Will Steven Anderson Execute His Own Homosexual Supporting Producer?

Dr. James Ach

We recently wrote about “Pastor” Steven Anderson’s assisting Muslims in an attempt to stir violence against Jews in Dearborn, Michigan, and have recently learned that an e-book created by ISIS discovered in May of 2015 containing information on how to infiltrate America and Christian churches had references to Steven Anderson’s “Marching to Zion” documentary. We will be writing more on this in the near future.

We published a short expose throughout Twitter and Facebook recently that exposed a fatal flaw in Anderson’s logic regarding the execution of homosexuals, and we gave Anderson and his ignorant followers numerous chances to respond, albeit to no avail. Anderson’s followers refuse to practice what they preach.*

In all of Steven Anderson’s sermons on his theonomist views of enforcing Old Testament punishments for sodomites, Anderson relies heavily on Leviticus chapter 20. However, what Anderson, and all theonomists for that matter, ignore in expecting a secular, ungodly government such as America to carry out these punishments is that the very beginning of Leviticus 20 defines who is responsible for carrying out these punishments: it’s not the government , but the citizens.

Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones. Leviticus 20:2

“The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.” Deuteronomy 17:7

We see clearly here that is was not a Supreme Court, Department of Justice, or the Tempe Mount Police who carried out the judgment, it was the people, the civilians, not the secular government. So why is Anderson expecting someone else to do his job? Why hasn’t Anderson “cast the first stone”? Is he afraid of the government? Why is a man that defies the government at checkpoints to the extent of getting tazed, afraid to practice what he preaches?

This brings us to the main event. Steven Anderson has employed the assistance of Paul Wittenberger in the production of his “Marching to Zion” documentary, an anti-Semitic film that borrows the majority of its material from the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion (a forged document that was cited by Adolf Hitler in his justification of murdering Jews)-a book which is also sold by Wittenberger and Anderson on their website- and known Holocaust rejector, David Irving (who also wrote a book in defense of Adolf Hitler called “Hitler’s War” ALSO SOLD BY ANDERSON AND WITTENBERGER)

Wittenberger assisted in the production of a homosexual/lesbian movie called “Itty Bitty Titty Committee” 

Itty Bitty Titty Committee is a feminist, lesbian-related comedy film directed by Jamie Babbit. It was released on September 28, 2007

Will Anderson start practicing what he preaches by executing his documentary producer?

For the record, while we believe that homosexuality is an abomination that will be judged by God,  it is not the job of a secular government to carry out Old Testament punishments for those crimes, nor is it the church’s (compare Paul’s treatment of the man caught sleeping with his mother in law in 1 Corinthians 5, and the follow-up in 2 Corinthians 7: a crime that would have been punishable by death prior to the cross). In fact, there’s not a single example in the New Testament of any church carrying out an execution.  Nevertheless, Anderson has shown what a liar and coward he is by throwing a temper tantrum over something that he is not willing to do himself, which exposes a gross inconsistency in his rhetoric, and likely proves that Anderson’s intention is to gather a Jim Jones/Charles Manson type following that will drink his Kool-Aid and eventually start carrying out his venomous encyclicals

UPDATE:

We discovered that Steven Anderson was having premonitions about his wife prior to their marriage. Should he be stoned under the Old Testament?

Is Steven Anderson a Muslim Aiding Terrorist?

Dr James Ach

Steven Anderson is proudly one of the most controversial “pastors” of the decade. With his rants against Navy SEAL Chris Kyle calling him a coward, and his recent remarks about praying for the death of president Obama and Bruce Jenner, as well as preaching that all homosexuals should be put to death by the government (a sentiment that he refuses to cast the first javelin on), Anderson has certainly riled up the ire of the anti-Christian communities, including gaining a recent spot on the Dr. Drew show as an example of what a nutcase Christian looks like.

Anderson is well-known for his rants against the nation of Israel, but recently, he took his venom one step further when he traveled from Arizona to Dearborn, Michigan to pass out anti-Jewish propaganda to Muslims. Of course, this mission was labeled as “winning Muslims to Christ” but let’s be realistic here; if you’re going to drive all the way from Tempe, Arizona, over a thousand miles to the greatest known population of Muslims in the United States and wear “Free Palestine” t-shirts (which I’m sure the PA and Hamas were grateful for considering the shirts Arabic dedication to Allah), and pass out his Holocaust-denying “Marching to Zion” DVDs, you are not there to win anyone to Christ, but to cause hatred and violence toward Jewish people.  Anderson even admits the potential for violent reactions by warning his followers that “wearing this shirt will protect you while we’re in Dearborn”. So obviously Anderson knew there was a potential for violent reactions, so certainly he is well aware of the kind of response his DVDs would provoke from the same community against Jews.

What is strangely ironic about this is that while Anderson agrees with Iran, that Israel should be wiped off the map and our history rejected as well as our right to live and exist in Israel, he supports the fictional state of “Palestine” that has NEVER had a state in Israel. While Anderson claims that Israel was not a nation brought forth again in 1948, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (now PA or, “Palestinian Authority”) had no “Palestinians” until 1964. Palestine was/is a LATIN term used by Romans to ridicule JEWS after the Romans sacked Jerusalem under Titus in AD 70 with the final ousting of Jews from Jerusalem around AD 100. Palestine is a form of the word “Philistine” of which Israel has a history of conflict with (Goliath was a Philistine whom David slew). Philistine was used as a pejorative term for Jews. Thus, the ORIGINAL “Palestinians” were actually EXILED JEWS, not ARABS from surrounding Arabic countries. So while Anderson attempts to disassociate modern Jews from Israel as legitimate occupiers, he adopts a mantra based on a nation of fiction. There has never been a state, or religion called “Palestine”. Even Hamas officials admission of this fact.

Israel was a desolate land that didn’t even bear fruit or trees until the Jews came back to the land. It is therefore quite humorous to see Anderson show his support for some fictional state that never took care of the land, and never made any claims to the land until many years after Israel’s reoccupation of the land as a nation. See our article on prophecies fulfilled by modern Israel.

Hal Lindsey has thoroughly demonstrated how that anti-Jewish theology such as Replacement Theology, and more recently Theonomy (another rehashed version of Christian Reconstructionism and Dominion Theology), are indirectly, and often directly responsible for the violence that Jews have experienced throughout history (See The Road To Holocaust and ignore the idiotic rants from the DeMar crowds). Even the Aryan Brotherhood likes Anderson’s literature. Steven Anderson is antidispensational, anti-Jewish, and adheres to the same Old Testament theocratic concepts of the modern-day theonomists, so while not outright admitting that he is in fact, a theonomist, or a Roman Catholic Dominionist, his theology is crystal clear that that is exactly what he teaches (with a few hints of Herbert Armstrong’s British Israelite arguments against the established nation of Israel). Anderson is certainly familiar with the violent history against Jews by those who have adopted these theologies (Hitler quoted Martin Luther’s antiSemitic sentiments as justification for persecuting Jews), and it can not be ignored that he must have had this in mind when spreading his propaganda in Dearborn to a hostile Muslim community.

ANDERSON’S MOTIVES

We haven’t quite gotten to the bottom of his motives for promoting his racist theology, but we do note that Anderson’s father was lead to Christ by Roland Rasmussen (anti pre tribulation and known for his mid-tribulation theology), and that he married a German lady who he’d led to Christ (supposedly) on their way to Reno for a shotgun wedding. Now we are certainly glad that Anderson chose to marry a woman “in the Lord” (1 Cor 7:39), but when you put a woman on the spot and tell her “Look, I love you but I can’t marry you unless you are a Christian. So before we go to Reno, you’re going to have to pray this prayer so we can get married”, I’d have to really question the authenticity of not only your marriage but both of your conversions (hers based on that experience, and his based on the belief that such a conversion is a bona fide way to witness by pressuring someone into believing in Christ: considering that she’d flown from Germany to the U.S. to marry him, what was she supposed to say?). We haven’t quite connected the dots between his connection with Germany and his anti-Semitic views, but eventually we will find it if there’s even the slightest connection.

WHO SENT ANDERSON?

