[Oct. 4, 2012]
This evening I was reading Zech-ariah. When I came upon the fourth chapter and sixth verse: So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but my My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts." this stood out to me. I have heard this verse many times, and there is even a song about it. I don't think I have ever really understood it until now, well - at least some revelation has come to me regarding the "Joel's Army/Dominionism" false teaching currently sweeping through the churches, or ecclesias. The concept of the teachings of Joel's Army/Dominionism is that the army of God, being made up of Christian "soldiers", is to take over the world and rule and reign as Christ, before his return. There are some differences in sects that profess this belief, but this is the basic premise. I was caught up in the "Dominionist Movement" for a few years before God got a hold of me and shook it out of me.
This evening I was reading Zech-ariah. When I came upon the fourth chapter and sixth verse: So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but my My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts." this stood out to me. I have heard this verse many times, and there is even a song about it. I don't think I have ever really understood it until now, well - at least some revelation has come to me regarding the "Joel's Army/Dominionism" false teaching currently sweeping through the churches, or ecclesias. The concept of the teachings of Joel's Army/Dominionism is that the army of God, being made up of Christian "soldiers", is to take over the world and rule and reign as Christ, before his return. There are some differences in sects that profess this belief, but this is the basic premise. I was caught up in the "Dominionist Movement" for a few years before God got a hold of me and shook it out of me.
This is not a sound biblical teaching, but it is a 'putting the cart before the horse' teaching. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus will come to a world that is fully immersed in his judgement- at the end of the Great Tribulation. He will arrive in the clouds with his heavenly host, and touch down on the Mt. of Olives splitting it into two. He will then march into Jerusalem through the now closed East Gate, and set up his Kingdom all by himself. Dominionist theology teaches that Jesus can't, or won't come back until the Body of Christ is ruling and reigning over all the earth. But, when we read 2 Thessalonians 2 and the book of Revelation, we get the picture that it is the kingdom of the Anti-Christ that is ruling and reigning before Christ comes back, while the real church is being persecuted by the Anti-Christ, false prophet, the dragon and their minions.
Dominionists teach that Christians must take over seven key spheres of influence in society which are: religion, education, government, family/social arena, media/information, arts and entertainment, and also business/marketplace. Many Dominionists claim to be "Generals" and top ranking "soldiers", "financiers", and "apostles and prophets" in God's army of world domination.
And now I will be getting back to the passage in Zechariah - because this Scripture is the nail hammered into the Dominionist coffin, as it were. Jesus is the head of his church, not Cindy Jacobs, C. Peter Wagner, and not the Kansas City Prophets. Jesus died for his church and purchased us with his blood. Jesus said that it is God the Father [John 6:44] who will draw people to himself, when Jesus is lifted up [Jn. 12:32], through his Spirit by the preaching of the gospel. In Acts 2 Peter preaches to the crowd in Jerusalem by the Spirit, and what happened? Three-thousand people accepted Jesus as their Savior - 3,000! What would have happened if he had preached before the Holy Spirit came upon him? He would have been preaching by his own might and power, and not by the Spirit, and likely would not have had such a great catch!
And now I will be getting back to the passage in Zechariah - because this Scripture is the nail hammered into the Dominionist coffin, as it were. Jesus is the head of his church, not Cindy Jacobs, C. Peter Wagner, and not the Kansas City Prophets. Jesus died for his church and purchased us with his blood. Jesus said that it is God the Father [John 6:44] who will draw people to himself, when Jesus is lifted up [Jn. 12:32], through his Spirit by the preaching of the gospel. In Acts 2 Peter preaches to the crowd in Jerusalem by the Spirit, and what happened? Three-thousand people accepted Jesus as their Savior - 3,000! What would have happened if he had preached before the Holy Spirit came upon him? He would have been preaching by his own might and power, and not by the Spirit, and likely would not have had such a great catch!
Zechariah was told by God to tell Zerubbabel that his task of building the temple and being governor of Jerusalem would be done not by human might [army], nor by human power[wealth], but by his Spirit, who requires no money nor a physical human army to accomplish this end. This is an Old Testament foundation that was laid for |
the New Testament confirmation, that Jesus is the builder of his church. We cannot, nor should we try, to force people into the kingdom of God by using the world's ways of conquest via an army, or wealth.
When Jesus said in Matt. 11: 12 that from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force - he is saying two things here. First, violent people are not of God, they are evil people, because they take things that don't belong to them - by force. And secondly - as Jesus himself is the embodiment of the kingdom of heaven - he suffered violence and was taken by force [the armed mob]to his death for our sin. Dominionists take this verse to mean that violent people are to take the kingdom of heaven by force with Jesus' endorsement.
That is why we have violent "Christians" in the extreme conservative Right Wing Republican party. They are told they must obtain vast amounts of worldly wealth and influence in order to change the world for Jesus. They don't lift Jesus up, and preach his gospel, so no one is lead to him by his Spirit. Instead Dominionists are really forcing, coercing, or duping people into the kingdom of the Anti-Christ, not the Lord's kingdom.
When Jesus said in Matt. 11: 12 that from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force - he is saying two things here. First, violent people are not of God, they are evil people, because they take things that don't belong to them - by force. And secondly - as Jesus himself is the embodiment of the kingdom of heaven - he suffered violence and was taken by force [the armed mob]to his death for our sin. Dominionists take this verse to mean that violent people are to take the kingdom of heaven by force with Jesus' endorsement.
That is why we have violent "Christians" in the extreme conservative Right Wing Republican party. They are told they must obtain vast amounts of worldly wealth and influence in order to change the world for Jesus. They don't lift Jesus up, and preach his gospel, so no one is lead to him by his Spirit. Instead Dominionists are really forcing, coercing, or duping people into the kingdom of the Anti-Christ, not the Lord's kingdom.
The notes in my study Bible for this verse states: 'As governor of Judah, Zerubbabel is ultimately responsible for rebuilding the temple, but he is forbidden to trust the resources of man to accomplish the task. So today God's holy temple, the church, must be built and sustained, not by wealth, by members, by virtue, nor by sheer might, but by "My Spirit".'
If people would just read their Bible and follow it and the Good Shepherd, then these false shepherds would not be able to lead them astray by using the glittering lures of greed, and power. Jesus didn't leave us orphans, he came to us as he promised, as the Holy Spirit [a.k.a. the Spirit of Grace and truth], that he may inhabit us and give us his grace, or the power to do [obey]what the truth demands of us . Yes -- this Scripture does indeed put a nail into the coffin of the false Joel's Army and Dominionist teachings. Therefore, if you are involved in this heresy, get out of it now, because you are enlisted in the wrong army, the army of the Anti-Christ!