I recently received a very good question in response to my article on Kat Kerr. I have decided to answer it publicly. Hopefully it will be helpful for those who want the truth. Here is the commenters response to the article:

Hello, I have read your post. It seems your main argument is about SEEING GOD. And it’s clear from your standpoint that no one can see God.

The first thing I would like to understand is, what is SEEING GOD in this context? Is it about seeing all the details of his face? If a man sees the form of God in his brilliance, can we say he has seen God or he hasn’t?

Like if a man stands before God’s throne, and he beholds the brilliance of his essence, is this enough for us to say he has seen God or not?

So help me define well the context in which we are looking at the aspect of SEEING GOD. Thank you.

Here is my reply:

Thank you for the comment, and that is a very good question. Before I answer it I want to say there are many reasons why Christians should reject Kat Kerr’s claims but the most obvious one ought to be her claims of having seen God. 

There were instances in the Bible where people saw God (his form, and/or his glory), not many but only a few, and no one saw his face. I will address this momentarily, but before I do, consider the following:

First, the fact that only a few in scripture had such encounters with God ought to be an indicator to us that such experiences are rare.

Secondly, those who had such experiences with God did not have recurring experiences like Kat Kerr claims to have. Unfortunately, it’s becoming all too popular among false teachers to boast of trips to Heaven. One of them claims to have been to Heaven some ridiculous amount, something like 700 times or so.

Thirdly, those in scripture who had such experiences were deeply affected by God’s glory and power. Their experiences were holy and sacred, unlike today’s false teachers who describe Heaven like a mystical Candy Land or Disney World. The descriptions by Kat Kerr and others who make such claims are in stark contrast to those who had encounters with God in scripture. There is absolutely nothing they have in common.

Fourthly, heavenly experiences in scripture were according to God’s sovereign will in contrast to today’s Heaven travelers who profit from their tales speaking as if they can take off and go to Heaven any time they want to. In fact I recently watched one among them teaching people how to have Heavenly trips.

Now to answer your question. In scripture there were people who had visions of God, but never once does any of them see God’s face. When Moses asked God to see his glory, God specifically said to Moses, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. Notice that God uses the expression see my face and see me interchangeably. This holds true throughout the entirety of scripture, as no one has ever looked on the face of God except his only begotten Son, Jesus.

No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. ~ John 1:18

It might be of some help to mention that not even Jesus ever mentioned what God looks like. If anyone is qualified to tell us what God looks like, it was Jesus, and he never did.

There is not a single place anywhere in scripture that describes God’s face, and no one who had a vision of God ever described his face, or even claimed to have seen his face. A case could be made that doing so is forbidden by the second command “thou shalt make no  graven image”, yet Kat Kerr claims she could draw a picture of God’s face from her photographic memory if she were an artist. She is lying.

Consider that if God himself said to Moses “no man can look on my face and live”, and no one in scripture, not even Jesus describes what God’s face looks like, then who is Kat Kerr to claim she could draw the face of God because of her photographic memory? This is the kind of question that Christians should ask rather than being gullible and believing this woman. There is an atheist who has a blog who refuted this woman’s claims with scripture. It truly is shameful when an atheist will take the time to appeal to scripture to refute the lie of a false teacher while a sect of Christians will not, but would rather believe a lie over the scriptures.

I have have an article addressing the visions of God that I will link below:

https://rootedandgroundedinchrist.com/2021/07/25/what-does-the-bible-teach-about-visions-of-god/

To read my original post Kat Kerr post follow this link:

https://rootedandgroundedinchrist.com/2021/01/20/kat-kerr/

There are many unscriptural ideas that people have regarding the mark of the beast. These ideas often circulate on social media sites and are steeped in conspiracies. Its unfortunate that many times well-meaning evangelicals are responsible for the spread of such false doctrines about the mark of the beast. In this article I want to briefly address some of the more prevalent ideas circulating in our current climate.

Since the current mark of the beast frenzy surrounds the covid 19 vaccines, the examples I am sharing in this article are comments from social media regarding the vaccines being the mark.

THE BEAST SYSTEM

Many have bought into the idea that there is a “beast system” that we must avoid at all costs. One person said the following about the covid vaccines:

“…it’s setting things up perfectly so when the time comes to accept the mark they will already be prepared and mentally just go with it.” 

Another person said this:

“No it’s not the mark, yet. What we’re seeing is how easy it will be to convince the masses when the true mark comes.”

