Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines [taught by] demons... (1 Tim 4:1 NKJ)

You know the speech that contains the stirring words: "I have a dream..." (Martin Luther King, I believe). Well, I feel like starting this article - I HAVE A NIGHTMARE!

You see, God took my hand (metaphorically) and led me to the screen of history, and what I saw coming our way was the culmination of all the heresies that demons have produced on the earth since the Garden of Eden.

It seemed like things I have been talking about, writing about and saying for YEARS all came together in my mind and went BANG! And it all made sense. Horrible, terrible sense.

I feel I need to write and warn you about what is being planned. God does not allow his people to walk blind and ignorant into danger. We cannot prevent snares being laid, but God shows us where they are, and then only the foolish go ahead and walk right into them unheeding.

SUMMARY

Joel's Army
There's been a growing militancy in the churches, fuelled by the belief that the anointed ones are to be forged into a "mighty army" for the Lord, which they mistakenly see in the book of Joel. Now talk of judgement on the "rebellious" is routine fare for prophetic revivalist sites.

Apostles and Prophets
We are hearing more and more about the need to raise up Apostles and Prophets in these last days to edify the Body and bring it to fulness and unity. These endtimes Apostles and Prophets are far from simple church leaders as we used to understand the meaning of the word. They are seeking the authority to act as Christ Himself in dominion over the Body.

Third Day
If you have read my "New Thing" set of articles on this site, you may recall that I spoke of the concept of a spiritual "third day" or "third era". This idea was already deeply rooted in sonship groups, but is now making headway in revivalist circles. The third day is a spiritual new age, characterised by revelation knowledge. The written word is superseded by direct communication with the spirit world.

Glory Cloud
You may also remember that I have written about the likelihood of a spiritual "coming" before [or even instead of] the physical return of Jesus Christ to this planet. This is seen as the Shekinah "glory" now supposedly appearing in church after church throughout the world. Eventually, it is believed, the glory will dwell permanently with his people, as the manifested Christ on earth. The gold dust falling is a visible manifestation of this glory.

Seal of God
A more recent, but associated nightmare is the possibility of a visible sign, a mark, appearing on the bodies (foreheads?) of those who believe they are the "anointed overcomers" of the New Order. Alternatively there may be strong pressure to join an elect number of believers who have received a spiritual sealing or mark of God in the forehead. All this will be explained later in the article, but for now I just want to say that this most dangerous and blasphemous sign must be avoided at all costs!

I find it difficult to believe, myself - the idea of the churches falling into such a deep pit of heresy. But then I felt this way when the Toronto Blessing first appeared. I worried, then, that I was going too far; but everything I said has come to pass, and MORE!

The Lord seemed to say, at that time: "Don't hold back your articles because you think what you say is too wild and could never happen. Not only will it happen, but they will go further still. They will do things you could never imagine..."

Now I feel the same way. So I can't hold back, because this may be my only opportunity to warn you before it's too late.

Latter-Rain/Sonship was the seed

Way back in the days before this madness, when there was time to study and read books, the Lord gave me a foundational knowledge of the Latter Rain doctrines. (Little did I know, but He was doing the same thing with other people that I would later meet, and we had all been steered by the Holy Spirit in the same direction - to seeing that these heretical sonship doctrines would return and take over the Church in the endtimes.)

That education on the sonship/latter-rain became vital in the early 90's when the Kansas City Prophets appeared, and even more crucial in 1994 at the outbreak of the Toronto Blessing. Hardly anyone could see that these events were part of the sonship agenda at the time. However:

Now, almost everybody who writes about the Toronto Blessing has a chapter about the Latter Rain doctrines and their foundational influence on the Revival movements!

Now, sonship doctrines are openly taught as part and parcel of the Revival, and anyone who studies the Toronto movement acknowledges the Latter Rain input.

Now, the leaders don't even try to disguise their love of the sonship doctrines, whereas before they denied all knowledge and involvement in them. So much for their honesty!

Latter Rain doctrines have become central to today's heresy in the Church. What satan could not do in the 1940's, he's done today - changed the thinking of thousands of believers and launched an entirely new way of reading scripture. However, the roots of those heresies go back further than the 1940's - MUCH, MUCH further back. The only NEW aspect is how widely it has been accepted today, whereas in earlier centuries it was always identified as heresy and rejected.

Don't think for a moment that we have in this revival a "new revelation" from the Holy Spirit. This is not new at all, but very old, very satanic and it is the DOCTRINE OF DEMONS.

(I hope you are familiar with the "New Thing" series of articles, because they contain much information and background knowledge useful to understanding what is happening in the Church today. See the contents and download the article in PDF format if you prefer. Click here: "New Thing" Contents List ).

The Relevance for Believers

Ordinary Christians may be tempted to think that, as long as they leave the revival people alone to stew in their own juice, there's no real danger. The false doctrines will just pass them by. Unfortunately not!

We have to remember that the events leading up to the Return of the Lord will affect us ALL, every man, woman and child on this planet. We cannot escape by sticking our heads into the sand and hoping things will carry on the same old way for ever. Whether we like it or not, the false doctrines will bring pressures to bear on us for which, perhaps, we are unprepared. The revival plan to "open the gates" to allow full communication with the spirit world will result in the greatest influx of demons ever known on this earth!

It will also plunge us into a battle against evil on an unprecedented scale, and those who turn a blind eye to the build-up in these days will be least prepared to stand against the devil and all his armies when the time comes.

Also, understanding the events and manifestations surrounding the revival has never been easy, but outside the context of the sonship doctrines it becomes impossible. Only those who do a bit of homework now will perceive the REAL dangers in the future.

Allegorical Interpretations

It must not be forgotten that these false doctrines are "based on" scripture, although they are not truly biblical. Some people are thrown when the Bible is brought out to support new doctrines and, because they are not fully grounded in the word of God, they let one or two isolated scriptures sway them into accepting heresy.

Truth is not simply "based on" scriptures - it is consistent with the bible AS A WHOLE. God's truth never contradicts itself.

Secondly, people will take the same beloved verses that we are familiar with, then re-interpret them according to a symbolic or allegorical meaning to suit their own revelations. Beware of accepting biblical terms and phrases at face value in the revival, for often the meaning has been changed out of all recognition. The new doctrine is based on a different view of scripture (that "new paradigm") and follows a different pathway but using the same terminology.

A good example is the use of the word "rapture" which ordinary Christians know as the catching away of believer into the air to meet with the Lord at his Coming; but in some circles today the same word "rapture" has come to mean the ecstatic joy a Christian experiences when the glory comes in fulness and transforms the anointed ones into spiritual beings on earth. "Carried away in God" is one new meaning of the term "rapture" - another is being "caught up" to a new spiritual level of anointing and authority. The term "Rapture" can mean a variety of different things according to the doctrine of each minister, not necessarily being taken to be with the Lord. So - beware!

