Religious deception is always the most subtle and dangerous kind. When the church forsakes the old paths of righteousness and consecration, the next step is haughtiness and doctrinal confusion. It is impossible to rightly interpret Scripture; to rightly divide the great truths of the “meat of the Word” unless humility and a contrite spirit controls our life. There are no haughty and arrogant prophets in the kingdom of God. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:17).The entire Evangelical church world is being assaulted with the Kingdom Dominion Theology. It is like mortal combat between those who defend the Biblical doctrines of the End Times (The Rapture of Christ’s Bride, the Tribulation followed by the Millennium) and the “New Wave Theology.” A book entitled Joel’s Army describes this “New Wave Theology” as promoted by one New Wave organization. The author stated that this ministry was “holding conferences overseas and throughout the U.S.A. Churches and denominations are being proselytized and preyed on with a ‘gospel’ they claim is ordained to bring forth:
the greatest revival the Church has ever known;
the greatest baptism of the Spirit the Church has ever experienced;
the greatest Army (Joel’s Army) distinguished by invincibility, immortality and divinity;
the greatest purging (inquisition) in the history of the Church;
the greatest ministry – the Prize of all Ages; and
the greatest miracles, supernatural signs and wonders far exceeding that of the Apostles and Prophets of old.” (JOEL’S ARMY, pages 1&2).
Joel’s Army
Let us look at the description of this army from the key leaders promoting the idea. A staff minister with Vineyard Ministries said the following in a message entitled, “Joel’s Army.”
“….this army is totally unique. This army, there’s never been one like it and there never will be one like it in ages to come. …It’s so mighty that there’s never been anything like it before. Not even Moses, not even David, not even Paul. What’s going to happen now will transcend what Paul did, what David did. . .what Moses did, even though Moses parted the Red Sea. . .there’ll be a numerous company. . .Revelation hints at this when it talks about the 144,000 that follow the Lamb wherever He goes and no one, no one can harm that 144,000. See, that’s a multiple of 12. What’s 12? Twelve is the number of the Apostles, 12 is Apostolic government. And when you take an important number in the Bible and you multiply it, it means you intensify it. So 12,000 times 12,000 = 144,000 [Author’s Note: Wrong math]. That is the ultimate in Apostolic government. Revelation talks about that. Well, here Joel is talking about it now in different words, a powerful, a MIGHTY ARMY with many Pauls, many Moses’, many Davids.” (JOEL’S ARMY, VINEYARD MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL 1990.)
One outspoken leader now deceased called this army Gods’ Elijahs. “This end time army will be made of the Elijahs of the Lord God.” He even speaks of the temple being built and filled as a spiritual thing, totally ignoring the temple as a Jewish promise with absolutely no reference to the church of Jesus Christ. The same man said the following:
“This army will inspire fear and terror in the hearts of its adversaries. In Joel 2:4-6 it says this: ‘They have the appearance of horses, they gallop along like a flame of fire (???) with a noise like the chariots they leap over the mountain tops like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle. At the sight of them nations are in anguish, every face turns pale.’
“Bob Jones calls them, ‘THE DREAD CHAMPIONS.’ Those that will be raised up to champion the cause of God who will bring dread to the hearts of men.”
He described their activities as follows:
“They will move into things of the supernatural that no one has ever moved in before. Every miracle, sign and wonder that has ever been in the Bible – they’ll move in it consistently. They’ll move in the power that Christ did. Every sign and wonder that’s ever been will be many times in the last days. They themselves will be that generation that raised up to put death itself underneath their feet and to glorify Christ in every way. . .and the Church that is raising up in the government will be the head and the covering for them. So that that glorious church might be revealed in the last days because the Lord Jesus is worthy to be lifted up by a church that has reached the full maturity of the god-man!” (Visions & Revelations, Fall 1988.)
Mike Bickle also connected with Kansas City Prophets spoke of the anointed men who will represent this New Wave.