The idea of brainwashing people so that they will succumb to the mark of the beast is not scriptural at all. In scripture there is no system set up which leads people like sheep to the slaughter to receive the mark of the beast. In scripture an authoritarian ruler arises declaring himself to be God and demanding worship before there is ever a mark. Only after a second beast arises which is loyal to the first beast is a mark implemented by the second beast. In scripture, only those who hate God and refuse to repent of their wickedness show allegiance to the beast and take his mark because they worship him.


GLOBAL LEADERS CONSPIRING

Another example of a false dichotomy about the mark of the beast is idea that globel leaders are working together to control the population.

Notice how this comes through in the three comments below:

Its the beginning…they’re observing global behavior …that’s why the plandemic..and now pushing vax mandates… All ties into the NWO…and their evil plan. The Mark of the Beast.

I take it as a trial for the mark and it’s proving to be successful. Talk about setting the stage

This is exactly the conclusion I have come to. They are conditioning people and setting the stage for the antichrist.

Contrary to these comments, the mark of the beast is not the result of global leaders working together to control people. The beast of the book of Revelation is a singular individual and the mark of the beast corresponds with the name and number of the name of the individual whom the apostle John sees in a vision  as “a beast”.

The scripture says, Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six ~ Revelation 13:18.

The beast of the book of the Revelation is an individual (an authoritarian ruler), and the mark corresponds with his image and the number of his name. The Bible warns us to be wise regarding this, yet so many are foolishly believing that the mark of the beast is a result of the formation of many gobel leaders working together to control people.


SUSPICION

For many, suspicion drives their understanding more than truth and facts. This comment below demonstrates how many think regarding the mark of the beast:

I guess I can’t say unequivocally that it isn’t, so I’m steering clear.

This is a classic example of the fear that is rampant with so many people who want to “steer clear” just in case it’s the mark. Such notions fester the beliefs that a person can unknowingly take the mark of the beast and be condemned to eternal damnation even though they may love God and want to serve him. In scripture there are clear warnings about what the mark is and not to take it, and absolutely no one takes it unknowingly.

The notion that someone could accidentally take the mark of the beast and be damned to eternal punishment when they had no intention of doing wrong is completely foreign to the teachings of scripture, and the prophecy given to the apostle John in the book of the Revelation. Those who believe that people who have been vaccinated for health reasons have received the mark are dishonoring the the character of God and the faith in Christ. If you think that a servant of God can unknowingly take a mark and be condemned to eternal damnation, you have become like those that the apostle Peter describes when he speaks of those who turn the scriptures to their own destruction.

It is shameful that any christian would believe such nonsense.


THE TRAP

Then there are those who think the mark of the beast is an evil trap to deceive the ignorant. this idea runs close to the last one mentioned above. Notice how it comes through in the following comments:

I agree, I think it’s a test run of sorts.

It’s conditioning.

True, it is the precursor to the mark.

Work’s like a trap, from the beginning

YEP! And if we comply…it will lead to the mark!

Could be a trial run

Again, there is no text anywhere in the book of the Revelation that reveals that the mark of the beast is taken by ignorant people who were conditioned to blindly follow whatever global leaders tell them to do.


OVER SPIRITUALIZING

The beast that the apostle John saw in a vision was symbolic of a real person and should be rightly interpreted to be understood correctly. Here is one example of over spiritualizing:

The body is the temple. This is the abomination that maketh desolate.

Notice that this commenter joins two separate things from scripture to come up with a “spiritual” conclusion. First, he says “the body is the temple”. The Bible teaches that our bodies as believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit and members of Christ. The Bible does not teach that the human body is a generic temple. Our bodies as members of Christ are God’s temple because His Spirit dwells in us. Secondly, this commentator mentions the abomination of desolation in a fashion that isn’t aligned with scripture.

In scripture, the abomination of desolation specifically refers to the desecration of the Jewish temple in 70 A.D., and Jesus told his followers this:

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day… ~ Matthew 24:15 -20

Notice that all the details and terminology is specifically related to the Jewish people of that generation. The abomination of desolation, spoken by the prophet Daniel stands in the holy place. What holy place? The one in the temple. This entire dialogue began when Jesus’s disciples commented about the splendor of temple, to which Jesus responded by prophesying its destruction, saying, not one stone would be lifted upon another that shall not be thrown down. ~ Matthew 24:2

The holy place is a reference to that first century Jewish temple. Jesus also mentions Judaea, the nearby mountains, the Jewish style homes, and the Sabbath. These words are in a Jewish context regarding God’s judgment on the temple and not in a Gentile or United States of America context.