For example, Richard Riss - a writer at the heart of the current revival - has this to say in part two of "PREPARING FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD" (New Wine Archive-Date: Tue, 9 Aug 1994):

"In Ephesians 2:2, Satan, or the "spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience," is called "the prince of the power of the air." The "air" in this context is a place, or atmosphere, of spiritual authority. At the time of Christ's coming, we will be caught up into this place of spiritual authority (I Thess. 4:14-17)
To be caught up in the clouds of glory to meet the Lord in this atmosphere of spiritual authority does not necessarily entail a literal bodily removal from the earth. In fact, if it did entail our removal from the earth, it would be a permanent removal: "and thus we shall always be with the Lord" (I Thess. 4:17). But the entire thrust of Scripture is that we will have a resurrected body on earth, and that the heavens and the earth will both be regenerated, or renewed (Acts 3:21, Matt. 19:28). If there is to be a bodily removal of the saints at all, it can only be temporary.

The entire bible, and especially the book of Revelation, is treated allegorically and spiritually by many leaders today. As "apostle" Chuck Pierce says,"we live in different times, so we must think prophetically".

The events of Revelation are not as we know them to be. The objects seen and events taking place are given a whole new interpretation. Never assume, when reading material on the web or talking to others, that the terminology is understood in just one way. Today, you need to check what people really mean.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE PLAN

Before I get into the sonship Plan in detail, I want to lay out the structure and timetable for you. This will help you to grasp an overall picture rather than focussing on one or two controversial points in particular.

(I should point out that not all leaders teach the same doctrine. Dealing with heresy is like trying to pin a jelly to the wall - it keeps moving and changing. While God's truth is basically the same wherever you go in the Christian world, these doctrines have many variations from group to group. None the less, the overall aim and events remain the same.)

1. Restoration: Not long after the birth of the Church, it became stifled by tradition and laws, and the vibrancy and spiritual power of the Early Church was lost. This needed to be RESTORED, and the process took centuries. From time to time, certain individuals or groups would gain access to the secrets of power and authority, and they would begin preaching the "kingdom message" but up until this century they were seen as heretics and rejected by the established churches.
2. Latter Rain: Sooner or later, once the flesh of the dry-bones-Church had been revived by the restoration of early church principles and government, the Joel outpouring of the latter days would begin, and this would bring back spiritual gifting, revelation, and apostolic authority to the Church. The "new thing" would come, the skeleton would rise up empowered by the Spirit, and world revival would follow. Several groups began claiming the latter-rain outpouring from the early years of the 20th century, notably the 1940/1950 Latter Rain Revival in Canada. However, all these prototypes fizzled out, and were later proclaimed to be "mere sprinklings and drops of the rain to come."
3. Baptism in the Spirit: The turning point came in the 1960's with a worldwide renewal accompanied by spiritual gifts. The conversion experience was seen as the Outer Court of the Tabernacle, Baptism in the Spirit moved the believer into the Holy Place of Ministry. However, the Holy of Holies containing the Presence of God had yet to be entered! - [NB: I do not deny the true biblical infilling of the Holy Spirit].
4. Five-Fold Ministry: [1960's onwards] One important feature to be restored in this latter-day church was to be the ministry of apostle, prophet, teacher, pastor and evangelist "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph 4:11-13). This verse was reinterpreted from its traditional meaning, as we shall see.
5. New Revelations: [1970's onwards] Once the new structures had been set in place, and the people were willing to submit to them (shepherding and covering schemes all helped this process along), the PROPHETS would introduce NEW DOCTRINES by direct inspiration of the Spirit. This would begin the next phase of development, from the old structures to the new paradigm. Now not only the structure and form of the churches was changing, but the core beliefs. For example, literal pre-millennial understanding of eschatology altered to post-millennial allegory.
6. Apostolic Authority: [1980's onwards] Upholding and enforcing these new doctrines would be the renewed priesthood ruling the churches, the "anointed" apostles. These were not to be mere servants of the people, but kings and rulers, beyond contradiction. To question these apostles was tantamount to rebelling against God, since the Apostles were representatives of Christ on earth. Being "saved" was not now enough. Believers had to be "disciples" of the leadership, passive and obedient, to qualify for a part in the New Church. A network of interconnected and related apostles was to be set up in every city, having headship of all the new churches.
7. Unity: A most important factor in the restoration of the worldwide Church was to be the unity of all believers, for without this the glory could not return to the spiritual Temple. Remember, that Ephesians verse promising fullness, perfection and Christ-likeness had said "Till we all come in the unity of the faith...," Accordingly, all dissent and inter-denominational strife had to be silenced (or, swept under the carpet). Treaties and covenants were drawn up for ministers to sign, wherein they vowed not to"criticise eachother". The Roman Catholic Church (especially and mostly its charismatic wing) was also incorporated as part of the Restored Church..
8. Impartations of Spiritual Power: [1990's onwards] Having reformed the structure, teachings, headship and "tabernacle worship" of the Church, the next phase was to cry out for the Latter Rain outpouring. This arrived on cue in 1993/94 and was trumpeted as the "new beginning", the first manifestation of the returning GLORY. The spiritual power now falling on meetings was NOT Baptism in the Holy Spirit but the entrance into the Holiest. This new inner-court anointing for the Endtimes progressed the believer into the Shekinah-Presence of God. The Glory was at last beginning to return to the "Ark" of the Church, and the River of Life that would eventually renew the entire earth was beginning to flow from the "Temple".
9. Fulness: The final stages of this Restoration process are believed to be very near. The aim is to establish the Kingdom rule of God on earth. Soon the Glory will be manifested permanently as GOD INDWELLING HIS PEOPLE on earth. This will transform the prepared remnant-believers into spiritual beings, full of wisdom, knowing all things, irresistible and immune from all harm. Those so blessed will have received the "sealing from God" in their foreheads, the mark that distinguishes them from the rebellious and disobedient. They will become the new spiritual rulership of earth, God incarnate. (This is supposed to be the Rapture). This is known as the Adoption of the Sons, or the Manifestation of the Sons of God. Note that only the "sons" are at this time transformed. The rest of the world Church (the Bride) has yet to be purged and made ready for her spiritual marriage.
10. Judgement: What follows is the most worrying aspect of all this. The new Government of the Church and World will take upon themselves the task of ridding the earth of all God's enemies in a cleansing action, helped by the angels of heaven. They will "purify" the Bride and make her ready. (I hardly dare imagine how). Eventually the Bride will submit to her "lord" - the Corporate Christ on earth - and her marriage to the "son" of God will be consummated. All those who refuse to submit to the glorified sons of God will be removed from earth, so that a New Heavens and Earth are created. Only then will Jesus return physically to "claim his kingdom".

