Xmas Day / Holidays’ Evangelism

Today – being the false prediction of the Mayan’s Doomsday, or whatever they call it, being December 21, 2012, as the false prophets and idolaters have done and gone before and taught falsehood – we, brother Lungisa Zondi, my grandson Cee-Jay and myself, went out along the Durban beachfront to preach our Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, resurrected and ascended. We went and quelled the man-made rumours and preached the Truth sharing Matthew 24:36 ~

Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

We were also blessed with meeting many people today as we shared Jesus Christ with many tribes, tongues and nationalities. It was a day spent for the glory of God Almighty alone.

Please keep Bheki Nhlumayo, Sandile, Thami and many other nameless individuals that our Great King and God Jesus Christ knows who were spoken to, received Gospel tracts and were ministered to privately and through the open-air preaching of God’s Word. We also ask that you keep an Indian man who blasphemed, cursed, ranted-and-raved, and even gave a growing crowd an “ear-tickling” word as to the god he shared. We pray for his hard and defiled (dirty) heart to be changed. We say dirty for it was the condition of his Mark 7 heart that poured from his mouth:

Mark 7:20 And he [Jesus] said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Mark 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

Mark 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Today we also shared the True birth of Jesus Christ from the Holy Scriptures in Luke 1 and 2 which is in the Hebrew month of Tishri (September/October) and not the false day of December 25! It was also  our first day in Durban being the beginning of this festive season in which we will be preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified and warning people of their idolatries of celebrating Xmas that is also known as “the Profane Man’s Ranting Day, the Superstitious Man’s Idol Day, the Papist’s Massing Day, the Old Heathen’s Feasting Day, the Multitude’s Idle Day, and Satan-that Adversary’s-Working Day.”

Brethren, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, speaking all Truth! Including the true birth of Jesus Christ! If you preach anything else – you preach a different and false jesus!

Purge the leaven …

Church, the Xmas issue will not go away and will not rest until the leaven is purged from among us. Please read the Holy Scriptures first and then view the Chart below (magnify the same in the window that opens).

1Cor 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

1Cor 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1Cor 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

1Cor 5:10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

1Cor 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

1Cor 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

1Cor 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

1Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

2Cor 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

2Cor 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

2Cor 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

2Cor 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Cor 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

1Cor 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Please read more at this link below and remember:

Proverb 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

You are commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ:

Luke 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Luke 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

1Cor 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

1Cor 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1Cor 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it,in remembrance of me.

1Cor 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

It is idolatry to put the Son of God Jesus Christ in a ‘celebration‘ He does NOT belong in. Aaron’s sons, priests Nadab and Abihu were killed by God for what offence?

Numbers 26:61 And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.

Do Not do likewise.

All Glory to GOD alone!

The Face of Evil and Wicked South Africa

This is the sad face of evil and wicked South Africa. When a nation is sold out to the devil and serves no longer the Creator God exclusively, this is what you get – interfaith debauchery. On 28th November 2012 the President of South Africa met with the National Interfaith Council of South Africa (NICSA) which has been dissolved and is now known as the National Religious Leaders’ Council (NRLC). Here are two news articles for the NRLC meeting [(1) and (2)] that took place. They want to resolve ”poverty and general social upliftment” together with other issues through an ecumenical system by bringing all faiths together – it will never work! God will not be mocked by having His Son Jesus Christ riduculed with such blasphemy! This is the type of debauchery that we are talking about. Look at some of the other websites here in South Africa that make a mockery of the One True Creator:

• Church Supports Interfaith Memorial Service for Marikana Deaths (24 August 2012)
• Cape Town Interfaith Initiative

I wonder if the “reverend” Ray McCauley seazed the opportunity at the Union Buildings in Pretoria and actually preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the unbelievers who were present at that meeting – or is that possibly asking too much? This is what our Lord Jesus Christ said:

John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

It is an abomination in the sight of a Holy God that man can blaspheme the One True God who revealed Himself as the Lord Jesus Christ who is LORD of all:

Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Act 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

Act 10:37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Act 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

Act 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

Act 10:41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

Act 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Act 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Here are the other blogposts (and a few historical posts) that have called on our President and peoples of South Africa to Repent and Believe the one and only Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ – the ONLY WAY God our Creator has given us:

• Mandela Day – 67 minutes (July 23, 2009)
• Open Letter to the South African President: Mr Jacob Zuma (February 26, 2010)
• Doctrines of Demons (September 1, 2010)
• The Ancestors Will Get You ~ Satan’s Lie (May 17, 2011)
• Serving Ancestral Spirits (June 6, 2011)
• Youth Day ~ June 16 (June 16, 2011)
• Nelson Mandela Day 2011 (July 16, 2011)
• 16th December The Day of The Vow (December 16, 2011)
• Are You Ready? (May 25, 2012)
• “Christian bias on calendar” - The Witness (June 13, 2012)
• Eastern Cape Mission (July 24, 2012)
• A Gospel Tract for Catholics (August 2, 2012)
• South Africa: Hillary Clinton pops in on Nelson Mandela for lunch (August 9, 2012)
• Ingabe Wena Usukulungele? (August 9, 2012)
• The Twelve Apostles’ Church in Christ Heresies (August 15, 2012)
• South Africa Oppressed (October 7, 2012)
• Anarchy (October 17, 2012)

Scripture warns us:

Proverb 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

And South Africa can learn from the Ugandan President who Publicly Repented! He did not just say he is sorry to the people – his prayer was directed to GOD!

Anarchy

On September 12, 2012, an article appeared in The Mercury newspaper titled “Tutu decries SA’s ‘moral decline’”. This South African article can be read in its entirety at the link provided. This all came about during a tribute at a funeral for the reverend Khoza Mgojo in Port Shepstone on Tuesday September 11, 2012. The late Mgojo was described as a “church leader, freedom fighter and community leader” – which is a contradiction of terms. The titles of “church leader and freedom fighter” (the latter term is a fancy non-offensive way of saying “terrorist”) cannot be used collectively, for if any person is called and elected into the Body of Christ, how can he be found to propagate man’s ideologies, which in this case includes Marxist’s and Stalinist’s  communism and socialistic ideologies, atheism and terrorism?

The archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu painted a gloomy picture of South Africa’s decline in its moral standards and the fact that the nation is tearing itself apart. During Tutu’s funeral address, he is quoted as saying [Quote]:

“When we voted in 1994, it was so peaceful and we thought we had crossed river Jordan to the Promised Land. What has happened to us and what do we think of our police force?

“How do we explain to people who want us to prosper that our police shot and killed our own people? What has happened to us?” he said, breaking into an anti-apartheid song Senzeni na? (What have we done?) [Why break out into an anti-apartheid song? What has apartheid got to do with the funeral or the speech, Tutu?]

“What has happened to us when a grown-up man rapes a child? What has happened to us that three orphans were stoned to death? What have we done? God, tell us. We thought you had given us freedom. What have we done? Every day we see different forms of violence. We see people protesting and demonstrating.” [End quote]

The ANC-lead government president Jacob Zuma shared the same platform, this on a rare occasion because of their personal issues with each other, and echoed [Quote]:

“Archbishop Tutu’s concerns are pertinent and fundamental. What has happened to us as people? This is a challenge to all of us. What we should do is go beyond asking the question. I think we should do something because we are all concerned that killing has become so easy.

“For police to shoot and kill people and for the people to protest with pangas and spears meant there was a problem. [This is in reference to the Marikana mine strikes]

“We need a gathering for us all to ask the question on what has happened to us, particularly the Africans,” said Zuma. [End quote]

In stead of Messrs Tutu and Zuma having a meeting to try sort out the “national approach” to these problems caused here in South Africa, which for the record has nothing to do with apartheid, before the ‘comrades’ use the ‘apartheid-race-card’ again, it would be best that they repent of their wicked and wretched sins before God. This blog will show what the leaders of this country post-1994 have done by selling this country to the devil. For Tutu to ask:  “What have we done? God, tell us. We thought you had given us freedom. What have we done?” God’s Word will tell you what the nation of South Africa has done! No, the rainbow nation is not free under the democracy of a man-centred, idolatrise, God-hating government and society that has been brought about and implemented by the ANC government. God has not given South Africa freedom. True freedom only comes through God’s Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ said ~

³²And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ~ John 8:32

³⁶If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. ~ John 8:36

If Tutu would have preached the True Gospel of Jesus Christ and not been a puppet where he has allowed state and church to be joined instead of speaking up for separation during the “struggle”, where he should have been calling for the ANC / SACP / COSATU alliance to repent towards God and not have agreed with their ungodly laws that were passed by Nelson Mandela and the corruption that has flowed from a leadership that is corrupt in all their ways, he has had a platform to preach God’s True Word, but he has neglected to fulfil his mandate before God, that is, if he was ever called. His failure to do so, but to be a propagator for the terrorists has left much wanting! When such laws were passed that allows abortion (murder of the unborn child), homosexual freedom and same-sex marriages that go against God’s commands, customary polygamy which is bigamy and adultery, encouraging of fornication (sex outside the bounds of marriage) with the “condomise-and-be-wise” HIV/AIDS campaign instead of encouraging abstinence, striking of a greed-driven populace, inefficient legal and justice system that allows criminals more rights than ‘law-abiding’ citizens, and even customary practices of ancestral worship, consulting of witchdoctors, sorcerers and traditional healers, ‘kingdoms’ of African cultures which allow the carrying of traditional weapons, the lawless practices of nepotism, bribery, corruption, fraud, mismanagement and theft of taxpayers’ monies, striking that cripples our economy and unemployment and poverty and the killing fields where innocent blood is shed, genocide, and racism in reverse (black-on-white) and the heinous list goes on, and on … have you ever considered how God sees these abominations before His eyes? This is the real problem – YOU have turned from your Creator and committed evil and wicked sin against Him!

