.” Not only does the pope wear this “Mitre” hat, but so do the Cardinals on certain occasions when they are dressed in their royal regalia. Strangely enough

GIVE US A KING

310

182

The Two Babylons ; Alexander Hislop; p. 215

BERNIE L. WADE


the head of a man; covered by the head of a fish, and had the legs and feet of a man and the torso of a man, but was covered by the scales and tail of a fish." -Berossus; from ancient fragments

huge fish! The head of the fish formed a mitre above that of the old man, while its scaly, fan-like tail fell as a cloak behind, leaving the human limbs and feet exposed.”313 In February of 2000 on Christianitytoday.com, Bishop Carl H. Montgomery II, assistant presiding bishop of the United Pentecostal Churches of Christ in reference to a Vatican trip is quoted as saying ".. [it's] our way of saying we recognize the Catholic Church as our historical grandparents." "In the Chicago Tribune article by Steve Kloehn, bishop J. Delano Ellis is cited as being "mentored" by Cleveland Catholic Bishop Anthony Pilla. According to bishop-accountability.org Bishop Anthony Pilla has "... long been accused of covering up for abusive priests." The website goes on to state the sick and twisted tactics that Pilla used to help pedophile clergyman: "One of Bishop Pilla's longtime top aides, Auxiliary Bishop A. James Quinn, advised a group of church lawyers in a speech 12 years ago to remove some documents from priests' personnel files".314

The fact is the origin of the hat goes back long before Jesus and can be traced to an ancient Babylonian fish-god named Dagon.311 "All scholars agree that the name and worship of Dagon were imported from Babylonia by the Roman Church. ”312 After the famous Vatican II conference (1967) the Roman Church extended an olive branch to those who were descendants of the various Protestant groups claiming that they were welcome to return to the "Mother Church". A variety of denominations took the Pope up on his offer including some Papist leaning ministers in the vast (and growing) Pentecostal movement. Like the Pagans these have, in time, began to adopt the ways of their "Mother". “In their veneration and worship of Dagon, the high priest of paganism would actually put on a garment that had been created from a

This is the type of “covering” that men like J. Delano Ellis and Paul S. Morton Sr. have placed themselves under for the last 20 years."315 Remember: that which is deep down in a well will one day come up in a bucket. It is little wonder that the ranks of these New Papists have been rifled with various sins of the flesh, homosexual Bishops and more.

311

313

The Mitre. http://eccc.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=arti cle&id=84:the-mitre&catid=15:articles&Itemid=102 312 The Two Babylons ; Alexander Hislop; p. 215

GIVE US A KING

The Two Babylons ; Alexander Hislop; p. 215 Watch n Pray. Finally Reality meets Faith. Filthy Covering. Part 8. 315 Watch n Pray. Filthy Covering. Part 8. 314

183

BERNIE L. WADE


human, the under part ending in the tail of a fish. The other was, when, to use the words of Layard, "the head of the fish formed a mitre above that of the man, while its scaly, fan-like tail fell as a cloak behind, leaving the human limbs and feet exposed." Of Dagon in this form Layard gives a representation in his last work; and no one who examines his mitre, and compares it with the Pope's as given in Elliot's Horoe, can doubt for a moment that from that, and no other source, has the pontifical mitre been derived. The gaping jaws of the fish surmounting the head of the man at Nineveh are the unmistakable counterpart of the horns of the Pope's mitre at Rome.”316

2 Peter 2:1-3 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” Some would argue that the mitre is merely a hat. IF the mitre is just a hat then why do we see ministers wearing it in only in church? What if a happy Texan minister chose to wear a cowboy hat in the pulpit? What if a Scottish minister wore a balmora (traditional Scottish cap)? Most would find such a notion offensive. Why then is the mitre so special? Why is it that only real reference we have for it comes from paganism? If the mitre is harmless (as some Papists claim) then why are they so defensive about it and why not simply abandon something that is so divisive? The Papal mitre is entirely different from the mitre of Aaron and the Jewish high priests. That mitre was a turban.

“As Christendom adopted this Mitre Hat for her priests, the "Fishy" aspect of this pagan worship was toned down so as not to offend the newly converted Christians who were tricked into many pagan ceremonies and holidays of the pagan Romans. You might liken this trickery to the sleight of hand that is

There were two ways in which Dagon was anciently represented. The one was when he was depicted as half-man halffish; the upper part being entirely

GIVE US A KING

316

Something's Fishy - Or Where Did that Pope's Hat Come From???? The Plain Truth. God's Hand Behind Today's News. The Sovereign Pontiff The Two Babylons Alexander Hislop.

184

BERNIE L. WADE


used by magicians in their fanciful art of fooling or tricking the audience.” This is much like Jannes and Jambres who opposed Moses with the dark magic.

obtain, says, "I hear that YOUR HOLINESS (sanctitatem tuam) is to be called out by the sacred letters.”319 "Mr. A. Trimen, a distinguished London architect and author, found that on a certain occasion every year the Chinese Emperor, as Pontifex Maximus of his nation, wears a mitre which is the very counterpart of the Papal mitre."320

“And it worked quite well. Many people in Christendom today, would hardly believe that the Mitre hats used by priests, cardinals, bishops, and even the Pope, were based solely upon the Ancient Fish Worship of the pagan god, "Dagon"317

At first blush this seems quite strange but when you realize that the papal system is an attempt to supersede the monarchies and religious systems of the world you understand. Likewise, these modern Papists are attempting to build thrones and kingdoms which exalt them and lift them above the people.

The truth is that we have made the mitre a religious hat. While we can see that it is much more tracing its roots back to those who defy God. The Mitre at best is a religious hat. Unfortunately, God hates religion. The Pharisees were rebuked for their religious attitudes. "The sacred images are represented as adoring him, which could not have been the case if his own subjects did not pay their homage in that way."318 "The kings of Chaldea wore on their feet slippers which the kings they conquered used to kiss." In kind, is the Pope addressed by the title of "Your Holiness"? So also was the Pagan Pontiff of Rome. The title seems to have been common to all Pontiffs. Symmachus, the last Pagan representative of the Roman Emperor, as Sovereign Pontiff, addressing one of his colleagues or fellow-pontiffs, on a step of promotion he was about to

"Let us not be carried away by all the hoopla that attends the fish symbol. Many people are ignorant of its origin and true meaning. But obviously, it is a 'strange teaching' that should have no place in the life of a follower of Jesus. This is true for the fish symbol as it

317

THE EVOLUTION OF THE Mitre Hat of Fish Worship. Thursday, November 15, 2012 318 Something's Fishy - Or Where Did that Pope's Hat Come From???? The Plain Truth. God's Hand Behind Today's News. The Sovereign Pontiff The Two Babylons Alexander Hislop.

GIVE US A KING

319

Where Did that Pope's Hat Come From???? Plain Truth. God's Hand Behind Today's News. 320 Hager, on Chinese Hieroglyphics, B. xxxv, in the British Museum

185

BERNIE L. WADE


stands alone, or with the Greek letters in it, supposedly representing Jesus. It is also true of the so-called 'Messianic Seal', which has the fish symbol, the socalled Star of David, the Seven Branched

fivefold ministry reliant on the Holy Spirit to a man led ministry controlled by Satan and in obeisance to the remnant of the ancient false deities (mythological gods) that represent him. While they claim Apostolic Succession, these promoters are not even following the teachings of the Apostles. Instead they have borrowed these ideas from their new "Mother", the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). The RCC like the pagan religion they are patterned always worshipped the Mother (which is Cybele (Semiramis). True believers worship the Father!

The New Papists with the leader of their Mother Church. Menorah (Lamp stand, Ex. 25:31-35), and sometimes the (pagan) cross on it. This Seal is gaining momentum among many believers. There's nothing Messianic about it except for the Menorah. But the placing of a biblical symbol in the midst of two or three pagan symbols does not give it validity to be used as a symbol for Yeshua (Jesus)".321 It is to our shame that Satan can so easily deceive so many of us. Even so, come soon Lord Yeshua! "322

Cybele with fish god mitre the pope wears, and key in hand How did the RCC become the 'Mother'? Simple. It is a reference to Cybele, "Latin name of the goddess native to Phrygia in Asia Minor and known to the Greeks as Rhea, the wife of the Titan Cronus and mother of the Olympian gods. Cybele was the goddess of nature, fertility, and of fortifications, who was worshipped in Rome as the Great Mother of the Gods. She bore a key like Janus, which opened the gates of the invisible world." It was only in the second century before the Christian era that the worship of

PETER AS THE POPE Those who are following what they call Apostolic Succession have changed the incorruptible plan of God from a true 321

The Sovereign Pontiff The Two Babylons Alexander Hislop. 322 Something's Fishy - Or Where Did that Pope's Hat Come From???? The Plain Truth.

GIVE US A KING

186

BERNIE L. WADE


Cybele under that name, was introduced to Rome; but the same goddess, under the name of Cardea, with the “power of the key,” was worshipped in Rome, along with Janus, ages before.228 As mother of the gods all answered to her. So, these modern Papists are answering to their mother the goddess Cybele.

these all look to a carnal or fleshly mother. Those of us who are born of the Spirit look not to Rome but to heaven! Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

The RCC claims that they are the one true church and only their Pope is the one true embodiment of God. This is not even a Christian idea. It is much more akin to something one would associate with the Dalai lama; which of course is Buddhism not something believed by followers of Jesus Christ. False religion generally follows a pattern. Those who claim Apostolic Succession through Apostle Peter are following false doctrine. Scripture tells us that it is Apostle Paul who assumes the mantle of Apostle to the Gentiles after Apostle Peter is disingenuous with the dispensation of the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles. Yet, these modern promoters of Dagon the fish god, reject the teaching of Apostle Paul in favor of the heresy of Rome. These new daughters of the RCC claim Apostle Peter as their first 'pope' which is a falsehood as it was Apostle James not Apostle Peter who was the Bishop in Jerusalem. The reason they claim Peter as their Pope is because they want to connect to the 'keys' of the kingdom which were given to Peter. These keys they have erroneously re-invented as a cover for the Babylonians who have usurped the true church and the keys of Janus which they claim as the same as the keys given to Apostle Peter. While many look to Rome as their mother,

GIVE US A KING

187

BERNIE L. WADE


THE CROZIER

crooked rod of the Roman augurs, identical with the pontifical crosier, that Roman Catholic writers themselves, writing in the Dark Ages, at a time when disguise was thought unnecessary, did not hesitate to use the term "lituus" as a synonym for the crosier.

