JOEL RICHARDSON: THE DEATH OF THE ANTICHRIST IS A FALSE TEACHING

The Death of the Antichrist Fulfilled

Joel Richardson's shady agenda continues as he presses his unbiblical case for the death of the Antichrist. In this video, he works stealthily under the cover of legitimate arguments against preterism.

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. (Revelation 19:19-21). and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10 cf. Revelation 17:11). 

 

Richardson's false claim that Gog is the Antichrist 

Richardson conflates the Gog/Magog war in Ezekiel 38-39 and Armageddon. (Revelation 16:14-16; 19:1-21 cf. Zechariah 14:1-17). The insurmountable difficulty with this position is that Gog will attack Israel when they are "dwelling securely".

Thus says the Lord God: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme and say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gate.. Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and say to Gog, Thus says the Lord GOD: On that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it? You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army. You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. (Ezekiel 38: 10-16). 

At the close of the 70th week of Daniel, Israel will certainly not be "dwelling securely". The Bible refers to a period of great distress and tribulation that will come upon the Jewish people in the period known as "the great tribulation" and "Jacob's trouble". Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:7). The Antichrist's persecution against the Jews from the midpoint of the 70th week will leave the Jews decimated.  And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21; Zechariah 13:8-9).). 

Further reasons why Richardson's Gog/Antichrist argument is a non-starter.

* Specific countries are named in Ezekiel 38:1-6, whereas "all the kings of the earth" are assembled against Israel at Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12-16).

* The battles have different locations. Gog fights in the mountains in the north/northern Israel. (Ezekiel 39:2-4). Armageddon takes place in the valley of Jezreel. (Revelation 16:16).

* Gog's incentive is to take wealth. (Ezekiel 38:12). The Antichrist's agenda is to destroy the Jews and world domination. (Revelation 12:13,13:8).

* Israel will not be dwelling securely when Armageddon occurs (above).

* Gog's armies will be destroyed by torrents of rain, hailstones, fire, sulfur, and self-inflicted wounds. (Ezekiel 38:21). The Antichrist armies will be destroyed directly by Jesus Christ. (Revelation 19:15).  

* Gog's activities are limited to Israel. (Ezekiel 38:16). Armageddon is a global battle. (Revelation 16:14-16). 

* The Israelites will be burying the bodies of Gog's armies for seven months. (Ezekiel 39:12). The dead bodies of the Antichrist armies are eaten by birds for seven months and no cleanup operation is mentioned. (Revelation 19:17).

* Gog is killed and is buried in the Valley of the Travelers. (Ezekiel 39:11). The Antichrist and the false prophet are captured and are thrown alive into the lake of fire. (Revelation 19:20).

Sisera's death

Richardson identifies Sisera, the oppressor of the Israelites and the commander of the Canaanite army in Judges 4-5 as a type of the Antichirst. (Judges 4:3). The ludicrous argument presented by Richardson is that because Jael killed Sisera with a tent peg, the Antichrist will also be killed by a "tent peg". In the Bible, a type (typology) is a representation by one thing of another e.g. Adam was a type of Christ (Romans 5:14), the Passover was a type of Christ (1 Corinthians 5:7) etc. Types should not be taken verbatim to apply to what they represent in every detail. Richardson digs a deeper hole with his questionable connection with Zechariah 10:4 where the same noun (yathed) is used but in a completely different context. 

But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. (Judges 4:21).

From him shall come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg (yathed), from him the battle bow, from him every ruler—all of them together.. (Zechariah 10:4). KJV: out of him the nail..

Strongs: "yathed: nail, paddle, pin, stake".1 

Pulpit Commentary: "The nail. The word (yathed) is taken for the peg that fastens the cord of a tent, for a nail used in building with timber, or a peg for hanging up arms and utensils on the walls of a house. In whichever sense we take it here, it implies one who consolidates or upholds the political constitution (Isaiah 22:23, 24)".2

The King of Babylon Isaiah 14:15-20 

Isaiah 14 is a well-known passage that includes a taunt against the King of Babylon. (Isaiah 14:4-11). The focus changes in verses 12-14 with allusions to Lucifer, the morning star (Satan) whose vain aspirations to be "like God" led to his downfall from heaven. Verse 16 reverts back to the King of Babylon who suffers an ignominious death. Richardson's view that "the man" in Isaiah 14:16 is the Antichrist is an uncorroborated assumption.

Is this the man? Isaiah 14:16

Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities.. (Isaiah 14:16-17).

Morris: "Here Isaiah's vision, which had focused upon Satan in Isaiah 14:12-15, returns to the human king of Babylon (who had been possessed by Satan) and his reception by the other dead kings as they greet him in hell (Sheol, the great pit at the center of the earth)."3 

Coffman: "Whatever specific king the Lord could have been speaking of in this prophecy, we must believe that this chapter should be read, 'as a prediction of the fall of every human tyrant and his fate in the afterlife.'" 4 

Pulpit Commentary: "Verse 16. - They that see thee. Dr. Kay well observes that 'here the scene of the parable is changed back to earth. The corpse of the mighty conqueror is lying unburied.' Shall narrowly look upon thee. Like the inhabitants of hell (ver. 10), those of earth also shall scarcely believe their eyes. They shall look close to see if it is indeed the great king that is slain. Isaiah 14:16."5

Those who follow Richardson seem easily persuaded by his silver tongue, but critically they have yet to do their homework. (1 John 4:1). I highly recommend Chris White's comprehensive podcast in which he systematically demolishes the Islamic Antichrist view point by point: CHRIS WHITE, Author at Bible Prophecy Daily

So why does Richardson persist in promoting these defective eschatological views? I venture to guess that confusion is his main intention combined with peddling his books and other materials. (2 Corinthians 2:17; 1 Timothy 6:10). The answer becomes clearer when we look at his track record. Richardson has been involved with false teachers from the beginning. He claims that his "prophetic endorsement" by "Latter Rain" false prophet and wolf Paul Cain was the catalyst that kick-started his "ministry". Note his associations with false teachers include Mormon Glenn Beck, Jim Bakker, Sid Roth, Mike Bickle, Walid Schoebat, Paul Wilbur, TBN, Pat Robertson 700 Club, CBN News, Joel Rosenberg (listed 2009), IHOP (International House of Prayer), Jonathan Cahn, Mark Biltz, Chuck Missler, Daystar TV, Vlad Savchuck, Chris Reed and Dalton Thomas. Richardson's false teachings also include Identificational Repentance and the Metatron heresy.6 

Richardson's subterfuge that the Antichrist will be literally killed as opposed to thrown alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20) is blatantly false. The scriptures are unambiguous. The Antichrist and the false prophet will be treated differently from the rest of the wicked humanity at Armageddon. They will not be killed, they will be fast-tracked alive to the lake of fire. The lake of fire (second death) is not allocated to unbelievers until the end of the millennium. (Revelation 20:13-15,21:8). Richardson not only violates the Book of Revelation (Revelation 22:18-19), he also flouts sound hermeneutics. (1 Corinthians 4:6). A general principle of hermeneutics is that clear passages always take precedence over ambiguous ones. 

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. (Romans 16:17).