After that short preview, you will of course want to see evidence of the Plan in the words of the revival leadership. There is more than enough evidence, but it is not easy to digest. The danger lies in being swamped, but I am going to press right on with....

THE MAIN POINTS

I feel an urgency from the Lord to get this article out. It is important information that must be placed in the hands of all who need it. Over the last couple of weeks I have amassed reams of relevant data and quotes, with supporting material, and I have been working on an explanatory overview to set it all in context. Yet the prompting of the Lord is such that I am going to "cut to the chase" and get right away to the main point so as to emphasise the really IMPORTANT message from the Lord at the heart of this article, which is:

1. Do NOT receive any mark/sealing that is offered, as a spiritual "impartation" or anything else, and
2. Beware of a spiritual overshadowing of "love and unity" that is supposedly bringing the world into a new era of goodwill.

To explain the "sealing", I must first explain the significance of the gold. The gold-teeth and gold-dust miracles are undeniably happening so we cannot deny them. The revival leaders are keeping quiet about their prophetic meaning. David Pytches has said he "doesn't know what they mean". Perhaps. Or perhaps he's being guarded about the meaning of the gold miracles because he knows the ordinary Christian public are not ready for Latter Rain doctrine, and he knows that the gold miracles cannot be explained satisfactorily outside of the sonship timetable and allegorical interpretation of scripture.

These appearances of gold are but a prelude to a far greater event. The gold represents the Presence of God, or the Glory supposedly about to descend upon and INTO the Church! It is the heralding of a GOLDEN AGE about to come to the Church (supposedly)!

At the same time, the gold is also a precursor to the mark or seal of God that must come upon all those who are part of that elect endtime "remnant" body - the only ones who will escape the coming judgement.

The scriptures in Revelation 7:3 are being spiritualised so that they now refer to a small number out of the Church (instead of the Tribes of Israel) being sealed by the angels in preparation for a cleansing action against all rebels. Here's a reference found on a website that links together the gold miracles and the seal of God:

The Seal of God

[Rev 7:3] [The Angel went] saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads."
[Rev 9:4] they were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but only those of mankind who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads;
[Eph 4:30.7] And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
[Acts 2:3.11] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
[Rev 3:18.8] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
People today all over the world are are experiencing the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit, being manifested in one dramatic way by gold miraculously appearing in their mouths, in their teeth, on their hands, and on their foreheads!--- I don't know if people *MUST* have gold appear in their bodies by the Holy Spirit to be sanctified as Christ's Bride and Church....[MY NOTE - BUT I THINK HE'S HINTING IT COULD POSSIBLY BE THAT WAY --- and please note, the sealing of God does not appear on the hands, only the forehead. It is the mark of the beast that is in the hand or forehead.]

FRANKLIN HALL PREDICTS THE GOLD DUST
(extract from Al Dager's Kingdom Theology)

Franklin Hall's booklet: he taught that the Manchild Company would be rulers on earth, filled with the Glory of God

In the fall of 1946, a "major fasting and prayer daily revival center" was established in San Diego, California. Under the leadership of Franklin Hall (assisted by Jack Walker, father of child evangelist "Little David" Walker), the teaching of fasting as a means of bringing about revival and the "restoration" of the Church spread throughout the Pentecostal world.Other ministers who helped establish the fasting and prayer center were: Dr. Waltrip (Kathryn Kuhlman's husband); Stanley Comstock; Earl Ivy; Tommy Baird; Myrtle Page; and Franklin Hall's brothers, Delbert, Harold, and Virgil. (Delbert Hall and his wife, Florence, were pastors.)Spreading The WordHall and his wife, Helen, sold off some assets and borrowed against their home to finance the printing of "millions of pieces of literature" to send to people all over the world. The Hall's claim this mail campaign resulted in the great healing revivals of the late forties and early fifties.

It was during this time (1946) that Franklin Hall wrote his book, 'Atomic Power With God Through Fasting and Prayer,' which was to have a significant impact upon the world of Pentecostalism.

Many people, little known at that time, were greatly influenced by Hall's literature. Gordon Lindsay's publication, 'Voice of Healing,' helped spread the fasting message, as well as did Thomas and Evelyn Wyatt's worldwide radio broadcasts.

Hall's newsletter records how others received his message:"Rev. Walter Frederick, former Assembly superintendent in Canada, sent Brother Hall's literature to every Pentecostal preacher in Canada....A few of the others (not too well-known then) ministers [sic] who had major fasting experiences by our writings in the 1946, 1947 to 1950 fasting era and who also became famous are:

• Wm. Freeman
• Gordon Lindsay
• A.A. Allen
• O.L. Jaggers
• Gayle Jackson
• Oral Roberts
• David Nunn
• Wm. Branham
• W.V. Grant
• Wm. Hagen
• Dale Hanson
• Tommy Hicks.

Hall's writings on fasting and diet as a means to spiritual restoration might easily be seen as the primitive beginnings of today's "Christian holism."

Occult Influences

That there is a definite occult influence on Hall's career is evident in other writings. His book, 'The Return of Immortality', suggests that Christians can learn how to become immortal through stages of spiritual growth. This involves experiences with "UFO's, and the UIO gravitational and levitation control."

His teachings on attaining immortality in this life through psycho-spiritual exercises and righteous living were the foundation upon which many in the Latter Rain and subsequent movements based their immortalization theories.

Hall's main point in his immortalization theory is that "the sleeping, so called, unfoundationally built church"must awaken to "a real cause and calling, that when God's word is completely acted upon and complied with, will result in bringing about the real gushers and torrents of the long, past due, RAIN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, a rain of IMMORTALITY UPON THE EARTH that so many prophets have written about and portrayed in their prophesies". (emphasis Hall's).

Hall's premise is not, however, predicated upon God's promise of immortality for the faithful after their resurrection.

This is evidenced by his following words: "Permanent, lasting freedoms from all sickness, harmful accident things and defeat will come about. Freedom from the imprisonment of all gravitational forces will also be brought upon the whole man. This study teaches one the power and secrets of space flight. Space floatation [sic] and hovering ability. It gives the Bible formula for weightlessness, the 'raising up' power of those who come to immortality." (Jn.6 chapter and Rom.2:7)."(11)

In his book, Hall gives "evidence" of his already having attained a degree of "immortality" (which allegedly affects everything that comes in contact with the immortal person's body): "Brother Hall's light colored jacket is seven years old and has never been pressed or cleaned or aireated in 7 years, since new, yet it has been worn repeatedly in many overseas countries and regularly in all crusades everywhere (excepting one). It has been on more than 200 airlines in travels. It has no spots, stains, discoloration or body odors anywhere on it or inside it - similar to the children of Israel's clothes under the Glory, Immortality Cloud of Fire Power." (12)

The attainment of "Immortality blessings" are alleged by Hall to be more successfully attained through open-eye prayer. "Coming with closed eyes," he stated, "destroys faith." (13)

Hall claims that there is an "Immortal Substance" that comes upon the believer who feeds upon it "from within Christ's now body" - the "FIRE - IMMORTAL - PACKED - BODY"(Emphasis Hall's).