"The Caesar who now addresses you, and to whom alone are obedience and fidelity due."323

Pope Pius IX speaking of himself. "This is Caesar's heart incarnate! For the Caesar's of Rome truly believed they were gods on earth! And today, this is the case with the popes of Rome."324 There is another symbol of the Pope's power which must not be overlooked, and that is the pontifical crosier which the new adherents to the Mother Church have also adopted as a symbol of their Babylonian clergy. Whence came the crosier?

Thus a Papal writer describes a certain Pope or Papal bishop as "mitra lituoque decorus," adorned with the mitre and the augur's rod, meaning thereby that he was "adorned with the mitre and the crosier." But this lituus, or divining-rod, of the Roman augurs, was, as is well known, Borrowed from the Etruscans, who, again, had derived it, along with their religion, from the Assyrians.

The answer to this, in the first place, is, that the Pope stole it from the Roman augur. The classical reader may remember, that when the Roman augurs consulted the heavens, or took prognostics from the aspect of the sky, there was a certain instrument with which it was indispensable that they should be equipped. That instrument with which they described the portion of the heavens on which their observations were to be made, was curved at the one end, and was called "lituus."

As the Roman augur was distinguished by his crooked rod, so the Chaldean soothsayers and priests, in the performance of their magic rites, were generally equipped with a crook or crosier. This magic crook can be traced up directly to the first king of Babylon, that is, Nimrod, who, as stated by Berosus, was the first that bore the title of a Shepherd-king. In Hebrew, or the Chaldee of the days of Abraham, "Nimrod the Shepherd," is just Nimrod "He-Roe"; and from this title of the "mighty hunter before the Lord," have no doubt been derived, both the

Now, so manifestly was the "lituus," or 323 324

Pope Pius IX, in his "Discorsi" (I., p. 253). http://www.remnantofgod.org/666-char.htm

GIVE US A KING

188

BERNIE L. WADE


name of Hero itself, and all that Heroworship which has since overspread the world. Certain it is that Nimrod's deified successors have generally been represented with the crook or crosier. This was the case in Babylon and Nineveh, as the extant monuments show. The modern adherents to the Mother Church have adopted this pagan symbol without question in their quest to be exalted. They explain the crosier as the 'shepherd's staff' but they misrepresent the truth - knowingly or unknowingly I cannot tell but a man who is warned and does not repent is a heretic.

god in its ritual; for the pope on certain occasions manifests by his head gear that he is the direct representative of Dagon. As it was an indispensable rule in all idolatrous religions that the high priest should wear the insignia of the god that he worshipped, so the sculptures show that the priests of Dagon were arrayed in clothing resembling fish. This is probably the "strange apparel" referred to in Zeph. 1:8. Berosus tells us that in the image of Dagon the head of the man appeared under the head of the fish, while Layard points out that in the case of the priests "the head of the fish formed a mitre above that of the man, while its scaly, fan-like tail fell as a cloak behind, leaving the human limbs and feet exposed."

This figure from Babylon shows the crosier in its ruder guise. In Layard, it may be seen in a more ornate form, and resembling the papal crosier as borne at this day. * This was the case in Egypt, after the Babylonian power was established there, as the statues of Osiris with his crosier bear witness, ** Osiris himself being frequently represented as a crosier with an eye above it.

"The most prominent form of worship in Babylon was dedicated to Dagon, later known as Ichthys, or the fish. In Chaldean times, the head of the church was the representative of Dagon, he was considered to be infallible, and was addressed as ‘Your Holiness’. Nations subdued by Babylon had to kiss the ring and slipper of the Babylonian god-king. The same powers and the same titles are claimed to this day by the Dalai Lama of Buddhism, and the Pope. Moreover, the vestments of paganism, the fish mitre and robes of the priests of Dagon are worn by the Catholic bishops, cardinals and popes." "It is the biggest lie told ever since Lucifer lied to Eve in the Garden of Eden.

"The great apostate church of the Gospel Age, true to its Babylonish origin, has actually adopted this fish

GIVE US A KING

189

BERNIE L. WADE


A.D. 538, as well as the people of the world.326

THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

"If there be any who imagine that there is some occult and mysterious virtue in an apostolic succession that comes through the Papacy, let them seriously consider the real character of the Pope's own orders, and of those of his bishops and clergy. From the Pope downwards, all can be shown to be now radically Babylonian. The College of Cardinals, with the Pope at its head, is just the counterpart of the Pagan College of Pontiffs, with its "Pontifex Maximus," or "Sovereign Pontiff," which had existed in Rome from the earliest times, and which is known to have been framed on the model of the grand original Council of Pontiffs at Babylon." All of these were the direct disciples of Nimrod who rebelled against God.

The gift of the ministry is one of the greatest gifts which Christ has bestowed upon the world. It is in reference to this that the Psalmist, predicting the ascension of Christ, thus loftily speaks of its blessed results: "Thou hast ascended up on high: Thou hast led captivity captive; Thou hast received gifts for men, even for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them" (Eph 4:8-11). "The Church of Rome, at its first planting, had the divinely bestowed gift of a Scriptural ministry and government; and then "its faith was spoken of throughout the whole world"; its works of righteousness were both rich and abundant. But, in an evil hour, the Babylonian element was admitted into its ministry, and thenceforth, that which had been intended as a blessing, was converted into a curse. Since then, instead of sanctifying men, it has only been the means of demoralizing them, and making them "twofold more the children of hell" than they would have been had they been left simply to themselves."325 Emperor Justinian gave the keys of Rome to the Pope when he decreed that a Pope should rule over all the Christian churches of the earth in

Possessor of the keys to the kingdom "In 538AD, the year when the Ostrogoths collapsed, it was out of the smoking ruins of the western Roman Empire and after the overthrow of the three Arian kingdoms that the pope of

325

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter VI. Section I . The Sovereign Pontiff

GIVE US A KING

326

190

http://www.remnantofgod.org/666-char.htm

BERNIE L. WADE


Rome emerged as the most important single individual in the West, the head of a closely organized church with a carefully defined creed and with vast potential for political influence. Dozens of writers have pointed out that the real survivor of the ancient Roman Empire was the Church of Rome."327

with the "power of the key," was worshipped in Rome, along with Janus."329 Cardea; from whence we get 'Cardinals'.

The Pope now pretends to supremacy in the Church as the successor of Peter, to whom it is alleged that our Lord exclusively committed the keys of the kingdom of heaven. But here is the important fact that, till the Pope was invested with the title, which for a thousand years had had attached to it the power of the keys of Janus and Cybele, * no such claim to preeminence, or anything approaching to it, was ever publicly made on his part, on the ground of his being the possessor of the keys bestowed on Peter."328

"Very early, indeed, did the bishop of Rome show a proud and ambitious spirit; but, for the first three centuries, their claim for superior honor was founded simply on the dignity of their See, as being that of the imperial city, the capital of the Roman world. When, however, the seat of empire was removed to the East, and Constantinople threatened to eclipse Rome, some new ground for maintaining the dignity of the Bishop of Rome must be sought. That new ground was found, when, about 378, the Pope fell heir to the keys that were the symbols of two well-known Pagan divinities at Rome. Janus bore a key, and Cybele bore a key; and these are the two keys that the Pope emblazons on his arms as the ensigns of his

* It was only in the second century before the Christian era that the worship of Cybele, under that name, was introduced into Rome; but the same goddess, under the name of Cardea, 327

E.G. McKenzie, "Catholic Church" p. 14. The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter VI. Section I . The Sovereign Pontiff

329

328

GIVE US A KING

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter VI. Section I . The Sovereign Pontiff

191

BERNIE L. WADE


spiritual authority."330 This is the Peter of the Gnostics who sought to replace Jesus with another God.

to bear their keys, the Pope saw that if he could only get it believed among the Christians that Peter alone had the power of the keys, and that he was Peter's successor, then the sight of these keys would keep up the delusion, and thus, though the temporal dignity of Rome as a city should decay, his own dignity as the Bishop of Rome would be more firmly established than ever.

"Truth is, many Catholics to this day are taught this is an acceptable act of worship towards the pope. In St' Peter's Basillica is a statue that is called "Peter." Truth is, the statue was originally called Jupiter, but when the Vatican mixed Paganism with Christianity, they renamed a lot of the Pagan gods, giving them Christian names"240.

On this policy it is evident he acted. Some time was allowed to pass away, and then, when the secret working of the Mystery of iniquity had prepared the way for it, for the first time did the Pope publicly assert his pre-eminence, as founded on the keys given to Peter. About 378 was he raised to the position which gave him, in Pagan estimation, the power of the keys referred to. In 432, and not before, did he publicly lay claim to the possession of Peter's keys."331 The true Roman Peter was reinvented as Peter of the Apostles but "Peter, the disciple of Jesus Christ, is the Aladdin, the marvelous interpreter, authorized to lift the Stone that closes the Sanctuary of the Great Mysteries. Peter’s original name is Patar with its three consonants P.T.R. which are radical. P. comes to remind us of the Father who is in secrecy, of the Fathers of the Gods, our Fathers or Phitaras.

Peter of Rome (not the Apostle Peter)

T. the Tau, the Divine Hermaphrodite, the man and woman sexually united during the act.

"Now, when he had come, in the estimation of the Pagans, to occupy the place of the representatives of Janus and Cybele, and therefore to be entitled 330

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter VI. Section I . The Sovereign Pontiff

GIVE US A KING

331

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter VI. Section I . The Sovereign Pontiff

192

BERNIE L. WADE


R. this letter is vital in the I.N.R.I. (Ignis Natura Renovatur Integram); it is the sacred and terribly divine fire, the Egyptian RA. Peter, Patar, the illuminator, is the Master of Sexual Magic, the generous Master who always awaits us at the entrance of the terrible path. The religious Cow, the famous Cretan Minotaur, is the first thing that we find in the mystical subterranean tunnel which leads to the Earth of the TwiceBorn. The Philosopher’s Stone of the old medieval alchemists is Sex and the Second Birth is sexual."332

"Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved...For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie."333 "Few lies could be more gross; but, in course of time, it came to be widely believed; and now, as the statue of Jupiter is worshipped at Rome as the veritable image of Peter, so the keys of Janus and Cybele have for ages been devoutly believed to represent the keys of the same apostle."334

"That Peter the apostle was ever Bishop of Rome has been proved again and again to be an errant fable."335 That he ever even set foot in Rome is at the best highly doubtful. "There was a "Peter" at Rome, who occupied the highest place in the Pagan priesthood. The priest who explained the Mysteries to the initiated was sometimes called by a Greek term, the Hierophant; but in primitive Chaldee, the real language of the Mysteries, his title, as pronounced without the points, was "Peter"--i.e., "the interpreter."336

This is the Peter that the Roman Church has given us, one brought from the vulgarities of their ancient pagan god Nimrod and sold to the unsuspecting and unlearned as the Peter of the New Testament Church. Can anyone wonder why the Vatican so vehemently opposed the efforts of Wycliffe to put the Bible in the language of the common people so that we would no longer be misled by pagan priests who sought to fill their own lusts.

