Deception in the Church : Strange Fire in the House of the Lord : Colorado Springs church plant
FIRST: Don’t forget to listen to the 7-part series on “Four Fires.” It’s a teaching I gave in Detroit on how to proceed toward city-wide revival. Revival won’t break out today, and it won’t break out this week. It probably won’t break out this month, and doubtfully this year. But, we can start the process. Listen at www.praytherevolution.com/media.
SECOND: Visit www.20elements.com and shoot me an email regarding a possible prayer/revival/prophecy driven church plant in the Colorado Springs area this summer. We’re launching a revival ministry in Detroit and Colorado at the same time and want to hear from you about the stirrings on your heart. Email me at john@praytherevolution.com.
Deception in the Church : Strange Fire in the House of the Lord : Colorado Springs church plant
I received an excellent article from Lee Grady today, and felt compelled to pass it on.
Be sure to listen to my short podcast on this issue. You know I often deal with the knee-jerk reactions of the heresy hunters regarding manifestations, moves of God, revival atmospheres, etc. The suspicious spirit that tends to drive people like this is usually birthed out of fear. I’ve heard people say that they are afraid of falling into deception, or afraid of subscribing to something unscriptural. We don’t have to be afraid! We haven’t been given a spirit of fear! Is it possible that those who are driven by fear of deception might be affected by demons themselves? The Bible tells us that instead of fear we are to have: Power, love and a sound mind. We are exhorted to stir it up! Stir the gifts and don’t be afraid! It’s interesting how these thoughts are connected!
2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NKJV) 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
We are not to be fearful! Wise, yes. Discerning, yes. But it’s not a complex, mystical, nebulous issue. We can simply know that we are on track if we are full of the life of Jesus and the Word of God. Lee Grady does this topic justice in his article.
For example, let’s say there’s a strong move of God and we suddenly find ourselves in love with him and free from depression. We fall to our kne
es and cry “holy.” Our life is dramatically changed as the peace of God floods us. In that moment, as we are undone, and others are trembling around us, we wouldn’t be saying something like,
“Jesus! You are so beautiful! I love you so deeply! The depression and heaviness that I have had for years is gone! Praise God! Wow! I mean, I think you are God… I guess you could also be Lucifer… but, man, I hope you are God! I think the Holy Spirit is moving on me, but I guess it could also be the prince of darkness. Man… oh, please, let it be Jesus! I love you Jesus… I think that’s who you are, anyway.”
Ridiculous! Isn’t it? We won’t ask for a fish and receive a serpent. Must we address issues of deception and discernment? Yes. We must take these issues into account. And, doing so is quite easy. Let me know what you think. Here’s the podcast, and then Lee Grady’s excellent article:
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We need to be careful. Current fads involving angels, ecstatic worship and necromancy could push us off the edge of spiritual sanity.
No one fully understands what Nadab and Abihu did to prompt God to strike them dead in the sanctuary of Israel. The Bible says they loaded their firepans with incense, ignited the substance and “offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them” (Lev. 10:1, NASB). As a result of their careless and irreverent behavior, fire came from God’s presence and consumed them.
Zap. In an instant they were ashes.
When Moses had to explain to Aaron what happened to the two men, he said: “It is what the Lord spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near to Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored’” (v. 3). Although we don’t know the details of what Nadab and his brother did with the holy incense, we know they were careless and irreverent about the things of God.
This ancient story has relevant application for us today. We don’t use incense or firepans in our worship, but we are expected to handle God’s Word with care and minister to His people in the fear of the Lord. In other words: No funny business allowed. We aren’t allowed to mix God’s Word with foreign concepts or mix our worship with pagan practices.
| Lee Grady urges readers of ‘Fire in My Bones’ to sign up for all of Charisma’s e-newsletters, including our new ‘The Buzz from Charisma.’ You can get these newsletters delivered directly to your inbox, absolutely free. Click here to subscribe. |
Yet as I minister in various churches around this country I am finding that strange fire is spreading in our midst—even in churches that call themselves “Spirit-filled.” Pastors and leaders need to be aware of these trends:
1. Deadly visitations. In some charismatic circles today, people are claiming to have spiritual experiences that involve communication with the dead. One Michigan pastor told me last week that some church leaders he knows promote this bizarre practice and base it on Jesus’ experience on the Mount of Transfiguration. The logic is that since Jesus talked to Moses and Elijah on the day He was glorified, this gives us permission to talk to dead Christians and our dead relatives.