When the ANC government signed into law the freedom of religions, they sold out this nation to the devil – the true enemy – as the freedom given by men is the same as not believing – that is atheism, which is godlessness. God gave commandment that you shall have no other gods before Him or idol worship (see Exodus 20:3-6), but the practiced religions have made a mockery of God. Do not think God is happy with the ANC for their devilish practices of selling out to the devil. We learn much from God’s Holy Word, when we see how God blessed and even battled on for His chosen people, on Israel’s behalf. Yes, the very people Israel, that many hate and speak out against – the very people from where salvation comes from, for salvation is of the Jews (see John 4:22). But when God’s chosen people rebelled against God He handed His people over to an oppressor. We read in Judges 10:6-16 ~

⁶And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. ⁷And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. ⁸And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. ⁹Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. ¹⁰And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. ¹¹And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? ¹²The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. ¹³Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. ¹⁴Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. ¹⁵And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. ¹⁶And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

When God’s people turned back to Him, He delivered them from the oppressors. You have been warned South Africa – you are oppressed by the ANC / SACP / COSATU alliance, for God tells us ~

²When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. ~ Proverbs 29:2

The righteous are not in authority therefore the people are not rejoicing. We have wicked rulers and therefore the people – this nation, South Africa – are mourning. When we see the plight of the poor and those in poverty getting worse and we see little service delivery and the municipalities that are to serve the people are mostly bankrupt from the thieving politicians – the very wicked rule the proverb speaks about! It doesn’t take a rocket-scientist to be able to join the dots and see what is happening here! Be warned, YOU will have your Day in Court before the Judge of the entire Universe. No Court of Appeal, No Constitutional Court, and No comrades to help you out of the fix you are in!

We also see such corruption like the R203 million plus payments of taxpayers’ monies through the Department of Works for the improvements of Jacob Zuma’s “personal residence” in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. No wonder the “ruling” party wants the “Secrecy Bill” passed so their evil and wretched practices will be hidden from the knowledge of the populace. Ah! God sees it all and the charge sheet is getting longer, and longer, with each passing day. You think you can crook the books this side of eternity, but you will not escape True Justice come Judgment Day! The culprits are warned that they will one day stand before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ, as we read:

¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:10

¹⁴For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. ~ Ecclesiastes 12:14

And God has a prison called Hell. It is hot, it is a lake of fire, it is wrath filled, and there will be anguish, gnashing of teeth, torment, pain, grief, sorrow and suffering. This is no joking matter, you have been warned again!

To God alone be the Glory in and through His Son Jesus Christ the Righteous. Messrs Tutu and Zuma and citizens of South Africa – when you Ukuphenduka (repent) and turn back to God and have your faith towards Jesus Christ (and that means the True Jesus Christ), we pray that He will have mercy upon your souls and save you from the wrath of God. If not, God will still be glorified!

Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Another Response Received

Here is another response received to the post titled Doctrines of Demons, and whilst every effort is made to address each point raised, failure to deal specifically with a portion or body of text must not be construed that the writer, Gary Crous, agrees with in part or in entirety with what has been commented by one Zandile, in that part or entirety of text.

Due to the lengthy response to the initial posting, we have decided to address the issues put forward in a posting of its own to canvass the points made. The format will be as follows:

• Ø  The comment text by Zandile will be in the ordinary form of text; and
• Ø  The Repent and Believe South Africa ministry’s responses will be in the shaded boxes to differentiate between the two parties.

Here is the response:

Zandile commented on Doctrines of Demons

Gary

This information might help you in understanding Shembe’s gospel.

The word ubuNazaretha derives from the word Nazarite, which comes from Hebrew language, Nazir. Nazir is a person whose whole life is dedicated to God and separates him or herself for a holy lifestyle.

In the olden days Nazaritism was not accepted as a religion, but was rather a particular lifestyle under Moses’ religion. It was not expected for everyone to be the Nazarite, reason being that, it was a vow between God and a person for a specific period of time. This vow together with other certain laws formed integral part to Mosaic law. People who took a vow of being the Nazarite were not governed by peculiar laws from those of the children of Israel, but it was merely an additional Mosaic law.

These laws were given to Moses by God, read Numbers 6:1-20. As time goes on, there born people who were the Nazarites from womb, their whole life was dedicated to God and their tenacious grip on this vow meant that they were going to separate themselves for God.

Jesus Christ the Nazarite

In the Bible we are being told of four people who were the Nazarites: In the Old Testament is Samson (Judges 13:5), Samuel (1 Samuel 1:9-10). The New Testament has the following people: John (Luke 1:15), Jesus Christ (Matthew 2:23, Jesus’ disciples were called Nazarites (Acts 24:5). Now it’s evident that the very first congregation of the Nazarites was that of Jesus Christ (Acts 24:5).

Dear Zandile

In accordance with the Holy Scriptures, it does not appear that John the Baptist is mentioned as a “Nazarite” in Luke1:15, however there does appear to be a cross reference to Numbers 6:3 in respect of “… and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; …”. What we do know is that John the Baptist was born into the Levitical family as we read in Luke 1:5: “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.“ However it is not true that the disciples – the very first congregation were called Nazarites in Acts 24:5, but a first mention principle appears in Acts 11:26 where it says “… And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” To understand what was meant by calling Paul “… a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: …” one must understand in context the accusations brought against the apostle Paul in a derogatory fashion. To base your religion on this premise is dangerous ground as the orator Tertullus had nothing good to say about Paul as he began to accuse him. Matthew Henry does justice in explaining “the sect of the Nazarenes” more concisely as we read from his Commentary at page 308, Volume 6 by Marshall, Morgan & Scott (1959 Edition), starting at:

“[2.] Paul was a peace-maker, was a preacher of that gospel which has a direct tendency to slay all enmities, and to establish true and lasting peace; he lived peaceably and quietly himself, and taught others to do so too, and yet is here represented as a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout all the world. The Jews were disaffected to the Roman government; those of them that were most bigoted were most so. This Felix knew, and had therefore a watchful eye upon them. Now they would fain make him believe that this Paul was the man that made them so, whereas they themselves were the men that sowed the seeds of faction and sedition among them: and they knew it; and the reason why they hated Christ and his religion was because he did not go about to head them in an opposition to the Romans. The Jews were every where much set against Paul, and stirred up the people to clamour against him; they moved sedition in all places where he came, and then cast the blame unjustly upon him, as if he had been the mover of sedition; as Nero not long after set Rome on fire, and then said the Christians did it.

“[3.] Paul was a man of catholic charity, who did not affect to be singular, but made himself the servant of all for their good; and yet he is here charged as being a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, a standard-bearer of that sect, so the word signifies. When Cyprian was condemned to die for being a Christian, this was inserted in his sentence, that he was auctor iniqui nominis et signifier – The author and standard-bearer of a wicked cause. Now it was true that Paul was an active leading man in propagating Christianity. But, First, It was utterly false that this was a sect; he did not draw people to a party or private opinion, nor did he make his own opinions their rule. True Christianity establishes that which is of common concern to all mankind, publishes good-will to men, and shows us God in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and therefore cannot be thought to take its rise from such narrow opinions and private interests as sects owe their origin to. True Christianity has a direct tendency to the uniting of the children of men, and the gathering of them together in one; and, as far as it obtains its just power and influence upon the minds of men, will make them meek and quiet, and peaceable and loving, and every way easy, acceptable, and profitable one to another, and therefore is far from being a sect, which is supposed to lead to division and to sow discord. True Christianity aims at no worldly benefit or advantage, and therefore must by no means be called a sect. those that espouse a sect are governed in it by their secular interest, they aim at wealth and honour; but the professors of Christianity are so far from this that they expose themselves thereby to the loss and ruin of all that is dear to them in this world. Secondly, It is invidiously called the sect of the Nazarenes, by which Christ was represented as of Nazareth, whence no good thing was expected to arise; whereas he was of Bethlehem, where the Messiah was to be born. Yet he was pleased to call himself, Jesus of Nazareth, ch. xxii. 8. And the scripture has put an honour on the name, Matt. ii. 23. And therefore, though intended for a reproach, the Christians had no reason to be ashamed of sharing with their Master in it. Thirdly, It was false that Paul was the author or standard-bearer of this sect; for he did not draw people to himself, but to Christ – did not preach himself, but Christ Jesus.”

Now let’s move to Shembe’s story. When God sent Shembe to establish the church of Nazareth, it was not a new religion, but a revival of the old church by Jesus Christ. Shembe reinstated laws of God by initiating the Nazarites congregation as we read in Acts 24:5. It might sound odd to people when we talk of the Nazarite, but these people existed even during the time of Jesus Christ, read Numbers 6:1-20. The Nazarites congregation has no black society background whatsoever, but has a biblical history. The laws of ubuNazaretha are merely based on Moses’ law. When Shembe first established the congregation of the Nazarites, he attached all his teachings to Moses’ law, and he wrote it clearly on verse 3-4 of the Sabbath liturgy which reads as follows:

3 “Fear Jehovah generations to generations, keep his commandments that He wrote through his Servant Moses, so that your worship will gladly be acceptable by the Lord of Hosts. 4. Failure to keep his commandments, He will never answers your prayers. He will not give you the blessings if ye disobey his commandments and do not keep them.”