This "Immortal Substance" is claimed to be seen on those who attend Hall's meetings, as a fine gold and silver, sparkling material that emanates from sometimes visible "Immortal Heavenly Objects" (IHO's), "Unusual Heavenly Objects" (UHO's), and "Unidentified Flying Objects" (UFO's).

In Hall's words, "The sparkling shining FINE GOLD and SILVER are seen upon their SKIN, brought about through the faith-power of impartation. The polished brass, the beryl stone appearances are even now manifested today."

He challenges the reader to see and behold these phenomena by attending "the International Holy Ghost and Fire Seminars of Brother and Sister Franklin Hall."

This sparkling material Hall calls, "The shiny metal like, Jesus' substance." While Hall has many excellent things to say about fasting from the standpoint of good health, when it comes to spiritual matters he often transcends sensibility and delves into areas of the occult.

Hall's writings are replete with strange, even weird statements difficult to decipher. The following, though a bit lengthy and poorly written, are examples:

'So much has been said about the travels of the astronauts, about conquering space and even going to Venus or Mars, about the power behind the saucers. The overcoming saints, however, are hundreds of years ahead of our scientists. These heaven projected saints will be so clothed and covered with the Immortality, supernatural, ZOOMING sparkling Substance, that it will be no more trouble at all for them to take off.
"Where will they go?
"They will fly right into the Glory Cloud residence of our Lord and Savior, Heaven in Him. Into His Cloud Fire Body. (Rev.12:5)
"What distance will they go?
"The distance, at first, may not be very far away, however, as the 8th church from out of the 7 churches of revelation, called the 'overcomers,' become more and more adjusted and acclimated to Holy Ghost Space flight, great distances taken, will seem like no distance at all.'

"Jesus taught a small, but precious group of His followers - those who were able to bear it, that gravity would be completely loosed from them, in the last days, when they learned how to train their appetites into a different channel. We must learn to labor for the meal that endures unto everlasting (IMMORTAL) life. The meat that draws us away from gravity holding things. Jn.6:27. "

"The 'not-perisheth' menu is the menu of Immortality, weight releasing power. The 'endureth unto everlasting life' menu."

"...The quickening power of the Holy Spirit brings about Immortality REVERSE ENERGY EMPOWERMENT."

"Gravity-freed, great people will run up walls, not break rank, and if they fall on a sword, the Immortality power from Jesus' body, on them, will protect them. It appears that, they also can walk or run upside down. See Joel 2:3-11."(emphasis Hall's in all quotes).

Many prominent teachers credit the empowerment for their ministries (especially healing ministries) on his book on fasting and prayer. It's clear that Hall's teachings are a blend of occultism with Christianity. And since his teachings formed the basis of those that came after, and since the influence of those teachings upon neo-Pentecostalism is so great, close scrutiny of every ministry they touched is necessary.

(End of excerpt from Al Dager's major work on Latter Rain and Kingdom Theology.)

You'd think that nobody in their right minds would accept the sort of occultic nonsense that Hall churned out. Quite the contrary! Not only did hundreds of leaders in the churches adopt Hall's fasting regime and search for the Glory at the time his book came out, but they have continued to hero-worship the man ever since. These teachings are now part of the revival along with other sonship/latter-rain and manifested-sons teachings that ought to have been thrown in the bin on first reading.

As you see from the current outbreak of gold miracles, if you demand unbiblical signs and manifestations, they will be provided for you - but not from the Lord! Satan is now being permitted to produce JUST the very manifestations that Hall and his followers expected, and as a result, they are also seeking after the Glory and even in many cases the immortalisation.

But Franklin Hall is by no means the ONLY teacher in this field. Many others are being held up as the Fathers of the Latter-Day outpouring.

The Coming of the Glory

Suddenly, revival networks are all abuzz on the subject of "the glory". Over the years, revival churches have had many temporary visitations of the glory cloud, but a permanent covering and indwelling of this glory (the Shekinah, the very Presence of God) has always been expected. Now they believe this event is very near.

A taped message by Tommy Tenney called "The Glory of God" spoke of his longing for a PERMANENT habitation for God ON EARTH. (Tenney is the author of "The God Chasers" and see below for his name listed as a speaker along with many other influential leaders including C. Peter Wagner).

"I thank God for what He has done. I bless Pensacola. I bless Toronto. I thank God for all of these moves of God, but I am going to tell you something, we have not yet seen what happens when the glory of God falls in a city. ....What we have got to have in the church today, we must have the manifest presence of God on display for the world. We have all been in services where we have had visitations of God. I have had enough visitations. Something has to change so that we can have habitations. We must shift from momentary visitations to places of habitation where there is an indwelling glory of God in our midst and on our people.
I wonder how many times we have had a visitation of God in our services as He stood at the backdoor in His coat and tie, and we said "the glory of God is here." But too soon it escaped us, because we didn't know what He was looking for. We begged Him, "why don't you stay"? Why can't we keep these minutes? I'll tell you, it is very simple, we have not yet built the mercy seat that will hold the glory of God. There is no where for Him to sit. ...
I want to prophesy something, the church that gains the ability to build a mercy seat, when He comes, He will stay. ... If we build a mercy seat, the bible says that He is enthroned in our worship, and in our praise. What happens is that God literally moves His throne from heaven. When this happens the church is building a chair, a seat, a place for God to come. We can stand and beg for Him to come all that we want, but until there is a place for Him to come to, He will visit, but He can't stay.
They will tell you in Toronto and Pensacola, that is not revival yet, we have yet to see it. But some church somewhere, if the glory of God is going to cover the earth like the waters cover the sea. It has got to start somewhere, someplace, some group somewhere is going to build a seat for the glory of God, and the water that flows from that place will eventually cover the earth. The fountains of the deep are going to be open, and the glory of God will cover the earth. ... "

The sprinklings of gold are but a precursor to the main event, which will be the return of God to the earth, not as Jesus Christ, but as the Spirit IN and UPON the Body, bringing it to completion and fulness, having the Spirit "without measure" and becoming the very Christ Himself upon earth - the Corporate Christ.

One Toronto follower saw in a vision the gold dust being created and blown through Heaven's door by the stamping hooves of the WHITE HORSE with its rider waiting impatiently to come. The door at present was open only a crack, but they are working passionately on "opening the gates" to let the "King of glory" through. What will happen then to all those who do not subscribe to such beliefs?