Finally, Another commenter expressed their suspicion of the mark overtaking people like sheep lead to the slaughter in this way:

No, but when they flip that 5 G switch, it will dumb them down and cut that connection to God, enough that they will accept the mark willingly.

In the book of the Revelation, the mark of the beast is not a form of mind control given to the brained washed. It is a mark given to those who hate the living God and worship the beast which is a man who is an authoritarian ruler claiming to be God. Those who take the mark do it because they willingly reject God and refuse to repent of their sins. – “and they repented not to give him glory.” ~ Revelation 16:9

Repentance, or refusing to repent is a willful decision. Those who took the mark in the book of the Revelation were the unrepentant who aligned themselves with the blasphemous beast – a man who is an authoritarian ruler, claiming to be deity.

In closing, I want to say the following. There was a person who informed me that they felt sorry for me after I communicated to them that I am vaccinated and I love God and worship and bless his holy name. Their belief that the vaccine is the mark of the beast carried more weight in their response to me than the fact that I love God and worship God. When you embrace an ideology that unsuspecting Christians who love God can unknowingly take the mark of the beast and be doomed to eternal damnation even though they love God, something has gone terribly wrong in your thinking and understanding of God, Christ, and the gospel.

If this is you, it is you that have been deceived, and not those taking the vaccine.

The hysteria over the covid 19 vaccines is off the chain, and there are many people who are convinced that it is the mark of the beast, or at the very least a precursor to the mark. Some refer to it as part of the mark of the beast system, as if there is such a thing, but what is the mark of the beast according to the Bible? For the answer we ought to consider the narrative in which we find the mark of the beast in scripture.

The first mention of the mark of the beast is found In Revelation 13 where we find that there are two beasts which rise to power. The first beast is recognized by everyone and is worshipped. He gets his power from the dragon, who is Satan. Both the dragon and the beast are worshipped, and the beast openly blasphemes God. He is permitted to have authority over all nations for 42 months. His coming to power and having authority over all nations and being worshipped by the nations happens before any mark (of the beast) is established.

This beast is an authoritarian ruler who comes to power and is worshipped but he does not cause anyone to receive a mark. The mark is only established after a second second beast arises.

The second beast exercises the same authority as the first beast and causes the people to worship the first beast. He performs great signs in allegiance to the first beast. The second beast makes an image of the first beast and causes it to speak so that the image of the first beast causes those who would not worship his image to be slain. The image of the first beast is a key component to understanding the mark of the beast. 

In this context the second beast causes everyone to take a mark showing their allegiance to the first beast. This mark does not exist when the first beast only is in power. It comes into being after the second beast arises to prominence and exalts the first beast as a god to be worshipped. We are then told, “This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.” ~ v. 18

The first beast is a ruler, and the second beast continues to promote the dominance of the first beast. This fits like a hand in a glove with Nero Caesar and his successors in the first century near the timeframe of the destruction of the temple. But let’s assume it’s not Nero so as to  address the fears that people have that the covid 19 vaccine is the mark.

The mark of the beast does not precede the beast. If there is no first beast (an authoritarian ruler claiming to be god), who has been worshipped by all nations, there is no mark as of yet. The mark only comes into being after the second beast comes to power.

The mark of the beast has nothing to do with fighting viruses in order to save lives. It has everything to do with allegiance to an authoritarian ruler who is revered as a god.

Unfortunately, too many people have end time beliefs about the mark of the beast that are predicated on conspiracies using proof texts rather than diligent study of God’s word. For example they think the mask and/or vaccine mandates set forth by some businesses and institutions qualify as the mark because one of the details in scripture is that “no man could buy or sell” without having received the mark. Such eisegesis (reading into a text one’s own ideas) truly lacks understanding and critical thinking.

If a grocery store, a restaurant, or any other business requires masks or vaccinations, it is for health and safety reasons, not for allegiance to a ruler who claims to be God. The real truth is there has never been a time in history when it has been so easy to purchase goods without ever having to leave the comfort of your own home. In fact, the pandemic has caused businesses to seek more ways to sell their goods and services in order to stay in business and make a profit. Rather than looking for ways to restrict consumers from doing business with them, they are adapting and providing more options for consumers to purchase their products.