It becomes very clear by now that the Nazarites congregation is the reinstatement of the old church by Jesus Christ as we read in Acts 24:5. In addition to that, the church of Nazarites practices the laws of Jehovah as are precisely spelt out in the book of Numbers 6:1-6. This simply means that, even though Shembe, first established the church of the Nazarites in KwaZulu-Natal, ubuNazaretha is firmly based upon Moses’ law. It is crucial for anyone who intends to study ubuNazaretha, to forage further gathering factual theology of our religion (ubuNazaretha).

The water is still muddy and it is by no ways “clear that the Nazarites congregation is the reinstatement of the old church by Jesus Christ as we read in Acts 24:5.” No command is given by the Lord Jesus Christ to reinstate His Church. He is the Head of His Church (see Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18, 2:19; 1 Peter 2:7).

In that case, ubuNazaretha is not attached into any ethnic religions, because it is far beyond that, and it’s merely a continuation of Moses’ religion that was later recommenced by Jesus. Shembe then resumed it here in KwaZulu-Natal, read Hymn 208 of the Nazarites.

1.Thabani, thabani
Bufikile ubuNazaretha.

Historic roots of ubuNazaretha

There are three historic roots of ubuNazaretha. Firstly, Mosaic law. UbuNazaretha is governed by Moses’ laws as Shembe explained in verse 3-4 of the Sabbath liturgy. This serves as our scriptural evidence showing that ubuNazaretha is also based upon the teachings of the Old Testament.

Secondly, ubuNazaretha is based upon Jesus’ teachings and his Apostles. In most cases when Shembe delivers his speech at the congregation he would quote so often from the teachings of Jesus and his Apostles. Hymns of the Nazarites show that particular significance to Jesus Christ, this is our further evidence showing that ubuNazaretha is also attached into the teachings of the New Testament.

If this is truly the case that the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ are taught, why then is Isaiah Shembe known as the messiah of the black man? This is contradictory to what you have said and amounts to blasphemy. There are many motor vehicles and taxis that drive around KwaZulu-Natal that have “Shembe is the way” stickers on them, when the Lord Jesus Christ says in His Scriptures, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).

Shembe built the Nazarites congregation in accordance with the Zulu nation customs, which are not contrary to the laws of God. As we have mentioned early on, ubuNazaretha is built under the rigid laws of Jehovah that He wrote through his Servant Moses. Shembe stated very clearly in his teachings that when a person practices ubuNazaretha in contrary to Mosaic Law, God will never answers his or her prayer, and God will not pour blessings upon them. Look, when your prayers are not being answered and acceptably to God, what is the use of your faith then?

It is confusing at this point as it is unclear on a few points that you quote:

1. “When God sent Shembe to establish the church of Nazareth, it was not a new religion, but a revival of the old church by Jesus Christ.”?
2. “the Nazarites congregation is the reinstatement of the old church by Jesus Christ as we read in Acts 24:5.”?
3. “Firstly, Mosaic law. UbuNazaretha is governed by Moses’ laws”?
4. “Secondly, ubuNazaretha is based upon Jesus’ teachings and his Apostles.”?
5. “Shembe built the Nazarites congregation in accordance with the Zulu nation customs,”?

So which of the items 1-5 above are applicable? For if they are “all applicable” then it is contradictory to what God’s Holy Word teaches. You cannot also say that “the Zulu nation customs, which are not contrary to the laws of God.” This is falsehood. In Zulu nation customs there is consulting with witchdoctors, sorcerers, diviners and even necromancers (those that speak to the dead) are prevalent. See what Deuteronomy 18:10-13 says on the matter:

¹⁰There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, ¹¹Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. ¹²For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. ¹³Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

There are many Shembe followers that we address on the streets and in public and government places that clearly mix God’s Word with man’s traditions!

Thirdly, even though we are allowed to preserve and practice our customs, however we are warned not to practice those which are contrary to the laws of Jehovah. When it’s come to the laws of Jehovah, one should not for whatsoever reason compromise these laws with peoples’ customs or the teachings of any ethnic religion. People deliberately impose their customs into the Nazarine religion, which is unacceptable.

Scripture specifically tells us that we cannot speak to the dead which includes the Zulu tradition of consulting with the ancestors. For we read:

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ~ 1 Timothy 2:5

Nowhere in Scripture does it say you can speak to one’s ancestors! The Lord Jesus Christ is your only mediator and He speaks to God on your behalf! We also see in Scripture that God warns that by man’s traditions and commandments you make the Word of God of no effect. Let us look at the Word of God as it is written:

⁶He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁷Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. ⁸For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. ⁹And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. ¹⁰For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: ¹¹But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. ¹²And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; ¹³Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. ~ Mark 7:6-13; and see Matthew 15:3-9

Ethnic religion enforces what is moral acceptably to those people of that particular culture and this kind of religion is built specifically on peoples’ practices which are mainly dominated by their believes, and has no instruction from God. When the time goes on, religions of this nature become a religion of the universe, because people adapt to it as their lifestyle.

The distinction between Nazaritism and any other religion is that, Nazaretism is built through the command of God, instructions from the Word of Heaven (Izwi leZulu). So the founder of Nazaritism is Isaiah Shembe who personally met with God, and God gave him laws which govern the church of Nazareth. Therefore, the will of God can’t be hindered by peoples’ beliefs, because ubuNazaretha just remains as God wants it to be, and should never be integrated to any cultural religion!

Isaiah Shembe could not have met personally with God to receive another set of laws which govern the church of Nazareth – which incidentally is the same church whose “founder of Nazaritism is Isaiah Shembe” (your quote) – as Scripture says that no man is to add to or take away from the words of the book of this prophecy (see Revelation 22:18,19). Therefore, if God gave a new revelation to the Shembe church then God cannot hold any person outside of the Shembe church accountable for their transgression of sins prior to the meeting Isaiah Shembe professes to have had with God. Even the Muslim prophet Mohammad says he received a new revelation, and so does the Mormons, and so does the Seventh-Day Adventists, and so on and so on…. This is how cults cover their tracks to make out that God has given them a “new revelation, a new book, new commands, new stories, new prophesies”, or He “is doing something new in the world”. This is a lie, because even in the Shembe church there are divisions as to who is right and who the rightful benefactor of the organisation is. It is all about money and power in man-centred religions. Another point is your e-mail address which is for a “new Nazareth baptist church”.

God said no person can see Him face to face and live. We read in Exodus 33:18-23 of the account of Moses requesting to see God’s Glory. No mere mortal can see God or meet with Him personally and live; that is why our Lord Jesus Christ said a man must be born again and receive the Holy Spirit to speak to the Father through our mediator Jesus Christ. We read the Moses account:

¹⁸And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. ¹⁹And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. ²⁰And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. ²¹And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: ²²And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: ²³And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. ~ Exodus 33:18-23

Humanistic approach

Cultural religion delves on preaching things that are totally incongruent to the teachings of Nazaritism , such as izulu lomndeni (Kinship Heaven). This means that after death, a person goes to a certain place where people are assembled in kinship groups. However, the church of Nazareth that is built through the teachings of the Bible does not teach anything of this kind, but it embraces one thing, Jehovah’s Heaven. Hymn number 10 of the Nazarites says:

1.The home of the Nazarites
Where we are going
Shines more brilliantly
Than the sun or the moon.

2. The Receiver of dues who is there
Is one alone,
It is Jehovah alone
The powerful King

Now, this hymn poses a challenge to anyone to take the Hymns of the Nazarites where we find Shembe’s teachings about one Heaven. Cultural religion says nothing about repenting from our sins and being judged by God. According to the cultural religion when people die, they go to a certain place whereby they will be grouped according to their clans and that place turns to be their heaven, where their forefathers judge them. According to God’s word, after death people get judged according to their wickedness. In Heaven the Nazarites stay with one another, wizards with one another, drunkard by drunkard etc.

Failure to draw a distinction between ethnic religion and ubuNazaretha and make the pair look the same impairs the true feathers of Nazaritism.

In Levi 19:31 Jehovah says: “Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead..” Therefore any person whose whole life is dedicated to God must not practice anything related to wizards and mediums. One cannot integrate Nazaritism with ethnic religion because the two are not the same. The ethnic religion is governed by its laws, so as ubuNazaretha is strictly governed by the laws of Jehovah.