That’s not the only anomaly within the history of Andersonism. Anderson is a renegade pastor with no sending church which is quite uncommon among IFB churches. Baptists have long held that there is a succession of independent churches that can be traced all the way back to the churches in Jerusalem, and although there can not be traced an absolute unbroken line (contrary to some Landmarkists), part of the way we preserve the integrity of that line is by ordaining pastors. Trying to maintain churches that are sent out from the authority of other Bible believing churches is one of the ways to prevent the infiltration of heretics. Now of course, the church is sort of “chartered” under the authority of another church, but once established is fully independent. This never occurred with Anderson as far as we know. We do know that he was supposedly sent from a Baptist church in Sacramento, California, but we have never been able to confirm that Anderson was ever sent out from their church.

ANDERSON’S ASSOCIATIONS

Anderson has also employed the services of Paul Wittenberger in the production of his videos, including the most recent antiSemitic “Marching to Zion” film. Paul Wittenberg has helped in the production of some of the most ungodly entertainment known to man, including the production of LESBIAN ORIENTED MOVIES.

Itty Bitty Titty Committee is a feminist, lesbian-related comedy film directed by Jamie Babbit. It was released on September 28, 2007

Now we certainly agree that homosexuality is godless, wicked, sinful, and will be judged by God along with the nations that sanction it, but isn’t it just a bit odd to advocate for the murder of homosexuals while your production artist helps produce gay movies? 

One wonders just how much money his church members and other supporters inadvertently (or perhaps even blatantly) gave to Islamic terrorist networks upon the purchase of their “Free Palestine” t-shirts for their “witnessing” mission to Muslims in Dearborn, Michigan.  You have to have the discernment of a 12-year-old space cadet to follow this cultic charlatan, and rumor has it that Dr. Sam Gipp has produced a new video that actually demonstrates Steven Anderson is in fact, stuck on 12.

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See our article on “Not All Israel Are Of Israel?” establishing the validity of modern-day Israel and her role in future prophecy, and our most recent article on Andersonism Theology debunking his view of the 144,000 Jews of Revelation 7, which addresses quite a bit more than the 144,000 demonstrating the utter fallacious nature of his methods of Biblical interpretation.  And our article refuting “After the Tribulation” with a  little bit more commentary on some of his other odd mannerisms.

See also Dr. Michael Brown’s “Is Israel An Evil Occupier?”

UPDATE: Anderson’s followers have blocked us on almost every social media outlet they they are located, and have even accused us of supporting homosexuality because we disagree with executing sodomites. Please look to the left of the website and see our recent articles on “gay” marriage for proof of what complete idiots Anderson’s followers are. This is Westboro “Baptist” Church logic: if you don’t kowtow to their definition of perverts, you are therefore a pervert supporter.

Steven Anderson Sermon On Bruce Jenner Just Honest Calvinism

Dr James Ach and J/A

Recently on the Dr. Drew Show, where the theme revolved around “transgenders” with James White as a guest, Dr. Drew began the show with a clip of Steven Anderson ranting about Bruce Jenner, praying that Jenner would die and go to hell. Of course, it’s not uncommon for liberal media personalities to use the most extreme examples of professing Christians to provoke an emotionally charged irrational response against the conservative Christian crowds that raise the most objections to issues such as homosexuality and transgenderism. Although, Dr Drew didn’t use Anderson any differently than James White uses Anderson to portray King James Only advocates.

Let us first say on behalf of all independent fundamental Baptists (IFB) of all stripes, that NONE of us recognize Steven Anderson as a bona fide fundamental Baptist. He has virtually nothing in common with any IFB denomination, and has been openly hostile of every IFB minister and ministry from Peter Ruckman, Bob Gray Sr., David Cloud, D.A. Waite, Jack Moorman, Phil Stringer, Jack Chick,  to Fellowship Tract League, William Grady, Sam Gipp, Lester Roloff et al , and that’s just about every known “leader” so-to-speak in modern fundamental “circles”. The above names have sharp disagreements with each other, but Anderson hates them ALL. Anderson is an anti-Semitic, hermeneutically challenged anomaly that in our opinion at DRC is on someone’s payroll to make Baptists look like complete idiots (above and beyond some of the dumb things we’ve done amongst ourselves). In fact, not only do we deny that Anderson is IFB but have a standing joke that Anderson is actually a closet Calvinist.

But, to save the day on the Drew show, James White of Alpha & Omega Ministries gives the Christian side of the transgender debate. Frankly, White did a fairly good job at keeping the topic on topic in light of the red herrings and strawmen being thrown at him from the stage (including an unnecessary pejorative jab by Dr. Drew, “That’s what the Duggars told their son” when White stated we need to listen to what God says about His creation), and given the hand he was dealt against the clearly stacked deck held by the house, he actually did manage to accurately describe the Christian perspective of God’s design and purpose for the male and female to a hostile crowd. I think he could have been a little more thorough, but in fairness, he probably got more chances to offer what he DID get to explain than the producers wanted to give him.

White made it quite clear that Steven Anderson’s brand of Christianity is not reflective of genuine orthodoxy. We agree, but this is where we have a contention with Calvinism. We don’t think honest Calvinists can be consistent with their theology when condemning people like Steven Anderson because their theology maintains the exact same sentiment.

Here’s a simple question we asked Calvinists on Twitter: Did Christ die for Bruce Jenner? Not one single Calvinist tried to answer that.

Calvinists have long held that God doesn’t love everybody. In The Sovereignty of God, A. W. Pink,  wrote, “God loves whom He chooses. He does not love everybody.”

In a written book-format debate with Dave Hunt, James White stated,

Surely it is part of modern evangelical tradition to say, ‘God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,’ but providing a meaningful biblical basis for this assertion is significantly more difficult.” Debating Calvinism, p.265

White also made a near 2 hour video on John 3:16 in 2006 attempting to show that God doesn’t love everybody.

John Calvin wrote,  “It is incontestable that Christ came for the expiation of the sins of the whole world.” Calvin, Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God p.148. R.C. Sproul stated that, “The world for whom Christ died cannot mean the entire human family. It must refer to the universality of the elect”. Sproul, Chosen By God, pp 206-207.

There are not very many exceptions in Calvinism when it comes to the question of God’s love for all. Those who do attempt to make an exception (such as John MacArthur, “Does God Love Whom He Does Not Save?”) merely attempt to move the goal posts a little down the field by deferring to a different kind of love for the sinner than for the elect, but the outcome is still the same, God didn’t love the unelect enough to keep them out of hell so not even MacArthur can claim his views are any different than his compadres. (We’ve addressed the issue of different kinds of love, and Calvinists usage of “rain on the just and unjust” argument here).

Not only do most Calvinists concede that God does not love everyone, but the remaining consensus among them is that if He does not love everyone, and didn’t elect you, then He hates you!

James White writes about Romans 9:13, “No matter how one understands ‘Jacob have I love but Esau have I hated’ , this verse alone should be enough to refute such an errant view of God’s love.” Debating Calvinism, p.268 (emphasis added). Notice that White contrasts “hate” verses any opposing view as being an “errant view” that God would love all. James White also denies being a hyper-Calvinist (a denial that is defended by Phil Johnson), so this view can’t be blamed on “hyper Calvinism” (although we vehemently deny that there is any such thing. The eventual results of infra-, supra- or sub lapsarianism and their various modifications are all inconsistent and lead to exhaustive determinism and fatalism).

Paul Washer says that, ” ‘God hates the sin but loves the sinner’ looks good on the back of a t-shirt, but that’s not Biblical”. In fact, Washer even offers an erroneous interpretation of Psalm 5 as a contrast to the universal love taught in John 3:16.  John Piper dittoes this sentiment in “God loves the Sinner But Hates the Sin? July 30, 2013.

Now what Calvinists will normally do at this point after you’ve proven point after point, with quote after quote (and I do have many many more) of just what their trusted leaders have affirmed on these issues, is attempt to justify their position while ignoring the fact that just 5 minutes ago they were denying that any Calvinist ever held to these views.

But this all leads to one final conclusion…

Calvinists have no grounds on which to condemn Steven Anderson’s view of Bruce Jenner.