You can purchase restaurant food, groceries, household products, and just about anything your heart desires straight from your computer, iPad, or cell phone. Many businesses even provide curbside pick-up where they will deliver your purchases straight to your vehicle. Again, there has never been a time when making purchases has been so easy. Businesses are not stopping people from buying their products, and the businesses which regulate who enters their facilities do so for health safety reasons. Such easy online purchasing would not exist if the vaccine qualified as the mark of the beast.

Conspiracy driven interpretations of scripture cripples one’s ability the correctly understand the truth of scripture. It also undermines the validity of our faith in the eyes of the world. When Christians claim that there is a ““mark of the beast system” in which people can unknowingly take a mark which causes them to be condemned in the eyes of God they bring a reproach on the gospel. In scripture, those who received the mark of the beast do so because they willingly oppose God.

Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.” And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” ~ Revelation 14:6-13 

If one would simply study the scriptures and think critically and with clarity, they would immediately eliminate the covid vaccination from any potential of being the mark. The vaccine is not the number of a world ruler demanding worship. The fact that there are many God fearing people who have been vaccinated and continue to love God, worship God, and serve God after being vaccinated ought to give people a clue.

No one in scripture who takes the mark takes it accidentally, and no one who takes it wants to serve the one true God. Those who receive the mark have rejected God before taking the mark.

And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. ~ Revelations 16:1-11

The mark of the beast has to do with apostasy against God, and refusing to repent. It has absolutely nothing to do with a humanitarian act to combat a deadly virus. Those who claim that a person who takes the vaccine for health reasons are unknowingly condemned by God for taking the mark of the beast are demonstrating that they have no understanding of God’s character. God gave his only begotten Son to save sinners. He doesn’t damn those who take a vaccine to protect themselves and others from a deadly virus.

The idea that the vaccine is the mark of the beast is truly a false doctrine that opposes the gospel and the revelation of God in Christ. If you are Christian and you are peddling such conspiracies, you need to stop it. You are not thinking critically, nor are you studying so as to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needed to not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

If you have read to this point and have a few extra minutes, I invite you to click on the link below (THE MARK OF THE BEAST FRENZY). In that article I address some of the ideas floating around and why they are not scriptural.

_______________________________________________________


THE MARK OF THE BEAST FRENZY

https://rootedandgroundedinchrist.com/2021/08/17/the-mark-of-the-beast-frenzy/

1 John 5:6 declares, the Spirit bears witness because the Spirit is truth. The witness spoken of in this text is the testimony of Jesus, God’s Son. In 1 John 2:27, John says the anointing that abides in you is truth. The anointing is a reference to the Spirit we have received because of our faith in Jesus, and John’s mention of the anointing as truth is in context to our abiding in the Son and in the Father.

When Jesus informed his disciples that he would soon be departing from this world to be with the Father, he told them that he would send them another comforter, and referred the comforter as the Spirit of truth (John 14:17; 15:26).

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. ~ John 14:16-18

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: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. ~ John 15:26-27

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. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. ~ John 16:7-15

The Bible clearly defines God as the Father, and Jesus Christ as God’s only begotten son with the same divine attributes as the Father. The Bible also speaks of the divine attributes of the Holy Spirit, but unfortunately many, even among those who embrace a trinitarian view of God, have a misplaced understanding of the Holy Spirit in relation to the Father and the Son.

For example, Paul speaks of the kingdom of Christ and of God (Ephesians 5:5) and in first John, the apostle John repeatedly mentions the Father and the Son. He refers to Jesus as the life that was with the Father and was manifested to us (1:2). Then in the very next verse he declares, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ ” (v.3).

Not mentioned here is the proper name of the Holy Spirit. John doesn’t say, our fellowship is with the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Instead, he only mentions the Father and the Son by name. Yet if we take into account the entirety of the epistle we will find that the Spirit is understood in the text by the use of the word “fellowship”. It is through the Spirit, and the Spirit alone, that we can have fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12 speaks to this flow of thought.

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:3

Good doctrine regarding the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is essential in this day and age to keep the Christian from unsound and unwholesome doctrines of men which can so easily deceive. Many false teachers and false prophets boast of having the Spirit and speaking from the Spirit when they are actually communicating another spirit, and not the Holy Spirit to their followers. In 2 Corinthians 11:4 Paul speaks of another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel in his rebuke to the Corinthians for tolerating false apostles.