1. Strong's Hebrew: 3489. יָתֵד (yathed) -- a peg, pin
2. Zechariah 10 Pulpit Commentary
3. Isaiah 14 Commentary | Precept Austin
4. Isaiah 14 - Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org
5. Isaiah 14 Pulpit Commentary

6. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: Joel Richardson

DAVID HIND ONE CHURCH LEICESTER: WHITEWASHED SEPULCHRES

One Church Together - VISION SUNDAY | 3rd November 2024, 11.30am

David Hind and "Pastor" Susan's self-praise is so sickening that I can hardly bear to watch their whitewashed history of ONE Church, formerly Trinity Life Church Leicester (Assemblies of God). 

I have recently been following the David Platt documentaries, and although this is a different situation with different issues, there are some interesting parallels with Hind and One Church. In 1980, Lon Solomon became the Senior Pastor of McLean Bible Church, a huge megachurch in Virginia. In September 2017, David Platt was confirmed as the Pastor-Teacher, later "Lead Pastor", replacing Lon Solomon by being the sole candidate offered to the membership. Platt has been busy systematically destroying McLean Bible Church in Virginia since his appointment. Some brave people have been challenging him for years, and after a great struggle, the upshot is that Platt is now totally exposed as a wolf and a liar. Platt's method of resisting his accusers has been very enlightening. He immediately surrounded himself with "yes men" giving key positions only to those who would back him. Lon Solomon has been eerily silent during Platt's wicked tenure as pastor. He has not commented or offered support to those who were being systematically spiritually abused! The situation is even worse with Brian Niblock. He has openly supported Hind's folly from day one. I remember him saying that he did not want to be "the grumpy old man" in the church by criticizing the new pastor. It is biblical to speak out about false teaching and danger to the flock, even if we are unpopular for doing so. (Ezekiel 33:8-9). Only hirelings think more about their reputation than the Lord! (John 10:13).

As I watched the documentaries about Platt I remembered the bizarre way in which David Hind was appointed as the pastor of TLC and the so-called "family meeting" when it was announced that the much-loved Assistant Pastor Peter Buick was rejected by the elders. Several people spoke up in protest, but all to no avail. The three elders had made an "executive decision" and were determined to reject this godly man as pastor without offering the congregation a reason apart from "the Lord showed us". The public humiliation Peter Buick suffered at this meeting is something I will never forget. I found it so distressing that I decided never to attend another "family meeting" at TLC again. The next thing we knew, and to everyone's utter surprise, David Hind had been appointed as the new pastor. This was basically a fait accompli, orchestrated on Brian Niblock's watch!  I wondered whether this had been their agenda all along.

The very day Hind began in his role as Pastor at TLC, my friend and I knew that something was wrong. One of his first acts was to ask people to put their offerings into envelopes and to put their names on their donations. It was not very long after Hind's arrival before cronyism set in and he employed his friend from Nottingham AOG as Musical Director. Almost immediately, the existing worship team suddenly left the church and neither they nor their family were ever seen again! Other individuals and families soon followed suit due to Hind's questionable leadership style. Before long we had to endure Hind's infantile party games during worship time :( This was the final straw. My friend and I left halfway through the circus and did not return. Hind's ecumenical associations with Churches Together and the infamous Adam Simmonds, Northamptonshire PCC followed. The appointment of Adam Simmonds as Director of Trinity Life Church and the lottery fiasco were par for the course. The compromise of entering into a binding agreement with Big Lottery and their worldly values was in my view due to Simmonds' unholy influence. Although Simmonds may have been the source of the temptation, Hind and his cronies failed the test and even gloried in their shame. (2 Corinthians 6:14; Philippians 3:19; Isaiah 5:20). There followed visits from false teachers Mark Stibbe, Benny Hinn, and other wolves. More recently NAR false "prophet" Simon Braker infiltrated ONE Church complete with alleged first-person words from the Lord. The list continues. Susan Hind decided to become a "pastor" despite the clear biblical directive against aspiring to such a position. (1 Timothy 2:12). Hind's false teaching on women pastors, tithing, and false prophesies about imminent "revival" are huge red flags. The list goes on and on!* As you can see, my history of ONE Church differs considerably from Hind's whitewash. 

* See Further Links for full details. 

• LOTTERY FUNDING: UNGODLY APPROVAL OF GAMBLING

• PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST PROHIBITED AT OPEN HANDS AS A CONDITION OF RECEIVING BIG LOTTERY FUNDING
• TLC WAS REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRABLY BELIEVE AND ABIDE BY UNBIBLICAL SECULAR EQUALITY VALUES AS A CONDITION OF SECURING LOTTERY FUNDING (2 CORINTHIANS 6:14)
• THEOCRACY: UNBIBLICAL TOP HEAVY LEADERSHIP (ACTS 15:22)
• NEPOTISM: SENIOR FAMILIAL APPOINTMENTS
• ROCK MUSIC VERSUS WORSHIP
• CHURCH GROWTH BASED ON THE MEGA CHURCH MULTI-SITE MODEL 
• VIOLATION OF THE SCRIPTURAL BLUEPRINT FOR AUTONOMOUS CONGREGATIONS (ACTS 14:23)
• HOST TO FALSE TEACHER/PROPHET MARK STIBBE (2011)
• VALIDATION OF ARCH DECEIVER AND NECROMANCER BENNY HINN (2014)
• INVOLVEMENT WITH ECUMENICAL CHURCHES TOGETHER (2014)
• ECUMENICAL ALPHA COURSE 
• ENDORSEMENT OF ECUMENIST BILLY GRAHAM
• ENDORSEMENT OF SMITH WIGGLESWORTH'S FALSE END TIME REVIVAL PROPHECY
• ADAM SIMMONDS ILLEGAL REMOVAL OF TWO OF MY POSTS (FEBRUARY 2014)
• BLATANT SATANIC 666 DISPLAY AT OPEN HANDS 6 DEGREES COFFEE HOUSE
• SUSAN HIND'S UNBIBLICAL APPOINTMENT AS PASTOR (1 TIMOTHY 2:12) 
• SIMON BRAKER - NAR "PROPHET"
• FALSE TEACHING ABOUT TITHING (2024)
• FALSE PROPHECY OF IMMINENT MASS REVIVAL (2023)

Don't tell us how well you have done David Hind. Some of us remember what happened and see your folly continuing. The Lord sees it. There will be accountability!  (Galatians 6:7). 

Further Links:

Documentary on David Platt's tumultuous tenure at McLean Bible Church debuts
EXCLUSIVE: Interview with the creator of The Real David Platt Documentary: Jeremiah Burke DMW#247
WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: Trinity Life Church Leicester

NELSON WATERS WORST THEORY OF THE IDENTITY OF THE BEAST (REVELATION 13:1)

BEST Theory About the Beast's Fatal Wound Identifies WHO THE BEAST IS (youtube.com)

Nelson Walters' chaotic attempt to identify the beast of Revelation 13:1 as a fallen angel is inconsistent. Anyone with even the slightest knowledge of the prophetic scriptures should reject this theory outright.  

Walters makes three false assumptions.. 1. the sea in Revelation 13:1 is the abyss, 2. the beast is a demon/fallen angel/chimera, 3. the ten horns (kings) are fallen angels. 

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. (Revelation 13:1 cf. Revelation 11:7).

Walters: "The abyss is frequently referred to as the deepest part of the ocean.. Satan sees the beast coming up out of the abyss.. If he comes out of the abyss, he is a demon or an angel who has been imprisoned there.. The beast in his essence is a demon or a fallen angel.. When it (the beast) arises it already has ten horns (ten kings), they are already formed..  So if the beast is a supernatural fallen angel and he is one of the first seven, they are all supernatural fallen angels.."