Calvinists have no grounds on which to condemn Steven Anderson’s view of Bruce Jenner. Calvinists have always freely condemned any person that does not bear the fruit of the Spirit as a person who is either unsaved or was never saved in the first place (which is still unsaved). In fact, White and JD Hall have said such about Ergun Caner and Peter Lumpkins and several other ministers in the SBC, and White has even hinted that anyone who rejects Calvinism is not a Christian (and Hall blatantly said so). Certainly if they can reserve that judgment on professing Christians, is there any doubt what the Calvinist view of Bruce Jenner is? White has confirmed on more than one occasion that homosexuality is a gospel issue (and we agree, though for different reasons which we’ve addressed in Westboro Baptist Calvinists). Thus the only alternative is that Bruce Jenner is clearly not one of the elect, and not predestinated for salvation, but is in fact, non elect.

Since Bruce Jenner isn’t elect, then God hates him. That’s the only consistent position a Calvinist can take on this matter. They can’t claim “Well we don’t know” because they’ve certainly said they DID know about many others who were/are professing Christians (White has even claimed that *I* am unsaved) . Therefore, there is no meaningful difference from the Calvinist theological position that God hates Bruce Jenner and has predestined him for hell, and Steven Anderson’s comments that he hates Bruce Jenner, and hopes he goes to hell. At least Anderson is honest about his views as wrong as they are. The views of Steven Anderson and the views of Calvinism as a whole are exactly the same when it comes to people like Bruce Jenner. In both views God hates the sinner and wants them to burn in hell. If there is a difference, it would merely be that God, according to Calvinism, reprobated Jenner before time, and Anderson is praying for God to hasten His judgment for it in time. Calvinism continues to maintain its credibility by being consistently rhetorically dishonest about what they believe.

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See also Leighton Flowers, Did God Determine Homosexuality? For additional thoughts on how consistent Calvinism would actually blame God for Bruce Jenner’s condition. Although Leighton did not specifically mention Jenner, one can use the same logic that Leighton used and simply replace the terms “homosexual” with “transgender”. This comment will make more sense to you after you read his article.

And,

Are You A Calvinist In Your Preaching On Homosexuality? From friend of Dr. Elisha,  Boaz Baptist.

Who Are the 144,000? Debunking Steven Anderson

Dr James Ach

Steven Anderson has made several “Post Trib Moment” videos as well as a series of anti-Israel videos in support of his Armstrongism views of the relationship between the church and Israel. These videos have been responded to thoroughly at length by two other brothers, Bryan Denlinger, Post Trib Moments Exposed, and Rick Jacoby, Israel Moments Examined, so I have chosen not to address those videos, but since this issue was addressed on my Twitter account with several others wanting a reply, I wanted to offer a few short comments to refute Anderson’s “Post Trib Moment #48” in which Anderson asserts that the 144,000 sealed servants of Revelation 7 are not future Jews.

Anderson claims that the Bible never calls the 144,000 listed in Revelation 7:4-8 “Jews” but “of the 12 tribes of the children of Israel”. Now how anyone could come up with that ridiculous conclusion is beyond me, because to make any kind of sense to the passage, you would first have to understand who the 12 tribes were, and then who the children of Israel were, and conclude that neither the 12 tribes nor the children of Israel were ever Jewish. But Anderson offers a solution to that conundrum by offering a kind of Preterist interpretation: that these 144,000 were chosen from 12 tribes that were already on earth, and not that they will be chosen from any future tribes.

Where Are the 144,000 Located?

Anderson’s first contention (which he never really fully explains the relevancy and skips over Revelation 7) is that the 144,000 can’t be Jews because they are in heaven. He never really revisits this after making the argument that they are in heaven in Revelation 14. True, they are in heaven in Revelation 14, and that proves what exactly?? The 2 witnesses end up in heaven, too, in the middle of the tribulation (This also provides one of the strongest arguments for a 7 year tribulation. The 2 witnesses ministry lasts for 3 1/2 years Revelation 11:3, and the devil’s antics do not begin UNTIL they are killed in Revelation 11:6-8, at which point, the dragon knows that he has 3 1/2 years left. Revelation 12:11-12, Revelation 13:5).

But note that the 144,000 are first SEALED ON EARTH.  1) The angels that seal them are standing on the FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH (Revelation 7:1) which is below heaven where God resides, and, 2) they are told not to hurt the earth until the servants are sealed (Revelation 7:3). Why would they be told not to hurt the earth if the 144,000 were sealed in heaven? Thus we see why Anderson never came back to Revelation chapter 7 to develop this point. The 144,000 are sealed on earth, and are taken with those who believe Christ during their ministry to the mountains (Revelation 12:6), and from there to heaven which is why you see them there in Revelation 14. Keep in mind that this fits the timeline of the ministry of the 2 witnesses of Revelation 11:3, Anderson’s account does not.

What About Those 10 Tribes? Where Are the Tribes?

Anderson makes an absurd argument not found in Scripture or history that the Northern tribes of Israel (all 10 of them) became Samaria, and thus lost their Jewish identity. However, race-mingling occurred all throughout the Old Testament (See Ezra 10:3 and Nehemiah 13:26-28) and yet it never caused any of the tribes to lose their identity. Oddly enough, although Anderson contends that none of the 12 tribes are mentioned after the resurrection of Christ except one, Asher (which would be Anna, Luke 2:36), he fails to mention that Asher was of the NORTHERN tribes of Israel.

Anderson argues that the Jews lost their identity because of intermingling, but he makes this argument from only the Northern tribes. Wouldn’t that argument, to be consistent, also need to include the Southern tribes as well? If the Northern tribes lost their identity because of intermingling, then how did the Southern tribes lose their identity who did NOT intermingle? Not only is Anderson’s argument inconsistent (and unbiblical), it is also erroneous in the fact that it merely made the progeny of those particular relationships half Jewish, it didn’t make the Jewish perpetrators any LESS Jewish. And keep in mind, for Anderson’s argument to be true, all of this would have had to have been accomplished at the time of Christ, because he defers to the term “Samaria” as proof of this, yet James writes to “The 12 tribes” after Christ’s resurrection (more on that below).

Moreover, one the strongest refutations against Anderson’s position is that the tribe of Levi exceeded the physical tribal boundaries. They were not part of either Northern or Southern kingdoms because they were never offered a physical inheritance (Deuteronomy 10:9, 18:1, Numbers 18:20-24), and yet they are listed with the tribes in Revelation 7. This proves beyond a doubt that the 144,000 COULD NOT HAVE BEEN Old Testament saints as Anderson erroneously contends.

Lastly on this point is Anderson’s oversight (we think deliberately) that no other tribes are mentioned other than a prophetess from Asher . However, in Romans 11, Paul tells us he is an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, in Philipians 3:5 he repeats this, but refers to his identity as a Hebrew of Hebrews, and in Acts 21:39 Paul calls himself a Jew. So Israelite, Hebrew, and Jew are all synonymous, and it is therefore ludicrous to think that the 12 tribes of Israel in Revelation 7 would not be 12 JEWISH tribes, and then attempt to make some unbiblical distinction between Jew and Israelite.

We also read the following from Acts 26:7 in Paul’s address to King Agrippa,

 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

Clearly here, the “hope to come” is a reference to a future 12 tribes. There’s a long list of Old Testament passages that are relevant to the millennial kingdom that could  be cited as well (such as the Zechariah 8:23) that prophesy God’s fulfillment of remaining promises to the NATION of Israel. See our article on “Not All Israel Are of Israel?” for irrefutable proof of Israel’s future restoration and a refutation of popular Replacement Theology arguments.

The 144,000 Are the Firstfruits OF the Lamb, Not BEFORE the Lamb

In Revelation 14:4, as Anderson correctly points out, the 144,000 are called the firstfruits of the Lamb. Here’s a common sense question, how could Christ be the firstfruits in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 and Colossians 1:18, and the 144,000 be firstfruits that precede THE Firstfruit? The ORDER of firstfruits in the NT is ALWAYS Christ first. Thus, the 144,000 could not possibly have been Old Testament saints before Christ.

So Where Are the 12 Tribes Today?

