On September 1950 in Rockwall Texas Kenneth Hagin was holding a “tent revival” at which time he experienced visions. He and the participants were praying around the platform when these experiences took place:
“I began to pray in other tongues, and I heard a voice say, “Come up hither” . . .I thought everybody heard it. “Come up hither,” the voice said again. Then I looked and saw Jesus standing about where the top of the tent would be. As I looked again, the tent had disappeared . . .God had permitted me to see into the spirit realm. Jesus was standing there, and I stood in His presence. He was holding a crown in His hands. . .It seemed as if I went with Him through the air until we came to a beautiful city. . .The Jesus turned to me and said, “Now let us go down to hell.” Jesus told me, “warn men and women about this place,”. . .He then brought me back to earth. I became aware I was knelling on the platform. . .As he stood there, He talked to me about my ministry. He told me some things in general that He later explained in more detail in another vision.”
The vision during the meeting goes on…
“About that time the Holy Spirit came upon me again. It seemed as if a wind were blowing on me, and I fell flat on my face on the platform. As I lay under the power of God, it seemed as if I were standing high on a plain somewhere in space and I could see for miles and miles around me. . .I felt so lonely. I was not conscious of my earthly surroundings. As I looked to the west, I saw what appeared to be a tiny dot on the horizon. . .Soon I could see it was a horse. . .When the horseman came to me, he pulled on the reins and stopped. . .He passed the scroll from his left hand to his right hand and handed it to me. As I unrolled the scroll, which was a roll of paper 12 or 14 inches long, he said, “Take and read.” At the tope of the page in big bold, black print were the words “WAR AND DESTRUCTION.” I was struck dumb. He laid his right hand on my head and said, “Read, in the Name of Jesus Christ.” I began to read what was written on the paper, and as the words instructed me, I looked and saw what I had just read about.”
Hagin continues…
“The scroll was written in the first person, and seemed as if Jesus Himself were speaking. I read, “America is receiving her last call. Some nations already have received their last call and never will receive another. . .”THE TIME OF THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND”. . .Jesus also said this was the last great revival. He went on the say, “All the gifts of the Spirit will be in operation in the Church in these last days, and the Church will do greater things than even the Early Church did. It will have greater power, signs, and wonders than were recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. . . More and more miracles will be performed in the last days which are just ahead, for it is time for the gift of working of miracles to be more in prominence. . .Many of my own people will not accept the moving of my Spirit, and will turn back and will not be ready to meet Me at my coming. Many will be deceived by false prophets and miracles of satanic origin. But follow the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and Me, and you will not be deceived. I am gathering my own together and am preparing them, for the time is short.”
Critical Thinking Skills (i.e. discernment) Excercise:
Right? Wrong? Whatever?
P.S. I will be out of town until the 31st, so feel free to throw this around while I am gone. I am going to see some family in PA and ride some dirt-bike! BooYaa!
Dan,
I find it very intertesting that in the 1950’s God would speak to Kenneth Hagin using a word like “Hither”. Sounds like he expects God to speak in a sort of “King James” language. Is this something modern day false teachers do to make their point more convincing?
Vicki, the other Miller and well- your other half too.
Vicki,
You bring up a very good point – one that has always been an irritation to me as well. Whenever anyone has “received a word from God”, it is invariably given to him in King James English (or some approximation therof). I definitely believe that this type of speech is meant to lend authority, holiness, or credibility to the prophet. This begs another question, however: What language did God use to talk with the Hagins of the King James era ? Something with more authority than the vernacular?
Jesus said in John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Because I read the KJB, God speaks to me in KJB language or sometimes a word in the Hebrew or Greek behind it. That is handy because if I don’t know the chapter and verse, I can look it up on the Swordsearcher program at http://swordsearcher.com — If I read the NIV, I suppose he would speak in NIV language. I call that perversion the New Illuminati version.
Very good point. I submit that the false teachers in the King James era did not really claim to have a new word from God, so much as they claimed the exclusive right to interpret the Bible for the people (the basis of the organized church, whether it be Anglican or Catholic). Their “message from God” came in Latin, and they had the sole right to translate and interpret for their followers. Thereby, they gained great authority and somewhat of a power trip.
Everyone knows that Americans are memorized by foreign accents. It’s so much more sophisticated. Girls go gah-gah and businesses sign million dollar deals based on the sound of someone’s voice and the inflection it conveys – nevermind the content of what the voice is saying.
It is interesting that the spirit which Hagin encountered would not acknowledge what Jude 24 – 25 acknowledges concerning the believer’s fate (that it is He who is able to keep (His people) from falling).
Apparently, the spirit is attempting to deceive believers to believe that trusting in Christ alone is not enough, because we need to accept the ‘moving of the Spirit.’ It appears that this spirit would have us believe that what Jesus said in John 10:28 – 29 is false. This spirit would like believers to think that we have to hold onto God, or we will be snatched from the Father’s hand. Jesus paid for us, and we are His. Our ability to persevere is not based upon our ability to hold onto God, but His ability to keep us – thanks be to God!!
You are an antinomian. Antinomianism is the chief false doctrine from which others spring. Repent so you may be saved.
The Antinomians are Coming
http://www.bereanpublishers.com/Salvation_Issues/antinomians_are_coming.htm — Excerpt below.
In his late book, Paths to Power, A.W. Tozer defined it this way. “Fundamental Christianity in our times is deeply influenced by that ancient enemy of righteousness, Antinomianism. The creed of the Antinomian is easily stated:
We are saved by faith alone; works have no place in salvation; conduct is works, and is therefore of no importance. What we do cannot matter as long as we believe rightly. The divorce between creed and conduct is absolute and final. The question of sin is settled by the Cross; conduct is outside the circle of faith and cannot come between the believer and God.
Such in brief, is the teaching of the Antinomian. And so fully has it permeated the Fundamental element in modern Christianity that it is accepted by the religious masses as the very truth of God. Antinomianism is the doctrine of grace carried by uncorrected logic to the point of absurdity. It takes the teaching of justification by faith and twists it into deformity.”