“There’s Apostles, there’s Imminent Apostles and there’s MOST IMMINENT APOSTLES. . . . There’s various levels of Apostles and the Lord was showing that. . . . out of This Movement there would be 35 apostles. . .that will be of the highest level of apostolic ministry. . .the whole government of this movement in its highest level in all places it goes. . . .the government rests on Apostles and Prophets……Though I believe there will be hundreds of apostles in this movement and every movement will have its apostles and prophets, I believe God, He’s merging Apostles in a number of movements now and He’s going to add prophets to the prophets that are already there and He’s going to bring us to higher statures.” (Visions & Revelations, Kansas City Fellowship.)
Standing Truth on it’s Head
It is clear that this entire idea is a complete reversal of Biblical truth. God’s Word is filled with warning of judgment to fill the earth and to purify this planet for the return of Christ’s Bride to the earth. The Church will return to reign with Him after having been raptured before the final judgment begins. This period when Joel’s Army shall be loosed upon the earth is both a judicial time of God’s judgment and the last fling of Satan’s schemes. The Bride of Jesus Christ will be around His throne in Heaven during this horrible hour. Joel’s Army are demon spirits turned loosed with their master, Satan, to express their final rage upon earth’s wicked inhabitants. It is amazing to learn that Satan’s army destroys the very people who have been following him in this End Time deception.
As you read the Prophet Joel’s Biblical description of this army, it becomes clear that these are not Holy Ghost filled saints, but evil entities from hell itself. Never in the Bible are horses used to describe Christian activity, but always instruments of judgment. To confuse Biblical interpretation in this fashion is inexcusable. John Wimber calls them “the eschatological army of the Lord which will be released just before the end of the age.” (JOEL’S ARMY, Wimber, England Conference 1990.)
Here is Joel’s description. “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” (Joel 2:1-11).
In the book of Revelation, John gives a picture of this same evil horde. “And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.” “And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.” “And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.” (Revelation 9:2-9,11,15-17).
To speak of this army as prophets and apostles bringing revival and taking charge of human governments for righteousness is certainly unfamiliar theology. It suggests something of complete difference for the church than portrayed in Holy Scripture.
Phineas Priesthood
Since Joel’s Army is supposed to be men and women taking possession of this earth for their King, a second class of warriors becomes necessary. These they call the “Phineas Priesthood.” Rick Joyner made mention of those with the “spirit of Phineas” in his book, The Harvest.
“The dismantling of organizations and disbanding of some works will be a positive and exhilarating experience for the Lord’s faithful servants…..a great company of prophets, teachers, pastors and apostles will be raised up with the spirit of Phineas…” (THE HARVEST, Rick Joyner).
A book written by Richard Kelly Hoskins entitled, “Vigilantes Of Christendom,” describes these warriors. He says of them, “As the Kamikaze is to the Japanese, As the Shiite is to Islam, As the Zionist is to the Jew, So the Phineas priest is to Christendom.” It is very clear that they are preparing to slaughter those who resist their authority. Jesus warned that, “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” (St. John 16:2). That sounds exactly like the great inquisitors of the dark ages.
Earlier we quoted from a book entitled Joel’s Army. The author, Jewel van der Merwe, describes these vigilantes as following:
“The DAY OF THE LORD as seen through the eyes of the NEW WAVE ‘prophets’ will be a time when JOEL’S ARMY led by the ‘prophets’ will pour out God’s wrath on the church. Then for the first time in two thousand years the ‘pure church’ will come forth. In other words, the ‘blood of Christ’ did not avail, nor will it in the LAST DAYS because JOEL’S ARMY and the ‘prophets’ will do what the blood could not, i.e., cleanse the Church. If indeed it takes JOEL’S ARMY to purify the church, then all the preaching of the Cross from the early Church to the present was in vain. And rather than the ‘cross’ being God’s final answer to ‘walking in newness of life’ . . ., we do well to look for another. The JOEL’S ARMY doctrine as it applies to the Church and world is not only in total conflict with the ‘Gospel of Christ’, but is a radical new rendition of the doctrine of redemption and purification. By all analysis, it is ‘another gospel’ and poses a real threat to unstable churches in that it is yet another great deception beguiling the Church.” (JOEL’S ARMY, page 9.)