Anderson contends that none of the 12 tribes exist today in Israel, and therefore that proves Revelation 7 isn’t about 12 Jewish tribes [See The Khazar Myth Debunked by Chris White for a short explanation about DNA evidence linking modern Jews with OT Jews] . Ironically, Anderson says he takes the Bible literally in Revelation 7, but then refuses to believe the possibility that these 12 tribes exist, and are just unknown, but will be made known in the future. By using this kind of criteria to evaluate Scripture one could argue that NONE of the events Christians consider future (including even Anderson’s pre-wrath rapture) will ever happen. For example, we could argue that there is not NOW a New World Order, yet even though Revelation 13-18 is clear that there WILL BE, using Anderson’s logic we could easily argue against it. Jews could have argued in the OT that no virgin has ever given birth to a child and therefore it will never happen. Nobody ever thought Israel would be a nation again, either.

Anderson admits that there are Jews alive today, and that our land is called Israel, and Jews live in it. Now common sense would tell you that we at least at one point in history had a tribal identity and just because Israel today does not KNOW all of the tribes due to being scattered and persecuted does not mean that the tribal identities will not be recovered/known at a future time, just as the Hebrew language was recovered. Many Africans sold into slavery were taken from tribes in Africa and today, none of them can tell you what tribe they belong to; that doesn’t mean those tribes don’t exist. Anderson can’t simply write off all of the fulfilled prophecies of the OT regarding Israel as coincidence (See our articles on Prophecies Fulfilled In Modern Israel, and Debunking Myths About Current Israel ) If all of the prophecies listed in these articles are not the actual fulfillment of prophecy, then there is yet another group of people that will be called Jews and another land yet to be called Israel (Ezekiel 37:12) that have yet to fulfill them all-TWICE.

Scripture makes it clear that this is a period called “The Time of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24) and the setting aside of Israel –which would naturally and consequentially include their tribal identity– is temporary. Romans 11:25-26. Paul says that Israel NATIONALLY is brought back “from the dead” in Romans 11:15. Why then should we expect a temporarily dead nation to know all of their tribal identities? If we BELIEVE the Scripture, and take it literally as Anderson claims he does, then there’s no reason to believe that the tribes of Israel will not be made known WHEN THE TIME IS COME, a standard that applies to any other remaining prophecy (again, including even Anderson’s own view of a post-tribulation rapture). 

However, if Steven Anderson-to borrow an American phrase-“wants to be technical”, Revelation 7:4-8 doesn’t say that the tribes MUST BE KNOWN TO US. If it is only God that knew them, the Scripture would still prove that 12 JEWISH tribes are future regardless of whether those tribal identities are known to any of us (or them). Certainly, it would be hard to fathom how Jesus could promise His disciples that they WOULD (future) sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel if those 12 tribes are never manifested. Matthew 19:28. And to create 12 tribes, you’re going to need men and women who aren’t virgins. Yet nothing in Revelation 7-14 indicates that any of the 144,000 virgins stopped to make a family while they were sealed and witnessing during the tribulation.

Furthermore, when James wrote his epistle, even though he admits that the Jewish tribes were scattered, he still referred to them as “the 12 tribes”. James 1:1. It would be silly to argue that James did not know the identity of these 12 tribes and yet still refer to them as “THE 12 tribes”.

Witnesses During the Wrath of God?

One of Anderson’s followers, “Edward”, stated that,

the 144,000 are from the tribes of Israel and are sent from heaven to win souls during the wrath of God.

There’s not one verse in Revelation that says there is any witnessing that occurs DURING the last 3 years of the tribulation but by ONE ANGEL (Revelation 14:6). Furthermore, in the last half of the tribulation any surviving saints (that did not make it to the mountains in Revelation 12:6 during the first 3 1/2, and those who convert under the angel during the latter half) will be martyred by the dragon who is given power over them (Revelation 13:5-7). There are no SEALED saints in the latter half of the tribulation. In fact, it is because those who heard their message during the first 3 1/2 years and rejected it chose their fate for the last 3 1/2 years (Revelation 14:8). Those who reject Christ during the first 3.5 years will not be written in the book of life of the Lamb, and will be given over to a reprobate mind (believe a lie, i.e., that the beast is God when he declares himself so. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12). They are given chance after chance and continually refuse to repent (Revelation 9:20-21, Revelation 16:9-11).

However, not all of them will be killed (the meaning behind “he that endureth to the end shall be saved” in Matthew 24:13), some survive and make it to the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 65:20), but become slaves of Israel which will include the church as ruling judges (Isaiah 1:26, 1 Corinthians 6:3, your position in the kingdom will depend on your obedience in THIS time, 1 Corinthians 3:11-16) and be subject to the theocratic rule of the Lamb (Revelation 2:27, 12:5, 19:15). They have children during this time who increase in population and ultimately rebel against God after a thousand years when Satan is released from the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:7-8).

Finally, Anderson’s logic here is that God has left the church on the earth to endure the tribulation, and chosen to seal 144,000 Old Testament saints to carry the gospel, because apparently the entire church got amnesia and forgot what it was and how to preach it, or perhaps the Calvinists got left behind and since they don’t evangelize (in any meaningful sense of the word), God in His foreknowledge chose to get the job done with 144,000 OT virgins. Hard to fathom how 144,000 virgins passed through 2000 years of Jewish history unnoticed, but hey, Anderson’s sticking to his story. Perhaps one day he’ll fight another border patrol officer and get shocked back into sanity. Anderson’s argument is based on “it makes way more sense that…”, which is the exact type of reasoning he condemns from those who use this reasoning to support certain verses for a pre-tribulation rapture that are not exactly spelled out.* Anderson’s entire argument therefore rests on speculation, not anything he can support from Scripture with the same certainty that he demands from pre-tribulationists.

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*We do note Anderson says the 144,000 serve to replace the saints so that the earth is not left without witnesses, which would place the rapture of the saints MID TRIBULATION, when Anderson has devoted an entire movie arguing for a POST TRIBULATION rapture! Furthermore, the wrath of God that is poured out

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prophecies Fulfilled In Modern Israel

“Pastor” Steven Anderson created a video in which he explains that God did not cause Israel to be regathered as a nation in 1948, due to the nation’s continued rejection of Christ. Anderson is not alone in sharing this sentiment, the Aryan Nation, Ku Klux Klan and Catholic Church agree with him.

Apparently, Anderson is of the persuasion that the promise of God to bring Israel back into their land depends upon their acknowledgment of Christ as Messiah. Yet, if Israel is said to be blinded for the moment (Romans 11:26), then how would Israel as a nation be expected to corporately turn to Christ? Anderson is also opposed to dispensationalism, which is the death-knell of every amillennial, post millennial, preterist, historicist and covenant system of theology which fails to rightly divide the word of truth, and leads to blurring the distinctions between the church and Israel. (See our Article on Steven Anderson’s “After The Tribulation” and “Debunking Myths About Israel”  for a refutation of common proof-texts used by these systems to claim that the church and Israel are the same.)

Israel has yet to fulfill the birthright promise to Ephraim in Genesis 48-49. The church inherited the spiritual blessings of faith through Abraham, but the church has nothing to do with the physical promises that are yet to be fulfilled in Israel. The spiritual blessings were fulfilled in the genealogy of Abraham through Judah to Christ (Genesis 49:10,Romans 9:1-7, Galatians 3:16), but the birthright was not reckoned after the genealogy (1 Chronicles 5:1-2). The failure of even the most sincere Bible students to get this throughout the Bible is partly responsible for the plethora of heresies and denominations that exist today.

But what we want to focus on in this article, since there is already so much material extant that clearly shows that Israel will be regathered, are many of the other prophecies concerning Israel that are ignored by Anderson and his ilk.

The Restoration of the Hebrew Language

Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent” Zephaniah 3:8-9

Since the ousting of the Jews from Jerusalem in AD 70 under Titus and the “Diaspora”, the Hebrew language had largely become obscure, and was only well-known to those who preserved and studied the Old Testament texts among scholars, linguists, and palaeographers. Within the last few centuries, Hebrew had been mixed with German (Yiddish) and Spanish (Ladino).

In 1858, Eliezer Ben Yahuda was born, who by age 12 had mastered several different languages including Russian, German, French and Hebrew. Ben Yahuda is largely responsible for the revival of the Hebrew language which in 1982, became the official language of Israel.