"Thus we may see how the keys of Janus and Cybele would come to be known as the keys of Peter, the "interpreter" of the Mysteries. Yea, we have the strongest evidence that, in countries far removed from one another, and far distant from Rome, these keys 333

2 Thess 2:10,11 Hislop. Chapter VI. Section I . 335 The Two Babylons. The Sovereign Pontiff 336 Hislop. Section I . The Sovereign Pontiff 334

332

http://www.vopus.org/en/gnosis/alchemy/alche my-maithuna.html

GIVE US A KING

193

BERNIE L. WADE


were known by initiated Pagans not merely as the "keys of Peter," but as the keys of a Peter identified with Rome.

new light on one of the darkest and most puzzling passages of Papal

In the Eleusinian Mysteries at Athens, when the candidates for initiation were instructed in the secret doctrine of Paganism, the explanation of that doctrine was read to them out of a book called by ordinary writers the "Book Petroma"; that is, as we are told, a book formed of stone. But this is evidently just a play upon words, according to the usual spirit of Paganism, intended to amuse the vulgar. The nature of the case, and the history of the Mysteries, alike show that this book could be none other than the "Book Pet-Roma"; that is, the "Book of the Grand Interpreter," in other words, of Hermes Trismegistus, the great "Interpreter of the Gods." In Egypt, from which Athens derived its religion, the books of Hermes were regarded as the divine fountain of all true knowledge of the Mysteries. * In Egypt, therefore, Hermes was looked up to in this very character of Grand Interpreter, or "Peter-Roma." In Athens, Hermes, as it’s well known, occupied precisely the same place and, of course, in the sacred language, must have been known by the same title."337

JUPITER - Pagan god who the people are told is Apostle Peter history. It has always been a matter of amazement to candid historical inquirers how it could ever have come to pass that the name of Peter should be associated with Rome in the way in which it is found from the fourth century downwards -- how so many in different countries had been led to believe that Peter, who was an "apostle of the circumcision," had apostatized from his Divine commission, and become bishop of a Gentile Church, and that he should be the spiritual ruler in Rome, when no satisfactory evidence could be found for his ever having been in Rome at all. But

The priest, therefore, that in the name of Hermes explained the Mysteries, must have been decked not only with the keys of Peter, but with the keys of "Peter-Roma." Here, then, the famous "Book of Stone" begins to appear in a new light, and not only so, but to shed 337

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter VI. Section I . The Sovereign Pontiff

GIVE US A KING

194

BERNIE L. WADE


the book of "Peter-Roma" accounts for what otherwise is entirely inexplicable. The existence of such a title was too valuable to be overlooked by the Papacy; and, according to its usual policy, it was sure, if it had the opportunity, to turn it to the account of its own aggrandizement."338

might be gratified; and so, to the blinded Christians of the apostasy, the Pope was the representative of Peter the apostle, while to the initiated pagans, he was only the representative of Peter, the interpreter of their well known Mysteries. Thus was the Pope the express counterpart of "Janus, the doublefaced." Oh! what an emphasis of meaning in the Scriptural expression, as applied to the Papacy, "The Mystery of Iniquity"!"339 "The term Cardinal is derived from Cardo, a hinge. Janus, whose key the Pope bears, was the god of doors and hinges, and was called Patulcius, and Clusius "the opener and the shutter." This had a blasphemous meaning, for he was worshipped at Rome as the grand mediator. Whatever important business was in hand, whatever deity was to be invoked, an invocation first of all must be addressed to Janus, who was recognized as the "God of gods," in whose mysterious divinity the characters of father and son were combined, and without that no prayer could be heard-the "door of heaven" could not be opened."

"What more natural than to seek not only to reconcile Paganism and Christianity, but to make it appear that the Pagan "Peter-Roma," with his keys, meant "Peter of Rome," and that that "Peter of Rome" was the very apostle to whom the Lord Jesus Christ gave the "keys of the kingdom of heaven"? Hence, from the mere jingle of words, persons and things essentially different were confounded; and Paganism and Christianity jumbled together, that the towering ambition of a wicked priest

Thus, in fact, the Roman Catholic Church is indeed the Universal church. Not in the sense of being anything akin to the New Testament Church but rather a collection of the mystery religious system from all points around the world uniting the pagan rites and rituals in a manner that has not been accomplished since God divided the languages at Babel. This is quite a feat in and of itself and no doubt their mother, Semiramis would be proud of such accomplishment

338

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter VI. Section I . The Sovereign Pontiff

GIVE US A KING

339

195

Two Babylons. Chapter VI. Section I .

BERNIE L. WADE


in the long standing feud with the one Eternal God. Bringing us to the Scripture that wherein it is possible even the very elect would be deceived.

the doors of heaven, or of opening or shutting the gates of peace or war upon earth. The Pope, therefore, when he set up as the High-priest of Janus, assumed also the jus vertendi cardinis, the power of turning the hinge,-- of opening and shutting in the blasphemous Pagan sense."340

"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth."

"To enable the Pope, however, to rise to the full plenitude of power which he now asserts, the co-operation of others was needed.341 Thus, the cooperation or collaboration of the kings of the earth was needed to accomplish this ultimate coupe. These earthly kings giving of their power to empower another earthly deity in the Pope or Pontifex Maximus if you prefer who would in turn give credence and power to those with whom he shared power. The search for a true one world power was not only achieved but the achievement was right out in the open for all the world to wonder, praise and bow in obeisance. “When his power increased, when his dominion extended, and especially after he became a temporal sovereign, the key of Janus became too heavy for his single hand--he needed some to share with him the power of the "hinge." Hence his privy councilors, his high functionaries of state, who were associated with him in the government of the Church and the world, got the now well known title of "Cardinals"--the priests of the "hinge." This title had been previously borne by the high officials of the Roman Emperor, who, as "Pontifex Maximus," had been himself the representative of Janus, and who

"Now, to this Janus, as Mediator, worshipped in Asia Minor, and equally, from very early times, in Rome, belonged the government of the world; and, "all power in heaven, in earth, and the sea," according to Pagan ideas, was vested in him. In this character he was said to have jus vertendi cardinis -- the power of turning the hinge -- of opening

GIVE US A KING

340 341

196

Ibid. Hislop. The Sovereign Pope. Ibid. Hislop. The Sovereign Pope.

BERNIE L. WADE


delegated his powers to servants of his own.

(Nineveh and its Remains and Nineveh and Babylon), it appears that as the king of Egypt was the "Head of the religion and the state," so was the king of Assyria, which included Babylon. Then we have evidence that he was worshipped. The sacred images are represented as adoring him, which could not have been the case if his own subjects did not pay their homage in that way. Then the adoration claimed by Alexander the Great evidently came from this source. It was directly in imitation of the adoration paid to the Persian kings that he required such homage. From Xenophon we have evidence that this Persian custom came from Babylon. It was when Cyrus had entered Babylon that the Persians, for the first time, testified their homage to him by adoration; for, "before this," says Xenophon (Cyropoed), "none of the Persians had given adoration to Cyrus."343

Even in the reign of Theodosius, the Christian Emperor of Rome, the title of Cardinal was borne by his Prime Minister. But now both the name and the power implied in the name have long since disappeared from all civil functionaries of temporal sovereigns; and those only who aid the Pope in wielding the key of Janus --in opening and shutting -- are known by the title of Cardinals, or priests of the "hinge."342 "Is the Pope "Infallible," and does the Church of Rome, in consequence, boast that it has always been "unchanged and unchangeable"? The same was the case with the Chaldean Pontiff, and the system over which he presided. The Sovereign Pontiff was believed to be "INCAPABLE OF ERROR," and, in consequence, there was "the greatest respect for the sanctity of old edicts"; and hence, no doubt, also the origin of the custom that "the laws of the Medes and Persians could not be altered." Does the Pope receive the adorations of the Cardinals? The king of Babylon, as Sovereign Pontiff, was adored in like manner.

“Peter's keys have now been restored to their rightful owner. Peter's chair must also go along with them. That far-famed chair came from the very same quarter as the cross-keys. The very same reason that led the Pope to assume the Chaldean keys naturally led him also to take. "Now Janus, whose key the Pope usurped with that of his wife or mother Cybele, was also Dagon. Janus, the two-headed god, "who had lived in two worlds," was the Babylonian divinity as an incarnation of Noah. Dagon, the fishgod, represented that deity as a manifestation of the same patriarch who had lived so long in the waters of the

From the statement of LAYARD 342

Ibid. Hislop. The Sovereign Pope.

GIVE US A KING

343

197

Ibid. Hislop. The Sovereign Pontiff.

BERNIE L. WADE


deluge. As the Pope bears the key of Janus, so he wears the mitre of Dagon. The excavations of Nineveh have put this beyond all possibility of doubt."344

and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities -- (Revelation 18:1-5).

"Now, what say the worshippers of the apostolic succession to all this? What think they now of their vaunted orders as derived from Peter of Rome? "Mene, mene, tekel, Upharsin."345

IS THIS REALLY A CHRISTIAN SYMBOL?

Fish have been used as symbols before Christianity, associated with Dagon, Aphrodite, Atargatis, Ephesus, Isis, Delphine and Pelagia. Barbara Walker, in her book The Woman's Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects, suggests that Ichthys was the son of the sea goddess Atargatis (Semiramis) and that his symbol was a representation of sexuality and fertility.

YOU ARE WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE AND FOUN D WANTING. YOUR KINGDOM IS DIVIDED IT CAN’T STAND. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,

The fish has also been used to symbolize Pisces, the Zodiac sign. The Sun was in Pisces, the fish, on the Vernal Equinox shortly before the founding of Christianity and, depending on the line of demarcation, may remain

344

The Two Babylons. Alexander Hislop. Chapter VI. Section I . The Sovereign Pontiff 345 Hislop. Chapter VI. Section I . Sovereign Pontiff

GIVE US A KING

198

BERNIE L. WADE


so for approximately 600 more years.346

lost count. He is the architect of this grand heresy to bring Christ into the captivity of Ichthys. His assistance in bringing this heresy into acceptance by the unsuspecting rank and file most valuable. Oh, but it gets better. Admittedly Augustine used a process called Notarikon to come to his conclusions.