 1. The sea

The view that "the sea" in Revelation 13:1 represents the great, restless mass of wicked humanity is widely acknowledged. (Isaiah 17:12-13,57:20; Jude 1:12-13). This interpretation is corroborated elsewhere (Daniel 7:2-3 cf. Daniel 7:7:17; Revelation 17:15), especially in Daniel 7: Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.  The "sea" here represents the agitated world of nations out of which four "beasts" (kingdoms) arise. The four winds of the heaven is a term that describes the four points of the compass. The same expression is found in Daniel 8:8,11:4; Zechariah 2:6,6:5 and Esdras 13:5. This expression is further evidence of the earthly origin of the little horn (the Antichrist) who came up amongst the ten horns (kings). (Daniel 7:7).

And he stood on the sand of the sea (thalassēs). And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. (Revelation 12:17-13:1)

The Greek in the above verse is thalassa (sea). Strongs: "2281, the sea, in contrast to the land, (b) a particular sea or lake, e.g. the sea of Galilee (Tiberias), the Red Sea." 1 

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. (Revelation 13:11). The second beast (the false prophet), rises out of the earth (land).

Precept Austin: "These contrasting terms are indicative of the origin of the two beasts. The sea may symbolize the Gentiles (Rev. 17:15+; cf. Dan. 7:2-3) and if this is the case here, the opposite term, the earth, symbolizes the Jews. There is precedence for the Gentile origin of Antichrist in the Old Testament allusions, and the Jewish identification may be strengthened if here 'the earth' has technical sense of 'the land' [of Israel] as it sometimes may in Revelation (Rev. 11:18+; cf. Dan. 8:9).11"2 

Given that John had no hesitation in making direct reference to the abyss elsewhere (Revelation 9:1-12,11:7,17:8,20:1-3), the widely accepted symbolic interpretation that "a beast rising out of the sea (Revelation 13:1)" represents "the great restless mass of wicked humanity" is the obvious interpretation.3 

Barnes: "The natural idea, therefore, in this passage, would be that the power that was represented by the 'beast' would spring up among the nations, when restless or unsettled, like the waves of the ocean."4 

Walter's statement that "the deepest part of the ocean" is a holding place for fallen angels appears to be based on Genesis 1:2. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. (Heb -tehom). This great deep is void and otherwise undefined. In the context of Genesis 1, the Hebrew term תְּהוֹם (tÿhom, deep) refers to the watery deep, especially the primeval ocean that surrounds and underlies the earth. (Genesis 7:11). What we know about the abyss is that it is an unfathomable depth located in the heart of the earth, the entrance of which is approached via a pit or shaft. (Revelation 9:1). Gebhardt: “These expressions are based upon rabbinical representations, originating from such O.T. statements as Psalm 81:10; Psalm 107:26; Isaiah 14:15 (cf. Isaiah 5:14; Isaiah 30:33), according to which there is under the earth an abyss or bottomless pit, with a lake or sea in which brimstone and fire seethe together.5

In the New Testament, descriptions of the abyss are sparse.

He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. (Revelation 9:2).

..chains of gloomy darkness. (2 Peter 2:4).

2. The beast 

And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, (Revelation 11:7).  

In the prophetic scriptures the term “beast” describes a wicked nation or king. Daniel refers to the higher echelons of fallen angels as princes (rulers). (Daniel 10:13,20). Satan is described as "the prince of this world" (John 12:31,14:30,16:11; cf. Ephesians 2:2). Michael is referred to as a celestial "chief prince". (Daniel 10:13,21,12:1). Strongs 8269: "sar: chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince."6  The point is that fallen angels are never referred to as "beasts".

John directly refers to "the bottomless pit" (not the sea) in Revelation 11:7. This reference to the beast that rises from the bottomless pit corresponds with the beast “about to come from the abyss” in Revelation 17:8 cf. Revelation 13:1) and is mentioned here in prolepsis.7 

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. (Revelation 17:8).
As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. (Revelation 17:11).

The beast's ascension from the bottomless pit coincides with the ten horns (kings) handing over their power and authority to him. (Revelation 17:12-14), and "one hour/a little while" i.e. forty-two months, when he will be given satanic authority over every tribe and people etc. (Revelation 13:3-7 cf. Revelation 12:12). 

One of its heads seemed (ὡς) to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”(Revelation 13:3-4).

..it (the beast) was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. (Revelation 13:7).

In some sense the Antichrist/beast will mimic Jesus' resurrection from the dead. (Ephesians 4:8-10; 1 Peter 3:18-20; 2 Peter 2:4-5; Matthew 12:38-45; Luke 23:43). Whether the Antichrist literally receives a mortal wound and is resurrected, or whether it is a satanic deception is disputed due to the adverb ωσει hosei ho-si': as if -- about, as (it had been, it were), like (as).8 In any event, this man becomes satanically possessed and rises from the abyss just before the abomination of desolation event at the midpoint of the 70th week of Daniel. (Revelation 17:8). 

3. The ten kings

Walters further speculates: "If the beast is a supernatural fallen angel and he is one of the first seven, they are all supernatural fallen angels."  We know that the beast rises from sinful humanity. (Revelation 13:1). We also know that he rises from the abyss after his mortal wound just before the midpoint of the 70th week. (Revelation 13:3-4).  As such neither he nor any of the horns are supernatural fallen angels. (Revelation 17:15; Daniel 7:8).     

And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. (Revelation 13:2-3).

Walters "The beast is one of these first seven heads. That answers our question about what kind of kings these heads are. It has to be a supernatural head, a supernatural king. The seven kings are supernatural kings. So if the beast is a supernatural fallen angel, and he is one of the first seven, they are all supernatural fallen angels. It also tells us he was the supernatural king of one of the first five empires. How can we say that? The beast was (it happened in the past before John), is not (it was in the abyss already so it couldn't have been Rome because Rome was ruling at that time); and it's going to come back and go to destruction." 

Walter's speculation that the beast is "one of the first seven heads/kings" is based on "he belongs to the other seven". (Revelation 17:11). The correct interpretation of this verse is that the final beast is an embodiment of all seven, he is not literally "one of the seven". 

Alford: "..he himself (or, this) also is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth unto perdition (this eighth, the last and worst phase of the beast, is not represented as any one of his heads, but as being the beast himself in actual embodiment. He is ἐκ τῶν ἑπτά,—not, “one of the seven,” but, the successor and result of the seven, following and springing out of them."9 

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown: "The eighth is not merely one of the seven restored, but a new power or person proceeding out of the seven, and at the same time embodying all the God-opposed features of the previous seven concentrated and consummated; for which reason there are said to be not eight, but only seven heads, for the eighth is the embodiment of all the seven."10 

Walters keeps digging a deeper hole and he discounts Rome as a possibility because of his idea that the "supernatural king/angelic ruler of Rome" was not in the abyss when John wrote Revelation. ..the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, (Revelation 17:9-10). Since Rome (one is) is included in the seven kings/kingdoms, the seven heads must be human kings, they cannot be angelic rulers. 

Walters: "{There are} five possibilities for the head that receives the fatal wound., Babylon, Syria, Egypt, Persia, and Greece. They all received fatal head wounds and were all replaced by the next empire.. Revelation 13:2 it is primarily a leopard.. the Greek empire was the empire of Alexander the Great then split among his four generals known as the Diadochi. The greatest shadow of the Antichrist in history comes from the Seleucid empire, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a former leader who matches the Antichrist action for action. Doesn't it make sense that it was the Greek empire, the prince of Greece, the demonic leader of the Greek empire? Daniel 10:20 the prince of Greece will come.."