When "the glory" comes in fulness, it is believed that ONLY the "anointed ones", the so-called Overcomers or Remnant or Manchild of the Woman will be transformed and sealed for service. These prepared ones will be "perfected in holiness" and will be protected and immune from all that follows. (Some even teach they will be immortal, as we have seen from Hall's teachings). They are the "144,000 sealed Remnant" according to this teaching.

While the Remnant are thus sealed by the angels from all harm, the cleansing on earth will begin. Just as in Egypt, the Israelites were protected and "passed over" while the destroying angel went through the land. And in Ezekiel the angel is commanded to slaughter all the unrighteous and "begin at my Temple" while the righteous are sealed for protection.

Everyone else, including the major part of the world church, will come under intense persecution and tribulation, because there must be complete obedience to God before the Lord can return physically and in Person.

Unfortunately, these events can lead to nothing but PERSECUTION AND TRIBULATION for all normal, ordinary Bible-believing Christians. As Al Dager comments below, it is those who refuse to submit to the authority of the new Apostles and Prophets who are in line for judgement. On the other hand, those who have chosen to throw in their lot with the Manchild will be exempted. They will be distinguished from "the rebellious" by the sealing upon their foreheads.

Obviously, then, only the SEALED will escape the Tribulation. The distinguishing mark of the protected few will be the mark of God (his name) upon their foreheads. Everyone else will be fit for the fires of judgement. There will be intense pressure to receive this sealing and thus be protected from harm!

Let Al Dager (writing in Kingdom Theology, Part One on this site) link together the spiritual coming (the glory), and the sealing or mark upon the foreheads of believers:

"Essentially then, Kingdom Theology sees the Second Coming of Jesus in two stages:

• first through the flesh of the believers (and in particular the flesh of today's apostles and prophets), and then
• in person to take over the Kingdom handed to Him by those who have been victorious (the "overcomers").

In some circles it is believed that the overcomers will have become immortal - they will have attained what is called "resurrection life."
Whether immortal or not, it is generally agreed in Kingdom Theology that the overcomers must purge the earth of all evil influences. "Evildoers" must be converted or they will be punished and/or "destroyed from off the face of the earth."
"Evildoers" have been variously described as drug pushers, murderers, child molesters, thieves, prostitutes, and other such "scum" that Jesus died for. It will interest the reader to learn, however, that for many who teach Kingdom Theology, the term "evildoer" applies to anyone who refuses to submit to God's authority (the latter day apostles and prophets).
Those who do submit will be sealed with the "mark of God" in their foreheads, and will escape the coming judgment."

Now, I don't know exactly why Al Dager made this comment, but one thing I do know - he will have made it in the full knowledge, after long research and the reading of many books, that the leaders actually DO teach this! Al Dager is no sloppy researcher and we can take his word for it, the mark will be urged upon all those who want to avoid the coming judgement.

JAMES McKEEVER (Editor and publisher of 'Endtimes News Digest,' author, lecturer, and financial consultant) also speaks of this sealing as immunity from harm. In an article entitled, "When Is The Rapture?" McKeever states that the Great Tribulation will be a time when God's people will supernaturally destroy their enemies:

"When the children of Israel went into the promised land, God could have caused all the evil inhabitants of the land to disappear. However, that is not God's pattern. He uses His people as an army when He wants to get rid of evil people....
"People ask me if I am afraid to go through the tribulation or if thinking about it makes me gloomy or sad. The exact opposite is true. I am excited about going through the tribulation, as a bondslave of God. I am excited about getting His seal on my forehead and being protected against Satan, because we know that the victory is ours in Jesus Christ."(James McKeever, "When Is The Rapture?", 'End-Times News Digest,' Special Introductory Issue (Medford, OR: Omega Ministries, 1985, p.8.

The Corporate Christ or Many-Membered Body of Christ will escape the coming judgement and Tribulation they believe. Everyone else is judged but they are spared!

Certainly there will be judgment on the earth. For during this glorious Day of the Lord, Satan and all his hordes will be raging, having been cast out of the heavens and knowing that his time is short. All who are not sealed by God in their foreheads (Revelation 7:3, 14:1) will suffer the wrath of that awful day. But we are not appointed unto wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9), but to obtain full deliverance and salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. And though Satan rages for awhile, he is defeated. And though the nations drink of the cup of the wrath of God, as they certainly deserve, yet in His mercy He shall send them deliverance in the person of His Son, His many-membered Son! --- He is imparting special abilities unto those who are His own, and to ye who will believe it, He gives the fulness of His throne. A new name has He written in thy forehead, and hidden manna for thee to eat; have no fear of the adversary, for God's army suffers no defeat. " (Bill Britton "Light From The Shadows".)

THE PROPHET'S TIMETABLE

Rivermail Archives: January 1999 [NEW-WINE]
Prophetic Intimations for 1999
From: Mike McClung

Dear Family in Christ, The following are some of the things I believe the Lord has been indicating to me that will transpire in this coming year: The sealing of God's remnant will begin this year (Ezek. 9, Rev. 7). Bob Jones and others have commented on this more in depth and in greater scope.

---

BOB JONES: SHEPHERD'S ROD FOR 1999 - THE BRANDING IRON
The Lord then displayed a "Branding Iron" coming from heaven. The branding iron is for the purpose of placing the seal of God upon those who have allowed the purging and consecrating work of the Holy Spirit and lamented over the sins of the church and this nation. This Divine Mark is for the purpose of bearing a clear distinction between those who are wholly His and those who are not.
"You shall also make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, 'Holy to the LORD.' (Exodus 28:36)
And the LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, {even} through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst." (Ezekiel 9:4)
Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard {it,} and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name. "And they will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I prepare {My} own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."
So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. (Malachi 3:16-18)
The Lord has a Book of Rembrance and in it the names are being inscribed of those who have listened obediently to the Voice of the Spirit in the Fear of the LORD and esteemed His name as Holy. Their names are being recorded in this book to clearly distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, clearly displaying those who serve the Lord and those who do not serve Him. [thus, if you don't have this branding, you are not in the Book of Life!!]
The Lord sees the sincerity of a heart and will distinguish between these by placing His seal of "HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD" upon those who have served Him in righteousness and obedience. An angelic host will be sent through the earth marking on the foreheads the seal of God for those who have groaned and sighed over the abominations being committed in the earth.

The Corporate Christ has been "hidden in the womb of the Woman, the Church" for centuries, and remained only a topic of conjecture and speculation in sonship books until the latter part of this century. However, since 1994 this "manchild" has been "birthed" progressively by the intercessors in revival churches, complete with labour pains and pushing. The Remnant are already in process of being anointed by the Toronto outpourings; the glory is already on the way, and shortly the Remnant company will receive the "fulness" of the Spirit as the Glory descends permanently from heaven.