In order to have a proper understanding of the Holy Spirit we must be aligned with the revelation of the Son of God and the message of the gospel. There is no language anywhere in the New Testament which teaches us to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit independent of our fellowship with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Unfortunately many Christians have allowed a false dichotomy into their hearts and minds regarding the Spirit. Instead of the true ministry of the Spirit which leads to purity and righteousness, they have embraced an artificial gospel of mysticism and error. Yet the Holy Spirit bears witness to the truth that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

The practice of commanding angels is popular within some charismatic teachings but is it a scriptural practice, and should we actually think that angels will obey our commands?

According to the Bible, angels are greater in power and might than people (2 Peter 2:11), and there is not a single example in all of scripture of anyone other than God giving commands to angels. While we have no example in scripture of any human giving commands to angels, we do have examples of angels giving commands to people on behalf of God.

For example, consider that the law of Moses was administered by angels. In his address to the Sanhedrin, Stephen declared the following:

Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. ~ Acts 7:52-53

In his letter to the Galatians, the apostle Paul says the law was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator (Galatians 3:19), and the writer of Hebrews declares, the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward ~ Hebrews 2:2

Angels are God’s servants, harkening to his voice, not man’s: Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. ~ Psalm 103:20

In scripture, we never see any people giving orders to angels, but we do see angels giving orders to people. In Genesis 16:9, the angel of the Lord gave a directive to Hagar. In Genesis 19, the angels who visited Lot gave orders to flee the city of Sodom with his family. In numbers 22, the angel of the Lord gave orders to Balaam.

Consider the words of the angel of the Lord, speaking on behalf of God in Judges 2:

And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the Lord. ~ Judges 2:1-5

Again, angels are God’s servants not our servants, and they do God’s commands not ours.

When Gideon encountered the angel of the Lord in Judges 6, it was the angel who gave directives to Gideon and not Gideon giving directives to the angel. In the New Testament the angel Gabriel caused Zacharias to be speechless until after the birth of his son (John the Baptist) because Zacharias doubted his words.

And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. ~ Luke 1:19-20 

Who had the authority in this exchange? It was Gabriel and not Zacharias.

Throughout the scripture angels are God’s messengers and God’s servants. Not only do angels speak God’s word, they also are the agents who often carry out God’s judgments. One only need to read the book of the Revelation to see that angels involved in God’s judgments.

We could go on, but suffice to say there is absolutely not truth to the idea that Christians have any authority to command angels. There is not a single text which teaches such ideas, nor is there any example of any servant of God in scripture doing this. When God’s people encountered angels in scripture, it was God speaking through the angel to his servant, not the servant commanding the angel to do his bidding.

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. ~ Daniel 7:9

I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. ~ Daniel 7:13-14

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. ~ Revelation 1:12-16

In Daniel’s account, the Ancient of Days is God and the Son of man is Jesus. However, when John sees Jesus in the Revelation, his appearance is like the Ancient of Days in Daniel.

I find this truly powerful and worth consideration that the scriptures tell us that Jesus is the express image of God and the brightness of God’s glory (Hebrews 1:3), and in John’s vision of Jesus in the Revelation Jesus’s appearance to John was consistent with that of the Ancient of Days. Proving once again that those who see Jesus see the Father.

Those who claim to have had heavenly experiences have become all too common. Many of them portray Heaven as a “spiritual fantasy land”. Some even claim to have seen God, sat in his lap, and describe his appearance as if they had looked into the face of God himself.

Modern day charlatans are claiming more and more to have had many trips to Heaven as if its a common occurrence for them, yet they are peddling lies. They have not seen God. In Colossians 2, Paul says, Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,  puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind… ~ Colossians 2:18

Their claims are not consistent with the testimony of God’s holy servants in scripture who encountered the majesty of God and his glorious throne. In scripture those who had visions of God and his majesty were overcome with awe in the presence of God.

First, I want to draw your attention to the words of the apostle Paul who tells us that God dwells in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. ~ 1 Timothy 6:16

The phrase “whom no man hath seen” is a reference to the person of God himself. Other Biblical writers also reference the light which Paul mentions. Consider the following from the book of Ezekiel:

In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. ~ Ezekiel 1:1

Notice that Ezekiel saw visions of God, and not God’s actual person, for no man can see God and live ~ Exodus 33:20.