Walters eventually whittles his choice of "beast" down to the supernatural prince of Greece on some very flimsy evidence 1. because the final beast is predominantly a leopard (Revelation 13:2);  2. because Michael says to Daniel:  when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. (Daniel 10:20) 3. because Antiochus IV Epiphanies is a major type of the Antichrist. 

There is no evidence for Walters' questionable assumption that five princes, including the princes of Persia and Greece, are in the abyss. Rather it appears that the ongoing angelic battle between Michael and his angels and Satan and his angels will probably continue until the Parousia.

The angels who were cast into the abyss appear to have committed a definite sin which is hinted at but not specified. The information we have is sketchy, but there seems to be some connection with Genesis 6 and also the book of Enoch. 

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; (2 Peter 2:4).

And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—(Jude 1:6)

  

Cambridge Bible: "For if God spared not the angels that sinned] Better, spared not angels, there being no article in the Greek. Here the nature of the sin is not specified. We may think either of a rebellion of angels headed by Satan, such as Milton has represented in Paradise Lost, or of the degradation of their spiritual nature by sensual lust, as in Genesis 6:2. Looking to the more definite language of Jude, 2 Peter 2:6-8, where the guilt of the angels is placed on a level with that of Sodom, it seems probable that the Apostle had the latter in his thoughts. He does not specify the sin, whether rebellion, as in Revelation 12:7; or uncleanness, as apparently in Jude 1:6, 7, and Genesis 6:4."11 

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (Revelation 22:18-19).

As well as being completely isolated, Walters' interpretation of Revelation 13:1 is a non-starter. With such weighty warnings against misrepresenting the book of Revelation, I am always staggered when people rearrange it to suit their own purposes. I cannot imagine why Walters is teaching this nonsense other than to muddy the waters or gain followers. (Acts 20:30). Mark and avoid this false teacher! (Romans 16:17-18). 

1. Strong's Greek: 2281. θάλασσα (thalassa) -- the sea
2. Revelation 13 Commentary | Precept Austin
3. Revelation 13:1 Commentaries: And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.,
4. Revelation 13 Barnes' Notes
5. Revelation 9 Meyer's NT Commentary
6. Strong's Hebrew: 8269. שָׂר (sar) -- chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince
7. Revelation 11:7 Commentaries: When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.
8. Strong's Greek: 5616. ὡσεί (hósei) -- as if, as it were, like
9. Revelation 17 Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary - Alford
10. Revelation 17:11 Commentaries: "The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.
11. 2 Peter 2:4 Commentaries: For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;

NELSON WATERS BRASH STATEMENT: THE "TRIBULATION" HAS BEGUN (DANIEL 9:27)

(54) ANSWERED! 8 Tough Questions on Whether the TRIBULATION Really Started - YouTube

In his own words, Nelson Walters describes his claim that the 70th week of Daniel began on October 2nd as "a brash statement". Walters: "There is a 95-99% chance the 'tribulation' began on October 2nd.2024." Walters consistently makes the error of referring to the 70th week of Daniel as the "tribulation". The tribulation begins at the midpoint of Daniel's 70th week following the “abomination of desolation” event. (Matthew 24:15,21 cf. Daniel 9:27).*

Strike 1: Misinterpreting Jesus' parable of the ten virgins 

According to Walters, the reason people are unconvinced that the 70th week of Daniel has started is a sign based on the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. He claims that everyone will be asleep before the 70th week begins.     

As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ (Matthew 25:5-7).

If "all became drowsy and slept" then how is it that Walters is awake? Apparently, Walters believes he is the exception because he is an Ezekiel-style "watchman" based on Ezekiel 33:6. The problem with this logic is that Ezekiel was a true prophet who brought forth the very word of God, Nelson Walters is not!

In context, the parable of the ten virgins is a continuation of Matthew 24 regarding the coming of the Lord. (Matthew 24:31,50). In other words, it refers to the prewrath rapture which occurs between the sixth and seventh seal of Revelation. Walters has detached this parable from its original context and has shifted the specific timeframe from the Parousia to the onset of Daniel's 70th week. From a prewrath rapture perspective, the time difference between the first and sixth seals of Revelation is significant. (Revelation 6:12). 

Jesus' parables are fictional stories with a spiritual lesson. They convey literal truth, but they should not be pressed in every detail to force a connection of our own making. (2 Timothy 2:15). The message of the parable of the ten virgins is to watch. They all fell asleep (?) The parable is not intended to affirm as fact that no one will be ready for Jesus' return, rather it emphasizes the length of the delay. Jesus summarises this parable with a warning: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." (Matthew 25:13 cf. Matthew 24:50; Luke 21:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; Revelation 3:3). This parable ties in with Luke 17:22 ff. One will be taken and the other left. (Luke 17:34-35). 

Walters claims that the jigsaw pieces all fall into place, but even on a cursory examination, they do not!

Strike 2: Walters: "The main impetus of this covenant was to force Israel to divide their land under the guise of a false peace." The United Nations Pact for the Future is not an imposed covenant upon Israel! The Pact is a broad non-binding agreement i.e. it does not impose legal obligations on UN Member States. Various global conflicts were mentioned in non-specific terms, but the proposed two-state solution and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were not directly mentioned at the summit.   

Strike 3: Walters: "God's immediate reaction was to permit Hurricane Helene to devastate the USA." This is speculation. The pact was signed by more than 140 countries at the UN's headquarters in New York. Hurricane Helene did not significantly affect New York, and it did not touch most of the other countries that signed the pact. Beware of newspaper eisegesis!

Strike 4: Walters: "The world's immediate reaction to the covenant was an international alliance headed by Saudi Arabia designed to divide Israel in a two-state solution."  Walters disproves his own claim by admitting that various nations continue to push for a two-state solution. This is evidence that the "strong covenant with many" did not come into existence on October 2nd. (Daniel 9:27). 

DUBAI, Sept 27 (Reuters) : "Saudi Arabia has formed a global alliance to push for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the country's foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Thursday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York."2 

Strike 5: Walters: "The exact day the 'tribulation' (70th week) must begin is on the feast of Trumpets." Rosh Hashanah is the first of three Fall festivals: the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur (aka the Day of Atonement), and the Feast of Tabernacles. Rosh Hashanah is not mentioned specifically in the bible; rather it is referred to as the day of the blowing of the shofar or the Feast of Trumpets. (Leviticus 23:23-25). Walters' view is very odd since the onset of the 70th week and a covenant with the Antichrist hardly represents a "holy convocation" or a celebration. It is more likely that Rosh Hashanah will begin when the trumpet sounds at the rapture when Jesus returns. (Matthew 24:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:15).

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:23-25).

Strike 6: Walters: "God marked this day with signs in the heavens; a bright visible comet; a supernova; and a solar eclipse." This foolishness is comparable to the false speculations concerning the zodiac constellation Virgo in 2017 hailed by false teachers as the sign of "the woman in labour" based on Revelation 12:1. Walters regurgitates this so-called "sign" of "the woman in labour" to refer to October 2nd and the 70th week. We should not be relying on astrology for biblical evidence of end-time events. It is possible for anyone to employ Stellarium to justify this or that momentous "sign" as evidence for whatever they want it to signify.