The Order Of Israel’s Regathering

Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth” Isaiah 43:5-6

The first major exodus back to Israel came from Jews in Syria, Iraq, and Jordan from 1930-1940 (The East). The next groups returned to Israel from Europe following World War 2 (The West). Following the East then West, the Jews returned from Russia (The North) followed by Ethiopian Jews under Operation Solomon in 1991 (The South).

Israel Rejoices Over Regathering From the North

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.” Jeremiah 16:14-15

This nugget is very interesting in light of the fact that most anti-Semites argue that all of the current Israelites who are not “real Jews” are Ashkenazi impostors from Russia (The North). This has caused Israel to defend the largest part of their migration from the North as legitimate and thus Israel has literally been outspoken in declaring their gratefulness to God in bringing them from the North more so now than they did in declaring how He brought them out of Egypt.

The Land Will Be Called Israel

Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Ezekiel 37:12

This is rather crucial prophecy because it dispels the notion that the current occupiers of Israel are not real Jews. If the current occupants are not real Jews, then that begs the question: when will the REAL JEWS then occupy the land? If there is a future occupant in mind other than the current Israelites, then impostor Jews got the credit for restoring the name Israel to the land formerly referred to as Palestine after the Jews were dispersed in AD 70. Would God fulfill this prophecy by permitting fake Jews to restore the name of the land? And how then would a future “real” Jew restore the name to the land that is already called “Israel”?

This prophecy also eliminates the absurd notion that the church is Israel, and other heresies following this line of logic such as British Israelitism. The Bible says that not only will the Jews be regathered, but that the land in which they will be gathered in will be called ISRAEL, not Britain, not United States, and not a fairy tale land in Missouri discovered by Joseph Smith. Some ignoramous can’t tell the difference between “LAND” and “spiritual promises”, and interpret most references to Israel as a “spiritual” fulfillment in the church.

The Military Power of Israel 

In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.”  Zechariah 12:6

The event in Israel known as מלחמת ששת הימים (The Six Day War) is one of the most impressive military victories in history. Israel was under attack and outnumbered by all of our surrounding countries, and made short work of all of them in just six days (from June 5-June 10, 1967)! Since then, Israel has been under constant attack by her enemies (War of Attrition, 1967-1970, Yom Kippur, 1973, First Intafada, 1987-1993, Second Intafada, 2000-2005, Gaza War, 2008-2009, Lebanon attack led by Hezbollah, 1982-2000, etc..). Israel has since 1948 when becoming a nation, never been defeated in battle.

The Shekel Restored As National Currency

And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh. This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley:  Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer: And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord God.  All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel.” Ezekiel 45:12-16

The “Pound” was the Israeli currency from 1948 to February 23, 1980 when it was replaced by the shekel.

Israel Will Be Center Of World Controversy

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” Zechariah 12:3

No other nation has been the subject of such ridicule, persecution, and world conflict than Israel. With one word of potential conflict in middle East, oil prices rise, and stock markets fluctuate, and the crisis is always revolved around Israel and America’s support of her.

Israel Growing Crops In The Desert

Mark Twain once visited Israel in 1860, and said that Israel was a barren wasteland with no trees. For nearly 2000 years, Israel had been a wasteland, the grounds  untilled and “Palestinians” unsuccessfully attempting to grow any crops in Israel.

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.” Isaiah 35:1-2

Israel now has over 400 million trees, and has seen an increase in rain by nearly 500% which has led to other Biblical fulfillments:

 Filling the World With Fruit

He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.” Isaiah 27:6

Israel has become one of the leading sources in the world for fruit, including the introduction of twelve new fruits and vegetables.

 Largest Underground Water Source In Israel

And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.” Zechariah 14:8

The largest underground water source was discovered in Israel in 2011 during excavation work in the railways of Jerusalem.

These prophecies are a clear indication that God has kept His promise to Israel. These prophecies are a clear fulfillment of events that effect flesh and blood, literal Jews in the land that God gave to our fathers. One must be blind or just plain STUPID and willingly ignorant to reject these evidences in order to make their theology fit their biases.

I’ve discovered one of the fastest ways to learn whether or not a professing Bible believer is a heretic is to see what they believe about Israel.

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By Dr. Elisha Weismann and edited by Dr. James Ach

Steve Anderson’s “After The Tribulation” A Refutation

[Coming soon. It’s a 2 hour video, and I intend to make thorough notes on debunking every claim Steve Anderson made in this video in his butchering of Scripture to prove his view of a post tribulation, pre-wrath rapture  ( while he claims to be a fundamental Baptist). This article is still in the process of new additions but I am publishing certain portions as I finish each section to give readers a head start on studying these issues in advance of the completed article.

There is also as section at the bottom on other warnings about Steven Anderson’s teachings. I will soon be adding to that as I have watched videos this week where he attempts to debunk dispensationalism, and another video where upholds the Pentacostal “oneness” doctrine of the Trinity. While I have disagreements about his views on dispensationalism, the rapture, his attitude toward government, his praying for the death of the president, this last issue on the oneness doctrine is what any of his followers should be leary of as I would classify his church as a cult on that basis alone.]

A few of the upcoming issues I will touch on I will mention now.

There are many duplicates of this video on the internet, so the reference I will be using when quoting timelines of statements taken from the documentary will be taken from THIS VIDEO and the timelines will be in quotes (for example “(1:10:15)” would indicate the statement is found at the first hour and ten minute mark of the video.

Steve Claims He Learned His Views By Studying The Bible Alone

At the end of Steve’s documentary, he credits his revelation of this understanding of the rapture “myth” to a study of Matthew 24 when he was 12 years old. (1:40:00). He thanks Jesus that he learned this after all the brainwashing of scholars and Scofield. I must say that must be traumatic for a 12-year-old to undergo such brainwashing of so many scholars and C.I. Scofield.  His entire documentary centers around his understanding of “after the tribulation of those days” implying that the rapture of the church occurs after the tribulation. While he claims that no pre-tribber can point to the word “rapture” in Revelation prior to the tribulation, neither can he point the word rapture in Matthew 24 to prove that this passage proves that the rapture of the church occurs after the tribulation.

Nevertheless, despite Steve’s claim that he learned this on his own, it is ironic that the passage he cites is the exact same passage that inspired Roger Van Kampen and Marvin Rosenthal to write a book about a pre-wrath rapture titled “Rapture Questions Answered” where the same explanation for this pre-wrath rapture position taken by Steve is also found on pages 48-49 of Van Kampen’s book. Steve Anderson’s video is not a new theory or attempted refutation of the pre-tribulation rapture, it is merely a rehashed version of the works of Rosenthal and Van Kampen’s books on the pre-wrath rapture.

Steve’s Misconception of the Wrath of God and the Purpose of the Tribulation

Steve claims that the wrath of God is not the same as the great tribulation and is therefore a separate event. He also seems to confuse tribulation in general, with tribulation as a judgment.

The Tribulation As Separate From Wrath

John shows clearly that the wrath of God as called the wrath of God is based on the judgments and all of the judgments have their start from the book that the Lamb is only worthy to open in Rev 5:5. Thus to say that the tribulation is not the wrath of God fails to notice Who opens the book for all the judgments to take place. Furthermore, Steve fails to separate the wrath of God from the GREAT DAY of His wrath. It is clear that events become progressively worse during the tribulation, which culminates in the event known as the great DAY of His wrath in Rev 6:17. (See also Rev 16:14 where 3 unclean spirits come out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and false prophet to “gather them to the battle of that GREAT DAY of God Almighty”)

This event is not descriptive of a one time event that is immediately preceded by the rapture as Steve claims, it is a term used to describe the finality of God’s judgment.

The Purpose of the Tribulation

The purpose of the tribulation is ignored entirely by Steve. Knowing the purpose of the tribulation is important to understand why the church will not be present. Steve offers several verses to “prove” that Christians suffer tribulation. An associate of the film, pastor Jiminez, quotes Acts 14:22 where Paul says we must “through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God” as proof that Christians are not immune from tribulation. However, this ignores the difference between Christians that have suffered general persecution as a result of their beliefs, from tribulation designed to be a judgment on unbelievers. If all the verses cited by Jiminez and Anderson are evidence of the church going through the tribulation, then the church has been in the tribulation for 1800 years under the Dark Ages of Rome, but we are talking about a specific event that lasts 7 years. Therefore there must be a clear difference between tribulation in general and the judgments of Revelation, and since Paul made that statement 2000 years before the events of Revelation have even begun and was beheaded before AD 100, clearly Acts 14:22 is not a reference to the church going through the tribulation.

