Reflections on Olive Tree Ministries Fall 2005 Conference

Friday, October 21, 2005

So, are we living in the end times? With a headcount of over 4,000, people from as far away as the United Kingdom flocked to a Minneapolis/St. Paul-area church to see and discuss the evidence.

For a few days after The Olive Tree Ministries Evidences for the End Times Fall 2005 Conference, my brain was fried. (The conference was held September 30 – October 1, 2005.) So much information packed in, in such a short time. And so much to think about.

If you couldn’t/didn’t attend the conference, you can see it on DVD. Check out Olive Tree Ministries for information. My notes don’t do the conference justice.

Presenters

Hal Lindsey
Hal Lindsey Website Ministries
Prophecy student for nearly 50 years; author of over 20 books (Late, Great Planet Earth, for one) and numerous videos, DVDs, and audiotapes

Roger Oakland
Understand the Times International
Examines current events from a Biblical perspective, particularly deceptions within the Church

Brian Flynn
One Truth Ministries
Former New Age medium who cautions believers against New Age practices entering the Church

Jan Markell
Olive Tree Ministries
Focuses on news from a Biblical perspective; author of eight books and numerous articles for periodicals and web sites

As you read through my notes, always keep one thing in mind: dust off your Bible and carefully examine the scriptures yourself for what they have to say! (2 Peter 1:19-21) Don’t just sit there and assume the presenter or my notes are properly quoting scripture!

Part I: Hal Lindsey

Most of Hal Lindsey’s presentation was a verse-by-verse examination of scripture, comparing what them to current events: hurricanes Katrina and Rita; Israel pulling of Gaza and the mid-east in general; trends in the church.

Matthew 24:8: Birth pangs, key: all signs occur simultaneously, with increased intensity and severity
Luke 21:8-26
- [8] Religious counterfeits, church deception: bestselling books, major denominations falling away, positive thinking wrapped in Christianity, remnant still seeking the truth
- [9] Wars: 20th century known as the century of war, with more people killed in 20th century wars than in all previous centuries combined
- [10] Nation against nation; Greek ethnos: ethnicity against ethnicity
- [11] Earthquakes increasing frequency and strength
- [11] Plagues: super strains appearing, warnings of pandemics
- [11] Famines: the age of famine officially started in 1975
- [11] Terrors and great signs from heaven

Significant: multiple events occurring in concert

Where is America in prophecy? It’s not there. [That doesn’t necessarily mean America won’t exist at the end. But, it’s probably safe to assume America will have lost its superpower status by then.]

[12-24] “But before all these things…”: history between Christ’s first and second comings
[20] Jerusalem surrounded in 70 AD
[24] “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled”: “until” is an important word in prophecy
[25] signs in sun and moon and stars
- NASA has determined the main reason for global warming is the sun
- 1755 scientists start monitoring solar cycles
- 2003 global warming study says sun getting hotter, brighter since late 19th century; sea level rose 8 inches in 20th century, estimating a rise of 36-37 inches in 21st century
- Most hottest years were between 1990 and 2005
- 2005 glaciers 20% smaller than in 1987
- Oceans near equator warming. Hurricane Rita was category 1 at the Keys, became category 5 over 90+ degree water in Gulf. Never had two consecutive category 5 hurricanes. Typhoons now up to 250+ mph.
[25] On earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and waves: storms, swelling sea
[26] Men fainting from fear at the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the very powers of the heavens will be shaken

2 Peter 3
- [3-4] Warning to the church: mockers will come with their mocking; “Where is the promise of His coming?”
  - Replacement theology is returning; prophecy is considered all allegorical
  - Israel’s enemies claim Israel has no right to Palestine
  - Jeremiah 31:35-36: The covenants God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still in effect. Preterists say otherwise.
  - Jeremiah 31:37: Recognizes Israel will fail, but God will continue to honor His covenant
  - Micah 7:8-10: A quote that could only apply to the Israelites in the last days.

Romans 9-11
- Romans 9: Israel in the past accepted
- Romans 10: Israel in the past rejected
- Romans 11: Israel in the future accepted
  - [11-14] Israel’s rejection not permanent
  - [15] Their rejection enabled the saving of the Gentiles
  - [16-] Gentiles, don’t be arrogant and persecute the Israelites
    - Romans 9:4-5: Meaning of the root; covenants made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through which the world will be saved; root of the olive tree symbolic of the covenant
    - Hal’s challenge: go through Paul’s epistles and highlight “in Christ,” “in Him,”, “in Christ Jesus,” etc.
    - At the moment of salvation you are bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh
    - Fellowship is our daily walk
    - Natural branches represent Israels descendants; wild branches represent Gentiles
    - During the tribulation Israel will finally fulfill its job to spread the message, via the 144,000.
  - [20-] Message to the Gentiles as a group
  - [23-] One of seven mysteries of the New Testament; partial hardening of Israel until (remember to watch for “until”) the fullness (full number) of the Gentiles brought to salvation (Luke 21:24)
    - At the moment of the last predetermined Gentile believes the rapture occurs
    - Revelation 3: Today’s church is like the Laodicean church

