1/9/08

The Lie of Dominionism

Kingdom Building, or apostasy?
It is probably true to say that the vast majority of those who profess a Christian faith have very little to no understanding of biblical prophecy and eschatology (last things) based on personal apprehension of the Word of God. This is unacceptable as the deception is too great in this day and hour. Believer, you must know what you believe. As globalism is rapidly becoming the norm in every sphere of society it is of the utmost importance to understand, according to scripture, whether or not the the Church of Jesus Christ is to be fitted into this global system. The aim here is to get to the root of the issue and begin to shed some light on the question.
Very briefly as a starting point, all the various end-time scenarios can be reduced to a basic level of understanding as being that of two very opposite views. Any further questions cannot be dealt with until this point has been determined. Here then is the first and most important issue, and where the battle is being fought, and where each person will have to make a decision.
These two views concerning the prophetic portions of scripture may be best described as the 'futurist' view and the 'preterist' and /or 'amillennial' view. The futurist view holds the eschatological position that the prophecy of the tribulation, the Antichrist, etc. is all yet to come, while the preterist (meaning 'past') takes the position that all these things have already occurred in past history, hence they are of no concern and so therefore we must take 'dominion' of the earth ourselves. The 'amillennialist' basically spiritualizes away all the prophecies of the Revelation and for all practical purposes is really no different than the preterist. Both simply do away with anything that doesn't fit their scheme.
The implications of these two opposite positions, 'future' or 'past', are the crux of the matter. Very simply, the futurist position is that the Word of God teaches the final end of man as culminating in utter rebellion against the Lord, with the result being consequent judgments, e.g. the earth ravaged, and over half the population destroyed, etc., after which the Lord Jesus returns to put down the rebellion and then establishes the 'Kingdom of God' all by Himself.....whereas the 'kingdom-building' preterists (dominionism) portrays the very opposite, with man overcoming the evils of the world himself and then has the Lord returning to to a victorious church in control of the earth. No tribulation, Antichrist, etc. as these do not fit the scenario.
How do 'dominionists' explain their view?
Here, from conference website in their own words; Theology Page: The Dominion Process [ here ]
"Definition: Dominion Eschatology is the examination of future events through the lens of the dominion mandate in Genesis 1:28 and in Matthew 28:19-20. It assumes the influence of the church will increase on earth until Jesus returns. This view stands against some opposing views which see the influence of the church waning in the last days. It does not intend to imply absolute dominion, as in a sinless earth, but a preparatory dominion, as in the earth being prepared for the return of the King."
quote: "It assumes the influence of the church will increase on earth until Jesus returns."
Well, of the two possibilities, which is true? Increase of influence, or the biblically predicted apostasy? Exactly opposite outcomes and cannot possibly be both true. This is the whole matter right here, it's critical, and a decision is required. Do you personally know scripture well enough to know the truth, that is the question? It's time to learn, and to ask.....What saith the scripture?
....just one for now:
"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth....Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Rev. 3:15-16,21)
That verse should be read carefully. The futurist interpretation of the passage where this scripture is found sees a foretelling and a warning that the end state of the Christian church, 'Laodicea', will be apostate and be rejected, spued out of the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ as something unsavory.....who by the way, as shown above, is found just before that time outside of the church knocking on the door, calling out to see if any can still hear His voice! Note that He is outside, not inside....that is to say, not involved with what is going on inside!
The claim of the dominionists completely contradict this passage, so they have simply devised new interpretations (you can read them on their theology page linked above if you wish). To put it bluntly though, "Dominion Eschatology" is a lie, and is in reality robbing the Church of her "heavenly calling" (Heb. 3:1) and replacing it with an earthly.
Here is the important thing to understand, the bigger picture of what is really going on. The dominionist movement is in fact only a part of a much bigger agenda and is designed as a means to an end, that being to incorporate Christianity along with the religious institutions of the world into the coming global system. (see here on 'sustainable development'/regional government and you may be able to start connecting the dots)
Which way will you go?
"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:20)
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continued:
The Stone Which The Builders Rejected
The last state of Christianity....Kingdom or apostasy? Will men build a Kingdom for God on the earth, or are they in fact constructing the final global system for the Satanic rule of the earth? This answer to this question is of tremendous import. Do you know what the Word of God says about these things?
The prophecies of the book of Daniel answer many questions regarding the "end of the age" before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, including the question above.