This puts us close to the sealing of the Remnant. Personally, I believe the Lord is saying that the "sealing" (whatever this turns out to be) is nearly here; although one thing's for sure - the prophets of this revival have no idea when or how! They are stabbing in the dark.

"The Remnant Seed", a prophecy by Bob Jones at Hamilton, Ontario, March 1998:
" .And now my government is in place, and in a time of great stress I shall bring forth my next step, for Toronto was a step, Brownsville was another step; My next step will be my glory, and signs like you have never seen before...".

One e-mail to a prophetic site repeated a view that is becoming more popular, that the number NINE is significant and therefore the coming date of 9/9/99 will bring the birth of the Corporate Christ:

"I believe that we have been having birth pains since 1987 and then we moved into labor pains in 1997 and we will begin to see the unveiling of Christ as the Head of the Corporate Child begins to to be seen on 9-9-1999. Those nines will roll over staring a New Day and a New Year on 9-11-1999 which is the Jewish New Year and the Feast of Rosh haShanah."

Those who see these things allegorically say that nine is the "number of the Holy Spirit" since there are nine spiritual gifts (Bill Hamon), and that nine is the gestation of a child, thus nine months from January to September this year brings forth the Holy Child, the Christ on earth through the womb of "Mary" the Church (Bob Jones):

BILL HAMON: The Word of the Lord for 1999 (Excerpt from the message delivered by Dr. Bill Hamon on December 31, 1998 - "The Church Aligned in 1999 To Arise and Shine In God's Appointed Time" )
We have never had one-nine-nine-nine before. Nine is the number of the Holy Spirit. One is unity. With one, unity/God and triple Holy Spirit or Godhead, there must be something good in this year! But everything that's good for God's people becomes judgment to the wicked.

Now that we are well into the year 2000 and the nine months turned out to be another fraud perpetrated on the Body of Christ, the nine months gestation has been shifted to July 2001, according to this new "prophecy" by Chuck Pierce given October 19, 2000, at the 14th annual International Gathering of Apostles and Prophets at Christian International Ministries Network. (Founder, Bill Hamon):

"NINE MONTHS OF TESTING ON MY PROPHETS" -- A Word through Chuck Pierce, Global Harvest Ministries (www.glory-of-zion.org)
"The Lord would say to us. This is a time, nine months of testing will now be upon My prophets saith the Lord. And, I say do not despise this testing. For this testing will produce an enlargement. And, I say to you this 9 months of testing will not only create enlargement. But, it will bring to birth that which I want to present to this world for the future. So, I say the 9 months of testing is now beginning. But, birth will come. And, as birth comes mid July to the end of July,
I say you will begin to be sent forth as the reformers of lands saith the Lord. I say to you the water level is now rising. I say get ready for you are about to be thrust in over your head. --- I say also I am beginning to create a synergistic wave that is about to hit you, knock you upward and lift you up and, bring you into new places saith the Lord. --- And, I would say to you this is the day of restoring My tabernacle. But, not only will it come through praise, worship and prayer; but, I say now the prophets will wear a new warfare mantle. And, as they war, restoration will overtake the earth saith the Lord."

Notice that restortation is now increasingly linked to WARFARE. As a matter of fact, if you do study the scriptural use of the number nine, you'll find it refers to JUDGEMENT, not the Holy Spirit! Let me place here a paragraph from Bullinger's book "Number In Scripture" which ought to worry us in the light of the above -

The number nine is a most remarkable number in many respects. It is held in great reverence by all who study the occult science; and in mathematical science it possesses properties and powers which are found in no other number. It is the LAST of the digits and thus marks THE END; and is significant of the CONCLUSION of a matter.
It is AKIN TO THE NUMBER SIX, six being the sum of its factors (3x3 = 9 and 3+3 = 6)and is thus significant of the END OF MAN (six) and the summation of all man's works. Nine is therefore THE [BIBLICAL] NUMBER OF FINALITY OR JUDGEMENT.

I now turn to a timetable of events as previously envisioned by Chuck Pierce. (He appears to have moved the goalposts since then!)

CHUCK PIERCE (now known as "Apostle" Chuck Pierce) has been appointed Peter Wagner's Director of the World Prayer Center in Colorado Springs which is "a nerve center that coordinates, develops and establishes a network for the worldwide prayer". He also serves as Prayer Leader of the Spiritual Warfare Network Intercessors and Vice President of Global Harvest Ministries. (C. PETER WAGNER is International coordinator for the United Prayer Track and the Spiritual Warfare Network of the AD 2000 and Beyond movement, and founding president of Global Harvest Ministries. In addition, he serves as Professor of Church Growth at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.)

Chuck Pierce travels widely, teaching on intercession and spiritual warfare, and works closely with a number of other influential figures in the Revival. He advertises conferences with Robert Stearns, Mike Bickle, Reuven Doron, Che Ahn, Frank Hammond, Cindy Jacobs, Bill Hamon, John Eckhardt, Bobbie Byerly, Dutch Sheets, Jack Hayford, Jim Goll, Frank Damazio, Ed Silvoso, Carlos Annacondia, Claudio Freidzon, Roger Mitchell, Ted Haggard, and Tommy Tenney.

I will be mentioning some of these "names" in the Revival movement in connection with the sonship doctrines. As you will discover, the networking amongst all these people means that the doctrines are planted and taught throughout the Church, not confined to a small sonship niche.

On the subject of networking, Chuck Pierce states his intention to relate to a number of Latter Rain teachers: "One of the prophecies from last year said that there will be much bridge building going on in the prophetic and apostolic among many groups. Already in 1999 I'm going to be a part of several group meetings where the prophets are coming together. In late January, Paul Cain, Cindy Jacobs, Peter Wagner, Jim Garland, Rick Joyner, myself, and many others are going to be joining together."

Pierce states that "Spiritual Timing is the key this year. This is what I see the Lord doing by Quarters, this year".

• First Quarter (Jan-March) PREPARATION - means to erect the frame, set in order and be ordained to perfection and completion.
• Second Quarter (April-June) EMPOWERING & RELEASE - a new immersion of God's love within his people; this will produce a new manifestation of the Spirit of God within us and will equip us for harvest.
• Third Quarter (July-Sept) WARFARE - We will be warring from a new level of anointing. This will create the openings in the heavenlies that will release God's blessings. Revelation 12 will become key for us at that critical crossroads in the history of the Church [NB: Revelation chapter 12 is the woman giving birth to the Manchild and the War in Heaven, etc]- the Breaker Anointing will be upon us. Churches all over America should have their prayer strategy and prayer room positioned and operating. He will give them a new mantle with new authority for their region.
• Fourth Quarter (Oct-Dec) HARVEST - Prepare your storehouse and make ready, the harvest is ripening.