The purpose of the tribulation is described in Daniel 9:25-27, commonly called “Daniel’s 70th Week”. The relevant portion of that passage that shows this period is in reference to Israel is that part of those last 7 weeks (7 years) were for Israel to “finish the transgression” and “make an end of sins”. To claim that Christians are part of this is to lump  the church in with finishing a 490 year period of judgment that started with Israel and was postponed when Christ was crucified. Why would the church be required to finish Israel’s transgression?

Daniel also states the last 7 weeks are where God will make an end of sins to the nation of Israel. If Christians are part of the tribulation, that implies that where the Bible says that we have NOW received the atonement is ineffective. Romans 5:11. Believers are also sealed the moment they believe. Eph 1:13. Now to his credit, Steve does espouse to eternal security, but that doctrine is of no consequence if it is held that the church will be made to “make an end of sins” under God’s judgment. The church’s sins are nailed to the cross right now. Col 2:13-14.

Moreover, Jesus states the purpose of the tribulation in Rev 3:10

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth“

Not only is this verse not addressed by Steve at all in this documentary, but the purpose of the tribulation is clearly stated to “try those who dwell upon the earth”. Since when in the epistles to the church is a believer tried under a judgment of God? Peter mentions that “the trial of your faith worketh patience”, and Paul says “there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man”, but in both instances, there is a difference between testing of one’s faith and testing ones faith under judgments of God that were intended to try ALL THE WORLD. It is absurd to claim that God tests the Christian at the same time and under the same judgments as the rest of the world.

Scripture is certainly clear that Christians suffer tribulation at the hands of unbelievers. But the Bible NEVER says that the Christian suffers THE tribulation. Steve claims that tribulation is “what the world does to us” (37:25) but as shown above, this defies the plain teaching of the Bible that separates tribulation as a common form of persecution that has occurred over the last 2000 years, and THE tribulation as a specific event directed toward Israel in Daniel 9 and the unbelieving world that has rejected Christ.

There is therefore NOW no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. It is hard to reconcile the promise of Rom 8:1 with the judgments of the tribulation. Furthermore, Jesus told his believers to pray, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”, so even Jesus did not expect his followers to be part of a judgment meant for unbelievers since He specifically told them to pray for deliverance from evil.

Who Are The Elect?

Steve claims that the elect are both Jews as well as the church, it is merely a term for anyone who is saved but that now the emphasis is on the church, and the church has inherited all of the covenants and replaced Israel (“replacement theology”). As a proof text, Steve cites Romans 11:7 which states “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it AND THE REST WERE BLINDED” (emphasis added). Steve rationalizes that how could the elect be Israel if Rom 11:7 shows a difference between the elect and Israel?

First, the term “elect” is not an all-inclusive term that means the same thing at every time and every place in the Bible. Elect must be defined by its context. The question must be asked, is it possible to have an elect within an elect? YES. In 1 Kings 19:18, God told Elijah that He reserved to Himself 7,000 men who have not bowed to Baal. Thus God used an elected group within the same group (Paul even uses this example in Rom 11). This same illustration is also used in the story of Gideon where God chose the men who did not lap the water like dogs. Judges 7:5. Steve fails to see that in the context of Romans 11:7, Paul uses an OT passage where God used an elect group of JEWS from a group OF JEWS.

What Steve also fails to notice is the END of Rom 11:7 where it says “..but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded”.  The rest of who?? Whoever “the rest” were that were blinded come from the same group. Was it the rest of the church that were blinded? No. In just a few short verses in Rom 11:25-26 it says that Israel was under blindness. Therefore the remnant or elect of Romans 11:7 are the elect OF ISRAEL that will be set apart during the tribulation. This is made abundantly clear in vs 15, and 28 where in verse 15, the nation is given “life from the dead” and in verse 28 Paul writes:

As concerning the GOSPEL they are enemies for your sakes, but as touching the ELECTION they are beloved for the father’s sake” Romans 11:28

Notice the clear distinction between those “concerning the GOSPEL” and those “touching the election”.  The gospel is referring to the church in this present time. Rom 2:16, Rom 15:16, Rom 16:25, I Cor 4:15. And Paul’s gospel is distinguished as the “gospel of the uncircumcision” Gal 2:7. Romans 11 is to the elect of Israel. Nothing could be more clear to show that there is a unique distinction between the church of the gospel and the elect of Israel. If those of the pre-wrath position insist that the elect of Romans 11 is the church, than to whom are those “concerning the GOSPEL”?

The entire context of Romans 11 begins in chapter 9, where Paul makes it clear that the people he is referring to our his brethren according to the flesh. Rom 9:3. These elect are physical. literal Jews and are found in Revelation 7:4-8, and Revelation 14:3-4. In fact, Paul writes a letter specifically to HEBREWS that contain instructions specifically to Jews during the tribulation.

The Elect of Matthew 24:31

Steve cites Matt 24:31 to show that the elect are the church raptured “after the tribulation of those days”. Matthew 24:31 reads;

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other”

The first issue is whether this passage applies to “all” or specifically to the Jews. Steve claims that when Jesus says “and what I say unto you, I say to ALL” as evidence that this passage refers to all believers. The term all is often limited to specific audiences, and doesn’t always included everyone. Paul said that grace of God hath appeared unto all men in Titus, yet that would be impossible given the limited locations that the gospel had not been sent to yet at that time. Thus when Jesus says “what I say to you I say to ALL” is a reference to those not only available at that time, but also to all within the context of who He is referring to. It is quite odd to hear one who claims to be a fundamental Baptist use a Calvinistic and Universalistic usage of the world “all”.

Secondly, although this can be a technical semantic, it is worth further study. Matthew 24:31 does not say that this elect group is gathered FROM EARTH, it says from the four winds of HEAVEN. And in Revelation when Jesus comes back “after the tribulation of those days” when Steve says He comes back, ch 19 shows Him coming WITH his church. Of course this is not a new argument, but one that Steve ignores when he attempts to claim that Christ gathers His elect in the process of coming back to earth while ignoring that the church is already with Him in the air.

And, something that seems to have escaped the eye of most commentators is in Rev 19:6-8 when referring the the marriage and the supper, that “his WIFE hath made herself ready”. It did not say His betrothed or his fiance, but His WIFE hath made herself ready. She is already married before the event begins. Considering that in Jewish Biblical custom that a bethrothed woman was considered a wife minus the ceremony that made it offical. Notice that in Matthew 1:19-23, Mary is said to be ESPOUSED to Joseph, but when he thinks she committed adultery because she was pregnant, an angel said to Joseph not to fear taking Mary they WIFE. They had not had the ceremony but were still considered husband and wife. Therefore betrothal period of the Lamb’s wife occurred PRIOR to the “wrath” and the marriage ceremony and the supper.

Thirdly, the manner of the calling of the elect is different from that which is described of the church in 1 Thess 4:16, and 1 Cor 15:51-52. In Matt 24:31, it is (a) the angels gathering the elect and (b) the angels give the sound of a trumpet.

Now notice is 1 Thess it is the Lord Himself that calls the church up to heaven, not the angels gathering the church. There is no mention of the Lord Himself giving a shout in Matthew 24 as it states in 1 Thess 4:16, and given Steve’s habit of making arguments from silence, the failure of Matthew 24:31 to mention the shout of the Lord, and the voice of the archangel (instead of angels) must mean that the gathering of the elect here is not the rapture of the church.

Forth, the trumpet events are not the same as those found in 1 Thess 4 and 1 Cor 15.  The trumpet that follows the tribulation is the voice of the seventh angel in Rev 10:7 “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared unto his servants the prophets” And this seventh angel is the last of six other angels with him which shows that all 7 angels are of the same rank. However, the voice described relevant to 1 Thess 4:16 is the voice of the ARCH angel. No other prophecy in Matt 24, Luke 17, Luke 21, Mark 13, Rev 10:7 mentions an arch angel’s voice being used to call out the church. This is found ONLY in 1 Thess 4:16 and the events are distinctly different from the gathering described in Matthew 24. (I will explain later the different stages of rapture in 1 Thess 4:16 that are all included in one verse, something overlooked by even pre-tribbers).