Having said that the Nazarite should be someone who leaves holy lifestyle. The Nazaritism is for Jehovah as Shembe says in Hymn 73 of the Nazarites:

3.The beautiful rock
For the Nazarites,
That Jehovah elected for himself,
Because he loved it

4. He even adorned himself three times in a year
In this Nazarites,
Before all the Heavens
In One year.

In figurative terms the Nazarite can be described as the lovely and lavish apparel that Jehovah adorns himself in Heaven. Nazarite is one who is holy, and is very special before Jehovah and is expected to remain holy, and must not practice things that are totally against the teachings of Jehovah. These words are spelt out in Levi 20:26 “And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.” These words should always ring a bell to all the Nazarites, because they are the cornerstone of our faith.
God bless you. Amen

Email: newnazarethbaptistchurch@gmail.com

Fax: 086 528 1956. Find us on Facebook- New Nazareth Baptist Church

In closing kindly note that God has not commanded any body of believers to still continue under the old covenant of “running a church” according to the Mosaic Law. What you need to do is examine Hebrews 8 and 9 that sets out the new covenant that is through the Lord Jesus Christ who is our only High Priest after the order of but superior to Melchisedec (see Hebrews 7:1-10) and our Lord Jesus Christ is also superior to the imperfection of the Aaronic Priesthood that fell under the Mosaic Law (see Hebrews 7:11-28). Please read this body of Scripture text:

Heb 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

Heb 8:2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Heb 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

Heb 8:4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

Heb 8:6  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

Heb 8:7  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

Heb 8:8  For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Heb 8:9  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Heb 8:10  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Heb 8:11  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

Heb 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Heb 8:13  In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Heb 9:1  Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

Heb 9:2  For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

Heb 9:3  And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Heb 9:4  Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

Heb 9:5  And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Heb 9:6  Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

Heb 9:7  But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

Heb 9:8  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Heb 9:9  Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

Heb 9:10  Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Heb 9:11  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

Heb 9:17  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

Heb 9:18  Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

Heb 9:19  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

Heb 9:20  Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

Heb 9:21  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Heb 9:25  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The Pagan Holiday …

The Twelve Apostles’ Church in Christ HERESIES

Many times upon the streets whilst preaching Jesus Christ we have come into contact with members of the Twelve Apostles’ Church in Christ (hereinafter referred to the “TACC”). It is with love that this blog post is written to address the false teachings of the TACC. The Repent and Believe South Africa ministry will deal with this religious organization that is cultic in nature and which misrepresents Jesus Christ and also twists the Holy Scriptures to fit with the dogma of the TACC. Scripture warns:

¹But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. ²And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. ³And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. ~ 2 Peter 2:1-3

It is through our love for God Almighty, the Lord Jesus Christ and for His creatures that we cannot remain silent when so many people are being mislead and taken to Hell by false apostles and false teachers of which the chief apostle and president professor Caesar Nongqunga of the TACC is one who is to be held accountable for the damnable heresies being taught to God’s people. These teachings are Doctrines of Demons and will be addressed here by taking the Holy Scriptures in context to disclose the heresies being taught by this man and his false leaders.

If one looks at the History of TACC you will see straight away that this is not the Church Jesus Christ is building (Matthew 16:18) as there is a history of division, schisms and discord between “brethren” – there is no harmony of one accord as the early Church was manifest. It appears that there are some 4 million members with branches of the TACC in fifteen countries, namely South Africa, Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Swaziland, United Kingdom, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

This posting will deal with the dogma and tenets of the TACC which will be quoted here as the same appears at their website with the prefix TACC and then our corrective response will follow after each item in the shaded area. Particular points that need to be stressed will either be in bold text or be underlined, and that will be done by the writer of this post, for emphasis purposes.

“TACC Dogmatic explanation

“In many ways, the dogma of Twelve Apostles’ Church in Christ is similar to that of numerous other Apostolic Churches but there are significant differences. Common ground is that we believe that there are Apostles here on earth today, carrying out the mission given to the original 11 disciples by our Lord, Jesus Christ. And here we start to differ from many of our brethren, e.g., why Matthias is forgotten: he was appointed by Chief Apostle Peter as a replacement for Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:15-26)”

In accordance with the Holy Scriptures we read that there is to be no divisions or schisms within the Body of Christ – the ekklesia (Church) – that Jesus Christ is building and who is the Head of His Church. We read:

¹¹For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. ¹²Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. ¹³Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; ¹⁵Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. ¹⁶And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. ¹⁷For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. ¹⁸For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:11-18

We also see from Scripture that Matthias was “numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:26) and therefore for what ever reason the apostolic churches have a difference with their brethren on this issue, Scripture is to be adhered to and not some person’s or party’s difference of belief or opinion.

It should also be known that “¹¹And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” (Ephesians 4:11), but these cannot be limited to just a few persons that determine that they are the “chosen”, but the three reasons for these offices are given in the very next verse: “¹²For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” (Ephesians 4:12).

It is for this very reason that there are so many divisions, schisms, false teachings and heresies that come through denominations that are man-made and not Christ ordained as the Bible does not teach on denominational doctrines, but one doctrine “⁴There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; ⁵One Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ⁷But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:4-7)

“TACC [We] believe that distinction must be made between Jesus, son of man, of the house of David , Jesus David (Luke 18:38) and Jesus, Son of God, the anointed one, Jesus Christ. Jesus David was indeed an intelligent young man who had learnt much about Jewish religious beliefs in his upbringing and who knew his calling. When he followed so many of his contemporaries to the river Jordan and was baptised by John The Baptist, that was not the end, he was then anointed by God. The Holy Spirit descended on Him (in the form of a dove) and a voice from the Heavens spoke “this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matt.3: 17 ). Our belief is that there are 2 baptisms, the first by water, the second by the laying on of hands by a living Apostle, the baptism of The Holy Spirit: Jesus David was the human person, Jesus Christ is the spiritual person, the Son of God.”

To say that there are two Jesus’ – one “Jesus David, son of man” and two “Jesus, Son of God, the anointed one, Jesus Christ” – this is heretical and a blasphemy. There is no separation of Jesus into two persons. The Triune God is:

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” ~ 1 John 5:7

Luke 18:38 is referring to Jesus Christ of the house of David, the genealogy through which Jesus would sit upon the throne of David. Nowhere in Scripture it implies or says that Jesus had a “surname” David and He was separate from Jesus Christ of Nazareth. There truly are two baptisms, but the second baptism does not always come by the laying on of hands by a “living apostle”. John the Baptist said that he baptises with water, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” (Matthew 3:11). At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the believers and they were filled with the Spirit of God. Also Paul, an apostle who was not numbered among the twelve disciples also baptised. So are you going to discard the apostle Paul, because he was not numbered among the “eleven” as the TACC president alludes to? That is preposterous!

“TACC [We] believe that the Word of GOD has been entrusted to the Apostles and that the Bible is a history of the early Hebrew nation and evidence of the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. “You search the scriptures, for in them you think that you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me“ (John 5:39). If the Bible is not the Word of God, what is? The Word of God was entrusted by Jesus Christ to His 11 disciples as evidenced in John 17:14. “ I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You: and they have believed that You have sent Me“”. Out of this it must be accepted that the interpretation of the scriptures and the Word of God is in the hands of the Apostles, even more so in the hands of the living Apostles.”

This is a fallacy to say that, quote: “the Word of GOD has been entrusted to the Apostles”, and that, quote: “Out of this it must be accepted that the interpretation of the scriptures and the Word of God is in the hands of the Apostles, even more so in the hands of the living Apostles.” This is a clear attempt to “hijack the Word of God” and to stop the congregants of the TACC from getting any revelation by the Holy Spirit from reading the Bible for themselves! This is of course also depending on whether the congregants are born-again (see John 3:3) and have received the Holy Spirit! It smacks of the Roman Catholic church who attempted to keep the Holy Scriptures from the world by having it written and read in Latin and that only the pope could interpret the Scriptures on their behalf. It was for this very reason that the Reformation came about. This teaching by the TACC is a demonic practice!

We read from the Scriptures that when the first century Church was being persecuted, as read in Acts 8:1-4 “¹And Saul was consenting unto his [Stephen’s] death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. ²And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. ³As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. ⁴Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” You see from this verse, the apostles stayed behind in Jerusalem and the believers were scattered every where “preaching the word.” You can only go and preach the Word if you have an understanding of the Word and know how to handle the Word. Timothy was not an apostle, but he did the work of an evangelist and Paul exhorted him in 2 Timothy 3:15-17 “¹⁵And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

The Great Commission was also given to all believers upon Jesus Christ to Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and make disciples (see Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15). The ministry of reconciliation has been given to all. Let us see what the Apostle Paul tells the Church – BELIEVERS – at Corinth, and us today: “¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ¹⁸And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. ²¹For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

“TACC [We] believe that there will be no second coming as proclaimed by so many Churches. It has already happened. The Bible, as evidence, tells us that Jesus Christ did indeed say “ I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (John 20:17), but it also tells us “all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth…….:and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matt 28:18-20). Note the tense, “I AM with you”, not “I will be with you”. This means that He is with His Disciples even today. If He is here today, He cannot return.”

This shows the dangerous poison that the TACC is teaching and their congregants drink in the iniquity like water. The True Jesus Christ of the Bible said that He will go to His Father and He would return at His second coming! The TACC has taken Matthew 28:18-20 out of context and has not examined the Bible correctly. Jesus tells us that He and His Father will make their abode in us “²²Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? ²³Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:22,23) Jesus also told us that He would give us another Comforter as we read: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;” (John 14:16), “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.” (John 14:26), “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” (John 15:26) and “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7)

We also read that when Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven this is what took place: “⁹And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. ¹⁰And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11) We know that this has not taken place as yet for another portion of Scripture tells us that there will be the sounding of a trumpet and the Lord will appear with a whole host with Him “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:27) “³⁰And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:30,31)

“TACC [We] believe that there is a difference between disciples and Apostles. Jesus Christ was given 12 Apostles but only 11 of them were disciples. 11 were prepared to follow their teacher and learn from His teachings, the twelfth indeed followed the teacher but did not learn. This was all part of God’s greater plan for mankind, even that one of the Apostles was predestined to perdition (John 17:12).”

A disciple is one who follows the Lord Jesus Christ and learns from Him and obeys His teachings and His Word. If any one follows the false teachings of the TACC as exposed here, it does not matter how loud and hard you say you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, it will never make you His disciple.