Although little is said about these experiences from the pulpit (since the average believer is not ready to handle this “new revelation”), people in some streams of the prophetic movement are claiming to have visitations from Aimee Semple McPherson, William Branham, John Wimber or various Bible characters. And we are expected to say, “Ooooooo, that’s so deep”—and then go looking for our own mystical, beyond-the-grave epiphany.
That is creepy. Communication with the dead was strictly forbidden in the Old Testament (see Deut. 18:11), and there is nothing in the New that indicates the rules were changed. Those who seek counsel from the dead—whether through mediums and séances or in “prophetic visions”—are taking a dangerous step toward demonization.
2. Ecstatic rapture. Not long after ecstasy became known as a recreational drug, someone in our movement got the bright idea to promote spiritual ecstasy as a form of legitimate worship. The concept evolved from “spiritual drunkenness” to the current fad in which people gather at church altars and pretend to shoot needles in their arms for a “spiritual high.” Some preachers today are encouraging people to “toke the Holy Ghost”-a reference to smoking marijuana.
I hate to be a party pooper, but the Bible warns us to “be of sound judgment and sober spirit” (1 Pet. 4:7). There is plenty of freedom and joy in the Holy Spirit; we don’t have to quench it by introducing people to pagan revelry. Christian worship is not about losing control. Those who worship Jesus do it “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24), and our love for God is not measured by how violently we shake or how many times we fall on the floor.
Recently I told a friend in Pennsylvania that when people get tired of this drug imagery it won’t be long before we see some Christians having sexual experiences at the altar. “It’s already happening,” my friend said. He described a recent “worship concert” in which one of the musicians simulated sex while stroking a microphone and whispering sensual phrases to Jesus. What is next-orgasmic worship? God help us.
3. Angels among us. Angels have always played a vital role in the life of the church. They are “ministering spirits” sent to protect, guide and strengthen believers (Heb. 1:14). But suddenly angels have become the rage in some segments of our movement. People are claiming to see them everywhere, and often the stories don’t line up with the Word of God.
During the Lakeland Revival last year in Florida, a man from Germany took the stage and claimed that an angel walked into a restaurant while he was eating a hamburger, took his intestines out and replaced them with a gold substance. Others have testified that angels took them to heaven and operated on them. And many are claiming that angels are dropping feathers, gold dust and precious gems on worshippers.
I know God can do anything. He can make an iron axe head float, hide a coin in a fish’s mouth and use a little boy’s lunch to feed a multitude. Those were genuine miracles that He can still do today. But we still have to use caution here. There are counterfeits. If we promote a false miracle or a false angel in the Lord’s house, we are participating in strange fire.
I know of a case where a man was caught planting fake jewels on the floor of a church. He told his friends he was “seeding the room” to lift the people’s faith. I know of others who have been caught putting gold glitter on themselves in a restroom and then running back in a church service, only to claim that God was blessing them with this special favor. Where is the fear of God when Christians would actually fabricate a miracle?
This is a time for all true believers with backbones to draw clear lines between what is godly worship and what is pagan practice. We want the miracles of God, but we also want the fear and reverence of God. We cannot allow this strange fire to spread unchecked.
J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma. He will be ministering from Feb. 17-27 in England. If this article was forwarded to you, we encourage you to sign up to receive “Fire in My Bones” weekly in your own mailbox. Click here.
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30 Responses to “Deception in the Church : Strange Fire in the House of the Lord : Colorado Springs church plant”
Leave a Reply
John – I agree with what you said… with the exception that I don't agree with you about what Grady said.
I really see the two of you as saying completely opposite things – O the power of perception, I guess?
Here's my perception: Grady yet again throws out the baby, along with the bathwater, bathtub, and the wallpaper nearby.
Although he says he's open to miracles, I've not seen him write much in the past year affirming them – only questioning them.
Note that I have no problem with discerning between the REAL and the fake – my problem comes that Grady's not seeing the real anywhere, ergo all must be fake.
Hi,
Based on this article of his alone, I think he did a good job of covering the issue. He did appear a bit skeptical of some things, but he didn't outright condemn them as some do. For example:
During the Lakeland Revival last year in Florida, a man from Germany took the stage and claimed that an angel walked into a restaurant while he was eating a hamburger, took his intestines out and replaced them with a gold substance. Others have testified that angels took them to heaven and operated on them. And many are claiming that angels are dropping feathers, gold dust and precious gems on worshippers.