Ezekiel 36-38: God will judge every nation who tries to impede Israel
- [36:22] Israel is renewed, restored to their own land, shortly before the end. God restores the Israelites as a nation despite their unbelief.
  - Preterists claim there is no prophecy that God will restore Israel.

Q: What is the importance of the revival of the Sanhedrin?

A: The Sanhedrin is composed of the most esteemed rabbis, 72 of them. It has been centuries since the last Sanhedrin. After return from Babylonian captivity, they became the official voice.

It’s not in the Bible, but it is believed that only the Sanhedrin can recognize Messiah, but they will recognize Antichrist instead. The reestablishment of the Sanhedrin will accelerate the movement to rebuild the temple. It’s a sign of the times.

Q: About the 144,000, why is the tribe of Dan missing? Will Antichrist be from Dan?

A: Antichrist is a flexible term. Revelation 13 says there will be two antichrists

One antichrist from the sea -> the Gentiles -> Rome
One antichrist from the land (Revelation 11:13) -> Israel -> recognized as a Jewish prophet
Genesis 49:1: “days to come” NASB footnote: “end of the days”
Genesis 49:16-17 talks about Dan
Will cause Israel to fall backward
Dan left out of the 144,000 [in Revelation]

Q: Isaiah says all nations will turn against Israel. Perhaps God is blinding Bush?

A: We have to be careful here. I [Lindsey] believe he is born-again. Whoever is the President has an overwhelming job. He is forced to make concessions to keep oil or the US would crumble overnight, and they know they have us over a barrel. I [Lindsey] speculate that when the prince visited Bush, they said to force Israel to withdraw or else. I [Lindsey] don’t think God deceived him; just that he doesn’t have an understanding of prophecy. His church denomination never did either, nor do his advisers.

Q: What is the reference for NASA’s info about sunspots?

A: It’s somewhere on NASA’s web site; it took a lot of digging.

[Q: Are you a dispensationalist?]

A: I am a dispensationalist. I believe a Christian who prays Psalm 51 grieves the Spirit. The Bible says Christians are sealed.

A dispensationalist believes there are different rules for different people, but salvation is the same for all.

A predarist believes all prophecy is history of about 70 AD, Nero was the Antichrist, and Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD.

Q: Gaza said Babylon will never be rebuilt, but…?

A: Babylon will never be rebuilt as it was. It was one of the seven wonders of the world. Prophetic Babylon is Rome.

Q: Where did we go wrong in the pulpits?

A: When seminaries fail, the pulpits fail. Many old denominations are not applying the literal, historical, grammatical rules to prophecy that they apply to the rest of the Bible.

Q: If God hardened the heart of the Jew…?

A: It’s a judgment God warned of. Like Pharaoh. But Pharaoh hardened his heart himself first, then God added to the hardening.

Q: At the fall, was God obligated to save them [Adam and Eve]?

A: No. We are born physically alive, but spiritually dead. We have freedom of choice, which we use to not seek Him.
Christ died for all, knowing many would use free choice to reject Him. So why do some believe? God intervenes. The real question is, “Why should God save any?” not “Why does He not save all?”.

Jan Markell

Two major signs of the end: apostasy in the church and Israel

Colossians 2:8: See that no one take you captive through empty deception.
2 Corinthians 11: Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
1 Timothy 4: In latter times some will fall away because of deceitful spirits.
2 Timothy 4: The time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine and want their ears tickled.

A Christianity Today May 20th [May 16, 2005; posted May 19, 2005] online interview of an evangelical woman practicing yoga.
The new focus is unity, unity, unity at the expense of the offense of the cross, interfaith peace, and possibility thinking. How much closer to God do we need to get than by having the Holy Spirit indwelling within you?
So why do we need all these new experience-oriented, extra-Biblical practices? The same thing is happening in Judaism: Kabbalah.