“TACC [We] believe that The Holy Spirit can only be received by the laying on of hands by a living Apostle in the same way as the Bible testifies that the early Apostles laid hands on believers and they received The Holy Spirit (inter alia Acts 8:14-17). Likewise, only a person who has been anointed by a living Chief Apostle can be an Apostle. No person can proclaim himself to be an Apostle, only our Father can make this known to the Chief Apostle. In the same way as the 12 were given to Jesus Christ, God gives the chosen ones to His Church on earth. Let nobody be mislead by the events recounted in the scriptures concerning the earliest Apostles. Jesus was Anointed by God as the first of all Apostles (Matt.3:16) (Hebrews 3:1), He in turn breathed on the 11 Disciples when giving them the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 20:22), and, as an exception to what followed, Apostle Paul was told of his calling by God Himself and Ananias was given his instructions also by God. After these first anointments, all Apostles were appointed by Peter or his successors, like Apostle Matthias for example.”

This is Heresy. Read the other points dealing with baptism and that there are also false apostles hereunder (see 2 Corinthians 11:15).

“TACC [We] believe that many are called but few are chosen (Matt.20:16), that this includes the multitude of false prophets, prophets not necessarily in the strict sense of the word but those who claim to perform miracles in God’s name (Matt. 7:21-23). How many self appointed Pastors claim just this? At the first commissioning of the Apostles, Jesus Christ specifically instructed the 12 to “go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘ The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.. .” (Matt.10:6-8). This was an instruction given to the 12, originally limited to “the lost sheep of Israel”, but later (second commissioning) to “all nations” (Matt.28: 19). Only an Apostle has this authority.”

This would also apply to not only “how many self appointed Pastors claim this?” but also how many self appointed apostles claim this? Let us see what the apostle Paul who was called and elected said about false apostles: “¹⁰As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. ¹²But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. ¹³For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. ¹⁴And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. ¹⁵Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:15)

“TACC [We] believe in the process of cleansing and purification subsequently, after Jesus Christ had been to His Father and had been given “all authority in Heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18), He commanded His Disciples to extend the Gospel to souls destined for heaven and that can be done by the Chief Apostle as the successor of Chief Apostle Peter, the rock upon which Christ’s Church was to be built, against which the gates of Hades would not prevail, and to whom the keys to heaven had been given (Matt. 16:18-19).”

This is a Heresy. Jesus did not “command His Disciples to extend the Gospel to souls destined for heaven” – “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Mark 2:17) And nowhere in Scripture does it give succession of leadership from a “chief apostle” taking over from Apostle Peter. And Peter was not a chief apostle. Please give Scriptural evidence of succession as well as the description of a “chief apostle.”

“TACC [We] believe in the preaching to the dead and to the spirits (1 Peter 3:18-20) and the purification of these souls, the giving of the gift of The Holy Spirit to the living (Psalm 68:18) as well as the baptism of the living for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29)”

These teachings are damnable heresies – the preaching would be to spiritually dead persons and not physically dead persons. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary has this to say: “All that are by faith united to Christ, are by his resurrection assured of their own. As through the sin of the first Adam, all men became mortal, because all had from him the same sinful nature, so, through the resurrection of Christ, shall all who are made to partake of the Spirit, and the spiritual nature, revive, and live for ever. There will be an order in the resurrection. Christ himself has been the first-fruits; at his coming, his redeemed people will be raised before others; at the last the wicked will rise also. Then will be the end of this present state of things. Would we triumph in that solemn and important season, we must now submit to his rule, accept his salvation, and live to his glory. Then shall we rejoice in the completion of his undertaking, that God may receive the whole glory of our salvation, that we may for ever serve him, and enjoy his favour. What shall those do, who are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Perhaps baptism is used here in a figure, for afflictions, sufferings, and martyrdom, as Mat_20:22, Mat_20:23. What is, or will become of those who have suffered many and great injuries, and have even lost their lives, for this doctrine of the resurrection, if the dead rise not at all? Whatever the meaning may be, doubtless the apostle’s argument was understood by the Corinthians. And it is as plain to us that Christianity would be a foolish profession, if it proposed advantage to themselves by their faithfulness to God; and to have our fruit to holiness, that our end may be everlasting life. But we must not live like beasts, as we do not die like them. It must be ignorance of God that leads any to disbelieve the resurrection and future life. Those who own a God and a providence, and observe how unequal things are in the present life, how frequently the best men fare worst, cannot doubt as to an after-state, where every thing will be set to rights. Let us not be joined with ungodly men; but warn all around us, especially children and young persons, to shun them as a pestilence. Let us awake to righteousness, and not sin.”

“TACC [We] believe that the only way to receive Jesus Christ is to receive the Apostles first, as Jesus Christ commanded “ whosoever receives you receives Me and whosoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me” (Matt. 10:40).”

This is a Heresy. This is Scripture twisting to fit the Doctrine of Demons’ teachings making people believe that God gave the leader of TACC His authority. At Pentecost this is what was preached: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)

And in Romans 10:9-11 it reads: “⁹That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

TACC [We] believe that the Apostles are the only people who were given the authority by Jesus Christ to forgive sins on earth (John 20:23).

This is a Heresy.

Please note, that if any item is not answered in-depth, it does not mean we believe with that TACC teaching. One heresy makes it all heresy. If a glass of water has one drop of poison in it, the water is not good for consumption. The poison will kill you. Even if the glass of water is 99.9% “healthy” water the 0.1% poison is still lethal to your well-being! So is it with Truth. You need 100% Truth or else it is not Truth. A 0.1% of untruth mixed in with Truth makes the other 99.9% untrue. There is corruption in the whole!

We must therefore call the Twelve Apostles’ Church in Christ and its leadership to “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). These lies that you are teaching will be a testimony against you on the Day of Judgment unless you recant these false teachings. There are millions of souls on the line here. Repent today!

“Christian bias on calendar” – The Witness

On Monday June 11, 2012 an article appeared in our local newspaper The Witness under the heading “PUBLIC INQUIRY LAUNCHED: Complaints over Christian bias on calendar – New look at public holidays” (by Philda Essop).

In the report the following statements appeared, quote:

“In a press statement issued last week the commission said a number of complaints and requests “have been received about the fact that public holidays recognise only Christianity and discriminate unfairly against the holidays of other faiths.”

“Afrikaans Handelsinstituut CEO Christo Van der Rheede said on inquiry yesterday that South Africa has too many holidays.

“”Holidays have a negative impact on productivity and economic growth. If we carry on like this, we run the risk of no longer being regarded as a productive country.” …

“I know that companies make internal arrangements with their staff during Jewish and Muslim festivals. Two Christian holidays, Good Friday and Christmas, are important, but some of the Christian holidays can be abolished,” said Van der Rheede, who was speaking in a personal capacity.”

There are three issues that need to be addressed and the record must be set straight. The press is a powerful media, that needs to be fair and should give honest reports, even exposing all corruption, fraud and lies, so we do need the freedom to report and know what is going on locally and internationally, but the press can also be misleading, corrupt and keep people uninformed and in bondage in their sin.

Firstly, whilst the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, No. 108 of 1996 respects and grants freedom of religion, and the choice of affiliation to all religions or none at all, God does not share the same view of man by respecting and granting a freedom to worship Him as they please through various religious practices. Jehovah, God Almighty has revealed Himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Israel) (see Exodus 4:5) and He gives commandment in His First (v.3) and Second (vv.4-6) Commandments to His created beings that:

³Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ⁴Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: ⁵Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; ⁶And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. ~ Exodus 20:3-6

Although what might be interpreted as a bias toward Christian public holidays, there is no problem with this in that the God who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, the God who reveals Himself in Isaiah 33:22 –

²²For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

He is the same God that is the Saviour of the world “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8) and He is the God who His disciples followed, “… And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26).

Therefore, there is no discrimination against other faiths. In man’s wicked and evil understanding and his idolatry against the one true God of Creation Jesus Christ, who has always been from eternity past to eternity future:

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²The same was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life; and the life was the light of men. ⁵And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. ~ John 1:1-5

⁷For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. ~ 1 John 5:7

⁸I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. ~ Revelation 1:8, Jesus Christ

¹²And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. ¹³I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. ~ Revelation 22:12, 13, Jesus Christ

The problem here is not whether there is a bias of Christian public holidays against other faiths, but rather other religious faiths have turned from their Creator God and have blasphemed Him by worshipping false gods. The God who created you is Lord of you, whether you believe it or not!