I know God can do anything. He can make an iron axe head float, hide a coin in a fish’s mouth and use a little boy’s lunch to feed a multitude. Those were genuine miracles that He can still do today. But we still have to use caution here. There are counterfeits. If we promote a false miracle or a false angel in the Lord’s house, we are participating in strange fire.
(me) I know the person that he was referring to (unless there were more than one) that was operated on by angels. That was very, very real. So, we can't choose to default to skepticism for the sake of safety or we'll miss a TON of what God has for us.
But, to his credit, he didn't renounce that stuff specifically… he just had some reservations.
To me, it doesn't sound like reservations… the way I read it, he's pronounced the German guy to be a nutty heretic who's promoted a false angel/miracle (why would he use the example of a REAL miracle and then go on to say, “if we promote a false miracle” …
See what you mean?
Or do I need to repent of my general cynicism?
Yep, I do see that. I think it's best, though, to draw the positive wisdom he's communicating… I'm sure he and I would have some slight differences, but that's true for any two people. I pray he wouldn't resist something just because it's unusual. Though, may people do.
I hate that I'm so cynical
But I really do think he'd resist anything “unusual”, based on his FIMB editorials over the last 8-10 months or so.
I don't often like to be wrong, but in this case, I pray that I am.
Sighs.
Possibly… but, we can't do anything about that. We must simply advance, love God, proclaim the message, stay grounded in the Word and expect a wild manifestation of the power and presence of God!
That's a good word there John!!
BTW, I got both books from Amazon (I tried the download but the quality was terrible!)… after I read them I'll post reviews & links on my blog. I'm about 40 pages into Revelation Driven Prayer now – good stuff!!
Awesome! That would be great! What was not good with the download quality? Can you send me an example?
I'm pretty sure I deleted it – but even still, you can't copy/paste from it, nor can you print it out. Which really upset me!
But the worst of it was it read like this:
Here's a sentence that's going along fine, and all of a sudden there's g a p s in the w ord s and
the
lines break off funny
like
this
and a little further down the page JOHN BURTON 23 the title/page notes from the book are in the middle of the REVELATION DRIVEN PRAYER sentence.
The whole book was like that!! If someone was determined to read it, they could – but very distracting.
So, I got the print copies
John – I agree with what you said… with the exception that I don't agree with you about what Grady said.
I really see the two of you as saying completely opposite things – O the power of perception, I guess?
Here's my perception: Grady yet again throws out the baby, along with the bathwater, bathtub, and the wallpaper nearby.
Although he says he's open to miracles, I've not seen him write much in the past year affirming them – only questioning them.
I let my publisher know… was this for the Kindle? What was the ebook format?
Hi,
Based on this article of his alone, I think he did a good job of covering the issue. He did appear a bit skeptical of some things, but he didn't outright condemn them as some do. For example:
During the Lakeland Revival last year in Florida, a man from Germany took the stage and claimed that an angel walked into a restaurant while he was eating a hamburger, took his intestines out and replaced them with a gold substance. Others have testified that angels took them to heaven and operated on them. And many are claiming that angels are dropping feathers, gold dust and precious gems on worshippers.
I know God can do anything. He can make an iron axe head float, hide a coin in a fish’s mouth and use a little boy’s lunch to feed a multitude. Those were genuine miracles that He can still do today. But we still have to use caution here. There are counterfeits. If we promote a false miracle or a false angel in the Lord’s house, we are participating in strange fire.
(me) I know the person that he was referring to (unless there were more than one) that was operated on by angels. That was very, very real. So, we can't choose to default to skepticism for the sake of safety or we'll miss a TON of what God has for us.
But, to his credit, he didn't renounce that stuff specifically… he just had some reservations.
To me, it doesn't sound like reservations… the way I read it, he's pronounced the German guy to be a nutty heretic who's promoted a false angel/miracle (why would he use the example of a REAL miracle and then go on to say, “if we promote a false miracle” …
See what you mean?
Or do I need to repent of my general cynicism?