Let’s continue:

On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there. As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. ~ v. 2-4

Notice the descriptions of brightness, fire flashing, gleaming metal in the midst of fire. These all match Paul’s statement that God dwells in light which no man can approach, and in Ezekiel’s first vision of God he describes God as coming in a cloud with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, with fire in the midst like gleaming metal.

Now notice the following descriptions elsewhere in scripture which match Ezekiel’s experience. First the writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of his person ~ Hebrews 1:3. In Jesus we can behold the person of the unseen God, for Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), and this is the message that Jesus gave to us about God: God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ~ 1 John 1:5.

In the book of the Revelation, the apostle John describes his vision of God on the throne:

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. ~ Revelation 4:1-3

Jasper and sardine stones are reddish. John may very well be describing the brilliance of the light he saw. Both Moses and the writer of Hebrews describes God as a consuming fire which matches the truth that God dwells in light which no man approaches and whom no man hath seen. Again, some in scripture have seen the brilliance of the light emanating from the presence of God, but no man has seen God’s person who dwells within the light of his glory.

When the Bible describes God’s throne, it is with reverence and awe. For instance, Hebrews 1:3 & 8:1 tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand majesty.

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high… ~ Hebrews 1:3

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… ~ Hebrews 8:1

God is majestic and it’s truly telling that his majesty is absent from the testimony of those who promote their so-called Heavenly encounters. If one has truly been in the presence of God there is an awe of his beauty, splender, and holiness. That the world often has more honor for earthly Kings and rulers than some Christians seem to have for the majesty of the everlasting God speaks volumes to the infiltration of false teachers within the church.

In the book of the Revelation, John also observes lightning, thunder, and voices from the throne and seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which John says are the seven Spirits of God ~ v 6.

Lightning and lamps of fire burning are consistent with the theme of light, and in verse 7 John says, And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

The sea of glass like crystal also is consistent with the theme of God is light, and God dweling in light.

Now, let’s continue with Ezekiel’s account once again.

And from the midst of it (from the midst of the bright cloud) came the likeness of four living creatures ~ v 6a. John also saw four living creatures in the book of the Revelation.

And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. ~ 6b-7

Sparkling like burnished bronze matches the description of God dwelling in light and God being an all consuming fire. The four living creatures emanate God’s light and glory. This is consistent with Moses’s experience when he saw God’s glory.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. ~ Exodus 34:29-30

Like the four living creatures in the presence of God, Moses’s appearance was an indicator that he had been in the literal presence of God.

Let’s continue with Ezekiel’s visions:

Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. ~ v  8-13

Notice again, Ezekiel’s description of the four living creatures is consistent with the theme of light, fire, and brilliance.

And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning. Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. ~ v. 14-16

Now consider the glory of God’s throne which Ezekiel saw:

And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. ~ v 26-28

Consistently in scripture, those who encountered God in visions and saw his glory were overwhelmed by the power and brilliance of his majesty. Ezekiel fell on his face, and the apostle John fell to his feet like a dead man when he saw Jesus in the glory of his Father.

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. ~ Revelation 1:12-18

It would be impossible for one who has truly encountered God’s majesty in Heaven to return to life on earth to market their experiences like charlatans who make merchandise of God’s people.

If you want to know what Heaven is like, listen to the writers of scripture who testified by the Spirit of God.

Recently I have written a couple of teachings addressing the fallacies of those who think Christians should go around casting demons out of one another. Why do some Christians think there’s a demon behind every bush? Why do they think any struggle in life or a constant temptation is a demon that needs to be rebuked or cast out?

I think the answer to that question is twofold.

First, I think there are Christians who are zealous and want to see the power of God but they lack real spiritual knowledge and maturity and they need to be taught the Word of God. They need to be grounded and built up in Christ with wholesome, sound doctrine. The second reason is people like to blame their problems on someone else rather than taking responsibility. It’s real easy to pass the blame for things like pornography, nicotine, alcohol, uncontrolled anger, etc., rather than taking responsibility.

You might find it interesting that there is not one example in all of the New Testament where a demon was cast out of anyone because of sin or sinful additions. Demons were only cast out of people who had either physical infirmities (diseases, blindness, deafness, etc.), or mental insanity (like the man in the country of the Gadarenes, see Mark 5) or those involved in some form of occultism. And never was a demon ever cast out of a Christian anywhere in the New Testament.