Secondly, Mr Van der Rheede does not show wisdom at all with his statements, “Holidays have a negative impact on productivity and economic growth. If we carry on like this, we run the risk of no longer being regarded as a productive country.” The reason why this country is not blessed is that the crime and corruption by politicians and society is a result of following their wicked hearts and turning from their Creator, God Almighty. Holidays do not impact negatively on productivity and economic growth. Days do not control the markets, men do! If days control productivity then we have a real problem on our hands for we have too many weekend days – Saturdays and Sundays (104 per annum)! This is folly and shows the devoid of understanding of learned men. True wisdom comes from:

¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. ~ Psalm 111:10

The problems that South Africa experiences with the lack of productivity, a ridiculously poor currency, inflated prices of petrol and groceries is as a direct result of mismanagement in government and ineffectual parties appointed to key positions that require an honest work ethic, no wonder international companies do not want to invest in a country where there is nepotism, fraud, corruption, stealing, lying and embezzlement of state and public funds, and in an environment where workers are given carte blanche to strike at any opportunity where greed for money dictates. The ‘downing-of-tools’ and striking bring cash flow and productivity problems. No-one works as unto the Lord as the Bible dictates:

³Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. ~ Proverbs 16:3

And we are warned in Scripture that:

¹⁷The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. ~ Psalm 9:17

¹¹God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. ~ Psalm 7:11

²⁶He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. ²⁷He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse. ~ Proverbs 28:26, 27

²When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. ~ Proverbs 29:2

South Africa truly is mourning because the wicked beareth rule. Put religious public holidays aside for a moment and let us address “public holidays” that keep heroes of the past, dead and alive, continually being worshipped and glorified. This is idolatry and God says all idolaters will end up in Hell. Citizens of South Africa are continually being brainwashed into remembering the past which keeps them under bondage under a so-called democracy. As long as people are remembering the past, like June 16, 1976 – where were you on that day? – and having past events dramatized every year and every other occasion using the apartheid-card, there will be no healing and true forgiveness. Our Lord Jesus Christ says:

¹⁴For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: ¹⁵But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. ~ Matthew 6:14, 15

This is not a democracy; this is socialism / communism disguised as democracy! Citizens are not free; they are slaves to another man-made system. And they also are slaves to their sin. This country needs a Theocracy. God tells us that if we want to be free then we need to be obedient to His Word:

^31b… If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ³²And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ~ John 8:31b, 32

³⁶If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. ~ John 8:36

Jesus Christ said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). What God is saying is that there is no other way, no other truth, and no other life besides Him, as it is written:

¹⁹And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. ²⁰As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God. ~ Deuteronomy 8:19, 20

Man is not in control of anything. God controls all things and even destroys nations that turn from Him. South Africa, you are warned. God will be glorified in your destruction. Just because a religion calls on “God”, it does not mean it is the True God of Creation. And that goes for professing Christians, too! Joining with other faiths or following schism doctrines in denominations and cults does not make you true believers in your worship of God Almighty.

Thirdly, dealing with the “two Christian holidays, Good Friday and Christmas,” do you not know that these days are man-made and pagan in origin? Have you never read the Holy Word of God, the Bible, properly and received revelation from the Holy Spirit, God Almighty? This world is duped into believing ‘a lot of stuff’, but sadly God’s people are perishing for lack of knowledge. True believers, born-again (John 3:3) children of God are commanded to worship God in spirit and truth:

²⁴God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. ~ John 4:24

Our Christian faith does not rest on whether a public day is given during a year or not. We do not need a day to be set aside by man to worship God. But then again, even if a “Christian day” had to be taken away, how many other faiths who do not worship our Lord Jesus Christ enjoys the benefit of taking the holidays set aside for the Christians? Should they not remain at work during those times? It shows the hypocrisy of those faiths! Maybe you need to read the Bible first and only then, I would suggest reading:

The Birth, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

It is also not understood which “some of the Christian holidays can be abolished” is referred to by Mr Van der Rheede. Here are the South African “public holidays” which total twelve days (as it appears in 2012):

1 January	New Year’s Day
21 March	Human Rights Day
6 April	Good Friday
9 April	Family Day
27 April	Freedom Day
1 May	Workers’ Day
16 June	Youth Day
9 August	National Women’s Day
24 September	Heritage Day
16 December	Day of the Vow / Day of Reconciliation
25 December	Christmas Day
26 December	Day of Goodwill

A break down of category of days shows the following revealing statistics:

Public Holidays (12 days)	12/365	3.29%
Government Instituted (10 days)	10/365	2.74%
“Christian” Holidays (3 days)	3/365	0.82%	Includes Day of the Vow, Dec. 16
Weekends (104 days)	104/365	28.49%
Striking days (average of 20 days p.a.)	20/365	5.48%	This is a conservative estimate

One can see where the problems lay from a man’s perspective. From God’s perspective, the biggest problem idolaters have is that on the Day of Judgment when God will hold His Court, all unrepentant sinners will receive a just reward, equitable for their sins against their Creator God and be sent to Hell for all eternity. If guilty, you will receive a payment for the wages of sin is death. The only way that you can escape God’s anger and burning wrath against you is to flee to the Son of God, Jesus Christ the Righteous. South Africa, and any other national reading this, you are called to Repentance – Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). That is your only hope!

²⁰Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. ²¹Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. ²²Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. ²³I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. ²⁴Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. ~ Isaiah 45:20-24

Glorify thyself O Heavenly Father,

SOLI DEO GLORIA

________________________

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Idolatries – An Evil Abomination – Part 3

This is the third part that deals with the remaining idols and idolatries.

Idol

(1.) Heb. aven, “nothingness;” “vanity” (Isaiah 66:3; Isaiah 41:29; Deuteronomy 32:21; 1 Kings 16:13; Psalm 31:6; Jeremiah 8:19, etc.).

(2.) ‘Elil, “a thing of naught” (Psalm 97:7; Isaiah 19:3); a word of contempt, used of the gods of Noph (Ezekiel 30:13).

(3.) ‘Emah, “terror,” in allusion to the hideous form of idols (Jeremiah 50:38).

(4.) Miphletzeth, “a fright;” “horror” (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chronicles 15:16).

(5.) Bosheth, “shame;” “shameful thing” (Jeremiah 11:13; Hosea 9:10); as characterizing the obscenity of the worship of Baal.

(6.) Gillulim, also a word of contempt, “dung;” “refuse” (Ezekiel 16:36; Ezekiel 20:8; Deuteronomy 29:17, marg.).

(7.) Shikkuts, “filth;” “impurity” (Ezekiel 37:23; Nahum 3:6).

(8.) Semel, “likeness;” “a carved image” (Deuteronomy 4:16).

(9.) Tselem, “a shadow” (Daniel 3:1; 1 Samuel 6:5), as distinguished from the “likeness,” or the exact counterpart.

(10.) Temunah, “similitude” (Deuteronomy 4:12-19). Here Moses forbids the several forms of Gentile idolatry.

(11.) ‘Atsab, “a figure;” from the root “to fashion,” “to labour;” denoting that idols are the result of man’s labour (Isaiah 48:5; Psalm 139:24, “wicked way;” literally, as some translate, “way of an idol”).

(12.) Tsir, “a form;” “shape” (Isaiah 45:16).

(13.) Matztzebah, a “statue” set up (Jeremiah 43:13); a memorial stone like that erected by Jacob (Genesis 28:18; Genesis 31:45; Genesis 35:14, 20), by Joshua (Joshua 4:9), and by Samuel (1 Samuel 7:12). It is the name given to the statues of Baal (2 Kings 3:2; 2 Kings 10:27).

(14.) Hammanim, “sun-images.” Hamman is a synonym of Baal, the sun-god of the Phoenicians (2 Chronicles 34:4, 7; 2 Chronicles 14:3, 5; Isaiah 17:8).

(15.) Maskith, “device” (Leviticus 26:1; Numbers 33:52). In Leviticus 26:1, the words “image of stone” (A.V.) denote “a stone or cippus with the image of an idol, as Baal, Astarte, etc.” In Ezekiel 8:12, “chambers of imagery” (maskith), are “chambers of which the walls are painted with the figures of idols;” compare Ezekiel 8:10, 11.

(16.) Pesel, “a graven” or “carved image” (Isaiah 44:10-20). It denotes also a figure cast in metal (Deuteronomy 7:25; Deuteronomy 27:15; Isaiah 40:19; Isaiah 44:10).

(17.) Massekah, “a molten image” (Deuteronomy 9:12; Judges 17:3, 4).

(18.) Teraphim, pl., “images,” family gods (penates) worshipped by Abram’s kindred (Joshua 24:14). Put by Michal in David’s bed (Judges 17:5; Judges 18:14, 17, 18, 20; 1 Samuel 19:13).

“Nothing can be more instructive and significant than this multiplicity and variety of words designating the instruments and inventions of idolatry.”

Idolatry

Image-worship or divine honour paid to any created object. Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Romans 1:21-25 : men forsook God, and sank into ignorance and moral corruption (Romans 1:28).

The forms of idolatry are,

(1.) Fetishism, or the worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc.

(2.) Nature worship, the worship of the sun, moon, and stars, as the supposed powers of nature.

(3.) Hero worship, the worship of deceased ancestors, or of heroes.

In Scripture, idolatry is regarded as of heathen origin, and as being imported among the Hebrews through contact with heathen nations. The first allusion to idolatry is in the account of Rachel stealing her father’s teraphim (Genesis 31:19), which were the relics of the worship of other gods by Laban’s progenitors “on the other side of the river in old time” (Joshua 24:2). During their long residence in Egypt the Hebrews fell into idolatry, and it was long before they were delivered from it (Joshua 24:14; Ezekiel 20:7). Many a token of God’s displeasure fell upon them because of this sin.

The idolatry learned in Egypt was probably rooted out from among the people during the forty years’ wanderings; but when the Jews entered Palestine, they came into contact with the monuments and associations of the idolatry of the old Canaanitish races, and showed a constant tendency to depart from the living God and follow the idolatrous practices of those heathen nations. It was their great national sin, which was only effectually rebuked by the Babylonian exile. That exile finally purified the Jews of all idolatrous tendencies.