Strike 7:  Where is the Antichrist? According to Walters, the covenant doesn't have to have occurred on exactly October 2nd based on the Hebrew verb gābar (hiphil stem) which is causative.3 Walters theorizes that the Antichrist can cause the action to happen secretly behind the scenes without being revealed. This seems unlikely since the Antichrist will be the prime mover of the covenant. Walters confuses the issue by claiming that the 70th week has begun without any reasonable evidence that it actually has! No doubt this is why no reliable teachers are making the same claim.

And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he (Antichrist) shall confirm (gābar) the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abomination ns he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27 cf. Daniel 12:11).

Blue Letter Bible: "גָּבַר gâbar, gaw-bar'; a primitive root; to be strong; by implication, to prevail, act insolently:—exceed, confirm, be great, be mighty, prevail, put to more (strength), strengthen, be stronger, be valiant."1 

Strike 8: According to Walters, the daily sacrifice and the temple are not tied to the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel. The daily sacrifice and the temple must be in place before the mid-point of the week since the Antichrist will stop the sacrifices and will sit in the temple and proclaim himself to be God at this point (the abomination of desolation event). (Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:4). It seems likely that the Antichrist will at least agree to the restoration of the daily sacrifice and the rebuilding of the temple as part of his "strong covenant" with Israel. In my view, these things cannot come into existence without the specific endorsement of the Antichrist. 

Strike 9. Based on Daniel 11:22, Walters submits that "the prince who is to come" is not likely to be the Antichrist. He argues that the man who makes/renews the covenant will be destroyed by the Antichrist. Walters: "This prince seems to appear later, again in Daniel 11:22. I personally have never heard anyone else talk about this.." Then a flood of forces will be swept away before him and destroyed, along with a prince of the covenant. (Daniel 11:22). The reason no one else talks about Daniel 11:22 as a direct reference to the Antichrist is that Daniel 11:1-36 refers to the rise and fall of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king who persecuted the Jews who is a type of the Antichrist. According to many expositors, a shift occurs in the narrative from Daniel 11:36 onwards from Antiochus IV Epiphanes to the future fulfillment i.e. the Antichrist "the wilful king". (Daniel 11:36). Walters' reference to Daniel 11:22 is therefore invalid because the destruction of the prince referred to is a past event.

Crying wolf!

 

According to Walters, even if he is wrong about October 2nd it doesn't matter because people will be prepared. What! Walters gives himself a convenient get-out with his 95-99% accuracy claim, but God is not mocked! (Galatians 6:7). Making end-time predictions is an extremely reckless, counterproductive and reputationally risky business. We have all witnessed the fallout from various false date-setters like the NAR "prophets" and the false Trump "prophets". These people are the scourge of Christianity! When the 70th week does actually begin and we bring the evidence, many people are likely to reject it on the basis that "prophecy experts" like Walters have been wrong in the past. 

Wannabe prophets and their "brash" statements 

Walters' admission to making a "brash" statement is a red flag. (Matthew 12:36-37).

WordHippo describes "brash" as: "Excessively or recklessly confident or bold." Synonyms for "brash" are: foolhardy, audacious, daredevil, madcap, overbod, reckless, temerarious, overconfident, rash, heedless, incautious, imprudent, irresponsible etc..4 

There is one whose rash (reckless) words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18).

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools. (Proverbs 15:7).

* WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: THE SEVEN YEAR TRIBULATION FALLACY (bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com)

1. H1396 - gāḇar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv) (blueletterbible.org)

2. Saudi Arabia forms global alliance to push for Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution | Reuters
3. Stem Hiphil — unfoldingWord® Hebrew Grammar 1 documentation (uhg.readthedocs.io)

4, What is another word for brash? | Brash Synonyms - WordHippo Thesaurus

NELSON WALTERS CLICKBAIT ESCHATOLOGY: THE PRINCE WHO IS TO COME (DANIEL 9:26)

Who is the Prince of the Covenant that Just Launched the Tribulation? We NAME NAMES! (youtube.com)

In the above video, Nelson Walters speculates that the covenant that initiates the 70th week of Daniel (Daniel 9:26) is the Pact for the Future adopted by the United Nations on the 22nd of September 2024. According to Walters the 70th week of Daniel was launched on October 2nd when globalism and new powers were given to the International Court of Justice to become the ultimate source of judicial power in the world.  

United Nations: "New York, 22 September 2024 – World leaders today adopted a Pact for the Future that includes a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations. This Pact is the culmination of an inclusive, years-long process to adapt international cooperation to the realities of today and the challenges of tomorrow.1 

The Pact contains a number of pledges related to international peace and security, including calls for all countries to comply with the decisions of the International Court of Justice;" 2 

Walters discusses the identity of "the prince who is to come" in Daniel 9:26, i.e. the man who renews the covenant that launches what Walters refers to as the seven year "tribulation". Although many teachers refer to 70th week of Daniel as the "tribulation", technically this is not the case. The tribulation begins at the midpoint of Daniel's 70th week following the “abomination of desolation” event. (Matthew 24:15,21 cf. Daniel 9:27). Prior to the midpoint of the 70th week, the first four seals will likely be broken by the Lamb (Jesus Christ). (Revelation 6:1-8).

The overwhelming consensus among prewrath teachers is that "the prince who is to come" is the Antichrist aka "the man of lawlessness". (2 Thessalonians 2:3). 

..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 2:4; cf. Daniel 7:25,11:36; Revelation 13:5–6).

Based on Daniel 11:22, Walters submits that "the prince who is to come" is not likely to be the Antichrist. He argues that the man who makes/renews the covenant will be destroyed by the Antichrist. Walters: "This prince seems to appear later, again in Daniel 11:22. I personally have never heard anyone else talk about this.." Then a flood of forces will be swept away before him and destroyed, along with a prince of the covenant. (Daniel 11:22). The reason no one else talks about Daniel 11:22 as a direct reference to the Antichrist is that Daniel 11:1-36 refers to the rise and fall of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king who persecuted the Jews who is a type of the Antichrist. According to many expositors, a shift occurs in the narrative from Daniel 11:36 onwards from Antiochus IV Epiphanes to the future fulfillment i.e. the Antichrist "the wilful king". (Daniel 11:36). Walters' reference to Daniel 11:22 is therefore invalid because the destruction of the prince referred to is a past event.

Walters: "It is possible that there are actually two princes; the Antichrist, who makes or causes the covenant with the many on the one side, and the prince who actually signs that covenant on the other side. So could one prince be an Israeli and the other the Antichrist who forces or causes the covenant upon the Israeli? It's entirely possible.. Maybe the prince who is to come is a secular person who just enforces the covenant on Israel or maybe it's the Antichrist who does this.."  The Antichrist is the prince who enforces the covenant upon Israel. (Daniel 9:27). The scriptures do not mention "two princes" in relation to the covenant. 

And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he (Antichrist) shall confirm (gābar) the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abomination ns he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27 cf. Daniel 12:11).

Based on the Hebrew verb gābar (hiphil stem) which is causative, Walters proposes the novel suggestion that the Antichrist causes or orchestrates the renewed covenant behind the scenes and that he is not directly involved.3 He doesn't seem to have considered the possibility that the Antichrist could be both the cause and the enforcer of the covenant.     