Yep, I do see that. I think it's best, though, to draw the positive wisdom he's communicating… I'm sure he and I would have some slight differences, but that's true for any two people. I pray he wouldn't resist something just because it's unusual. Though, may people do.
I hate that I'm so cynical
But I really do think he'd resist anything “unusual”, based on his FIMB editorials over the last 8-10 months or so.
I don't often like to be wrong, but in this case, I pray that I am.
Sighs.
Possibly… but, we can't do anything about that. We must simply advance, love God, proclaim the message, stay grounded in the Word and expect a wild manifestation of the power and presence of God!
That's a good word there John!!
BTW, I got both books from Amazon (I tried the download but the quality was terrible!)… after I read them I'll post reviews & links on my blog. I'm about 40 pages into Revelation Driven Prayer now – good stuff!!
Awesome! That would be great! What was not good with the download quality? Can you send me an example?
I'm pretty sure I deleted it – but even still, you can't copy/paste from it, nor can you print it out. Which really upset me!
But the worst of it was it read like this:
Here's a sentence that's going along fine, and all of a sudden there's g a p s in the w ord s and
the
lines break off funny
like
this
and a little further down the page JOHN BURTON 23 the title/page notes from the book are in the middle of the REVELATION DRIVEN PRAYER sentence.
The whole book was like that!! If someone was determined to read it, they could – but very distracting.
So, I got the print copies
I let my publisher know… was this for the Kindle? What was the ebook format?
It was the e-book – Mobi something or another – whatever the “download” link is on the publisher's website.
If I had to guess, I'd say that the reader isn't set up to interpret the publisher's formatting and it just runs it all as straight text rather than as a normal page.
Thanks!!
It was the e-book – Mobi something or another – whatever the “download” link is on the publisher's website.
If I had to guess, I'd say that the reader isn't set up to interpret the publisher's formatting and it just runs it all as straight text rather than as a normal page.
Thanks!!
Very well said by Lee Grady! Very well said!
Sorry…i just read the responses from the pair of you. I agree with what Grady said, especially since I've seen and experienced the difference between real and false miricles.
Just because something is real doesnt mean its from God, for sure. However, I absolutely believe in miricles and insane acts of God because I've experienced them, and, more importantly, they are displayed in the Word of God, by which, I test ALL things.
I also believe that sometimes people think that demons are angels, when they're really demons. And sometimes people blindly follow whatever they feel or whatever pastor's say without testing anything, which is dangerous more than you know.
As for Bently…he was hearing from an “angel” named EMMA who manifested gold dust. Oddly enough, Emma is the demon of the satanic bible who manifests gold and is the “goddess of the underworld” or something along those lines.
Sure the devil has counterfeits and yada yada, but this is fairly blatent. Esp since female angels dont exist in Biblical scripture.
This is a very important post… it can help bring some clarity to an often argued issue: if it's not mentioned in the Bible, is it therefore condemned by God?
Let's say, that female angels aren't mentioned in scripture, does that mean any time someone might encounter a female angel, that it's in fact a demon? No, we cannot make that leap. The reason this is so hugely important is because a misunderstanding of this point could cause some to rush to judgment and declare a man of God who's flowing in power an agent of the devil!
This is very serious! Todd Bentley, for example, has been declared a heretic by many on the Emma issue alone.
In fact, many argue that scripture does in fact mention female angels:
Zechariah 5:9-10 (NKJV) 9 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. 10 So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?”
If scripture is silent on an issue isn't evidence enough to deem it unscriptural.
There is a difference between something being renounced by scripture and something not being addressed by scripture.
This isn't a new issue… someone once said that the church isn't mostly divided on what the Bible does say as it is on what the Bible doesn't say.
At the risk of seeming silly, let me ask a question: The Bible says nothing about someone's left hand trembling in the presence of God. Does that mean, that if someone's hand starts to shake, that it's not God? It's a demon?
Of course not. There is MUCH the Bible doesn't address, and we can't simply presume it to be demonically driven. Of course, the rule always remains: if scripture condemns it, then we must also.
Additionally, we must discern for ourselves as we encounter God… yes, there is risk of deception, yes there are demons who come as angels of light, etc… but, it's not confusing. We are not to be fearful or nervous about the issue. God is going to do MUCH as revival breaks out… and if we're not careful we'll shut God down out of our own anxiety.
Remember what John said of Jesus:
John 21:25 (NKJV) And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Very well said by Lee Grady! Very well said!