You will not find one example of Jesus, the apostles, or any  New Testament believer casting out spirits of adultery, homosexuality, lust, anger, rage, gluttony, lying, stealing, etc. The idea of casting out spirits related to such sins is foreign to the New Testament. These are individual sins and deliverance from these come through repentance and faith in Christ.

Jesus did not cast demons out of anyone who needed to repent. Neither did the apostles and neither did any believer in the New Testament. Yet there are those who teach that even though a person has been saved they still need deliverance, i.e., demons cast out. Such teachings are false doctrine.

Jesus is Lord and when God saves us from our sins, he does so with the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. God purifies us with the precious blood of Christ, delivering us from the power of darkness and translating us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.

As we grow in our faith we learn how to overcome temptation in our flesh (every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed ~ James 1:14). We learn to yield our members (our mind and bodies) to God as instruments of righteousness rather than sin. As we grow in Christ by yielding to the Holy Spirit, we become stronger in our faith by the grace of God.

There is a beautiful expression that Peter gives at the close of his first epistle, and arriving at this point in our lives should be our aim. After instructing us to to be humble, and to cast all our care on the Lord, and to resist the devil steadfast in the faith, he says the following:

But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. ~ 1 Peter 5:10

It is God’s desire to settle you. Trust the Lord with those areas in your life that your find hard to overcome. He will give you the strength and grace you need, and if you will only trust him you will get stronger and stronger in in due time it won’t be a weakness anymore!

The Lord be with you.

Recently I came across someone teaching that Christians need to be casting demons out of other Christians. Before I address this I want to make it clear that I am not a novice in this area. I know the playbook of deliverance ministries quite well, and here is what you need to know about those who teach such things.

Generally speaking those who go around teaching that Christians can have demons that need to be cast out do not have a good understanding of the scriptures. Often they will downplay real knowledge of scripture to elevate their claims of spiritual experience, and when they do cite scripture they often spin the texts to validate their claims.

For instance, one minister cited three texts to justify his claims that demons were cast out of Christians in the Bible. He referenced Mark 1:39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. He then made this statement regarding the text: “Remember these were religious people Jesus was delivering and these people, and I want to tell you this, had a much higher standard than you and I. They had a much higher living standard than you and I…”

It is remarkable the extend people will go to to make the scripture say what they want it to say. They do this because there is no truth in what they claim to be so. There is absolutely nothing in the text or the whole counsel of scripture that supports the notion that Jesus went around casting out devils from righteous, God fearing Jews who were living holy before God.

Rather than speaking as a responsible minister and handling the Word of God with the utmost integrity, he was careless and dangerous with his interpretation of scripture because rather than building up vulnerable Christians in the word of truth, he is actually confusing people with destructive doctrine.

Christians need to have faith in God! They need to be rooted and build up in the truth of Christ. As Christians we are not to be seeking deliverance from demons, but to live as crucified with Christ, putting off the old man with the affections and lusts. Faith in Jesus is victory over the devil and the world!

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. ~ 1 John 4:4

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? ~ 1 John 5:4-5

When Jesus died and rose again, he spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15). The believer’s victory over Satan and demons is in the power of the cross, through the blood of Jesus, and because this so, the least member of the body of Christ has as much authority over the devil as anyone else. You do not need another Christian to cast the devil out of you if you are a Christian. You simply need to stand in faith against the wiles of the devil. Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Making Christians dependent and on other Christians for deliverance from demons is not Biblical. It is spiritual manipulation, actually its a form of witchcraft. When the New Testament is surveyed, there is much instruction given regarding Christian interaction, but casting out demons is not one of them. We are instructed to care for one another, love one another, pray for one another, help one another and so on, but we are never instructed to cast the devil out of one another.

The minister mentioned above proceeded to give two more examples to support his claims that Christians should cast out demons from other Christians. He referenced Peter being rebuked by Jesus, and he referenced Judas.

First, when Peter spoke errantly in his zeal telling Jesus he would not have to die on the cross, Jesus did not turn around and cast the devil out of Peter. Instead, Jesus rebuked Peter for speaking and voicing the will of the devil, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. ~ Matthew 16:23

If we were truthful, we’d all admit that we have yielded to the devil at one time or another and said things that were contrary to God’s will. Does this mean we need the devil cast out of us? Certainly not! Instead, we needed correction or rebuke, coupled with repentance.