For the 70th week to begin, the confirmation of the covenant specified in Daniel 9:27 is generally expected to be an enforced covenant of peace with "many" (Israel). It is also anticipated that daily sacrifices will be reinstituted on the Temple Mount since "he (the Antichrist) will put an end to sacrifice and offering" at exactly the midpoint point of the 70th week. (Daniel 9:27). The Temple Institute, Yaraeh, and other groups consider building the Third Temple on the Temple Mount imperative, although all that is strictly required is an altar. 

Walters regurgitates an old argument cooked-up by Walid Shoebat and Joel Richardson in 2008. In their reckless attempt to authenticate an Islamic Antichrist, Shoebat and Richardson attempted to show that "the people of the prince who is to come" (Daniel 9:26), will be Islamic based on the idea that Syrians and other Middle Eastern peoples made up the majority of the Roman army that destroyed the Jerusalem Temple in 70AD. There is good evidence that Titus authorized the destruction of the Temple; Roman generals oversaw the operation; and Roman forces carried it out. Note: Historian Sulpicius Severus (apparently based on Tacitus' lost history) contradicts Josephus' account of this event.4 The plain sense of this passage is that Rome was the rod of God's judgement, not the soldiers fighting for Rome. I recommend Chris White's excellent series debunking the Islamic Antichrist theory.* 

I have written a number of posts exposing Joel Richardson's false teaching.5

On the strength of his speculation that the 70th week began on the 2nd of October, Walters digs a deeper hole in a follow-up video in which he claims that the "pretrib rapture" has failed to take place.6  Pretrib teachers JD Farag and Amir Tsarfati are heavily featured in this second video. Walters' fallacious information is likely to provoke contempt from the pretrib camp since they will not find it difficult to demolish his argument. Walters' ill-advised speculations will no doubt cause further confusion to the deluded followers of Farag and Tsarfati if they dignify his video with a response.

Walters: "..But you might ask 'Why doesn't anyone else seem to see this, my favorite Bible teacher has nothing to say about this'. Jesus prophesied exactly that in the parable of the ten virgins, that all ten virgins, the entire Kingdom of Heaven, or what we'd call the church today, that they would be asleep prior to his return. Folks aren't going to wake up and realize this until the midnight cry that wakes them up, so Christians being oblivious is exactly what we should expect.. It's a blessing if you have seen that this has happened.. A much larger group are saying 'This can't be the tribulation' and you are going to find reasons to deny what just happened and you will argue it with fervour.."

These are very arrogant assertions considering Walters' claim does not pass the test of scripture. (1 John 4:1). Walter's perplexing assertions appear to be based on clickbait and are precisely what the body of Christ does not need to hear right now! Although globalism is increasing exponentially and the 70th week does not seem far off, it is not reasonable to claim that the 70th week began on the 2nd of October. At this present time, it is essential to trust in Jesus Christ while we keep watch for the Lord's return. (Matthew 24:42,25:13). 

I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. (1 Corinthians 4:6).

* Islamic Antichrist Debunked Chris White | Bible Prophecy Daily

   7 Pretrib Problems and the Prewrath Rapture (Full Movie) (youtube.com)

1. Press Release | United Nations adopts ground-breaking Pact for the Future to transform global governance - United Nations Sustainable Development
2. Summit of the Future Explainer: A new global peace plan for ‘uniquely dangerous’ times | UN News
3. Stem Hiphil — unfoldingWord® Hebrew Grammar 1 documentation (uhg.readthedocs.io)
4. Chronology of the War According to Josephus: Part 7, The Fall of Jerusalem
5. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: Joel Richardson (bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com)
6. If TRIBULATION Began on OCT 2 - DId We Just Miss the Pre-trib Rapture?????? (youtube.com)

CHARLES COOPER: WHAT IS OUTER DARKNESS?

Crown Me (Part 4) – The Price of Victory | Bible Prophecy Daily 

Bible Prophecy Daily is a weekday podcast that is usually very good. I believe the prewrath rapture position is the correct view, and I normally have no hesitation in recommending this podcast to anyone interested in eschatology. It therefore pains me to write this critique of Charles Cooper's teaching regarding the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. Some of Cooper's foolish remarks have caused me concern in the past, and this particular episode is misleading and inaccurate.

"In this episode, he (Charles Cooper) picks up at Matthew 25:24-30, where he now discusses the sad peril of the third man in the Parable of the Talents and the implications for the Christian who is faithLESS: “Derision”, “Demotion”, and “Divarication”."  

Evidently Cooper has discovered a new word, although it might have been more straightforward to have used the word "separation". According to Merriam-Webster: "The word 'divarication' derives from the Medieval Latin divaricatio, which in turn descends from the verb divaricare, meaning 'to spread apart.' Divaricare itself is derived from the Latin varicare, which means 'to straddle' and is also an ancestor of prevaricate ('to deviate from the truth'). The oldest sense of divarication, which first appeared in print in English in 1578, refers to a literal branching apart (as in 'divarication of the roads'). The word eventually developed a more metaphorical second sense that is used when opinions 'stretch apart' from one another."1   

Cooper refers to the Bema Seat of Jesus Christ and the rewards given to believers prior to the millennium. (2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10). In particular, he discusses the fate of the third servant who made no increase on the talent he was entrusted with. This parable follows the previous parable about the ten virgins, five of whom are denied access to the marriage feast. (Matthew 25:1-12).  

For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey. The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more. Likewise, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the servant who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants returned to settle accounts with them. The servant who had received the five talents came and presented five more. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you30 in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ (Matthew 25:14-23).

Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest. Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:23-30)

Cooper: Why would Jesus Christ give an unbeliever, who has no capacity to please God, the responsibility of watching over God's property? It makes no sense."

Cooper's reasoning.. because the third man is referred to as a "servant" he must be a believer in order to merit the Lord's trust with the talent. Cooper: "Is this man a believer or not? Many people think he is an unbeliever..  'wicked' is misleading..  the word that is translated 'wicked'.. one of the nuances is 'worthless'". This parable is related to the earlier parable of the ten virgins. It appears that the "foolish virgins" had a superficial belief in Christ and an outward profession of faith. The chilling words "I do not know you" excluded them from the wedding feast. (Matthew 25:11-12 cf. Matthew 7:23). In other words, they were not part of the bride of Christ and therefore not qualified to enter the wedding feast. The parable of the man at the wedding banquet with no wedding garment is another example: Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:11-14). There is something essentially lacking in both instances; the foolish virgins had no oil, and the man with no wedding garment was not clothed with the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness. (Isaiah 61:10 cf. Revelation 6:11,7:9,13). Gaebelein: “'For many are called, but few chosen.' The many which are called are all those who heard the call and made an outward profession, without having accepted the Lord Jesus Christ."2 

The NASB is the only version that translates πονηρός as "worthless". All the other versions translate πονηρός as either "wicked" or "evil".  Strong's Definition: "toilsome, bad; Usage: evil, bad, wicked, malicious, slothful."3  In the other occurrences of πονηρός in the New Testament there is no evidence for Cooper's translation of "worthless" e.g. Matthew 5:11,37,39,45,6:13,23,7:11,17,18,9:4 etc.4  I therefore concur with the majority of translations that in all but one instance translate πονηρός as "wicked".     

Pulpit Commentary: "Verse 26. - Thou wicked and slothful servant. In marked contrast with the commendation, 'good and faithful,' its vers, 21, 23. He was 'wicked,' in that he calumniated his master, who really seems to have been ready to acknowledge the least service done to him, and never looked for results beyond a man's ability and opportunities; and he was 'slothful,' in that he made no effort to improve the one talent entrusted to him."5  

Outer Darkness?