Despite this unapologetic evidence of pagan origins, Christians still think the symbol is OK. "Christianity Today" basically says that we can take it over for our use. "I don't find the pagan argument compelling. No symbol means the same thing to all people at all times."347 Interesting. Well, thank you for deciding that for us. Realizing that it might offend some in your readership taking an unpopular position on the facts can’t get in the way. Christianity Today's followers can kiss the fish symbol if they like but for me and my house we will serve the Lord!

Notarikon: “In Kabbalism this is a mystic way of using words in the Bible to interpret that book. Notarikon utilizes the procedure of devising new words from combinations of the first and last letters of special words. (Also see Notariqon) This resembles two other different methods of gaining enlightenment called gematria and temurah. A.G.H.”349 Isn’t this getting better. Here is a Catholic guy, dabbling in Kabbalism. Oh, right. What is Kabbalism? Oh, you know this is the religion of key

Here is the real deal on the fish God Ichthys. "The emblem became significant to Christians after St. Augustine, who extracted the word from the acrostic prophecy of the Erythraean Sibyl, and applied the kabalistic technique of notarikon (acrostic) to the word to reveal “Jesus Christ, God’s son, savior.”348 Now stay with me. I hope that you did the same thing that I did when I first read this; he did what? Yes, you read it right. What does it mean. Well first, we have St. Augustine. If you don’t already know. Augustine is one of the philosophers of the early Roman Catholic System who, even by their own history, dabbled in so many false doctrines and religions they have

theologians like Madonna. Yes, that Madonna.350 The one who is openly bisexual defying everything that is Holy and Godly.

346

"The Grand Ages And The Coming Of Aquarius". Retrieved 2010-04-22. 347 http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/asktheexpe rt/oct26.html 348 Symbol Dictionary.net.

GIVE US A KING

349

http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/n/n otarikon.html 350 http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/madge_queen _for_kippur_HZtjqx7UesWMFQt9szsxOO

199

BERNIE L. WADE


understood by a select few. Now, you take all of this and using the formula of ‘Saint’ Augustine you have to subtract a word from the acrostic prophecy of the Erythraean Sibyl.

No, I am not making this up! This is so unbelievable that it probably seems like it, read my references. So, here is the Catholic Augustine (later made a Saint for his contribution) taking a mystical religion and using a mystical interpretation method of that religion. Oh, but it gets even better. Here is the definition of the kabbalah, just so you understand.

What is acrostic? Glad you asked. “Acrostic - a composition usually in verse in which sets of letters (as the initial or final letters of the lines) taken in order form a word or phrase or a regular sequence of letters of the alphabet.”353 Now we have to use the prophecy of the Erythraean Sibyl. Who? The Erythraean Sibyl. She was a ‘prophetess of the pagans who wrote on leaves and arranged so that the initial letters of the leaves always formed a word. The word acrostic was first applied to the prophecies of the Erythraean Sibyl.354

kab·ba·lah “The Erythræan Sybil, then, who herself assures us that she lived in the sixth generation after the flood, was a priestess of Apollo, who wore the sacred fillet in imitation of the God she served… returned prophetic answers to those who approached her shrine; having been devoted by the folly of her parents to this service, a service productive of nothing good or noble, but only of indecent fury, such as we find recorded in the case of Daphne.”355

1. Kabbalah A body of mystical teachings of rabbinical origin, often based on an esoteric interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures. 2. A secret doctrine resembling these teachings351 Kabbalism is a system of Jewish mysticism and magic and is the foundational element in modern witchcraft. Virtually all of the great witches and sorcerers of this century were Kabbalists.352 Kabbalism is esoteric meaning that it is only

So there you have it. The priestess of 353

http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/acrostic 354 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythraean_Sibyl

351

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/kabbalism Jewish Cabala and Kabbalism. William J. Schnoebelen. The Dark Side of Freemasonry. 352

GIVE US A KING

355

200

BERNIE L. WADE


Apollo who lived sometime near the time of Nimrod (imagine that) and wore his symbol (the sacred filet) wrote some cryptic verses about her God Ichthys, From this Augustine decided that she wasn’t really talking about Ichthys (also Nimrod or Dagon) so he took out a word which he (because he was one of those selected few who understood these things) was able to use a special formula to interpret and came up with Jesus Christ. Wow. So you see, Ichthys is really Jesus! Sounds amazing and you would have to have more faith in Augustine than you do in Jesus Christ to believe such drivel. If Augustine lived today he would probably be able to discern that Madonna is really Jesus. The frightening thing is that millions of well intentioned people have been convinced that the sign of this fish which is the symbol of Nimrod and all that is unholy somehow represents Jesus Christ.

Pagan symbol for a Pagan God that Augustine tried to pass off as representing Christ. The mythical Christ (Nimrod) was as surely continued from Babylon through Egypt as were the mythical types of the Christ on the Gnostic Stones and in the Catacombs of Rome!"

"We shouldn't be using pagan symbols. In the Old Testament, God always commanded pagan paraphernalia be destroyed. Personally, I don't think the demons attached to that symbol care so much about what you call it since they originated it, and use it to serve their ends."357

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thes. 2:11-12 The origin of this acronym is something else again. It is not in the Bible... none of the apostles ever heard of it."356 Let's see Dagon came from the Erythraean Sea and the source of Augustine's fish story is an Erythrean prophetess who was devoted to his worship? Imagine that. Should be enough said.

"The Nazis co-opted the swastika from Buddhism (personally I would say the same demonic spirits at work) but in both cases it was still a pagan symbol for all purposes. Good luck changing the swastika back into a Buddhist symbol. It's also the same reason no one grows a Chaplain mustache anymore. Hitler wore it, now it’s forever

356

357

Explanation of the Ichthys Symbol and Acronym by Dr. Robert D. Luginbill

GIVE US A KING

Don't Ask That in Church. The Fishy Origins of the Ichthys. Wednesday July 25th 2012.

201

BERNIE L. WADE


stigmatized. The fish symbol is pagan, and using it to represent the body of Christ is sending mixed messages to the unsaved."358 Before Christianity adopted the fish symbol, it was known by pagans as "the Great Mother".

earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5 And upon her forehead was a name written,

<< Revelation 17 >> King James Version

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. 7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and 1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the 358

Don't Ask That in Church. The Fishy Origins of the Ichthys. Wednesday July 25th 2012.

GIVE US A KING

202

BERNIE L. WADE


of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for

GIVE US A KING

203

BERNIE L. WADE


SEMIRAMIS (FREYA, VENUS, ISIS, etc)

(Semiramis). Thus, fish on Friday in honor of Freya.

The co-conspirator in crime for Nimrod was Semiramis. How she acquired the power is relatively unknown but she wielded power like few in history and before she was finished she had born a son in whoredom (Tammuz) who would complete the first triumvirate of false gods. Known by various cultures by a plethora of names this woman represents all that is unholy and makes the sins of Eve pale in comparison. No woman in history is her equal when it comes to evil. "The Romans called the goddess of sexual fertility by the name of Venus. And thus it is from the name of the goddess Venus that our modern words "venereal" and "venereal disease" have come. Friday was regarded as her sacred day, because it was believed that the planet Venus ruled the first hour of Friday and thus it was called dies Veneris. And to make the significance complete, the fish was also regarded as being sacred to her. The fish was sacred because it was the symbol (or a symbol) of Nimrod.

Freya the fish god What are we to do with all these "Christian" symbols that have pagan (satanic) roots? Absolutely nothing, the reality is there are no Christian symbols. According to Scripture symbols are the work of idolatry. And what agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever?359 A godly man once said about people wearing a cross hanging from the neck: "we ought to hang on the cross ourselves rather than the cross hanging from our necks". Another one said: "when in doubt, leave it out".

The accompanying illustration, as seen in "Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism", shows the goddess Venus with her symbol, the fish. The similarities between the two, would indicate that Venus and Freya were originally one and the same goddess and that original being the mother-goddess of Babylon GIVE US A KING

359

204

2 Corinthians 6:15

BERNIE L. WADE


Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, (1 John 2:15) Therefore a Christian that worships God in Spirit and in Truth has no need to make a physical point for his belief."360

Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of anything, which thy God hath forbidden thee. For thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. - Deuteronomy 4:15-19,23,24 Whether or not these pagan symbols have lost their original pagan meanings in our modern era (a doubtful situation) it is best not to be involved with them, we do not need them. Moreover, another secure test is to see what the world does with them: if the world loves them, then they are not godly for the world hates anything from God, and our stern warning is this: Do not love the GIVE US A KING

360

Don't Ask That in Church. The Fishy Origins of the Ichthys. Wednesday July 25th 2012

205

BERNIE L. WADE


THE REFORMATION

THE BLACK REGIMENT "Against the colorful and majestic vestments of the old Erastian church, nonconforming clergy adopted black robes. The Reformation origins of black gowns belong to the Lutherans, first introduced them under Andreas Karlstadt in 1521. Disgruntled by the hierarchy between laity and clergy, Karlstadt wore an ordinary academic cassock. Not only did this underline the teaching role (shepherdic) of the minister but at the time it was treated as everyday garb, demonstrating an equality between lay and minister that emphasizing the general priesthood.

During the Reformation, the adherence of the ministry to the dictates of Papal authority the rule of Monarchies was a common theme. The Reformers challenged the legitimacy of ministers of Christ wearing the same vestments found common in paganism and in the imperial state. "As the magisterial reformation gave way to ‘free church Protestantism’, vestments became contentious symbols of church establishment– therefore drawing ire from anti-monarchists and Parliamentarians. It was targeted as much by zeal as by democratic upsurge."361

Luther disagreed with Karlstadt’s rejection of vestments as breach of clerical collegiality and church authority. However, the black cossack “stuck” and in 1930 the Augsburg Confession gave it a normative status, making robe along with surplice a standard for the German church. Later this would be known as the “Genevan Garb“, representing the ordained and teaching/academic authority (shepherdic function) of the minister. However, Karlstadt was not satisfied and was compelled to further push ‘dialectic’, next donning farmer clothes to press the need for radical egalitarianism in the Church."362

James I understood what was at stake and consider this a challenge to his throne. He sided with the establishment in favor of vestments. Thus, once again sealing my imperial imprimatur the fate of the church. The Reformers were undaunted by the Papist leaning King giving credence to vestments as a sign of legitimacy.