Sorry…i just read the responses from the pair of you. I agree with what Grady said, especially since I've seen and experienced the difference between real and false miricles.
Just because something is real doesnt mean its from God, for sure. However, I absolutely believe in miricles and insane acts of God because I've experienced them, and, more importantly, they are displayed in the Word of God, by which, I test ALL things.
I also believe that sometimes people think that demons are angels, when they're really demons. And sometimes people blindly follow whatever they feel or whatever pastor's say without testing anything, which is dangerous more than you know.
As for Bently…he was hearing from an “angel” named EMMA who manifested gold dust. Oddly enough, Emma is the demon of the satanic bible who manifests gold and is the “goddess of the underworld” or something along those lines.
Sure the devil has counterfeits and yada yada, but this is fairly blatent. Esp since female angels dont exist in Biblical scripture.
This is a very important post… it can help bring some clarity to an often argued issue: if it's not mentioned in the Bible, is it therefore condemned by God?
Let's say, that female angels aren't mentioned in scripture, does that mean any time someone might encounter a female angel, that it's in fact a demon? No, we cannot make that leap. The reason this is so hugely important is because a misunderstanding of this point could cause some to rush to judgment and declare a man of God who's flowing in power an agent of the devil!
This is very serious! Todd Bentley, for example, has been declared a heretic by many on the Emma issue alone.
In fact, many argue that scripture does in fact mention female angels:
Zechariah 5:9-10 (NKJV) 9 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. 10 So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?”
If scripture is silent on an issue isn't evidence enough to deem it unscriptural.
There is a difference between something being renounced by scripture and something not being addressed by scripture.
This isn't a new issue… someone once said that the church isn't mostly divided on what the Bible does say as it is on what the Bible doesn't say.
At the risk of seeming silly, let me ask a question: The Bible says nothing about someone's left hand trembling in the presence of God. Does that mean, that if someone's hand starts to shake, that it's not God? It's a demon?
Of course not. There is MUCH the Bible doesn't address, and we can't simply presume it to be demonically driven. Of course, the rule always remains: if scripture condemns it, then we must also.
Additionally, we must discern for ourselves as we encounter God… yes, there is risk of deception, yes there are demons who come as angels of light, etc… but, it's not confusing. We are not to be fearful or nervous about the issue. God is going to do MUCH as revival breaks out… and if we're not careful we'll shut God down out of our own anxiety.
Remember what John said of Jesus:
John 21:25 (NKJV) And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Dear ones we must be ever mindful of seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, I have never heard Mr. Bentley preach or teach so I will not accuse one I've never heard or seen. But I do know the word of God clearly teaches in the last days, “even the most learned will be deceived” meaning if any believer believes he/she cannot be deceived then your deceived already (I do not mean this harshly its just fact) the Apostle Paul speaks about this kind of attitude in his ltr to the Galatians 5th or 6th chapter. So we must be ever deligent Ephesians speaks about false teachers' and pastors' parading around as “light” basically if Satan parades around like an “angel of light” then why not his servants? No we must not be critical when God is doing a “new thing” but it will not be outside of his written word. The Lord himself said, “there will be many who come in my name, saying they are Christ, saying I am here and there don't not follow them for I am none of those places.” I am reminded of a verse of scripture in the bk of Isaiah, w/God speaking saying, “the reason that the false prophets are flurshing is because you want it so” and of course Paul saying, “the people will heap up for themselves pastors' and teachers' itching there ears” notice in both verses of scripture “what we wanted or what we wanted to receive.” So this is not a time for us not to be mindful remember the verse ” a workman not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” or “silly laden women (and men) ever learning but never coming into the knowledge of the truth.” Or you could say, “ever seeing and not seeing, ever hearing and not hearing (this can be true in both the positive and negative)” I think this is true of the children of Israel when requesting and wanting a king like the nations around (did they not see the wickedness of the nations around them, but even in the midst of seeing they refused to see and hear and said, “nay we will still have a king of our own flesh and blood.”). And as far the verses used from Zechariah 5:9-10 I do not believe these women are angels, but are symbols of the wicked condition of the nation and that God will do away w/all evil in the future and yes Paul does speak of not getting ourselves caught up in things that have no relevance at all, but accomplish only to separate and cause schism in the family of God. And thus in my opinion there is nothing in scripture indicating female angels perhaps this “Emma” spoken of by Mr. Bentley is more symbolic than an angel just as the whore of babylon is symbolic of the world system which I believe these (2) women characterize in the bk of Zechariah. The Lord does not want us getting caught up in every strange wind and doctrine, because when the ultimate False Prophet comes on the scene he to will be duplicating the miracles performed by the prophets Moses and Elijah remember the prophets are subject to the prophets and we know one of the symbols of a prophet is an eagle which symbolizes both true and false. If you all would allow me a comical or nostalgic moment, I'm reminded of the end portion of the movie Star Wars epidode II: Attack of the Clones, when Master Obi Wan said, “if it hadn't been for the clones we would've won the victory, then Master Yoda said, “victory you say Master Obi Wan, not victory the shroud of the dark side has fallen, behold the clone wars begin” (excuse me I'm a star wars fan (smile)). But notice was not Master Obi Wan a learned man, but he was deceived as was the prophet spoken of in the bk of Kings who was directed by God not to tarry, but was deceived by another prophet and because of his blindness and disobedience was struck down by God sending a lion to kill him. So friends know the word of God for yourselves for we are required to do so and know that those who are our leaders' are just as capable of a lack of discernment for the word of God says so.