Secondly, Judas was not a Christian. Judas was the son of perdition and Jesus knew ahead of time that Judas would betray him. In fact Judas betraying Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament. Judas was not a Christians and never had a faithful heart towards Jesus. Judas was set to betray Jesus from the beginning.

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. John 6:70-71

Dear Christian, you have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. The Spirit of the Living God is in you and God is your Father. Trust in the truth of God and not the fallacies of man. Deliverance ministries and ministers come and go but the truth of God’s word stands forever, and it is God’s Word that will establish your faith in truth!

Can a Christian have a demonic spirit in them that needs to be cast out?

According to the Bible, a Christian can be carnal (unspiritual in their behavior and thinking), a Christian can harden their heart, a Christian can commit sin, a Christian can be tempted and yield to Satan, a Christian can yield to the lusts of their flesh, but there is no example, instruction, or any hint anywhere in the New Testament of a Christian having a demonic spirit cast out of them – not a single text.

Christians have been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son (Colossians 1:13-14), and have been given authority over demons.

The authors of the New Testament epistles (the letters written to believers) address demonic influence in the lives of believers from the vantage point of repentance, instruction in righteousness, correction, sound doctrine, and submitting to God in obedience and faith. There is not a single time in which the authors of the New Testament epistles articulate the need for deliverance by having a demon cast out. The language is always that of articulating what God has done in Christ, and the Christian’s call to the obedience of the faith.

For example, Paul writes to the Corinthians describing them as carnal because of the envy, strife, and divisions among them. The Corinthians had all sorts of issues that modern day deliverance ministries would quantify as demonic activity in need of deliverance.

In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul gives a laundry list of sins prevalent among the Corinthians: quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder (2 Corinthians 12:20). Paul also addresses their indifference to sexual sin, irreverence for the Lord’s supper, and misuse of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Paul says the following regarding the Lord’s Supper:

But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:17-22 ESV

Paul later tells them the following:

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:27-34

Paul never addresses the issues among the Corinthians from the position of deliverance from demons. Instead Paul addresses their sin, their carnality, their idolatry, and in his rebuke reminds them that they are the temple of God and that God will judge them if they do not judge themselves

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. ~ 1 Corinthians 3:16-16

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. ~ 1 Corinthians 6:15-20

The Corinthians needed correction and spiritual discipline. They had already been delivered from the power of darkness but now needed to learn how to live holy and godly lives because God would judge them if they did not serve him with reverence and godly fear. In fact Paul does not speak of casting devils out of any of the Corinthians. On the contrary, Paul expressed that he had delivered one of them over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh so that their spirit could be saved in the day of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 5:3-5).

Paul had spiritual oversight of the Corinthians, and rather than casting the devil out of a believer living in unrepentant fornication, he turned them over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so they would call on God in repentance. The deliverance that a Christian needs is not that of having a demon cast out. It is that of repentance, renewing their commitment to God, renewing their minds, believing the truth, growing in faith, growing in grace, and growing in the knowledge of Christ.

With regards to any kind of oppression, depression, loneliness, fear, etc., among our fellow Christians, we are called to comfort the feeble minded and support the weak (1 Thessalonians 5:14) not cast devils out of them.

In 2 Corinthians 6 Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are God’s temple and not the devil’s.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 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. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. ~ 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Paul then tells the Corinthians this – Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. ~ 2 Corinthians 7:1

The Corinthians needed to understand that if they did not live for God in a manner that was reverent, God himself would judge them. Consider that Paul actually has to tell them that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed (1 Corinthians 12:3).

Throughout the New Testament we are given instructions regarding how we are to confront the devil. Never are Christians called on to cast out demons from other Christians. Instead, we are called to give no place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27), submit to God and resist the devil (James 4:7) and resist the devil steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:7).

Those who go around doing deliverance on Christians are not promoting sound doctrine, nor are they promoting the truth in Christ according to the gospel.

Dear Christian, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit because you have been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. God is your Father and you have been delivered from the power of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. If you are struggling with sin, fear, or any other form of oppression, you do not need a demon cast out of you. You need time with God. You need to grow in your faith, grow in his grace, grow in the knowledge of his word, and seek to live a godly and pure life before God, and God will help you.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. ~ James 4: 7-10