The term “Black Regiment” comes from 362

361

http://anglicanrose.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/v estment-controversy/

http://anglicanrose.wordpress.com/2009/01/20 /vestment-controversy/

GIVE US A KING

206

BERNIE L. WADE


Royalists who disliked the American Revolution, calling those Presbyterian, Congregationalist, and Baptists ministers the “the Black Regiment” due to their robes. Indeed, the black cossack became synonymous with anti-prelacy and even secular republicanism. But even before whiggism, black cassocks became synonymous with nonconformity.363 "What was interesting about black robes was their liturgical significance. According to the old calendar black robes were worn during penitential occasions, such as Good Friday, Ember Days, and “requiems”. Black was the color of death and burial/graves. The last three days of Holy (Painful) Week (Obedience Thursday, Good Friday, and Tomb Saturday) are called the “Tenebræ” meaning ‘darkness’. In light of the Reformation’s emphasis on repentance and atonement, typifying Reformed liturgies and discipline, the sobriety of ‘black’ was indeed an appropriate color for the Protestant cause."364

364

http://anglicanrose.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/v estment-controversy/ 266

GIVE US A KING

207

BERNIE L. WADE


CHAPTER 5 Biblical Christians Finding Our Way Back to God.

GIVE US A KING

208

BERNIE L. WADE


Second – you tolerate sin and then Third – you embrace sin. When it comes to sin, the World is far beyond the toleration stage and unfortunately, those that should be the Church are not far behind. In the modern world we often see those claiming Christ in pursuit of the world. In the end, there has to be a people willing to take a stand. With a world awash in so many labels we are merely seeking to identify those that are striving to be part of the solution. These we simply call Biblical Christians.

The more than 200 pages of this book serve as an indictment and reminder that we who are followers of Jesus Christ fall very short of the Glory of God. We grossly pale in comparison to the New Testament Church which is the model we should be striving to attain. No treatise should be complete without offering a remedy. This book is not trying to duplicate the efforts of the iconic Chicken Little by screaming, “The sky is falling!”.

A Biblical Christian is a person seeking to use the Bible as their guide and doing all they can to be like those early disciples of Jesus and the New Testament Church. These are in direct contrast to the world and to those who

Though often lampooned those who follow Jesus Christ have a duty to warn the wicked of the error of their ways. It would be easier to stick our collective heads in the proverbial sand and pretend that all is well than to face the facts that we as the people of God have allowed our tents to be pitched toward Sodom for far too long. My father used to remind us that there are three stages to sin. First – you hate sin.

GIVE US A KING

209

BERNIE L. WADE


would compromise the Word of God in pursuit of political, social or economic advantage.

firstborn should touch them.29By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.--Hebrews 11:24-26 The point of this book is not merely to point out that we are in a deplorable condition as the people of a Just and Holy God, but while pointing out the error of our ways focus us on those things that we should have our eyes fixed. When the prophets of old pronounced judgment it was not without remedy. It is not enough to know that we are a people that have forgotten God; we must focus on the remedy. Every people that forgot their God is cursed. Every time a prophet proclaimed judgment against a people the remedy was the same: REPENT!

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. 24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

For Sodom there was an effort made to find some righteous people, but there were none. In like manner, those who were in Nineveh had judgment pronounced against them, but their response was quite different than the wicked homosexuals who sought to have relations with the angels that God sent to the city. In Nineveh the king proclaimed a fast! It is past time for the people, old and young, rich and book, regardless of race, language or any other barrier to get on our faces and ask God to save us and our land.

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the GIVE US A KING

210

BERNIE L. WADE


KINGS OVER MEN

especially Amalek thought they could stand up to God's people and God wrought judgment and it remains true today. To counter-balance the plethora of counterfeit ministers and ministries God has at least one genuine prophet, apostle, pastor, teacher or evangelist who is willing to heed the call.

The spirit of CONTROL is foreign to the Spirit of the God. It was born in rebellion to God and was manifested in the administration of Nimrod and remains the driving force behind human government. Religions (and religious systems) are formed from this same concept by men like Simon Magnus (Simeon the Sorcerer) who desired to control the Spirit of God. Those who are part of these religious 'governments' often think they have arrived at some Spiritual utopia where they alone (or they and their friends) are the lone voice (s) of God. However, these miss the point that God has a government. God's government has ALWAYS been superior to human government. Human government is merely a counterfeit of God's government.

In both the Old and the New Testaments the remedy remained the same. In Acts Chapter 2, to answer the question, WHAT MUST WE DO TO BE SAVED? Apostle Peter gave this distinct response: REPENT, and BE BAPTIZED every one of you for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

To help his people, God gave the fivefold ministry to His Royal Priesthood (Body of Christ) to counteract human government with Spirit led administration. It has always been God's messengers that have delivered the message of His superior plan. This was true when Nimrod rebelled against God and God responded with the destruction of Babel, when Pharaoh stood up to God and Moses proclaimed a series of judgments on Egypt, when the various Canaanite factions GIVE US A KING

"We must do the same thing. One must refrain from debates and say: “I am a Biblical Christian; that is, the Son of God was made flesh and was born; He has redeemed me and is sitting at the right hand of the Father, and He is my Savior.” Thus you must drive Satan away from you with as few words as possible and say: “Be gone, Satan! (Matt. 4:10.) Do not put doubt in me. The Son of God came into this world to

211

BERNIE L. WADE


destroy your work (1 John 3:8) and to destroy doubt.” Then the trial ceases, and the heart returns to peace, quiet, and the love of God."365

SIGNS OF THE TRUE CHURCH TRUE: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.

The writers made it very clear that there is only one legitimate king and to add emphasis and remove doubt they called Him the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords!

2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Thus, the true church is made up of people who first believe that Jesus is the Christ. Those who believe this have followed His instruction. Remember the people asked Apostle Peter for help in this regard when they queried, “What must we do to be saved”. Answer: Repent, be baptized and you will receive the Holy Spirit. So, those who have believed have obeyed this commandment. Then everyone who loves God loves His children.

When all is said and done there are only two churches in the world: true and false. Telling the difference between the two can seem confusing. Here is a very easy method for setting them apart. The false has all the trappings of religion. The false is focused on things that exalt men. The true is focused on one Eternal God and His worship. The true helps mankind.

3Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. This is very straight forward. Those who love God keep His Commandments. 4For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God loving God and believing in His Christ through obedience we are able to defeat the evil in this world. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS!

In I John 5, the apostle John breaks down the true and the false for us: 365

http://cyberbrethren.com/2009/12/16/refutingcalvinist-claims-that-luther-taught-doublepredestination/

GIVE US A KING

212

BERNIE L. WADE


The true church believes that God is true, that Jesus Christ is the manifestation of that Truth and that all men who say otherwise are liars.

6And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross —not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. 7 So we have these three witnesses — 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. 9 Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. 10 All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son.

So, the TRUE Church follows Jesus Christ. That is the FINAL ANSWER. Men have attempted to use vain philosophy or plain deceit, sleight of hand or anything that will work to separate mankind from the simple and straight forward plan of God. CONTRASTING THE FALSE CHURCH Continuing to examine the words of Apostle John from 1 John 5 we understand that the opposite of what the true church does would point out the false. Here is what we learn.

11And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

GIVE US A KING

THE FALSE CHURCH  Does not believe that Jesus is the Christ.  Does not love God (or even believe in God.  Does not keep His commandments. Often, they make up their own commandments instead of keeping the ones given to us by God.  The false church cannot overcome the world and thus rather than being transformed they conform to this world.  The false Church calls God a liar and men true.

213

BERNIE L. WADE


 The false church rejects that Jesus is the Christ. They reject the proof given us in the water, the blood and the Spirit. Instead they have adopted a plethora of their own ideas and systems these are commonly called RELIGION.

things in proper order. Even though it will not manifest in the natural for some time, the church of Rome is on course to apostasy. Apostle Paul is making it clear that is not the continuation of some counterfeit Jewish religious system like existed at the time of Jesus Christ, but the Apostle is affirming that the Gospel is for the Gentile as well as the Jew! Christ did not usher in another Gospel but Apostle Paul demonstrates this was His plan before the foundation of the earth to redeem all of mankind. However, this does not mean everyone would be saved as those who espouse restitution of all things. The choice that God gave the first couple was the plan of God before the foundation of the earth and one extended to all of humankind. Apostle Paul is confirming the plan of God for the Roman Church, Gods ultimate plan for redemption.

Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world James 1:27

For whom God did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. To foreknow, here signifies to design before, or at the first forming of the scheme (Divine plan of God); to bestow the favor and privilege of being God’s people upon any set of men, Romans 11:2. First this was offered to the Jew and then to the Gentile. This is the foundation or first step of our salvation; namely, the purpose and grace of God, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began, 2 Timothy 1:9.

We will not attempt to explain here the pitfalls of the philosophy as espoused in the dogma of absolute pre-destination, but we will address some of the Scriptures that are wrested to promulgate the concept. Think about the audience; the Church at Rome. Apostle Paul is letting the Romans (both Jew and Gentile) that he is NOT preaching another Gospel, but at the same time the Spirit is driving Him forward to take Apostolic initiative to set GIVE US A KING

214

BERNIE L. WADE


our being joint heirs with Christ. Now, our calling or invitation (see on Romans 8:28) stands in connection with both these.

Then, he knew or favored us; for in this sense the word to know is taken in a great variety of places, both in the Old and New Testaments. And as he knew the GENTILES then, when the scheme was laid, and before any part of it was executed, consequently, in reference to the execution of this scheme, he foreknew us. This is the first step of our salvation, and the end or finishing of it is our conformity to the Son of God in eternal glory, Romans 8:17, which include and supposes our moral conformity to him.

1. It stands in connection with God’s foreknowledge; and so it is a true and valid calling: for we are called, invited, or chosen according to the foreknowledge (Divine plan of God) of God the Father, who may bestow his blessings upon any people, as may seem good in his sight, 1 Peter 1:2; consequently, we have a good title to the blessings of the Gospel to which we are called or invited. And this was to be proved, that the Jew, to whom the apostle particularly wrote, might see that the Gentiles being now called into the Church of God was not an accidental thing, but a matter which God had determined when he conceived the Gospel scheme. Thus our calling is connected with God’s foreknowledge.