Dear ones we must be ever mindful of seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, I have never heard Mr. Bentley preach or teach so I will not accuse one I've never heard or seen. But I do know the word of God clearly teaches in the last days, “even the most learned will be deceived” meaning if any believer believes he/she cannot be deceived then your deceived already (I do not mean this harshly its just fact) the Apostle Paul speaks about this kind of attitude in his ltr to the Galatians 5th or 6th chapter. So we must be ever deligent Ephesians speaks about false teachers' and pastors' parading around as “light” basically if Satan parades around like an “angel of light” then why not his servants? No we must not be critical when God is doing a “new thing” but it will not be outside of his written word. The Lord himself said, “there will be many who come in my name, saying they are Christ, saying I am here and there don't not follow them for I am none of those places.” I am reminded of a verse of scripture in the bk of Isaiah, w/God speaking saying, “the reason that the false prophets are flurshing is because you want it so” and of course Paul saying, “the people will heap up for themselves pastors' and teachers' itching there ears” notice in both verses of scripture “what we wanted or what we wanted to receive.” So this is not a time for us not to be mindful remember the verse ” a workman not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” or “silly laden women (and men) ever learning but never coming into the knowledge of the truth.” Or you could say, “ever seeing and not seeing, ever hearing and not hearing (this can be true in both the positive and negative)” I think this is true of the children of Israel when requesting and wanting a king like the nations around (did they not see the wickedness of the nations around them, but even in the midst of seeing they refused to see and hear and said, “nay we will still have a king of our own flesh and blood.”). And as far the verses used from Zechariah 5:9-10 I do not believe these women are angels, but are symbols of the wicked condition of the nation and that God will do away w/all evil in the future and yes Paul does speak of not getting ourselves caught up in things that have no relevance at all, but accomplish only to separate and cause schism in the family of God. And thus in my opinion there is nothing in scripture indicating female angels perhaps this “Emma” spoken of by Mr. Bentley is more symbolic than an angel just as the whore of babylon is symbolic of the world system which I believe these (2) women characterize in the bk of Zechariah. The Lord does not want us getting caught up in every strange wind and doctrine, because when the ultimate False Prophet comes on the scene he to will be duplicating the miracles performed by the prophets Moses and Elijah remember the prophets are subject to the prophets and we know one of the symbols of a prophet is an eagle which symbolizes both true and false. If you all would allow me a comical or nostalgic moment, I'm reminded of the end portion of the movie Star Wars epidode II: Attack of the Clones, when Master Obi Wan said, “if it hadn't been for the clones we would've won the victory, then Master Yoda said, “victory you say Master Obi Wan, not victory the shroud of the dark side has fallen, behold the clone wars begin” (excuse me I'm a star wars fan (smile)). But notice was not Master Obi Wan a learned man, but he was deceived as was the prophet spoken of in the bk of Kings who was directed by God not to tarry, but was deceived by another prophet and because of his blindness and disobedience was struck down by God sending a lion to kill him. So friends know the word of God for yourselves for we are required to do so and know that those who are our leaders' are just as capable of a lack of discernment for the word of God says so.