The first and second commandments are directed against idolatry of every form. Individuals and communities were equally amenable to the rigorous code. The individual offender was devoted to destruction (Exodus 22:20). His nearest relatives were not only bound to denounce him and deliver him up to punishment (Deuteronomy 13:2-10), but their hands were to strike the first blow when, on the evidence of two witnesses at least, he was stoned (Deuteronomy 17:2-7). To attempt to seduce others to false worship was a crime of equal enormity (Deuteronomy 13:6-10). An idolatrous nation shared the same fate. No facts are more strongly declared in the Old Testament than that the extermination of the Canaanites was the punishment of their idolatry (Exodus 34:15, 16; Deuteronomy 7; Deuteronomy 12:29-31; Deuteronomy 20:17), and that the calamities of the Israelites were due to the same cause (Jeremiah 2:17). “A city guilty of idolatry was looked upon as a cancer in the state; it was considered to be in rebellion, and treated according to the laws of war. Its inhabitants and all their cattle were put to death.” Jehovah was the theocratic King of Israel, the civil Head of the commonwealth, and therefore to an Israelite idolatry was a state offense (1 Samuel 15:23), high treason. On taking possession of the land, the Jews were commanded to destroy all traces of every kind of the existing idolatry of the Canaanites (Exodus 23:24, 32; Exodus 34:13; Deuteronomy 7:5, 25; Deuteronomy 12:1-3).

In the New Testament the term idolatry is used to designate covetousness (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:5).

Jupiter

The principal deity of the ancient Greeks and Romans. He was worshipped by them under various epithets. Barnabas was identified with this god by the Lycaonians (Acts 14:12), because he was of stately and commanding presence, as they supposed Jupiter to be. There was a temple dedicated to this god outside the gates of Lystra (Acts 14:13).

Mercurius

The Hermes (i.e., “the speaker”) of the Greeks (Acts 14:12), a heathen god represented as the constant attendant of Jupiter, and the god of eloquence. The inhabitants of Lystra took Paul for this god because he was the “chief speaker.”

Moloch

King, the name of the national god of the Ammonites, to whom children were sacrificed by fire. He was the consuming and destroying and also at the same time the purifying fire. In Amos 5:26, “your Moloch” of the Authorized Version is “your king” in the Revised Version (Compare Acts 7:43). Solomon (1 Kings 11:7) erected a high place for this idol on the Mount of Olives, and from that time till the days of Josiah his worship continued (2 Kings 23:10, 13). In the days of Jehoahaz it was partially restored, but after the Captivity wholly disappeared. He is also called Molech (Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 20:2-5, etc.), Milcom (1 Kings 11:5, 33, etc.), and Malcham (Zephaniah 1:5). This god became Chemosh among the Moabites.

Necromancer

(Deuteronomy 15:11), i.e., “one who interrogates the dead,” as the word literally means, with the view of discovering the secrets of futurity (Compare 1 Samuel 28:7).

Queen of Heaven

(Jeremiah 7:18; Jeremiah 44:17, 25), the moon, worshipped by the Assyrians as the receptive power in nature.

Satan

Adversary; accuser. When used as a proper name, the Hebrew word so rendered has the article “the adversary” (Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-7). In the New Testament it is used as interchangeable with Diabolos, or the devil, and is so used more than thirty times.

He is also called “the dragon,” “the old serpent” (Revelation 12:9; Revelation 20:2); “the prince of this world” (John 12:31; John 14:30); “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2); “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4); “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). The distinct personality of Satan and his activity among men are thus obviously recognized. He tempted our Lord in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). He is “Beelzebub, the prince of the devils” (Matthew 12:24). He is “the constant enemy of God, of Christ, of the divine kingdom, of the followers of Christ, and of all truth; full of falsehood and all malice, and exciting and seducing to evil in every possible way.” His power is very great in the world. He is a “roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Men are said to be “taken captive by him” (2 Timothy 2:26). Christians are warned against his “devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11), and called on to “resist” him (James 4:7).

Christ redeems his people from “him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). Satan has the “power of death,” not as lord, but simply as executioner.

Shrines, Silver

Little models and medallions of the temple and image of Diana of Ephesus (Acts 19:24). The manufacture of these was a very large and profitable business.

Sorcerer

From the Latin sortiarius, one who casts lots, or one who tells the lot of others.

In Daniel 2:2 it is the rendering of the Hebrew mekhashphim, i.e., mutterers, men who professed to have power with evil spirits. The practice of sorcery exposed to severest punishment (Malachi 3:5; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15).

Stargazers

(Isaiah 47:13), those who pretend to tell what will occur by looking upon the stars. The Chaldean astrologers “divined by the rising and setting, the motions, aspects, colour, degree of light, etc., of the stars.”

Stoics

A sect of Greek philosophers at Athens, so called from the Greek word stoa i.e., a “porch” or “portico,” where they have been called “the Pharisees of Greek paganism.” The founder of the Stoics was Zeno, who flourished about 300 B.C. He taught his disciples that a man’s happiness consisted in bringing himself into harmony with the course of the universe. They were trained to bear evils with indifference, and so to be independent of externals. Materialism, pantheism, fatalism, and pride were the leading features of this philosophy.

Tammuz

A corruption of Dumuzi, the Accadian sun-god (the Adonis of the Greeks), the husband of the goddess Ishtar. In the Chaldean calendar there was a month set apart in honour of this god, the month of June to July, the beginning of the summer solstice. At this festival, which lasted six days, the worshippers, with loud lamentations, bewailed the funeral of the god, they sat “weeping for Tammuz” (Ezekiel 8:14).

The name, also borrowed from Chaldea, of one of the months of the Hebrew calendar.

Tartak

Prince of darkness, one of the gods of the Arvites, who colonized part of Samaria after the deportation of Israel by Shalmaneser (2 Kings 17:31).

Teraphim

Givers of prosperity, idols in human shape, large or small, analogous to the images of ancestors which were revered by the Romans. In order to deceive the guards sent by Saul to seize David, Michal his wife prepared one of the household teraphim, putting on it the goat’s, hair cap worn by sleepers and invalids, and laid it in a bed, covering it with a mantle. She pointed it out to the soldiers, and alleged that David was confined to his bed by a sudden illness (1 Samuel 19:13-16). Thus she gained time for David’s escape. It seems strange to read of teraphim, images of ancestors, preserved for superstitious purposes, being in the house of David. Probably they had been stealthily brought by Michal from her father’s house. “Perhaps,” says Bishop Wordsworth, “Saul, forsaken by God and possessed by the evil spirit, had resorted to witchcraft); and God overruled evil for good, and made his very teraphim (by the hand of his own daughter) to be an instrument for David’s escape.” –  Deane’s David, p. 32. Josiah attempted to suppress this form of idolatry (2 Kings 23:24). The ephod and teraphim are mentioned together in Hosea 3:4. It has been supposed by some (Cheyne’s Hosea) that the “ephod” here mentioned, and also in Judges 8:24-27, was not the part of the sacerdotal dress so called (Exodus 28:6-14), but an image of Jehovah overlaid with gold or silver (compare Judges 17:1-13, 18; 1 Samuel 21:9; 1 Samuel 23:6, 9; 1 Samuel 30:7, 8), and is thus associated with the teraphim.

Witch

Occurs only in Exodus 22:18, as the rendering of mekhashshepheh, the feminine form of the word, meaning “enchantress” (R.V., “sorceress”), and in Deuteronomy 18:10, as the rendering of mekhashshepheth, the masculine form of the word, meaning “enchanter.”

Witchcraft

(1 Samuel 15:23; 2 Kings 9:22; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Micah 5:12; Nahum 3:4; Galatians 5:20). In the popular sense of the word no mention is made either of witches or of witchcraft in Scripture. The “witch of En-dor” (1 Samuel 28) was a necromancer, i.e., one who feigned to hold converse with the dead. The damsel with “a spirit of divination” (Acts 16:16) was possessed by an evil spirit, or, as the words are literally rendered, “having a spirit, a pithon.” The reference is to the heathen god Apollo, who was regarded as the god of prophecy.

Wizard

A pretender to supernatural knowledge and power, “a knowing one,” as the original Hebrew word signifies.

Such an one was forbidden on pain of death to practice his deceptions (Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6, 27; 1 Samuel 28:3; Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 19:3).

Worshipper

(Gr. neocoros = temple sweeper [Acts 19:35] of the great goddess Diana). This name neocoros appears on most of the extant Ephesian coins.

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Source Information: Easton’s Bible Dictionary

Idolatries – An Evil Abomination – Part 2

We will look at the various idols and gods that were worshipped during the Old and New Testaments with extensive quotes from Easton’s Bible Dictionary and some references to the idolaters. The idols of today find many of their beginnings from the idol worship referred to in the Bible.

Asherah

Plural Asherim in Revised Version, instead of “grove” and “groves” of the Authorized Version. This was the name of a sensual Canaanitish goddess Astarte, the feminine of the Assyrian Ishtar. Its symbol was the stem of a tree deprived of its boughs, and rudely shaped into an image, and planted in the ground. Such religious symbols (“groves”) are frequently alluded to in Scripture (Exodus 34:13; Judges 6:25; 2 Kings 23:6; 1 Kings 16:33, etc.). These images were also sometimes made of silver or of carved stone (2 Kings 21:7; “the graven image of Asherah,” R.V.). (See GROVE [1].).

Ashtoreth

The moon goddess of the Phoenicians, representing the passive principle in nature, their principal female deity; frequently associated with the name of Baal, the sun-god, their chief male deity (Judges 10:6; 1 Samuel 7:4; 1 Samuel 12:10). These names often occur in the plural (Ashtaroth, Baalim), probably as indicating either different statues or different modifications of the deities. This deity is spoken of as Ashtoreth of the Zidonians. She was the Ishtar of the Accadians and the Astarte of the Greeks (Jeremiah 44:17; 1 Kings 11:5, 1 Kings 11:33; 2 Kings 23:13). There was a temple of this goddess among the Philistines in the time of Saul (1 Samuel 31:10). Under the name of Ishtar, she was one of the great deities of the Assyrians. The Phoenicians called her Astarte. Solomon introduced the worship of this idol (1 Kings 11:33). Jezebel’s 400 priests were probably employed in its service (1 Kings 18:19). It was called the “queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 44:25).