Adam Clarks concluded, "When God knew us, at the forming of the Gospel scheme; or, when he intended to bestow on us the privilege of being his people; he then designated or designed us to be conformed to the image of his Son; and, as he designated or determined us then to this very high honor and happiness, he pre-destinated, fore-ordained, or predetermined us to it. Thus we are to understand the foundation and finishing of the scheme of our salvation. The foundation is the foreknowledge, or gracious purpose of God; the finishing is

GIVE US A KING

2. It stands also in connection with our being conformed to the image of his Son; for we are invited by the Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord

215

BERNIE L. WADE


Jesus Christ, 2 Thessalonians 2:14. And therefore, supposing, what the apostle supposes, that we love God, it is certain, from our being called, that we shall be glorified with the sons of God; and so our calling proves the point, that all things should work together for our good in our present state, because it proves that we are intended for eternal glory; as he shows in the next verse. For we must understand his foreknowing, predestinating, calling, and justifying, in relation to his glorifying; and that none are finally glorified, but those who, according to his purpose, are conformed to the image of his Son.”366

solid arguments. At the very entrance of his argument here, he takes care to settle the connection between our calling and our love and obedience to God, on purpose to prevent that mistake into which so many have fallen, through their great inattention to the scope of his reasoning. Romans 8:28: All things work together for good-To whom? To THEM that LOVE GOD: to them that are the called according to his purpose. To them that love God, because they are called according to his purpose; for those only who love God can reap any benefit by this predestination, vocation, or any other instance of God’s favor."367

"The whole of the preceding discourse will show that everything here is conditional, as far as it relates to the ultimate salvation of any person professing the Gospel of Christ; for the promises are made to character, and not to persons, as some have most injudiciously affirmed. The apostle insists upon a character all along from the beginning of the chapter. Romans 8:1: There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:13: If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, etc.

"What God does for his Church in general, (the collective body of those who believe in the Lord Jesus, love, and obey him,) he does for every individual in that body: no man that trusts in him can be confounded. While the love of God is in his heart, and the work of God in his hand, he may be as fully persuaded as he is of his own being, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,

The absolute necessity of holiness to salvation is the very subject of his discourse; this necessity he positively affirms, and establishes by the most 366

367

Adam Clark Commentary. Romans 8:29.

GIVE US A KING

216

Adam Clark Commentary. Romans 8:29.

BERNIE L. WADE


nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other thing whatsoever, shall be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus."368

history testifies. But is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, Romans 3:29; and to prove this is the main subject of the ninth chapter. Now, as he is the God of the Gentiles, he foreknew, had from the beginning a gracious purpose to them as well as to the Jews; and, being thus graciously

That the word proginwskw, which literally signifies to know, or discern beforehand, and to know so as to determine, signifies also to approve, or love before, to be well affected to, is not only evident from dy yada in Hebrew, but also from the simple verb ginwskw, in Greek, by which it is translated, and to which the compound verb repeatedly answers, without any extension of meaning by means of the preposition, as its use among the best Greek writers proves: and it is evident that the apostle uses the word in the sense of loving, being graciously affected to, Romans 11:1, 2.

disposed towards them, he determined prowrise, from pro, before, and orizw, to bound, define, etc., he defined, circumscribed, and determined the boundaries of this important business from the beginning, that they also should be taken into his Church, and conformed to the image of his Son; and, as Jesus Christ was to be their pattern, it must be by his Gospel that they should be brought into the Church; and consequently, that bringing in could not take place before the revelation of Christ.

"I say then, hath God cast away his people, which he FOREKNEW, on proegnw; to whom he has been so long graciously affected? By no means. As, therefore, he had been so long graciously affected towards the Jews, so has he towards the Gentiles. His call of Abraham, and the promises made to him, is the proof of it. The Jews, thus foreknown, were called into a glorious state of salvation, and endowed with privileges the most extraordinary ever bestowed on any people; as their whole 368

Having therefore thus foreknown and thus predestinated them ALSO, he called them ALSO by the Gospel; he

Adam Clark Commentary. Romans 8:29.

GIVE US A KING

217

BERNIE L. WADE


justified them ALSO on their believing; and he glorified them ALSO, dignified them also with the same privileges, blessings, honors, and Divine gifts: so that they were now what the Jews had been before, the peculiar people of God. The apostle, therefore, speaks here not of what they should be, or of what they might be, but of what they then were-the called, the justified, the highly honored of God."369

FIVEFOLD MINISTRY

“These people assume that the "fivefold" went somewhere, to be replaced by people like themselves. This is easy when you try to define the "fivefold" as "gifts given to people", rather than "people given as gifts". Why do they think that people hadn't been sent of God (apostles)? Or that no one has been making bold declarations, contrary to the world (prophets)? People have always been preaching the Gospel faithfully (evangelists), loving their flocks sacrificially, by example (pastors), and regarding teachers, need I say more?” – Jack Deere371

"These few verses… are only a sampling of God’s Witness… “To All Mankind!” He has provided Salvation on His terms because He is God! And yet mankind continually REFUSES God’s plan of love, mercy and grace! Though His perfect will mankind can choose. Then and only then would some be predestined to salvation or predestined to damnation!” Choice for mankind granted by the favor of God is always the key.”370

369

Adam Clark Commentary. Romans 8.

371

The Next Wave. Restoration of the Charismata. Dr. Bernie L. Wade. Truth, Liberty and Freedom Press (TLPF). 2010. Fivefold Ministry. Chapter 4. Page 22.

370

http://truth459.blogspot.com/2011/05/he-christpredestined-us-201blog-22.html

GIVE US A KING

218

BERNIE L. WADE


The plan of God from the beginning was manifested in the New Testament Church. It was not an afterthought or the replacement, the New Testament Church was God's plan; the pattern from which the shadow of the Old Testament would take it’s form. For men, we must make the pattern first (chronologically) but God in His Divine plan made the pattern and then gave us the ‘road map’ of the Old Testament to take us to the pattern.

fullness of Christ. 1 CORINTHIANS 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. These were manifested very well, even in the fact that "the Church of the first millennium was administered by 5 qualified men (Patriarchs): Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Antioch."372

To His church (which he spoke of in endearing terms like 'His Bride') he gave the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit and the fivefold ministry. While there are many myths about the direction and plan of God for His church, the concept of fivefold ministry was paramount to the New Testament church. God, in his infinite wisdom understood that one man or even one group of men would not remain consistent so He implemented His Divine plan. EPHESIANS 4:11-13 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; Vs.12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

“No man could hold the fivefold or the ministry in and of himself. This was the

Vs.13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the GIVE US A KING

372

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/MetropolitanZizoulas:-Defend-ecumenical-dialogue-againstthose-who-oppose-it-16625.html

219

BERNIE L. WADE


error that caused Lucifer to exalt himself. To keep men from repeating this error, God, in His infinite wisdom divided the ministry into five equal roles.”373

Unfortunately, the Church quickly fell into an orientation toward one man direction. Initially, this was oriented toward the Apostles of the New Testament Church and their bishopric’s. However, in time, ambitious men would take the plan of God and change its orientation away from the five-fold ministry given by God and toward the human government offered by Nimrod. Thus the pattern of the Old Testament with natural Israel clamoring for an earthly king is reinstituted in the New Testament Church. Not at the will of God but rather manifesting man’s continued rejection of the Will and Plan of God. The Roman Church made the pastor (as the local representative of their corporate franchise) the head of their local religious entity which they dubbed; The Parish. In like manner, the Lutherans and nearly all of the Protestants kept the same pattern even during the Reformation. Yet, this was not the plan of God. The pastor model has been grossly abused giving rise (especially in recent times) to a plethora of men who are not servants as was the expectation of the fivefold ministry, but rather are desirous of being kings and building their own kingdoms. Some have been (or are) wildly successful in this, at least from the vantage point of other men, but the abuses have been rampant.

There were 5 Bishops - Rome, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch and Constantinople. It is interesting that they had five. This indicates that they took the model of the fivefold ministry given to the local body and expanded its scope to the entire New Testament Church and global body of believers. At first, equal in authority, but then the bishop of Rome claimed authority over all Christians and exalted himself like Nimrod and Lucifer eliminating the fivefold ministry. 373

This does not mean that all pastors are abusive but rather that a pastor without

Ibid. The Next Wave. Wade. Page 23.

GIVE US A KING

220

BERNIE L. WADE


the balance of the remainder of the fivefold ministry has no biblical system of checks and balances. In a pastoral oriented ministry the pastor is free to become as authoritarian or legalistic as his congregation will endure (or as his corporate board may dictate). And as the saying goes, “Power corrupts and ultimate power corrupts ultimately.”

Christianity rather than being rooted and grounded in the Word of God and led to maturity by a complete well rounded ministry led by a the balance of the fivefold gift. The Roman Church changed the fivefold model to the model brought from Babylon (through Egypt) to Rome. The same model that Nimrod had invented and implemented – human government and religion. Today, it is little wonder that the headlines of our news features stories of the deceitfulness of ministers who answer only to some ecclesiastical authority rather than a ministry that has been led by the apostolic, confirmed by the prophetic, taught biblical doctrine, encouraged and brought to spiritual maturity. What is sadly obvious is that the modern church has NO ability to deal with its internal disruptions. Unlike the manner in which Ananias and Saphira were dealt with by the Holy Spirit through Apostle Peter, modern church members and pastors pillage, lie, deceive, rape and plunder in the name of God and an immature church can only be embarrassed by their actions. When ecclesiastical courts or bodies attempt to bring these pretenders into subjection their anemic ministries are exposed. The sins of “self autonomous religious groups” will continue to be the earmarks of a ministry that will only recognize part of the fivefold ministry. Human Government can never replace the plan of God for His people.

One should note that the fivefold ministry is somewhat like a parliamentary model of government for the church with five different branches each providing checks and balances to the other. The Apostle operates much like the Prime Minister or President would but dependent on his peers. His role is to be the point man, cast vision and bring governance , but he cannot do this effectively without the support of the rest of the body of ministers and the Royal Priesthood (Body of Christ). It is a small wonder that the modern church is plagued with ill equipped saints, who follow every wave of pop

GIVE US A KING

221

BERNIE L. WADE


down'.

The five key centers of the New Testament church worked in unison until the church at Rome using Constantine as their ‘muscle’ wanted the preeminence and history has demonstrated that they were willing to go to any level to accomplish their heresy.