Here are a number of mentions of the sealing, showing that the doctrine is already taking hold. Perhaps you know of other books or websites that mention the coming mark?

At Bobby Conner's Prophetic website- a site that links to Bob Jones, on their "Shepherd's Rod" page: "Pressure on the Forehead" - The next event that happened to me was that I suddenly had pressure on my forehead. It was as if a very hot hand was being pressed against my forehead directly above my eyes. I feel this is a sign of the Lord's marking or branding upon the foreheads of his servants.

New Wine Archives, November 10, 1998
Subject: Vision of Kneeling Saints & House of Refuge
Dear saints of the Most High God,
---I saw a woman in labor pain, and many of these people have been faithfully crying out to God. ---The light [in the vision shining upon them like a searchlight beam] represents the angels that God has sent out to His people and in the days ahead. God will seal not only individual people but there are instances when whole families are being called and sealed by the Lord for His special work.The house of refuge [in the vision] represent saints whose whole family has been sealed by the Lord's angels for works of great importance. As in the days of Joseph, so you will shine and your whole family will be sealed and will be set apart. And people around you will see, and people surrounding you will be amazed and they will know that my favor is upon you.

John G Lake (an old-timer much revered by the Word of Faith fraternity and hailed as an Apostle who manifested the fulness of God within). He experienced the sealing of his forehead as follows:

"Then I became conscious of a change coming over me, instead of the rain, currents of power were running through me from my head to my feet, seemingly into the floor. These shocks of power came intermittently, possibly ten seconds apart. They increased in voltage until, after a few minutes, my frame shook and vibrated under these mighty shocks of power. Then as I shook and trembled, the shocks of power followed each other with more apparent rapidity and intensity. My forehead became sealed. My brain in the front portion of my head became inactive, and I realized the spirit speaking of His seal in their foreheads.I could have fallen on the floor except for the depth of the chair in which I sat. Again a change. The shocks of power lessened in intensity and now have taken hold of my lower jaw. It moved up and down and sidewise in a manner new to me. My tongue and throat began to move in a manner I could not control. Presently, I realized I was speaking in another tongue, a language I had never learned. 0, the sense of power. The mighty moving of the Spirit in me. The consciousness it was God who had come. (John G. Lake: The Complete Collection Of His Life Teachings, Compiled by Roberts Liardon - Page 79)

This portion illustrates both the nature and result of the "sealing". It is said by some to be the "receiving of the mind of Christ".

GOD appointed who would meet with Him in the Feasts. All the males of Israel were to keep the Feasts and appear before Him in the place where He put His name; so the Feasts are especially for sons....In Old Testament economy that was first in the tabernacle in the wilderness and later in the temple at Jerusalem. In New Testament fulfillment it is first of all in Jesus Christ and then in His many-membered body. The name of the Lord, which means the nature of the Lord, was recorded in the life of Jesus Christ and now is being sealed in the foreheads of His firstfruits company who are putting on the precious mind of the Christ. (Preston Eby "Looking For His Appearing")

There is much I could say about that, but I will restrain myself for now in order to press on with the main message. However, notice that John Lake's mind became passive and paralysed. Receiving the mind of Christ is often associated with a spiritual awakening with direct communication between the spiritual realm and the earthly realm. Clearly this parallels the New-Age "opening of the third eye" which resides in the middle of the forehead. One New Age mention of the sealing is by Barbara Marx Hubbard:

Remember that "israel" means those people who choose to believe in one God with all their heart, mind and spirit. It is not as biological Jews, nor as biological Christians, that you will be selected. The selection is based on your inner awareness that God is one, that you are the heir of God, and that you desire to follow the intention of the Creator with all your might.
These believers are the ones who are most sensitive to God's Design. Each shall be "sealed" with the seal of the living God. This means that they shall be marked, visibly identified, first to themselves, then to others. This means that their inner eye in the forehead will be fully opened by this touch, henceforth separating them from all who are still asleep in the womb of selfcenteredness. It is those of you who are now hearing an inner voicetelling you to put this purpose first, to put the love of the Kingdom first, to put the love of evolution first; You are now being visibly touched by the animating hand of God You are, even now, visibly different from those who live in the darkness of self-centered consciousness. ("The Revelation" Page 139)

Apart from anything else, this sealing with the mind of Christ has the result of transforming the mind completely and utterly, changing it to a "new paradigm" and altering the thinking to such an extent that the old ways are completely overthrown. It also opens up the natural mind to hear and see in the spiritual realm. (This is all part and parcel of the "overshadowing", too, of which I will speak later.)

WHAT FORM WILL THE MARK TAKE?

Before I get too far into this section, I must ask the question, will this sealing be a VISIBLE mark or just a spiritual experience?

I think at this stage I have to say, I don't really know, yet somehow I believe there could be a visible element to the sealing. Why? Because the Church has recently been prepared for this event by VISIBLE signs in the form of gold teeth and gold dust appearing on their hands and foreheads.

God has once again been gracious and loving to anyone remaining in the churches who has doubts about what is coming. God has given a forewarning of events to come. Those who could not square the gold miracles with scripture and/or who discerned their origin from deceiving spirits, took a step back and mentally put it on the back burner. It was their "wake-up call" from God to examine the way things are headed!

The gold has provided yet another dividing line in the Church. Those who accepted it without thought, or study, or prayer, without seeking God as to the meaning or origin, showed themselves ideally suited to accept any other manifestation that comes along. Others were in doubt and sought the Lord for answers. Even though they may have unwillingly half-accepted the manifestations, there were alarm bells ringing in their spirits. These are the ones who will draw the line at a sealing on the forehead, and part company with the apostates as they rush headlong toward their appointed end.

So, the gold dust and teeth have been a preparation, both for the doubters (in rejecting it) and for the unheeding (in showing themselves to be open to error). The fact of a permanent physical sign in the form of gold leads me to believe that there could be a visible element to the spiritual sealing of the anointed manchild company. (However, even without this, the danger of deception is very real and the warning is equally valid with or without a physical mark.)

There has also been a preparation for a physical anointing on the forehead, as this e-mail shows:

GLOBAL PRAYER INITIATIVE - Sign Of The Cross Used -"It has come to my attention that the people in our area that are praying, like Meyer, are connected to the Kansas City Prophets and Rick Joyner. They are making the sign of the cross and anointing with oil whenever they can."

