(1) What Is Next For The Church? - Mark Pugh and Special Guests - YouTube
The above video was posted by Elim Pentecostal Churches in 2020. At the 35:00 mark, host Mark Pugh asks "prophets" Emma Stark, Simon Braker, James Aladiran and Rachel Hickson: "What God may be saying to leaders at this time." What follows from Emma Stark is an explicit first person "thus saith the Lord" prophecy complete with alleged throne room encounter.
Emma Stark's claim that she is often "taken up" to the throne room of God in itself should raise a red flag. Such events are exceptional in the scriptures. The apostle Paul was extremely reticent about his experience and was reluctant to even name himself . Paul heard things in paradise that he was not permitted to repeat!
And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. (2 Corinthians 12:3-4).
John, the author of Revelation, gives a detailed description of heaven in Revelation 4:1-11.
And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. (Revelation 4:3).
Barnes: "
Was in appearance; or, as I looked upon him, this seemed to be his appearance. He does not describe his form, but his splendor.. it is well adapted to impress the mind with a sense of the majesty of Him who cannot be described, and of whom no image should be attempted. Compare Deuteronomy 4:12; 'Ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude'." {1}
..who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (John 1:18 cf. Exodus 33:20).
Emma Stark's alleged "throne room encounter" raises some very serious doubts as to its legitimacy:
"I saw God.. as I walked into the throne room which I do quite often.. I am used to the cacophony of the angelic noise and the twenty four elders doing the business of the throne. God came off His throne. and he is on all fours on the ground in a way I have never seen Him before, and there is a howling groaning almost disturbing noise... I kind of kneel down before God.. and I start to hear Him wail. and if that image disturbs you, it is right out of Isaiah where Isaiah describes God as 'a woman in labour'. God the woman giving birth is the analogy in Isaiah, so we are right in the scriptures with this vision.. I bend down and I hear God wail.. 'I want the nations', I am calling for the nations, it's a time for the nations to come back to Me' .. and suddenly God is reading out of His scriptures and he is reading Haggai chapter 2.. 'In a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth'.
Emma Stark's Interpretation: "I am investing in shaking.. If I don't shake you, you cannot carry the new wine; if I don't shake you, you cannot have revival; if I don't shake you, you cannot have the one billion soul harvest.. I heard the Lord say fresh from his throne room this morning, 'the bending has begun, the bending of the knees to Christ.." She continues in a similar vein for a few more minutes.
A text taken out of context is a pretext.
Emma Stark is referring to Isaiah 42:14 and Haggai 2:6-9 - both out of context.
In context Isaiah 42:18-20 refers to judgement upon God's enemies i.e. the nations who worship false gods. In verse 16, the focus changes to "the blind" i.e. Israel.
The LORD goes forth like a mighty one; He stirs up His zeal like a warrior. He shouts; yes, He roars in triumph over His enemies: I have kept silent from ages past; I have remained quiet and restrained. But now I will groan like a woman in labor; I will at once gasp and pant. I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn the rivers into dry land and drain the marshes. I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, and I will not forsake them. But those who trust in idols and say to molten images, ‘You are our gods!’ will be turned back in utter shame. (Isaiah 42:13-17).
Haggai 2:6 ~
"Once more (once for all).. I will shake the heavens and the earth” In verse 6 the final shaking is contrasted to the shaking of Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18). It extends to
the whole creation and is
once for all (ἔτι ἅπαξ). This is the only portion of Haggai quoted in the New Testament (
Hebrews 12:26). Its
final fulfilment announces God’s intention to shake the present order in
His coming day of judgment. (Isaiah 2:19; Matthew 24:28-29; Luke 21:25-2).
Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’” (Haggai 2:6-9).
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the LORD of hosts in the day of his fierce anger. (Isaiah 13:13).
It is significant that the book of Revelation describes the diametric opposite to an end time "victorious church". In fact we see the persecution of the saints at the hand of the Antichrist immediately prior to the return of Jesus Christ.
Then the beast (the Antichrist) was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. (Revelation 13:7).
Jesus warns believers repeatedly about spiritual deception immediately prior to his second coming.
Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. (Matthew 24:3-5 cf. Matthew 24:11,24).
Paul warns that
apostasy, not revival, will precede the day of the Lord:
Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day (the day of the Lord) will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist) is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
Mark Pugh: "Some people are asking.. Why do we need new wine.. Why does God talk about giving new wine, new power new anointing to the church?" This is a pertinent question considering God has given us everything we need for life and godliness.. (2 Peter 1:3).
Rachel Hickson: "We need new tools.. fresh mantles and fresh tools". She went on to quote Joel 3:10 completely out of context. "In Europe you need new tools.. and you see in Joel when they are calling to war, there is the cry of a prophet 'bring me your ploughshares, bring me your threshing instruments, I'm going to give your swords and spears.'"
Who is the Lord addressing when He says: "Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears."?
Quoting verses out of context is a chronic issue with these so called "prophets". Their appalling incompetence in handling the word of truth leads to extreme error and damage to the Body of Christ. (2 Timothy 2:15). Joel 3 in context is an end time prophecy. Joel calls the place the Valley of Jehoshaphat, John calls it the valley of Megiddo and the battle of Armageddon. (Revelation 16:16).
Yes, in those days and at that time, when I restore Judah and Jerusalem from captivity, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. (Joel 3:1-2; cf. Revelation 16:14).
Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war; rouse the mighty men; let all the men of war
advance and attack! Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong!’ Come quickly, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves. Bring down Your mighty ones, O LORD Let the nations be roused and advance to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.. (Joel 3:9-12).
Benson: "Rouse and bring forward into the field your strong and valiant men. In these words the prophet, in an ironical manner, encourages them to make their utmost effort to oppose the designs of Providence; but signifies that it should be all in vain. For, should they strengthen themselves by all the means in their power, yet they should be overcome and punished. Beat your plough-shares into swords, &c." {2}
Rachel Hickson continues to quote Micah 4:3, again out of context: "and the prophet Michah then says the seasons change.. 'now bring me your swords and spears and I will give your pruning hooks and threshing instruments'."
No one brings anything to the Lord in either of these passages.. rather
they beat their
swords and pruning hooks
themselves.
Micah 4 is a millennial passage.. i.e. it applies to conditions following Jesus return during the millennial period when there will no longer be war.
..and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Micah 4:3 cf. Isaiah 2:1-4).
Has the blood of Jesus been superseded?
In the New Testament new wine refers to the transition from the Mosaic Law to the gospel. The new doctrine Jesus taught was grace, not the Mosaic law. The blood of Christ is represented by wine. Bengel's Gnomon: "The wine is (the token of the felicities of this dispensation, and it is called 'new' in contrast with the obsolete character of that which it superseded. 'Novitatem dicit plane eingularem' (Bengel). Matthew 26:29" {3}
Those looking for "new wine" are in very serious error. They have rejected the cross of Jesus Christ and the foundation He has established. Laodicea were instructed - be zealous and repent... not - look for new wine. (Revelation 3:9).
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11).
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18-22).
I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles. (Revelation 2:2).
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. (Revelation 2:20).
For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. (2 Corinthians 11:4-5).
For those with questions and/or concerns about the New Apostolic Reformation, I recommend GoodFight Ministries five part series entitled "Bethel or Beth-Hell?".