Joel’s Army, a Doctrine from Manifest Sons of God
This entire New Wave Theology is nothing new at all but a revival of doctrines called “Manifest Sons of God” that arose in the 1940s. Paul Cain, who is presently a big name with Vineyard Ministries, Kansas City Prophets and many New Wave leaders, was part of that teaching, along with William Branham and others. We quoted Paul Cain speaking to this subject in the chapter on “Doctrinal Roots Of The New Wave.” Here are the words of another proponent, Bill Britton, who is well-respected in this company. He stated,
“Beloved, it is people in human, flesh bodies who shall conquer this world and defeat Satan . . . Jesus defeated Satan and overcame him for us and put all of hell’s forces to an open shame. And He did this in a flesh body. Since He is the Head of the Body, it is now in order for the Body to follow in the pattern which He has set for us. This Body of Christ, the Overcomer, shall come forth in mighty power to manifest the fulness of Christ in the earth. They are known as the Manifested Sons of God, and this place they occupy is the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (“Jesus the Pattern Son”, pp. 36-40.)
We are witnessing an hour when worldliness and compromise is king of Christendom and such heresy is flourishing.
A magazine entitled, “New Beginnings”, gives a clear picture as to the end of such Biblical tampering. Paul Mueller writes,
“Following His baptism by John, the heavens were opened to Yahshua (Jesus in Hebrew), and He saw the Spirit of Yahweh descending upon Him. The Father’s voice then proclaimed, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ As Yahshua was baptized and acknowledged as the Father’s Son, so shall we be also. A new baptism awaits all the sons of Yahweh in this hour. It will be the baptism of the fullness of the seven Spirits of Yahweh unto our transformation, thereby identifying and acknowledging us as mature and perfected sons of Yahweh.” (NEW BEGINNINGS, July 1991, page 3.)
Francis Frangipane (another voice in the “New Wave Theology”) says exactly the same thing in his book, The Three Battlegrounds. “The Lord is raising up His Army . . . There are a growing number of churches around the world who are being gathered together by the Lord for war.” (The Three Battlegrounds, page 128.) These men are teaching that Jesus became the incarnate Son when the Spirit descended upon Him. They then continue to show that in the same way we will become incarnate or “manifest sons of God.” This is the root of this doctrine and what is now called “New Wave Theology.” We are then to take over the world for Jesus. He describes the city church idea being promoted by these deceivers. “The devil knows that when we become one with Christ and, through Him, one with each other, it is only a matter of time before this Jesus-built church will destroy the empire of hell!” (The Three Battlegrounds, page 43.)
Paul Mueller, as we quoted one paragraph above, continued his description by stating,
“During this present time of transition, we are not merely moving to another higher realm of church order and administration, as we did in 1948-1953. Rather, we are seeing the end of the church order and the beginning of an entirely new order in Yahweh. That will be the greater order of the kingdom of Yahweh on earth. The in-part order of the past age is rapidly coming to an end. The new order of fullness, perfection and of the 100-fold ministry is now before us. Without question, the religious systems are dead, for the genuine anointing of the Spirit is no longer there. All who can discern these times and the workings of Yahweh will readily know that this is true.” (NEW BEGINNINGS, July 1991, page 3.)
It is clear that they believe Joel’s Army will be led by “manifest sons of God” leaders that have become glorified and indestructible.
Warning
Every theological direction these religionists are taking is rooted in esoteric revelations rather than the “tried and true” doctrines of the Bible. They are quick to say that this is a day of new revelations. The New Agers call it a “paradigm shift.” Tommy Reid, a noted New Wave leader, calls it “a new world view.” The Bible calls it “apostasy.”
A sovereign move of God’s Holy Spirit is the only answer to these wild speculations. There are a multitude of “angels of light” sent by Satan to deceive. If you are looking for something titilating, you will probably find the same. If you are looking for “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” He lives in the Holy Scripture and is waiting for you to open the door. He reveals Himself in your will and heart (spirit), not your emotions. Once your will is His, then all your person will be filled with His Holy Spirit. “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Romans 8:11).
One of the new MEGATRENDS is a great emphasis on the ability of those who have experienced this New Wave to impart it to others. They literally believe that the Holy Ghost can be dissected and passed out by simply speaking, the laying on of hands, or directing this power toward others. This kind of “impartation” or “apparition” has spread to many New Wave churches. It is important that we learn the truth about this phenomenon.