Now the relevance of this comment will be seen with the following statement by a Catholic priest teaching on the mark of the cross in Baptism. Roman Catholics are already fully prepared for the idea of a sealing:

Baptism: We Are Marked by God.
Receive the sign of the holy cross both upon your forehead and upon your heart to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified. In Ezekiel 9, the Lord calls for the seven men who have charge over the city. Six come with battle-axes. He sends them out to kill. "[Don't show] pity or compassion. Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but"--what a blessed word!--"do not touch anyone who has the mark" (Eze. 9:5,6). Before the warriors brought vengeance, God commanded the seventh man,who did not have a weapon but a writing kit, to go out among the people. Whoever repented and wept over the sin of God's people, he was to be marked on the forehead. The mark consisted of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which originally looked like an X. Those with the mark lived. It's still the same today. "Receive the sign of the holy cross," the pastor says, as God gives the mark of life in Holy Baptism--the mark that conquers death, sin, hell, and Satan.--- For there are only two kinds of people: Those marked by the cross and those who aren't--those who will live forever and those who won't. --- It is the seal that names him--and us--as God's children forever. (from http://www.lcms.org/wor/83bapt.html)

Here's another sign of the preparatory work the devil is doing in getting people to accept the idea of a physical mark. More and more Christian youngsters are getting tattoos on their bodies, despite the direct condemnation in scripture for this practice - "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD". Leviticus 19:28

Reporter Douglas Todd of The Vancouver Sun visited the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Langley, British Columbia, and found that tattoos are the newest "in thing" for Vineyard Christians. Amy Bonde, who is a staff member at the Vineyard in Langley, has a large Celtic cross tattooed on the small of her back. Encircling the cross are Hebrew letters that allegedly mean, "I am my beloved's, and he is mine." Bonde says the tattoo signifies that she looks upon Jesus Christ as her "lover." Another Vineyard member, Peter Davyduck, has a tattoo of the word "SIN" on his ankle. He says this is a message to "judgmental Christians that everyone is a sinner and should be accepted in spite of it."

Bob Jones in the quote above prophesies that there will be a BRANDING on Christians. Branding originally meant the searing of flesh with a hot iron to produce a scar with an easily recognizable pattern for identification or other purposes. Branding, formerly used on human beings (salves) is more commonly used for animals today. Branding today is often done with chemicals, tattooing, paint, tagging, or ear-notching. Its primary use is for the "proof of ownership"according to one Encyclopedia.

One youth's personal Web page proudly boasts of Christian tattoos and says " . . . The word I like to use is tau-too. Tau is a Hebrew letter that means cross or mark, so it is a cross mark for God."

This lad also promotes a book on Tau-tooing and the Bible, although TAU (as well as being a Hebrew letter of the alphabet) is today a widely-recognised occult symbol. It is the gibbet-cross, the basis of the Egyptian ANKH, and a Masonic symbol.

"Tau (Heb.) That which has now become the square Hebrew letter tau, but was ages before the invention of the Jewish alphabet, the Egyptian handled cross, the crux ansata of the Latins, and identical with the Egyptian ankh. This mark belonged exclusively, and still belongs, to the Adepts of every country. As Kenneth R.F. Mackenzie shows, "It was a symbol of salvation and consecration, and as such has been adopted as a Masonic symbol used by the ancient Mexicans -- as its presence on one of the palaces at Palenque shows -- as well as by the Hindus, who placed the tau on the brows of their Chelas. [H.P. Blavatsky, Theosophical Glossary]"

There is ample evidence, I believe, for the equal-armed cross to become the sacred mark received by initiates in this sealing "of God".

The cross is near enough to the true Christian symbol to deceive the unwary. Remembering that the mark of God upon the forehead is "His Name" and bearing in mind the teaching that "His Name is His Nature" then the nature of Jesus Christ and his special sign is shown forth in the death on the Cross, and adopting it would signify to a believer the SPIRITUAL DEATH of the believer and his/her oneness with Christ.

Of course, the Christian cross does not have equal arms. However, the Greek letter CHI is written as X. This has therefore become a recognised shorthand in Church circles for writing "Christ"! Recall that the word Xmas means CHRIST-mass. X therefore is the NAME of Christ - will this be what appears on the foreheads of the Remnant?

(I should point out that the mark of the beast also incorporates the Greek letter X, for the number 666 is written in Greek CHI+XI+STIGMA The letter X has the numerical value of 600)

Graphics by kind permission of http://www.theseason.org/mark.htm

The cross is a VERY ancient and meaningful symbol. It could hardly be a better choice for this deceptive mark, since it means all things to all men! To the Catholics it is the sign of baptism, denoting their allegiance to Christ. But to the occultist it means the meeting-place between heaven and earth where the spiritual meets the natural.

One book describes the cross this way -

The Cross: A universal symbol from the most remote times. It is the cosmic symbol par excellence. It is a world centre and therefore a point of communication between heaven and earth. It is a cosmic axis = the cosmic Tree, Tree of Life, mountain, pillar, or ladder of ascension into heaven. The vertical axis = celestial, spiritual, intellectual, positive and male; the horizontal axis = earthly, rational, passive, negative female. It is dualism in nature and the union of opposites, and represents spiritual union and the integration of man's soul into full life.

All this is perfect for describing the interaction between God and man supposedly taking place at the time of overshadowing and the reception of the sealing of God. It also perfectly symbolises the open communication between the spiritual and natural realms that will result in receiving the "mind of Christ".

THE LAST LETTER - TAU

We know that Jesus Christ said "I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last"He is the Beginning and the End. He is the one who fires the starting gun of our spiritual race, and the one who flags us at the finishing line, the Author and Finisher of our race.

So once again Jesus is symbolised as the One who appears at the END of time as the LAST LETTER of the alphabet.

In Hebrew that last letter is called Tau. In Hebrew today that letter looks square, but in ancient times it looked LIKE A TRANSVERSE CROSS (X). Not only that, but almost every ancient alphabet, including Greek, had a cross for the last letter of their alphabet.

Considering all this, I believe there is a good chance that any visible mark on the "sealed ones" would have to be the equal-armed cross, and probably that cross would be of GOLD.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

A good question that somebody is bound to ask is - would receiving this false seal actually be "taking the mark of the Beast"?

My own personal feeling is that a more literal and obvious mark will come into play once the Man of Sin appears and begins his rule. HOWEVER, this dry run in the churches can only be a preconditioning for the 666 mark and may even be a spiritual counterpart to it. Receiving this touch from an angel or a minister to receive a sealing of the mind or a mark of ownership is about as dangerous as it gets.

I have more to say about the sealing, but in the interests of speed and keeping this article small enough to load reasonably quickly, I am going to continue the discussion in the next portion. There I will look at:

• The spiritual implications of the sealing for believers
• The genuine seal of God
• The results for the worldwide Church and true Christians
• The methods the leadership will use to force believers to submit
• The Overshadowing of believers and what it will mean
• ---and much more ---

PRAY FOR ME AS I WRITE THIS!!!

Continue to PART TWO

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(c) Tricia Tillin 1999

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