Some examples:

First Baptist Church in Jackson, MS: their web site prominently shows a Christian yoga banner
10,000-member church in PA, the largest evangelical church in PA, uses poker to attract people and their web site has pictures of people playing

Roger Oakland: “One World Religion and the Cry for Peace: End Times Deception in the Name of Christ”

1 Chronicles 12:32: sons of Issachar, men who understood the times
Isaiah 46:9-11: [missed]

How can we understand the times? Israel is fundamental to understanding the times

Ezekiel 22:15-16: scattered
Jeremiah 16:14-15: I will bring them back. Over one million Russian Jews have returned.
Ezekiel 38:16: attacked on return
Zechariah 12:2-3: Jerusalem to be a heavy stone for other nations
Joel 3:1-2: captivity again of Judah and Jerusalem; gather all nations

Where are we in the end times?

2 Corinthians 11:3-4: minds corrupted; church led astray in Paul’s time

Warnings

Matthew 24: many deceived, false teachers, false prophets, false Jesus appears, false signs and wonders
2 Thessalonians: many fall away from the faith, apostasy
2 Timothy 3: deception grows worse
2 Timothy 4: [people will not endure sound teaching]

Before I [Oakland] continue, preliminary statements about the presentation

Documented with facts
Some are always offended
My [Oakland] goal is not to offend, but to present facts
If the presentation is still offensive, that’s between you and the God of the Bible

World religion will be the counterfeit bride for the counterfeit Christ. People will be deceived in the name of the Savior.

September 11, 2001 is a pivotal day. Since then we have heard a lot about peace and religion. Time Magazine: “God, Allah, Krishna, ... bless America.” Ecumenism without boundaries.

Religion and peace in the Bible
1 Thessalonians 5:1-6: Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober…

The closer to the return, the fewer who are prepared
More led away from The Faith to faith
Church headed for ecumenical unity for the cause of peace

The Pope

January 1, 2004: calls for new world order on World Day of Peace [Section 7?]
January 17, 2004: says the world needs the combined witness of Jews, Christians, Muslims in support of peace
January 19, 2004: says the great religions must unite for peace

Bahai Faith, the emerging global religion

October 1996: summit for peace at Assisi
April 1998: Earth conference
August 2000: world religious leaders gather at the UN
December 2000: Hinduism Today, Nov/Dec 2000, p 19 UN hall filled with prayers from nearly every faith on earth
January 24, 2002: Assisi, Italy: Pope calls world religions together
August 31, 2003: John Paul II entrusts future of new Europe to Mary
November 1, 2003: Fatima, Portugal: Interfaith summit; the shrine is the gathering place for all nations to worship their gods. Father Jacques Dupuis, interfaith melding
December 1, 2003: Pope urges unity against violence among world religions. “May our Lady of Hope help us so that we…”
December 8, 2003: John Paul II commends peace of the world to Mary
June 7-9, 2005: World Council of Churches conference

Again, the goal isn’t to offend

What could happen to bring religions together?

Could Mary-centered experience-based religion bring world peace?

October 8, 2000: Our Lady of Fatima brought to Rome for dedication
May 29, 2002: LA Times: painting of Mary on a throne
August 19, 2002: Pope’s prayer to Mary; new doctrine of Mary as co-redemptress

Trinity Broadcasting Network headquarters redecorated in Roman style, including Mary

Religious solution for peace

Need mediator
Our Lady of Fatima
Message from “Mary”: reunite all religions, God is love
- Christian Babylonianism
Message from Mary: Eucharistic Jesus requires a priest

New Pope

Eucharistic
Marian
Ecumenical

Appearance of Jesus in the last days: don’t believe!

Are we in the process of setting up a counterfeit bride?

Judgment of the Harlot

Brian Flynn

My [Flynn’s] History

TM(Transcendental Meditation): repeated mantra until through disappears, eventually mantra disappears into silence as well
Psychic readings with the aid of spirit guides

Book: Surprised by Faith [Helped him come to Christ?]

Nothing wrong with meditating, thinking, about scripture.

Contemplative prayer is an ancient practice where you still your thoughts by repeating a prayer, verse, phrase, or word in an effort to better hear God’s voice.

300-400 AD monastic practice called lecto divina

Repeatedly read a passage until a “word is given to you”
Turns the Bible into a mystical device

Contemplatives want to believe “what makes a particular practice Christian is not its source, but intent.”

Contemplatives

Thomas Merton
Richard Foster
Brennan Manning

does not apply to false teachers. Paul: name them [false teachers], rebuke strongly and publicly.