Unfortunately, ambitions men decided that they needed to have the preeminence among the brethren. Thankfully, we are seeing a move of God to restore the church to the model given in the New Testament. Godly men and women of God are following the lead of the Holy Spirit to allow Him to have His rightful place as the head of the Church.

The five centers of the New Testament Church (in dark blue on the map below) apparently worked well for hundreds of years and the church grew and expanded. This was a powerful church that had been birthed on the Day of Pentecost and impacted the better part of three continents. The men who followed in the generations that followed the original apostles were (like the Apostles) reliant on the Holy Spirit not counting on their own administration. These were men full of the Holy Spirit and capable of 'turning the world upside

GIVE US A KING

“According to the Christian New Testament, there were various supernatural manifestations in the early church. The book of Acts describes the apostles and other believers healing the sick, performing miracles, having supernatural knowledge, receiving visions and other prophetic revelations, and supernaturally praying in tongues.

222

BERNIE L. WADE


One of Paul's epistles, I Corinthians 12 lists various spiritual gifts (charismata) of a supernatural nature present in the church.

century, wrote of the brethren with gifts of tongues, foreknowledge, and various other supernatural gifts in his own day. Justin Martyr argued in his Dialogue with Trypho that prophets were not found among the Jews, but that the Church had prophets. The Shepherd of Hermas was a popular book among Christians, read in some churches, in the second century. This book purports to contain revelation, and has a section describing the operation of prophecy in the church.”375

I Corinthians 14 addresses problems with misuse of spiritual gifts and instructions on how to use them properly in the church. Albeit, this is all done with the understanding that we need not and cannot manage the gifts unless they are currently in operation. Romans 12 lists several spiritual gifts including prophecy, and other gifts that seem less spectacular in nature.”374

Every kingdom has a language. The language of the Kingdom of God was restored as a result of the outpouring that became known as the Pentecostal movement. “Signs & wonders were never limited to the apostolic office. Miracles & spiritual gifts were given by the Spirit to various individuals in the New Testament Church for manifold purposes. Certainly, it is not denied that specialized 'powers' are clustered around the apostolic company because of their peculiar foundational function & ministry in the original church. “The historical evidence indicates that the existence of spiritual gifts was widely accepted in the church certainly well into the second century. The Didache, estimated to have been written in the very late first or early second century, makes reference to prophets who spoke by the Spirit traveling from church to church. Ireneaus, late in the second 374

Furthermore, the 'manifestations of the Spirit' to the early Christian communities were no doubt different in degree & intensity in comparison to that of an apostle. The original church of Christ was an effective charismatic community

375

Wikipedia. Five Fold Ministry.

GIVE US A KING

223

Wikipedia. Five Fold Ministry.

BERNIE L. WADE


of baptized believers.”376

subsequent generations of believers.377 “The signs & wonders which were to follow Christ's believers (Mk. 16:17-20), together with the promised blessings associated with the Spirit's outpouring upon the church at Pentecost (Acts 2) set the stage for the Spirit's active presence associated with gospel proclamation & subsequent church life. Some have retired the Holy Ghost to Heaven after the establishment of the Christian church in the first century... & turned the Bible into a Sears & Roebuck catalog filled with unavailable items.”378

“Follow the actions of the young church & what do we find? We find a community in which signs & wonders... miracles & gifts of the Holy Spirit ... according to His own will... are manifest in every church for the purposes for which they were appointed. Special manifestations of the Spirit's power to the apostles & to the believers are referred to time & again in the letters to New Testament congregations. One will search in vain for a text in which the charismatic & supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit that attended the expansion of the gospel, & subsequently the life & ministry of the churches that were planted, was not meant by God to continue with the expansion of the gospel into the rest of the world... & into

“New Testament evidence shows that miraculous healing, signs, wonders, manifestations, of supernatural power regularly accompanied preaching as the standard form of evangelism practiced by our Lord, by His apostles, & early church laity. Professor F .F. Bruce, the well known British New Testament 377

The signs & wonders which were to follow Christ's believers (Mk. 16:17-20), together with the promised blessings associated with the Spirit's outpouring upon the church at Pentecost (Acts 2) set the stage for the Spirit's active presence associated with gospel proclamation & subsequent church life. Religious men retired the Holy Ghost to Heaven after the establishment of the Christian church in the first century...& turned the Bible into a Sears & Roebuck catalog filled with unavailable items. It is a joy indeed to set him right...& present to this reading audience the truth about miracles & spiritual gifts relative to the church of Christ, then & now. 378 Cessation of the Gifts of the Spirit in the Church: Why this doctrine lacks biblical warrant by Jefferis Kent Peterson, I

376

Jackson- V - Preston Formal Written Debate. Topic: The Cessation of the Charismata. Richard Jackson’s First Affirmative.

GIVE US A KING

224

BERNIE L. WADE


scholar, considered the healing ministry of Christ an essential part of the message Jesus preached... "While the miracles served as signs, they were not done as signs only. They were as much a part & parcel of the ministry of Christ as was His preaching --- not... seals affixed to the document to certify its genuineness but an integral element in the very text of the document”.”379

CONTENT OF THE GOSPEL - that it includes demonstrating the power of the gospel through healing ministry. “1. The church of Christ which began at Pentecost was the beginning of the fulfillment of an Old Testament hope regarding the twofold future work of the Spirit in the last days resulting in inner transformation & outward empowerment for all God's people. The term 'Last Days' is a biblical time period beginning with the first coming of Christ & extends throughout this present Age & is terminated only by the coming of Christ a second time & the events associated with that coming.

Apostle Paul would echo this sentiment, “I came to you NOT with the enticing words of the wisdom of men but with the demonstration and the power of the Holy Ghost.”

The Last Days is to be characterized by an outpouring of God's Spirit upon his people in charismatic power. New Testament congregations were blessed with this ongoing supernatural ministry of God the Holy Spirit & received instructions as to their proper function in the local church. No divine discontinuance is anticipated during this age. 2. Believers are promised supernatural & specialized abilities in connection with effectual testimony to the gospel, for the blessing & edification of the spiritual community the church, & for personal enrichment (Mk 16:15-20). New Testament congregations were fully functioning charismatic communities & are the pattern for Biblical Christians. They were not the exception, for the corporate worship of God through Christ

“Professor Gerhard Friedrich (German New Testament scholar)... insists that the New Testament of preaching the gospel is MORE THAN VERBALLY COMMUNICATING THE RATIONAL 379

Jackson- V - Preston Formal Written Debate. Topic: The Cessation of the Charismata. Richard Jackson’s First Affirmative.

GIVE US A KING

225

BERNIE L. WADE


in the church today. The apostle encouraged congregations to 'desire earnestly spiritual gifts', & that 'ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may be learn, & all may be exhorted' (1 Cor. 14:1, 30&31).

due to the hardness of the human heart it is NOW.

Faith comes by the hearing of the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), but the same man says his preaching was not with 'persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit & power: that your faith (by the word) should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God' (1 Cor. 2:4)). Why would God not bear witness to the testimony of Jesus Christ today 'with signs & wonders, by manifold powers (miracles) & by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will'?”380 Attempting to replace all of this with the work of men is a terrible tragedy that has robbed the people of God!

Miracles & spiritual gifts were never a substitute for the written word of the apostles. The apostles taught the same things they later wrote. The canon of scripture as we know it was not even anticipated by the apostles of Christ. Apostolic in Scripture revelation is distinct from the 'prophetic utterance' in the church, which was never considered equal to apostolic (& prophetic) revelation whether oral or written. Hence said Paul...'all may prophecy' & let the others discern.

Apostle Paul with the full force of the fivefold ministry made it clear that the Church could not come to perfection on its own. The phenomenal growth of the Pentecostal movement has made this segment the largest Christian group in the world. This is testament to the fact that God has moved in these modern times to fulfill His will in His people in spite of the imperfectness of men and the lack of maturity in the fivefold orientation.

3. The gospel is to be proclaimed with signs & wonders to all generations... not to the first generation of believers only. What disadvantage did that generation have which required signs & wonders, miracles of healing, etc to be associated with the word of the gospel? If there was ever a generation of skeptical disbelief

GIVE US A KING

Yet, Jesus Christ has not returned. The common position is that the Church is 380

Jackson- V - Preston Formal Written Debate. Topic: The Cessation of the Charismata. Richard Jackson’s First Affirmative.

226

BERNIE L. WADE


just waiting on the Lord’s return. For one moment consider that it may well be that the Lord is waiting on His church, through the five-fold ministry to come to the unity of the faith to the mature bride. American Church groups using a colonialism model for evangelism and church growth have decided that they are the ‘final answer’ in all matters regarding doctrine for this vast segment of the world. Yet, as we journey into the new century we find that this acceptance of the colonialism model is far from universal. Rather, there is widespread dissatisfaction and it is evident that the greatest revival in the world is happening with our without the approval of American Pentecostal and/or Charismatic groups or denominations.

world has ever known. While American denominations try to take credit for what God has done, it is evident that what has been accomplished has been done by the power of the Holy Spirit, not by anything that men can take credit. It has been and continues to be the work of the Holy Spirit. The Apostolic age an age that will continue until the return of Christ for His Church. When we speak of Apostolic it is in the same context that Wycliffe used the word meaning only those things which were believed and taught by the Apostles of Jesus Christ. “For the modern churches to be powerful and effective, they have to reactivate the ministries of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. The fivefold ministry is like the five fingers of a hand.”381 In the natural, the hand ministers to the body. We use the hand to feed us, bath us, touch us and much more. Yes, there are those that survive who have lost their hands or some of the fingers. However, these people do not go around proclaiming that that people would be better off without their fingers! Can you imagine a world where we only had a finger or two or three? This would be much less than God intended for us to have. Like as in the spiritual we are living far beneath our privileges if we limit the body of Christ to being

The dedicated body of Christ is ready to do the bidding of the King of Kings (Jesus Christ). They are ready to do whatever it takes and make whatever sacrifice necessary to usher in the greatest move of the Holy Spirit the

GIVE US A KING

381

227

Reverend Albert Kang.