And finally, was Matthew 24 to the Jews or to “all” as Steve claims. Jesus stated in Matthew 15:24 that ” I am not sent but to the lost sheep of Israel”. Further on Jesus tells a woman that “it is not meet to take the children’s (Israel’s) bread and give it to the dogs (Gentiles)”. In Matthew 23:37, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem for their rejection of Him which clearly shows in both above passages that Jesus primary concern upon His arrival was with the house of Israel.

Furthermore, all of Matthew 24 is in response to a JEWISH QUESTION asked at the beginning of the chapter based upon events that Jews were familiar with from the Old Testament. Pre Tribbers point to the mention of the sabbath as evidence that this is related to Jews, and for good reason. Steve simple argues that Jesus mentioned the sabbath because it would be difficult to travel on the sabbath, but he fails to mention why the sabbath is mentioned at all considering that the church for 2000 years, beginning in Acts, met on the first day of the week instead of the sabbath. Acts 20:7, I Cor 16:2. Why mention the sabbath at all if the audience was intended to include Gentiles? To force this passage to include Gentiles would mean that a Gentile Christian would be required to some how travel to Israel to join the Jews in fleeing to the mountains.

Even after Christ’s ascension, the apostles preached to none but the Jews. It was not until Acts 10 when God told Peter to preach to Cornelius that a Gentile heard the gospel, ten years after Christ went to heaven. Paul did not cease dealing with the Jews altogether until Acts 28 which he promised to do in Acts 18:6. Thus even several years AFTER Christ’s ascension, the focus was still on the Jew first (Rom 1:16), and as the transition period progressed during the initial church phases, Paul eventually became the exclusive apostles to the Gentiles (Gal 2:7-8). The doctrine’s that effect the New Testament church were not developed until Paul was imprisoned in Rome and began writing his epistles.

This does not mean that previous Scriptures are not of any matter to the church. Paul states in Romans 15:4 that whatsoever things that were written afore time were written for our learning (not DOCTRINE) that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. But rightly dividing the word of truth means putting the Scriptures in their proper context.

Therefore any reader can reasonably conclude that Matthew 24 was in fact directed at Jewish believers at that time, and Jewish prospects that will be present during the tribulation.

Steve Claims We Fear Persecution.

Steve’s “show stopper” seems to be that Christians want to believe in a pre-trib rapture because they/we fear persecution. First, I personally have seen more bloodshed in war than Steve will ever see from getting his head bashed in on a car door because he was defiant of authorities in violation of Romans 13. There are missionaries all over the world who preach in atheist and Islamic countries that know at any moment their life could be taken because of what they believe who adhere to a pre-tribulation rapture.

There was even a famous story long ago in a movie based on the life of David Wilkerson, “Cross and the Switchblade” who was nearly fatally stabbed as a result of his preaching to street gangs in America. Therefore to make this claim is an unfounded speculative accusation that defies the evidence among the testimony of missionaries, and even soul-winners in this country who have witnessed in gang and drug infested neighborhoods and been shot, stabbed, beaten and killed for their witness. There are numerous stories from all over the world, particularly in Muslim countries, of Christians who have been imprisoned, tortured and murdered for their faith in Christ, many of whom were independent fundamental Baptists who believed in a pre-tribulation rapture.

Steve Quotes Revelation 13:7 As Evidence.

Steve relies on Revelation 13:7 to prove that the church will undergo the same judgment as the unbelievers that the tribulation was intended for which reads “and it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them”. And thus he claims “aha! there it is”. But if you read Revelation 12:17, it clarifies who Satan is going after, where also Steve neglects to notice a group of believers who are protected from the tribulation (Rev 12:5, 14)

And the dragon was wroth with the woman (Israel, read vs 12:1 to prove that) and went to make war with the remnant of her SEED” Rev 12:17

The church is NEVER referred to as the SEED of Israel. Seed is used to describe a literal, physical, bloodline JEW. Therefore the “saints” that the beast is pursuing in Rev 13:7 are the remnant of believing JEWS from Revelation 12:17.

Steve quotes Galatians 3:29 to show that we are Abraham’s seed (although he does not tie in Rev 13:7 with this passage). However, Galatians is not referring to believers being of the literal seed of Abraham, but a seed that is comparable to believers because of faith in Christ. There is a clear difference between the spiritual application of the seed in Galations, and the literal physical seed of Israel that is the subject of Revelation 13:7 .

Those in Revelation “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” Rev 14:12, and sing the song of Moses in Rev 15:3. Nowhere in the epistles to the church are believers told to “keep the COMMANDMENTS of God”, but this is a requirement of the Jews during the tribulation. Hence any Gentile that is saved during the tribulation is saved by the preaching of Christ through JEWISH ministers, because the ministry of the church is absent (as will be seen below in a discussion on Rev 14:6).

Steve Argues The Rapture Was Not Taught Before 1830

Again, as stated in our opening, this is evidence that Steve did not just learn this doctrine on his own. This lie is an oft-repeated cliché by preterists, historicists and all anti-pre-trib rapture opponents.

The scripture is enough. It is not necessary to find any historical “father” to support a doctrinal position and would be irrelevant if the doctrine was discovered 1800 years later, but history does show that that is not the case. In fact, there is nobody that argued that the rapture was not taught until 1800s until Dave McPherson popularized this accusation in 70s. It is ironic that Steve and his associate claim that pre-tribbers get their doctrines from extra-Biblical sources, but then rely on extra-Biblical arguments to prove that there was no mention of the rapture being taught prior to the 1800s.

Recent discoveries of the Dead Sea Scrolls have documents as far as AD 70 that read, “The Rapture will occur suddenly. And countless thousands will vanish from the earth. Swept up to heaven to live with Jesus and escape the torment of the Tribulation, the others will be left behind.”

Ephraim the Syrian writing in AD 373 stated that:

Why therefore do we not reject every care of earthly actions and prepare ourselves for the meeting of the Lord Christ, so that he may draw us from the confusion, which overwhelms all the world? Believe you me, dearest brother, because the coming (advent) of the Lord is nigh, believe you me, because the end of the world is at hand, believe me, because it is the very last time. Or do you not believe unless you see with your eyes? See to it that this sentence be not fulfilled among you of the prophet who declares: “Woe to those who desire to see the day of the Lord!” For all the saints and elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins

There is debate over the dating of Ephrem the Syrian, some argue that it was not written until the AD 500 circa. This argument is irrelevant, the debate is whether or not a rapture was taught before the tribulation prior to the 1800s as Steve claims, and even if Ephrem the Syrian’s writing was not published until AD 500, it is still over 1000 years before Darby in the 1800s or C.I. Scofield from 1843-1921.

There are at least 20 other citations of believers I can give that taught a pre-trib rapture prior to the 1800s, thus the assumption that Steve has merely repeated from others that the rapture was never taught prior to the 1800s is erroneous, and the evidence clearly pre-dates John Darby and C.I. Scofield.

What is ironic about this accusation is that Steve Anderson is quick to admonish believers to shun men’s doctrine who have demonstrated heretical and immoral practices (such as Jack Schaap, former pastor of First Baptist Church of Hammond) and rightly so. That is certainly scriptural, but a large portion of his documentary is based on an interview that he has with Dr Kent Hovind FROM PRISON who was convicted on 58 counts of violating federal laws regarding taxes, obstruction of justice, and 45 counts of structuring cash transactions, and Hovind . Thus Steve Anderson is quite inconsistent on who he is willing to obtain his information from, and even teaches a series about the current state of Israel based on the teachings of cult leader Herbert W. Armstrong. [*Note: the current editor, Dr. James A, PhD {not Ach} does not hold to the same position on Hovind as Ach does, but believes that Hovind was the target of government harassment]

Steve Implies Believers Are Resealed

Steve makes the case that the believers who are protected are those who receive the seal. The only seal mentioned are of JEWISH TRIBES that are sealed in Revelation 7:4. Nevertheless, this claim would defy common sense, and I will make 2 relevant points here:

1.  The believer in this dispensation is sealed immediately after he believes. Eph 1:13, 4:30. To claim that believers must receive this seal during the tribulation to be protected from judgment defies the current Biblical position on the sealing of the believer RIGHT NOW. It has the implication that if the believer who is sealed now, survives going into the tribulation, that somehow he would have to be RE-sealed.
2.  This brings up a proof that the church will not be present. If believers are sealed now, and they are sealed after they believe, there would be no reason to seal anyone during the tribulation. The reason there is an event of sealing during the tribulation is obvious, because the church is gone!