An answer to this most important question is found in the second chapter of the book of Daniel. The passage of scripture (Dan. 2:32-45) in question tells of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar's having had a dream, and of the prophet Daniel being given the interpretation of the dream by the LORD.
A little background is necessary to understand the setting for the incident and the reason for the Jewish prophet Daniel's being in Babylon at that time. As divine punishment of the Jews for their idolatry, the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish temple had been destroyed by the Babylonian armies (587 B.C.). Having been defeated, the Jews themselves were in Babylon in captivity, and the "glory of the LORD" had departed from the ruins of the temple, God's earthly abode (Ezekiel 10:4,18; 11:22-23). God had turned them over to their enemies and had left them. With God departed and now no longer dwelling in the midst of His people, and according to His sovereign plan for the ages, a new thing was to happen: the Gentile nations would replace the Jews and be given to rule upon the earth for a time. The Lord reveals this information through the King's dream and Daniel's interpretation of it. A pre-telling of history.
The dream is of a great statue of a 'man', representing the coming human rule on the earth (as opposed to God ruling through the Jews). It was given to the Babylonian King, the 'head of gold' who would rule over the first of the five successive empires:
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(Daniel 2)
The King's dream:
(32) "This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
(33)His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
(34)Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.
(35)Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
(36)This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king."
Daniel's interpretation:
(37) Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
(38-43 gives a description of the four kingdoms, the 'fifth' (the feet) being actually an extension of the fourth. This final phase is pictured as the ten toes, which are to represent 'kings'. The ten toes are the same as the 'ten kings' found in Daniel 7:24. The description of the various kingdoms is not necessary here, as we are just looking at the fate of the last phase, the 'toes'. The next two verses (44-45) reveal the answer.)
(44) "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
(45) Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."
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Very briefly, the King's dream is of a great image of a 'man', representing the varying 'human' governments that would reign over the earth from this point forward (32-33) up until the final kingdom which is seen to bring an end to man's rule upon the earth (34). The dream shows four ruling empires with the fifth and final allotted rule given to the Gentiles being the "feet part of iron and part of clay" (33). This God given succession of governments is what is known as "the times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24).
Now as seen if carefully studied, when that time is up this fifth and final kingdom is to be destroyed and will be smote by the "stone....cut out of the mountain without hands" (34,45). It will be broken into pieces (34,44), and consumed (44). According to the prophecy this "time of the Gentiles" will come to an end in judgment, and that judgment is the period of time we refer to as the 'Tribulation'. This final form of the "kingdom" of men will be crushed into dust and blown away by the wind, and no place found for any part of it whatsoever, as seen (35).
Even a very brief study of this passage as here shows the discrepancy of the dominionist position, with their claim that they will usher in the "Kingdom" in preparation for the return of Jesus Christ. The book of Daniel shows a scenario which is completely opposite: a total destruction and a breaking in pieces of that final gentile kingdom, for "the image is smote upon his feet". The 'feet' being the last 'kingdom', and the one that is crushed. This speaks of the ultimate failure and judgment of the feeble efforts of men to 'rule themselves'.
The Lord Jesus Christ is of course that stone. He is "the stone which the builders rejected"; (Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17) ...the stone cut out without hands...(a Kingdom having nothing to do with the 'hands' of men).
The picture is clear...nothing built by men will remain.
Furthermore, we learn in the 7th and 11th chapter of Daniel that this final kingdom, the feet of iron and clay, is to be ruled by the one referred to as the Antichrist. He is called the "god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4) and will unite the nations in defiance of the Living God (Ps. 2:1-3). This is the prophesied end. The consummation of man's greatest efforts are found to be nothing more than a failed attempt to gain independence from God. It will at this point, of necessity, be crushed and blown away as dust in the wind, having been tried and found wanting, proving to all for time and eternity the folly of the 'creature'. After that, then and only then, the "God of heaven" will set up His own Kingdom (44), and as shown the "stone that smote the image" will become a great mountain (kingdom) and fill the earth, and it shall stand forever (35,45).
"I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." Ezk. 11:27
The LORD reigneth, and no flesh shall glory in his presence (1 Cor. 1:29).
Back to the first question: Will men build a "Kingdom" for God on the earth, or are they in fact constructing the final global system for a Satanic rule of the earth?
Christian, believe the infallible Word of God and forsake that which opposes His revealed will. It cannot fail to come to pass exactly as written...
"and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure." (v.45)
Maranatha
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Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. (Luke 20:18)


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