BERNIE L. WADE


Christ is at stake and the fulfilling of Christ's command to make Disciples of all nations has yet to be achieved. The churches cannot afford to play church games any more. Let's arise and make every effort to allow God to use us effectively in whichever part of the fivefold ministry that He has for us. Let's fulfill the Great Commission of the Lord without further delay.”383

ministered to with only one finger rather than a hand. As I work on this writing on the keyboard of this computer I know that I would be severely limited in my abilities to complete the task without my thumbs and index fingers. While I don’t type with my thumbs, they do give me the balance that my hand needs to accomplish the task at hand. I am reminded of the enslaved kings from the Old Testament who had their great toes and thumbs removed and were reduced to living like dogs fighting for scraps under another kings table. Instead of a balanced ministry coming forth with great power, we have those who seem bent on keeping the ministry anemic. “The task of churches today is heavy indeed. We therefore have to restore the complete operation of the fivefold ministry by giving the rightful positions of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. We must emphasize that for the fivefold ministry to be effective we must include the lay people. It should never be reduced to a domain for only a select few.”382

THE APOSOTLIC CHURCH

“The maturity of the Church of Jesus

It is evident that few words better describe the work of the Apostles of Jesus Christ who set in motion the work that has become the Christian Church than the word, Apostolic. The word Apostolic accurately describes that which is ‘of the apostles’. John Wycliffe was created with coining the word ‘apostolic’ when he said, “I will do only those things that are apostolic and

382

383

We have missed the connection between people and priest, between pulpit and pew. The gift of the fivefold is to the body of Christ. The ministry is to the body – not the body to the ministry.

Reverend Albert Kang.

GIVE US A KING

228

Reverend Albert Kang.

BERNIE L. WADE


nothing dictated by the Papacy.”

Episcopal churches; neither are we speaking of any of a vast group of others who have attempted to use the word Apostolic to bring legitimacy to their movement. These groups are far removed from the Papacy, yet they yield a new kind of Papal power in enacting their agenda. The result is usually the same. Man is exalted and takes the credit for the things the Spirit has done. What we are speaking about is the simple belief that we are all disciples of those early Apostles.

Many have claimed to be the sole voice of the Apostles or the one true Apostolic church. Yet, these hold to dogmas that are in direct contradiction to the word of God. When challenged on these obvious inconsistencies they attempt to muddy the waters or explain away the fivefold ministry rather than just admit that is the word of God and for the church today.

“Pentecostal churches believe they are apostolic because (1) they teach what the apostles taught, and (2) they share in the power of the apostles through the baptism in and fullness of the Holy Spirit, who empowers their lives and ministries. They believe what matters is not a contemporary apostolic office but apostolic doctrine and power.”159 Yet, we would hold that this apostolic doctrine and power is only the beginning or the first role of a five-fold hand that is essential to bring us all to the unity of the faith.

In spite of the fact that there is not ONE verse that gives credence to the role of Apostle or Prophets ending, these take such untenable positions. It is evident that there is equally as much conjecture for the roles of pastor, teacher and evangelist to have ended as there is to that of Apostle and Prophets.

“And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not”

To be clear, when we speak of the role of Apostle in the church we are not talking about some attempt to trace a succession of clergy back to the original 12 apostles, as do the Catholic and

GIVE US A KING

“The fact is this: Whether you and I accept it or not, the original “faith that was once for all delivered to the saints”

229

BERNIE L. WADE


is still intact. It is unaltered. In a conclusive, unchangeable way the faith of the Apostolic Era was delivered for “all time” intact to every subsequent generation. There will never be another.”384

made from the shadow of a starving chicken. “386 “It appears that the great deception falls not upon believers but upon unbelievers. Those who refuse to love the truth are the ones deceived, not the faithful Church. In any case, there is no solid evidence that the Church will lack power at the end of days, at least not until the Commission has been completed. The Anti-Christ does not come until we, the Church, have completed our task. He is not revealed until we have finished it!”387

In all fairness, a true five-fold ministry certainly will not instantly make the body perfect. We will still be dealing with the works of the flesh for as long as we are in this body. However, let’s be clear, this is also not a proof text for the position that the apostles and prophets should be eliminated based on the imprimatur of an organization. “The mobilization of laity is absolutely vital for the church to grow strong spiritually and also grow large numerically. The "quantity" of the churchgoers goes hand in hand with the "quality" of the church (Though the opposite may not necessary be true). Seekers respond to the Gospel when the church's lay ministers are spiritually strong and well trained enough to present it with the power of the Holy Spirit.”161 “The fivefold ministry of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers has to be reintroduced in every church.”385 Arguments that the fivefold has been morphed into the manifold or threetiered ministry seem as weak as gravy

The five-fold ministry is the gift that 386

The Next Wave. Restoration of the Charismata. Dr. Bernie L. Wade. Truth, Liberty and Freedom Press (TLPF). 2010. 387 Cessation of the Gifts of the Spirit in the Church: Why this doctrine lacks biblical warrant by Jefferis Kent Peterson, I.

384

KINGDOM FAITH OR KINGDOM FICTION — WHICH IS IT? By Charles Carrin 385

Reverend Albert Kang

GIVE US A KING

230

BERNIE L. WADE


Jesus Christ gave to His Bride, the Church. It was the doctrine of the Apostle Paul and other Apostles. For more than 300 years God has been slowly inching his people toward the full restoration and power of His Spirit. Man might make a misguided effort to quell this ground swell of the Spirit of God moving in His people, but in the end the gift of the five-fold ministry will help to perfect the saints, assist in the work of the ministry and continue to edify the body of Christ…

True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11, 15-16) “The phrase “king of kings” is used in Scripture six times, three of which refer to the Lord Jesus (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14, 19:16). The other three (Ezra 7:12; Ezekiel 26:7; Daniel 2:37) refer to either Artaxerxes or Nebuchadnezzar, kings [imposters] who used the phrase to express their absolute sovereignty over their respective realms (Persia and Babylon). The phrase “lord of lords” is used in Scripture five times, and only referring to God (Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:3; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14,19:16). Used together, the two phrases refer only to the Lord Jesus Christ.”388

…"That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing: but that it should be holy and without blemish".

The greatest moment in human history is when Jesus Christ is crowned KING OF KINGS! John the Revelator saw the Lord in His postresurrection glory. There are actually forty-one (41) descriptive words of His glory in thirteen verses of

ALL HAIL KING JESUS! “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and

GIVE US A KING

388

http://www.gotquestions.org/King-of-kings-Lordof-lords.html

231

BERNIE L. WADE


Revelation chapter one.389

also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:2123).390

A plethora of men have posed as kings, but they are revealed as imposters in the presence of the King. There is only One who was ever found worthy to bear the title of King. While many earthly men have attempted to take the glory that He reserved for Himself, only Jesus Christ manifested the real behavior of a King. To make the point of His exalted position the writers rightfully called Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-18 “The New Testament idea of ascension means something far more weighty than merely going up into the sky or even to the abode of the heavenlies. In His ascension, Jesus was going to a specific place for a specific reason. He was ascending into heaven for the purpose of His investiture and coronation as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is King in the highest possible sense of kingship.

The idea of Jesus being King of kings and Lord of lords means that there is no higher authority. His reign over all things is absolute and inviolable. God raised Him from the dead and placed Him over all things, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but 389

In biblical terms, it is unthinkable to have a king without a kingdom. Since Jesus ascends to His coronation as king, with 390

http://www.gotquestions.org/King-of-kings-Lordof-lords.html

Paw Creek Ministries. Pastor Joseph Chambers.

GIVE US A KING

232

BERNIE L. WADE


that coronation comes the designation by the Father of a realm over which He rules. That realm is all creation. The King is already in place. He has already received all authority on heaven and on earth. That means that at this very moment the supreme authority over the kingdoms of this world and over the entire cosmos is in the hands of King Jesus. There is no inch of real estate, no symbol of power in this world that is not under His ownership and His rule at this very moment.

taken place. It is the task of the church to bear witness to that invisible kingdom Thank you for reading. There is a preponderance of information in this book. How to make practical application of the truth is always the challenge. God has not changed His plan. Since the beginning His plan has been to redeem mankind from His sins. While He works with mankind He does not need men to help Him with make His plan. He needs men to obey His will and follow His plan. He gave mankind His spirit to lead him and to guide him. Unfortunately, the history of God's people (both those in natural Israel and those in the New Testament Church) has been one of extreme disappointment. Man seems to never be tired of rebelling against God. While this rebellion manifests in a plethora of ways, the way forward for the people of God is always clear. Choose this day that you will serve.“391

In Paul's letter to the Philippians, in chapter 2, in the so-called kenotic hymn, it is said that Jesus is given the name that is above all names. The name that He is given that rises above all other titles that anyone can receive, is a name that is reserved for God. It is God's title Adonai, which means the "One who is absolutely sovereign." Again, this title is one of supreme governorship for the One who is the King of all of the earth. The New Testament translation of the Old Testament title adonai is the name lord. When Paul says that at the name of Jesus every knee must bow and every tongue confess, the reason for the bowing in obeisance and for confessing is that they are to declare with their lips that Jesus is Lord - that is, He is the sovereign ruler. That was the first confession of faith of the early church. The lordship of Jesus is not simply a hope of Christians that someday might be realized; it is a truth that has already GIVE US A KING

391

The King of Kings. The Lordship of Jesus Christ. R. C. Sproul. Logonier Ministries. Dec. 6, 2007

233

BERNIE L. WADE


adherents, with representation in nearly every country in the world. For more information visit: http://www.icof.net

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Bernie Wade has dedicated his entire life to working in ministry. As a child he helped his parents pioneer a number of church plants. As a young man he served as an evangelist, assistant pastor, pastor and more. Today, he fills his busy schedule writing, teaching, preaching and traveling around the world ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

International Circle of Faith Colleges Seminaries and Universities (ICOF CSU) is a global network of Christian schools of higher learning and represents ICOF’s leaders collective commitment to quality Christian education. Dr. Bernie Wade sees the current spiritual climate as another great wave of the Holy Spirit similar to the wave of the Spirit that swept the world after the Wales and Azusa Street revivals a century ago. With this wave of the Holy Spirit in mind, Dr. Wade is instructing leaders to position themselves and their followers to get ready for The Next Wave. In this light a magazine was launched appropriately called, “The Next Wave”. To learn more about

He is a focused on the restoration or reformation of the Church to the tenets that were taught by the New Testament Church and the original Apostles of Jesus Christ. Toward this end most of his writing focuses on those essential biblical doctrines. He is committed to teaching and focusing other church leaders to return to our Biblical foundation. He serves as President to the global ministry of International Circle of Faith (ICOF). Http://www.icof.net

The Next Wave Magazine visit: http://www.icof.net/index.php/thenextwa ve Welcome to The Next Wave!

ICOF is a global network of ministers, churches, ministries and more. ICOF’s global network has more than 50,000 ministers and some 20 million

GIVE US A KING

234

BERNIE L. WADE


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.