Baal

Lord. The name appropriated to the principal male god of the Phoenicians. It is found in several places in the plural BAALIM (Judges 2:11; Judges 10:10; 1 Kings 18:18; Jeremiah 2:23; Hosea 2:17). Baal is identified with Molech (Jeremiah 19:5). It was known to the Israelites as Baal-peor (Numbers 25:3; Deuteronomy 4:3), was worshipped till the time of Samuel (1 Samuel 7:4), and was afterwards the religion of the ten tribes in the time of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31-33; 1 Kings 18:19, 22). It prevailed also for a time in the kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 8:27; compare 2 Kings 11:18; 2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chronicles 28:2). Till finally put an end to by the severe discipline of the Captivity (Zephaniah 1:4-6). The priests of Baal were in great numbers (1 Kings 18:19), and of various classes (2 Kings 10:19). Their mode of offering sacrifices is described in 1 Kings 18:25-29. The sun-god, under the general title of Baal, or “lord,” was the chief object of worship of the Canaanites. Each locality had its special Baal, and the various local Baals were summed up under the name of Baalim, or “lords.” Each Baal had a wife, who was a colourless reflection of himself.

Baalim

Plural of Baal; images of the god Baal (Judges 2:11; 1 Samuel 7:4).

Baal-peor

Lord of the opening, a god of the Moabites (Numbers 25:3; Numbers 31:16; Joshua 22:17), worshipped by obscene rites. So called from Mount Peor, where this worship was celebrated, the Baal of Peor. The Israelites fell into the worship of this idol (Numbers 25:3, 5, 18; Deuteronomy 4:3; Psalm 106:28; Hosea 9:10).

Baal-zebub

Fly-lord, the god of the Philistines at Ekron (2 Kings 1:2, 3, 16. This name was given to the god because he was supposed to be able to avert the plague of flies which in that region was to be feared. He was consulted by Ahaziah as to his recovery.

Beelzebub

(Gr. form Beelzebul), the name given to Satan, and found only in the New Testament (Matthew 10:25; Matthew 12:24, 27; Mark 3:22). It is probably the same as Baalzebub (q.v.), the god of Ekron, meaning “the lord of flies,” or, as others think, “the lord of dung,” or “the dung-god.”

Bel

The Aramaic form of Baal, the national god of the Babylonians (Isaiah 46:1; Jeremiah 50:2; Jeremiah 51:44). It signifies “lord.” (See BAAL.)

Chemarim

Black (Zephaniah 1:4; rendered “idolatrous priests” in 2 Kings 23:5, and “priests” in Hosea 10:5). Some derive this word from the Assyrian Kamaru, meaning “to throw down,” and interpret it as describing the idolatrous priests who prostrate themselves before the idols. Others regard it as meaning “those who go about in black” or “ascetics.”

Chemosh

The destroyer, subduer, or fishgod, the god of the Moabites (Numbers 21:29; Jeremiah 48:7, 13, 46). The worship of this god, “the abomination of Moab,” was introduced at Jerusalem by Solomon (1 Kings 11:7), but was abolished by Josiah (2 Kings 23:13). On the “Moabite Stone” (q.v.), Mesha (2 Kings 3:5) ascribes his victories over the king of Israel to this god, “And Chemosh drove him before my sight.”

Daemon

The Greek form, rendered “devil” in the Authorized Version of the New Testament. Daemons are spoken of as spiritual beings (Matthew 8:16; Matthew 10:1; Matthew 12:43-45) at enmity with God, and as having a certain power over man (James 2:19; Revelation 16:14). They recognize our Lord as the Son of God (Matthew 8:20; Luke 4:41). They belong to the number of those angels that “kept not their first estate, “unclean spirits,” “fallen angels,” the angels of the devil (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:7-9). They are the “principalities and powers” against which we must “wrestle” (Ephesians 6:12).

Dagon

Little fish; diminutive from dag = a fish, the fish-god; the national god of the Philistines (Judges 16:23). This idol had the body of a fish with the head and hands of a man. It was an Assyrio-Babylonian deity, the worship of which was introduced among the Philistines through Chaldea.

The most famous of the temples of Dagon were at Gaza (Judges 16:23-30) and Ashdod (1 Samuel 5:1-7).

Devil

(Gr. diabolos), a slanderer, the arch-enemy of man’s spiritual interest (Job 1:6; Revelation 2:10; Zechariah 3:1). He is called also “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10).

In Leviticus 17:7 the word “devil” is the translation of the Hebrew sair, meaning a “goat” or “satyr” (Isaiah 13:21; Isaiah 34:14), alluding to the wood-daemons, the objects of idolatrous worship among the heathen.

In Deuteronomy 32:17 and Psalm 106:37 it is the translation of Hebrew shed, meaning lord, and idol, regarded by the Jews as a “demon,” as the word is rendered in the Revised Version.

In the narratives of the Gospels regarding the “casting out of devils” a different Greek word (daimon) is used. In the time of our Lord there were frequent cases of demoniacal possession (Matthew 12:25-30; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 4:35; Luke 10:18, etc.).

Diana

So called by the Romans; called Artemis by the Greeks, the “great” goddess worshipped among heathen nations under various modifications. Her most noted temple was that at Ephesus. It was built outside the city walls, and was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. “First and last it was the work of 220 years; built of shining marble; 342 feet long by 164 feet broad; supported by a forest of columns, each 56 feet high; a sacred museum of masterpieces of sculpture and painting. At the centre, hidden by curtains, within a gorgeous shrine, stood the very ancient image of the goddess, on wood or ebony reputed to have fallen from the sky. Behind the shrine was a treasury, where, as in ‘the safest bank in Asia,’ nations and kings stored their most precious things. The temple as St. Paul saw it subsisted till A.D. 262, when it was ruined by the Goths” (Acts 19:23-41). Moule on Ephesians: Introduction.

Easter

Originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honour of whom sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover. Hence the name came to be given to the festival of the Resurrection of Christ, which occurred at the time of the Passover. In the early English versions this word was frequently used as the translation of the Greek pascha (the Passover). When the Authorized Version (1611) was formed, the word “passover” was used in all passages in which this word pascha occurred, except in Acts 12:4. In the Revised Version the proper word, “passover,” is always used.

Epicureans

Followers of Epicurus (who died at Athens 270 B.C.), or adherents of the Epicurean philosophy (Acts 17:18). This philosophy was a system of atheism, and taught men to seek as their highest aim a pleasant and smooth life. They have been called the “Sadducees” of Greek paganism. They, with the Stoics, ridiculed the teaching of Paul (Acts 17:18). They appear to have been greatly esteemed at Athens.

Eth-baal

With Baal, a king of Sidon (940-908 B.C.), father of Jezebel, who was the wife of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31). He is said to have been also a priest of Astarte, whose worship was closely allied to that of Baal, and this may account for his daughter’] zeal in promoting idolatry in Israel. This marriage of Ahab was most fatal to both Israel and Judah. Dido, the founder of Carthage, was his granddaughter.

Familiar Spirit

Sorcerers or necromancers, who professed to call up the dead to answer questions, were said to have a “familiar spirit” (Deuteronomy 18:11; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6; Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 29:4). Such a person was called by the Hebrews an ‘ob, which properly means a leather bottle; for sorcerers were regarded as vessels containing the inspiring demon. This Hebrew word was equivalent to the pytho of the Greeks, and was used to denote both the person and the spirit which possessed him (Leviticus 20:27; 1 Samuel 28:8; compare Acts 16:16). The word “familiar” is from the Latin familiaris, meaning a “household servant,” and was intended to express the idea that sorcerers had spirits as their servants ready to obey their commands.

Graven Image

Deuteronomy 27:15; Psalm 97:7 (Heb. pesel), refers to the household gods of idolaters. “Every nation and city had its own gods. Yet every family had its separate household or tutelary god.”

Grove

(1.) Heb. ‘asherah, properly a wooden image, or a pillar representing Ashtoreth, a sensual Canaanitish goddess, probably usually set up in a grove (2 Kings 21:7; 2 Kings 23:4). In the Revised Version the word “Asherah” (q.v.) is introduced as a proper noun, the name of the wooden symbol of a goddess, with the plurals Asherim (Exodus 34:13) and Asheroth (Judges 3:13).

The LXX. have rendered asherah in 2 Chronicles 15:16 by “Astarte.” The Vulgate has done this also in Judges 3:7.

(2.) Heb. ‘eshel (Genesis 21:33). In 1 Samuel 22:6 and 1 Samuel 31:13 the Authorized Version renders this word by “tree.” In all these passages the Revised Version renders by “tamarisk tree.” It has been identified with the Tamariscus orientalis, five species of which are found in Palestine.

(3.) The Heb. word ‘elon, uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “plain,” properly signifies a grove or plantation. In the Revised Version it is rendered, pl., “oaks” (Genesis 13:18; Genesis 14:13; Genesis 18:1; Genesis 12:6; Deuteronomy 11:30; Joshua 19:33). In the earliest times groves are mentioned in connection with religious worship. The heathen consecrated groves to particular gods, and for this reason they were forbidden to the Jews (Jeremiah 17:3; Ezekiel 20:28).