Cooper: "Many conclude that the phrase 'outer darkness' is the judgment of unbelievers, but I do not believe that any other places where 'outer darkness' is used refers to unbelievers. Hell certainly is not outer darkness. The lake of fire in Revelation 20 certainly is not characterized by darkness. In fact, the destiny of the damned, those who do not know God, is never, is nowhere, described as darkness. Darkness is not a characteristic of the place of assignment for unbelievers, nowhere in scripture. Hell is not dark, the lake of fire of course is not dark. This is a description of the state of believers who prove unfaithful.. The darkness outside is the place where those unfaithful believers will be assigned to spend, how long I don't know.. He is not describing hell here or the destiny of unbelievers. He is actually describing the destiny of the unfaithful believers who have no rewards. Because you have nothing to give, you receive nothing.  This is not talking about salvation, it is talking about sanctification and the reward for your faithfulness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth; profound regret, wailing and weeping, they are going to be divaricated. It means to separate. There is going to be derision, demotion and divarication; criticism, condemnation and separation.."  

Cooper has been teaching this strange doctrine since 2020.6  

 

Cooper's eisegesis of the unfaithful servant in this parable is unacceptable. He seems to be describing something analogous to purgatory! His assertion that the destiny of unbelievers is never described as "darkness" is inexplicable. For example, the judgement of false teachers is described as "blackest darkness". Blackest darkness is reserved for them. (2 Peter 2:17; Jude 1:12-13).

The day of the Lord is described as "darkness".

Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? (Amos 5:20 cf. Zephaniah 1:15; Isaiah 13:9-10; Matthew 24:29).

The contrasting metaphors of "light" and "darkness" are ubiquitous within the scriptures. Darkness is a metaphor to refer to evil and sin, whereas light is a metaphor representing God’s presence and goodness. Darkness is often associated with death and wickedness.

I am the light of the world.. (John 8;12,9:5). 

God is light and in him is no darkness..  (1 John 1:5 cf . John 1:4-5,4:18-19, 8:12,3:19; Acts 26:17-18 etc.

GotQuestions: "Darkness is used as a symbol of moral depravity (Psalm 82:5; Proverbs 2:13; Romans 3:12). Darkness can also refer to trouble and affliction (Job 5:12; Proverbs 20:20; Isaiah 9:2) and to death and nothingness (1 Samuel 2:9; Ecclesiastes 11:8; Job 3:4-6)."7  

..while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:12). "The sons of the kingdom" are the unbelieving Jews who reject Jesus as their Messiah.

The overwhelming view of bible expositors is that "outer darkness" refers to the place assigned to unbelievers. I have only come across one other instance of similar deviant ideas from false teacher Zane Hodges.*

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. (Revelation 22:14-15).

* The “Outer Darkness”: Heaven’s Suburb or Hell? | Bible.org

1. Divarication Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
2. Matthew 22 Gaebelein's Annotated Bible (biblehub.com)
3. Strong's Greek: 4190. πονηρός (ponéros) -- toilsome, bad (biblehub.com)
4. Strong's Greek: 4190. πονηρός (ponéros) -- 79 Occurrences (biblehub.com)
5. Matthew 25:26 Commentaries: "But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. (biblehub.com)
6. The Outer Darkness - the Punishment for Unfaithfulness! (youtube.com)
7. What is the outer darkness in Matthew 22:13? | GotQuestions.org

DAVID HIND ONE CHURCH LEICESTER: TITHING DEBUNKED!

Jesus is passing by | David Hind (One Church Together, 21st July 2024) (youtube.com) 

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. (2 Corinthians 11:4).

Here we have yet another false teaching from David Hind! One Church is shortly coming up to another "Vision Sunday" and I expect a further barrage of intense pressure to give to their so-called "church" on Frog Island. Once again I will debunk Hind's teaching and go through some of the biblical reasons that refute tithing in the New Testament. 

Abram/Melchizedek

Abram (later Abraham) gave a one-off free will offering to Melchizedek from the spoils of war, not from personal property. (Genesis 14:20). Abram did not give money, he gave 10% of the spoils. He returned the remaining 90% of the spoils to the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 14:21-24). Melchizedek is an obscure figure in the Old Testament and is described as a king/priest of Salem. (Hebrews 7:1). It is debatable whether Melchizedek was a type of Christ or a theophany/Christophany. (Hebrews 7:1-14). The phrase "resembling the Son of God" (ἀφωμοιωμένος) has sparked a debate amongst scholars since ἀφωμοιωμένος appears to distinguish Melchizidek from "the Son of God". (Hebrews 7:3).

Meyer: "ἀφωμοιωμένος δὲ τῷ υἱᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ] on the contrary (therein) made entirely like unto the Son of God, namely, as type of the same.. This whole method of interpretation has against it the fact that ἀγενεαλόγητος—for not ἀγένητος is placed—can be understood without violence only of the neglect to cite the genealogical table of Melchisedec in the narrative of the Book of Genesis [comp. Hebrews 7:6]; and ἀπάτωρ, ἀμήτωρ must be taken conformably with the elucidatory ἀγενεαλόγητος, thus are likewise to be explained merely of the father and mother being passed over unnamed in the historic account, not of their actual nonexistence.."1 

Jacob's Vow

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.” (Genesis 28:20-22).

The Lord said to Jacob: The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. (Genesis 28:13). Note: The land was not given to Jacob personally and Jacob did not tithe during his lifetime. God fulfilled His vow to Jacob (Israel) by giving the land to his posterity.

Adam Clarke’s Commentary: “Jacob seems to make this vow rather for his posterity than for himself, as we may learn from Genesis 28:13-15; for he particularly refers to the promises which God had made to him, which concerned the multiplication of his offspring, and their establishment in that land. If, then, God shall fulfill these promises, he binds his posterity to build God a house, and to devote for the maintenance of his worship the tenth of all their earthly goods. This mode of interpretation removes that appearance of self-interest which almost any other view of the subject presents. Jacob had certainly, long ere this, taken Jehovah for his God; and so thoroughly had he been instructed in the knowledge of Jehovah, that we may rest satisfied no reverses of fortune could have induced him to apostatize: but as his taking refuge with Laban was probably typical of the sojourning of his descendants in Egypt, his persecution, so as to be obliged to depart from Laban, the bad treatment of his posterity by the Egyptians, his rescue from death, preservation on his journey, re-establishment in his own country, &c., were all typical of the exodus of his descendants, their travels in the desert, and establishment in the promised land, where they built a house to God, and where, for the support and maintenance of the pure worship of God, they gave to the priests and Levites the tenth of all their worldly produce. If all this be understood as referring to Jacob only, the Scripture gives us no information how he performed his vow.”2 

Tithing.com: "Leonard C. Bupanda in his book, 'The Tithing Dilemma and the Triumph of Love' 'also agrees that Jacob’s vow was trans-generational, 'Now, since Jacob failed to deliver on his promise, God made him pay the tithe through his children who had emerged as a nation after his God-given name-Israel. Thus God’s promise to Jacob was fulfilled.'”3 

Malachi 3   

Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. (Malachi 3:8-11).

It is critical to note the background and the context of this passage. The entire book of Malachi is a rebuke against the priests (the sons of Aaron) who were responsible for breaking the covenant and causing many to stumble by their example and instruction. (Malachi 2:1-17). Malachi 1:6-14,2:1 records the profanity of the priests who were offering polluted food upon the Lord's altar. (Malachi 1:6). You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! (Malachi 1:13).