Thomas Merton

Around the time of Vatican II
Openness to Hinduism and Buddhism
Saw no contradiction between Christianity and Hinduism/Buddhism

Contemplative prayer is also known as

Centering prayer
Breath prayer
Experiential prayer: this term seems to be replacing “contemplative prayer,” due to the negative connotations CP(contemplative prayer) now has

Richard J. Foster

Founder of Renovaré
“We should all, without shame, enroll as apprentices in the school of contemplative prayer.”
“Progress in intimacy with God means progress toward silence.”
Uses Psalm 62:1 to support his position

Brennan Manning

1st step in faith is to stop thinking about God
2nd repeat word/phrase without moving lips
3rd if distracting thoughts appear, simply return to listening to the sacred word/phrase

In contemplative prayer, the Bible becomes a god, rather than a pointer to God. According to The Signature of God, God is not found within the covers of a leather-bound book.

What’s wrong with TM(Transcendental Meditation)?

Verbal repetition is key to the process
Studies show whether Buddhist monk or other, the process affects the same areas of the brain, has the same physiological effects on the body

Richard Foster’s warning: “There are various orders of spiritual beings, and some of them are definitely not in cooperation with God and his way! But for now I want to encourage you to learn and practice prayers of protection.”

What does the Bible say?

Matthew 6:5-6: verse 6 is often used to support CP(Contemplative Prayer), “go into your inner room,” even though the Greek clearly indicates a physical room with walls, door, etc., not a room in your mind. If CP(Contemplative Prayer) is scriptural, then why the need to distort scripture?
Matthew 6:7-8: verse 7 is always ignored; verse 8 says God already knows what I need before I ask, so why the need to “grab aholt” [phrase used by Brannon?] of God?

Mysticism

Sets up the individual’s subjective experience as the arbiter for what’s true
Legitimate mysticism is always initiated by God

Interspirituality

Breaking down religious barriers, crossing over, sharing traditions, etc.
Thomas Merton: “We are already one. But we imagine that we are not. And what we have to recover is our original unity. What we have to be is what we are.”

Contemplative Prayer

Unity of knowledge
Oneness of God
Oneness of Man
Father Thomas Keating: when enough people are doing CP(Contemplative Prayer), we will have world peace

What separates Christianity from the rest? Jesus. “I am the way…” The others say all paths lead to God.

Biblical View vs. CP(Contemplative Prayer) View

Biblical	CP
Few chosen ones: Abraham, Elijah, etc.	Anyone will do
Infrequent: Abraham had years between messages	Frequent
The message is important	The message is usually trivial
God is audible or visible in some way	Only in the mind
Initiated by God	Initiated by man

Why?

2 Timothy 4:3-4: men will not endure sound doctrine
2 Thessalonians 2:11: for this reason…

Summation

CP(Contemplative Prayer) is unnecessary; there is no need for an altered state to pray
Any repeated word/phrase leads to an altered state
Danger of demonic influence
Not supported by scripture [I would argue that scripture clearly indicates this is how not to pray.]
Leads to false ecumenism
No contemplative can refute argument with scripture

Antidote

Study the Bible
Obey Him
Find fellowship
Pray, preferably with words

If you run into support of CP(Contemplative Prayer), isolate yourself into scripture.

Q & A with Roger Oakland, Brian Flynn, and Jan Markell

Unfortunately, I generally didn’t keep track of who answered what, and often answers were a joint effort.

Q: What is the Biblical response to leaders bringing in [the] deception [of CP]?

Flynn: This is forbidden. There is no support. Bible says no vain repetition. We do not need extra-Biblical practices.

Q: Miracles from film [about appearances of Mary, etc.], healing, etc. Where from?

Oakland: God is a god of miracles, but the god of the world can imitate. Jesus always separated Himself from the people when they were seeking merely the miracles. Demons often do good things in an effort to make people dependent on them, not Christ.

Q: Theophostics

A: Supposedly heals past problems via mystical practice. It’s a Christian form of psychology used to go back in time. It is not supported by the Bible. Pastor Bob DeWaay [has more info?]

Q: Emergent church

A: The emergent church always employs CP(Contemplative Prayer) as experience. True growth comes from the Word, but CP retards growth.

Q: With the emergent church movement in the Church, how do we wake it up?

Markell [?]: In almost ever denomination today people sincerely believe this is how to reach people. We need to point people to Scripture, not extra-Biblical experience.

Q: Was the death of Pope John Paul II a birth pang?

A: It was a dramatic, earth-shaking event that had an ecumenical spark. It’s not necessarily wrong for all to pay their respects, but…

Q: What’s wrong with yoga if you separate the exercise from the spiritual aspects?

Flynn: “Christian Yoga” is an oxymoron. Hindus are offended that yoga is treated as mere exercise. The positions have religious significance. For example, some positions are used to honor the sun god. Other forms of exercise are available; do those instead.

Q: How do I know whether to stay or leave my congregation?

Flynn: Go to your pastor first, and ask to have the Word preached. If your request is refused, then leave. You need to be fed more than to fight.

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