Steve Asserts John Fails To Mention The Rapture

Steve claims that John would not likely leave out such a major event such as the rapture of the church in Revelation. However, this argument from silence works both ways: John doesn’t mention the church undergoing the judgments of Revelation 6-18 either.

The rapture of the church was a revelation that was given to Paul, the apostle to the Gentile church. An often overlooked passage that proves this is in 2 Peter 3:16, where Peter argues that there are some things that Paul discusses that are hard to be understood. Now if you notice, this statement is made in the context of PROPHECY. Peter and Paul were both apostles, and both received direct revelation from the Holy Spirit that breathed their writings. Therefore you would assume they would both have the same understanding of end time events, but yet Peter says Paul’s writings are hard to be understood.

Peter was obviously aware of Matthew 24, Daniel 9, Joel 2-3, Zechariah 12-14, Ezekial 37-39, Jeremiah 50-51, Mark 13, Luke 17 and 21, so he was familiar with the existing understanding of end time events that were described by all the prophets, and by Jesus. So what was so different about Paul’s eschatology from what Peter had already known from the above passages to prompt Peter to make this statement? THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH

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Some Issues That Steve Ignores

While Steve boasts of having “scripture after scripture” to refute the claims of pre-tribbers, he fails to refute a large portion or even mention of primary texts that pre-tribbers use as proof of the rapture.

Angel With the Everlasting Gospel

Revelation 14:6 states “and I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaving, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth..” If the church was present during the tribulation, why would it be necessary for an angel to present the everlasting gospel to “them that dwell on the earth”? Is not that the churches commission at this very moment? It is painfully obvious that the necessity for Rev 14:6 is due to the fact that the entity responsible for bearing the gospel, the church, IS GONE.

[I have several texts that I intend to add later in this category]

One More Nugget.

Here’s something that caught my eye as I was memorizing the book of Revelation and it’s Revelation 18:20 which reads:

Rejoice over her (destruction of Babylon), thou heaven, and ye holy APOSTLES and PROPHETS; for God hath avenged you on her”

Now a few things I want the reader to notice here. There are 3 groups of people who are told to rejoice over the destruction of Babylon: those in heaven, the apostles, and the prophets. Notice that church is not mentioned here. Now using Steve’s logic, don’t you think that if the church underwent all of the judgments of the tribulation, that God would have included the church among those that were to rejoice for being persecuted? Did God not exact revenge on the whore for what she did to the church?

And the second thing to notice, and this is free! is that this verse demonstrates that the beast is not just ROME, but the beast is the entire system of empires that have been under control of Satan since Nimrod at Babylon in Genesis 11! Notice that the revenge exacted is on behalf of the PROPHETS. If Babylon is limited to ROME as the whore, WHEN DID ROME KILL THE PROPHETS!! They didn’t. They killed the apostles. The Babylonian empire, the Medo- Persian empire, the Greek empire killed the prophets.

Daniel makes the prophecy about the succession of the beast in Daniel 2 in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar which described the first kingdom as Babylon, followed by Medo- Persia, followed by Greece, and then Rome. This is why the description of the beast in Rev 13:2 is seen as a leopard, bear, and a lion. Their were different kingdoms BUT ALL ONE STATUE. Satan is described as being the “god of this world” (2 Cor 11:3) and how does a “god” rule a world? Through kingdoms. Thus Satan has always had a kingdom to rule with and this is the meaning behind the description of the beast in Revelation 13.

Therefore the beast (and there are 2 described in Rev 13, the first is the kingdom which at the time of the tribulation will be Rome) and then the false prophet. Steve erroneously describes the antichrist as the first beast. It’s not. The second beast described in Rev 13:11 is the false prophet, the first beast is the statue of Nebuchadnezzar with its final kingdom being that of Rome.

Additional Warnings About Steven Anderson

Steven Anderson has demonstrated a blatant lack of respect for government authority in a clearly unbiblical manner. While I am no fan of the current government, and believe it is an extension of the Roman Empire being used to usher in a new world order, there is a difference in criticizing the policies of a nation that are wicked, and being able to identify trends that reveal steps toward fulfilled prophecy, and personal belligerent attacks.

Consider the following statement made by Steve in a sermon preached about Barak Obama:

And yet you’re going to tell me that I’m supposed to pray for the socialist devil, murderer, infanticide, who wants to see young children and he wants to see babies killed through abortion and partial-birth abortion and all these different things — you’re gonna tell me I’m supposed to pray for God to give him a good lunch tomorrow while he’s in Phoenix, Arizona. Nope. I’m not gonna pray for his good. I’m going to pray that he dies and goes to hell. When I go to bed tonight, that’s what I’m going to pray. And you say, ‘Are you just saying that?’ No. When I go to bed tonight, Steven L. Anderson is going to pray for Barack Obama to die and go to hell,

I hate Barak Obama. You mean you hate what he does. No I hate him. I hate the person, and I’m gonna show you from the Bible why God wants me to hate Barak Obama.

At one point, a person in the audience spoke up about his attitude, and Steven told him to “Get the he** out of my church”

Peter cast these type of people in with the same as various heathens:  ^“But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.” 2 Peter 2:10.

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves *damnation [*judgment of the government]. Romans 13:1-2

It is not a pastors job to correct the government without the procedures offered within the government to do so. They may be corrupt, they may not be to his liking, but God does not expect a Christian to act like a total fool and demand their “rights” and compromise their testimony before the world.

Furthermore, it is wholly unscriptural and just plain EVIL for a so-called Christian to pray that anyone dies and goes to hell.

And some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Jude 22-23

I could list 100 verses off the top of my head that demonstrate just how wrong Steven’s approach is here. I have personally heard Obama mock the Bible and Jesus, but that does not give me permission to pray for his death and eternal damnation. “Love your enemies and pray for those you persecute you and despitefully use you” (Matt 5) does not seem to be in the KJB that Steve claims to preach from. That is not Christianity, that is pure evil.

Conclusion

I will edit this later after I am finished with my notes on his video, and then tidy up the article for the grammar police, but Steve’s new video is nothing more than rehashed Augustinian theology, it relies on mostly suppositions, misrepresentations of what pre-tribbers believe and bold claims that pre-tribbers do not have any verses that prove the pre-trib rapture.

Steve argues that Christians merely do not want to fathom suffering persecution. The same argument could be used against him that he simply wants to be different from other fundamentalists by pursuing a martyrs complex in which he deliberately invites persecution from government entities by antagonizing them. It is odd that Steve would claim Christians fear persecution of tribulation, but then defies government officials by demanding his “rights”. If Christians are subject to persecution as a matter of God’s will, then why would Steve rely on his “rights” when the government persecutes him? Think about that Steve.

Steve ends his documentary with a statement that “I hope I can endure” (1:35:36) which is in direct conflict with his belief in eternal security, because the reference to enduring is “they that endure unto the end shall be saved” Matt 24:13.

While I can appreciate Steve’s stance on the King James Bible, his position on certain conspiracy theories which are not theories really but FACT, and much of his doctrine that is similar to fundamentalism, it is clear that Steve has yet to exercise proper Biblical hermeneutics, consistency in those whom a believer should consider a credible resource of information, and his defiance of government authority to me appear to give the impression that Steve has a desire to be recognized as being different “from the pack”. While his zeal is admirable, his priorities are not Biblical, and his eschatology leaves much to be desired, and the sensationalized claim that this film refutes the pre-tribulation rapture theory is more hype than an honest evaluation of the Bible and the claims of pre-trib proponents.

Dr James Ach and J/A