Malachi was prophesying during the time of Nehemiah who had the task of overseeing the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and restoring the spiritual and social order among the Jewish people after the Babylonian exile  Bible Hub: "Nehemiah 10 presents a transformative moment for the people of Israel as they pledge allegiance to God's law in a renewed covenant. The leaders, priests, Levites, and the entire community agree to uphold God's commands, embodying a collective commitment towards religious devotion and responsibility."4 Nehemiah 10:38 clarifies that the renewed covenant included bringing the tithes to the Levitical storehouses. Nehemiah 13:1-12 describes how Eliashib the High Priest had provided his relative, Tobiah the Ammonite, a wicked man who opposed Nehemiah, a room in the courts of the house of God in Nehemiah's absence. (Nehemiah 2:19; 4:3-7; 6:1-19 cf. Deuteronomy 23:3). On his return, Nehemiah threw all Tobiah's goods out of the room; he ordered that the rooms be purified; he had the articles of the house of God restored to them along with the grain offerings and frankincense. (Nehemiah 13:8-9). Furthermore, because the portions for the Levites had been withheld, they had gone to work in their own fields. (Malachi 2:8 cf. Joshua 14:4). In other words, the house of God was forsaken. (Nehemiah 13:11). 

The situation described in Malachi/Nehemiah was specific to the Jewish people and involved the restoration of the Law of Moses. Those who insist that tithing is an obligation in the New Testament pervert the scriptures and do not serve Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:16; Romans 16:17-20). If Christians are obliged to tithe, they must also obey all the commands written in the Law! The clear teaching in Galatians is that those who wanted to revert to circumcision were under a curse, and the same is true of those who wish to revert to the Old Testament principle of tithing. There is a lot of false teaching around about "generational curses" and "deliverance", but the wolves who teach tithing and other false doctrines are under a curse themselves and they put their followers under a curse. 

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” (Galatians 3:10).

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8).

Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. (Galatians 5:2-4).

The New Testament

But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. (Luke 11:42). 

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees who were under the Law of Moses prior to the new covenant. No one in the Old Testament tithed from their money, they always tithed from the produce of the land. (Leviticus 27:30 cf. Deuteronomy 14:2). Traders were not required to tithe e.g. carpenters, fishermen, merchants etc.

The most detailed passage on giving in the New Testament is 2 Corinthians 8-9.

..whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. (2 Corinthians 9:6-12).

The above passage absolutely refutes the idea of the tithe; rather Paul encourages the Corinthian Church to give generously to the needy Jerusalem church. The benefit to the Corinthians in giving generously is not the selfish "prosperity gospel" of false teachers. 

BibleRef: "Paul is urging the Corinthians to be generous in their giving to suffering Christians in Jerusalem. He has said they should give willingly and cheerfully a portion of what God has given to them. Scripture presents Christian giving as something done out of love, not legalism, obligation, or command. That theme continues here in Paul's comments to the church in Corinth.
This makes an additional point, though: God is ultimately the one who gives. He is the one who provides both the seed for the bread and the bread itself. In other words, God makes the giver capable of giving. Paul adds that God will multiply the seed of those who give in order to increase the harvest of the righteousness that comes as a result. It's important to note that the increase is to the benefit of the one who receives—this is not a promise to financially prosper the giver.."5  

All the exhortations to give money in the New Testament were for the benefit of the poor and needy. "The saints" in the above passage were the impoverished church at Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8-9; Romans 15:26; Acts 24:17 cf. Galatians 2:10). There is not a single reference either to tithing or church buildings in the New Testament! The early Christians met in homes, and many are doing so again because they are disgusted with the false teaching and disgraceful antics of those who have usurped authentic leadership roles within the so-called churches. (Acts 20:29).

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (Matthew 6:1-4). It is no one else's business how much you give!  

The concept of civil taxes replacing the tithe has historical roots. Civil taxes have largely replaced the role of funding public services and infrastructure, which were once supported by tithes in the theocratic society of ancient Israel. Civil law plays a significant role in supporting the needy by ensuring their rights and access to essential services. Modern social welfare systems are based on the Elizabethan Poor Law Acts of 1601 which established the government's responsibility to aid its poor citizens, categorizing them based on their needs and ensuring they received appropriate assistance. 

The tithe in ancient Israel supported the Levites and the needy. (Deuteronomy 26:12-13; Numbers 18:21-32; Nehemiah 10:37). False teachers often make the appeal: "Bring your tithes and offerings into the storehouse". The storehouse within the Jerusalem Temple only received 1% of the tithe, the other 9% was stored in Levitical cities. (Nehemiah 10:37-38). The storehouses were simply that, they were not places of worship. The word "storehouse" is never mentioned in the New Testament as a model for the church. The Levitical system of worship performed at the Jerusalem Temple does not apply to the modern church. (1 Peter 2:5,9). Bible-believing Christians should definitely not be giving their money to false prophets connected with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), who appoint women pastors, who build their own kingdoms, and who spend other people's money on luxuries for themselves and on expensive and ostentatious "church" buildings. (1 Timothy 2:12). 

Hind's multi-site church model contradicts the biblical blueprint of church structure laid down in the New Testament. Paul instructed Titus to ..appoint elders in every town as I directed you. (Titus 1:5; cf. Acts 14:23). In the New Testament, individual churches were autonomous congregations with their own local overseers directing their specific affairs. When church leaders fail to heed biblical doctrine and substitute their own ideas for the scriptures, they bring dysfunction and pain to the body of Christ and ultimate judgement upon themselves. 

If you have followed my posts about Trinity Life Church/One Church you will know that David Hind has repeatedly flouted and twisted the scriptures in favour of worldly values and ambitions. A qualifying requirement for elders/pastors is that they must be able to teach and to rightly handle the word of truth. (1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 2:15). It is pure folly for any bible believing Christian to gamble with their eternal future and to follow false teachers who pervert the scriptures to their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16).    

I recommend the following series on tithing from Caleb Corneloup. Corneloup provides shocking examples of the opulent lifestyles of greedy entitled false teachers, including Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Myer, Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, Benny Hinn, Robert Morris etc. 

Caleb Corneloup: "A lot of false teachers try to insist that Christians need to tithe because Abraham tithed. They say that tithing pre-dates the law and therefore we are commanded to tithe in the New Covenant. This is nothing more than false teachers twisting God's word to support their dodgy ministries and protect their income stream. Many pastors today are nothing more than hustlers and grifters. They have turned the church into a business and it's a disgrace and shame to the name of Christ."

Further Links

Tithing is Not a Christian Doctrine (youtube.com)
This two-hour video is based on a 19-point essay by Russell Earl Kelly, Ph. D. Further information can be found on Dr Kelly's website: Should the Church Teach Tithing? Taboo Answer - Dr. Russell Earl Kelly (tithing-russkelly.com)
04/10 - The Truth About Tithing (youtube.com)
APOSTASY, ERROR & DECEPTION IN WALES - the watchman4wales blog.: Tithing

1. Hebrews 7:3 Commentaries: Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually. (biblehub.com)
2. Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary - Genesis 28 (godrules.net)
3. Jacob’s Tithing Vow (Part 2) – Tithing.com
4. Nehemiah 10 Chapter Summary (biblehub.com)
5. What does 2 Corinthians 9:10 mean? | BibleRef.com