Jubilee 98, Jubilee 99, new wineskins, a second incarnation to destroy the old buildings (computers or congregations) and establish a new world church of God or kingdom of Christ on earth which will not have any of the old faults of the Kingdom Christ apparently could not totally "ferment." However, new teams and paradigms always revert to the old patterns they hated so much. Very shortly, the comingling with the Baptists will lose its fermenting punch and the new liberty will be frozen in time and place until another rebel (Jubal) rises up with more wine, more women and more song to defeat the old destructive Jubilee 98 or Jubilee 2000:
Karen Armstrong in A History of God notes that confusion over the incarnation, the kingdom of Christ and the redemptive process is a common paradigm (patterns are out paradigms are in) of revivalism. Through some human effort God will "generate" or incarnate the lost Son and there will be a new blueprint to bring about the kingdom of Christ. A new awakening would validate God, His plan and especially His agents. The best proof that the old institution has been burned down and the new fires lit in all of the homes and temples is a musical and charismatic breakdown.
Furthermore, an attack upon the "established pattern" is forced to claim that the old is decadent (impoverished or irrelevant Shelly/Harris) and regressive (deleterious or inadequate according to Shelly/Harris). Faith Matters from Woodmont hills makes it clear that the goal is musical worship, women church leaders and gaining the only approval from becoming a me-too demoniation. Jubilee 97 seemed to "wash away the blood" illustrated by water and Jubilee 98 will continue the process. This is undoubtedly is based upon deserved condemnation from many churches of Christ who have become destructive--also in the quest for domination by the paid pastor. However, the blood of Christ, the gospel, the kingdom and Christianity in general was a scandal which the "good people" always rejected. It will not help to make Christ into a literal lamb of the wineskins and pump Him full of fermenting wine. This just confirms the worst suspicions of the worst enemies.
In many ancient religions mourning or lamenting (usually musically) was the only way to force the god to save you -- perhaps against his will or present interest. MacArthur repeats the equivalent words used by all ancient and modern change agents where you have to "upset the equilibrium" before you can "teach the truth." Prefiguring Rubel Shelly, The Second Incarnation (what was wrong with the first one?), new wineskins and Jubilee 98 or the Nashville Jubilee movement, John McArthur makes the connection with preachers who have lost their way and appeal to wineskins, holy laughter and new vineyard movements:
-
"Evangelicals are beginning to build their
theologies around what it means for man to be in the presence
of God [rather than around the objective truth of the Word of
God].
-
"Influenced by the wider Christian
world, evangelicals who have adopted either a relational
(incarnational in his words) approach or a charismatic
("neo-pentecostal") approach to their theology are more and
more challenging their fellow believers to rethink the
Gospel from the standpoint of
their own experience
with it. Their claim is
that traditional evangelical theology is largely
irrelevant or inadequate." (MacArthur, John, Charismatic Chaos, p. 45,
Zondervan).
Before Jubilee 98, the "change agents" of early movements were almost "gods" because they had the ability to "find fault." Paul would hint that "fools love to be fooled." This skill meant that they had a channel to the gods and therefore a solution. However, obsession with the problem was the mark of ancient lamenting or mourning to get God's attention. This was condemned among the Jews in the InterTestament period as they used David's "god arousal psalms." These schemes are as ancient as Babylonia and as modern as the Second Coming. They tempt those seeking to reject father figures because --
-
"In the eyes of the revivalists,
Britain had
lost the new
light that had shone so
brightly during the Puritan revolution (restoration) and now
seemed decadent and
regressive.
Jonathan Edwards and his colleagues led Americans of the lower classes to take the first steps toward
revolution...
-
"Messianism was essential to Edward's religion:
human effort would hasten the
coming of God's Kingdom,
which was attainable and imminent in the New World. The
Awakening itself, despite its
tragic finale, made people
believe that the process of redemption described in the
Bible had already begun. God was firmly committed to the
project." (Karen Armstrong, A History of God, p.
325).
Armstrong notes that the celebration of victory (the jubilee) was directly connected to the expectation of liberation (awakening) from their old masters (the slavery connection all over) and it also involves a confusion over the roles of the Godhead which continued until Cane Ridge and beyond. The "evolution" of the kingdom would come and with it a ravishing (raping in older literature) experience because the "kingdom" does not exist until everyone can see it--not through its King but through outward signs and acts--
-
"Edwards gave the doctrine of the Trinity a
political interpretation: the Son was 'the deity generated by
God's understanding' and thus the blueprint of the
New Commonwealth; the Spirit, 'the deity
subsisting in act,' was the force which would accomplish this
master plan in
time...' society as the kingdom
would be 'shining with a reflection of the glory of Jehovah
risen upon it, which shall be attractive and ravishing to all."
(Armstrong, p. 325)
Or as Shelly/Harris would say: "exhilarating."
Surely, comes the pathetic and lost cry, if we can have a Jubilee 98 we can get God's attention and the kingdom of Christ will come when we have a joint meeting or prayer circle or Promise Keepers meeting with the "enemy." Just let the local farms and vineyards remain fallow. It is going to be swooped up and revert to the tribe or denomination anyway. Why stay home and look after the widow and orphan. Surely if we go out to the desert or the city we can find the lost gods. Can't afford it but can't afford not to "go up to the Feast of Tabernacles" where the "men of note" will be gathered. If you want to get on the "lecture circuit" or sell that new book better go up to the book fair. Raise the money somehow. Be "leaving on a jet plane" don't care when I'll be back. Get refreshed, new sermon outlines, new "magical jokes" and tall stories about "when I lived in somewhere else."
"It will make Me feel bigger, better and an improved model. Come home to the ruts. Somehow just feel worse. But in the name of Tammuz and Ishtar, we will play the magical flute better next year and surely we will cause the dead or lost god to come, play the flute and smell the incense with us. Always: we will know it better by and by. And the whole episode is just so sad. After all, the Pope wants Jubilee 98 ready to join in Jubilee 2000. Then the kingdom will surely come and we can ride down the streets of literal Jerusalem on a white horse instead of the backs of the poor brethren and sisteren.
Click Here to see how the Kingdom, contrary to Christ's warning, is found through external means.
Kenneth Sublett
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