John Hagee's Word Games Regarding The "Dual
Covenant."
by Orrel Steinkamp, The Plumbline, Volume
12, Nov 6, November/December 2007
John Hagee is a popular TV
preacher who is on TBN twice daily. He is pastor of Cornerstone Church in San
Antonio TX. Richard Fisher describes him as "rotund, strident,
authoritative and could pass for Rush Limbaugh's older... brother."
(Richard Fisher, the Other Gospel of John
Hague). The Liberty Flame reported in May 1994 that during the time Hagee
was serving a [Word-Faith] Trinity Church in 1976 in San Antonio, he divorced
his wife, resigned and married a young woman in the congregation, Diana Castro.
Custody of Hagee's two children by his ex-wife, Martha, went to her." But
Hagee moved on and now currently serves a congregation of 18,000.
Understandably Hagee's biography passes over this period in his life.
Sarah Posner, in
an article titled Pastor Strangelove (American
Perspective 06.06.06) states:
"Hagee came
under fire for excessive compensation derived from his non-profit ministries.
According to his organization's tax returns, Hagee has earned more than $ I
million annually since 1999 in salary and deferred compensation from his
non-profit Global Evangelism Television and Cornerstone Church. His new book Jerusalem Countdown has sold nearly
500,000 copies and occupies a place in the Wal-Mart inspirational best-seller
list."
George Barna, Christian Pollster
and Hagee supporter, recently reported that Hagee is ranked in the top 10
spokesmen for Christianity among other Pentecostals. Hagee is a zealous
promoter of the nation of Israel. He bases his support for Israel on a very
aggressive form of Dispensational theology. Dispensational end-time teaching is
based on a view that there will be a secret rapture of believers prior to the
appearance of the Anti-Christ and Armageddon... This end time teaching has had
a relatively short shelf life in church history, first appearing in the mid
1800's. It is not my purpose here to argue for or against this one of 3
end-time biblical scenarios. I know many if not most evangelicals assume this
to be the end time pattern and this has been supported by the very popular Lefi Behind series.
But Hagee is unique in that he has
determined that the prophetic pieces are all currently identified clearly as it
relates to Iran. "Hagee argues that a strike against Iran will cause Arabs
to Unite under Russia's leadership as outlined in chapter 38 and 39 of the book
of Ezekiel, leading to an inferno [possibly nuclear]... This strike will
provoke Russia - which wants Persian Gulf oil - to lead an army of Arab nations
against Israel. Then God will wipe out all but one-sixth of the Russian-led
army as the world watches in 'shock and awe." (Posner)
BUT NOT TO WORRY!
Christians will have already been secretly ruptured out of this world.
"To fill the power vacuum
left by God's decimation of the Russian army, the Anti-Christ - identified by
Hagee as the head of the European Union - will rule 'a one-world government, a
one-world currency and a one-world- religion' for three and a half years... The
demonic world leader will then be confronted by a false prophet at Armageddon,
the mountain of Megiddo in Israel. As they prepare for the final battle, Jesus
will return on a white horse and cast both villains... into a lake of fire
burning with brimstone, thus marking the beginning of His millennial
reign".. But Hagee doesn't stop there. He adds that Ezekiel predicts fire
'upon those who live in security in the coastlands'... [Hagee suggests] Could
it be that America, who refuses to defend Israel from the Russian invasion,
will experience nuclear warfare on our east and west coasts?" (Posner).
WHEW! I am so
glad I'll be in heaven having been secretly ruptured. No wonder people devour
the Left behind Series. Reportedly, a prisoner wanted the last volume and he
prevailed upon the authors to have an advance copy before his execution
Hagee is not
content to see his prophetic pronouncements just come to pass. He wants to move
the prophetic clock forward himself. Re has recently organized "Christians
United for Israel" (CUFI) a political action group. This past July 16,
2007 was the inaugural summit. Certain Evangelicals and Israelis attended this
CUFI summit. Such notables as Tom Delay, Joseph Lieberman, Rick Santorum and
senator Brownback were in attendance. Hagee announced, "it is time to
embrace the words of Joe Lieberman and consider a military strike against Iran.
Hagee was rewarded for his words as Lieberman called him an ‘Ish Elohim' (Man
of God) like Moses. (See U tube, glorified
end times).
Hagee's views
regarding Iran and Russia are getting apparent traction. Joel Rosenberg, who
was raised an Orthodox Jew, also has warnings about Iran and Armageddon.
"While flying to New Mexico he happened to sit next to 'Focus on the
Family' founder Dr. James Dobson, one of the most politically powerful
conservative evangelical leaders in the U.S. Dobson, who had been in DC for
meetings with high level administration officials to discuss Iran and Iraq and
the latest developments in the Middle East, told Rosenberg that 'he was
becoming more concerned about the Iranian nuclear threat and had been studying
Ezekiel's prophecies"' (Bill Berkowitz, Armageddon Just Can 't Get Here Soon Enough).
Hagee, as a
Dispensational teacher, has, however, moved far beyond normal Dispensational
teaching into what is called "Christian Zionism." Christian Zionism
teaches that God has a separate covenant with Israel and another for the
Gentile Church. This bears the name "Dual Covenant." Hagee reported
to the Houston Chronicle that he believes that Jews already have a covenant
with God and do not need to come to the cross. Hagee told the newspaper:
"I believe
that every Jewish person who lives in the light of the Torah, which is the word
of God, has a relationship with God and will come to redemption" (Houston Chronicle, April 30, 1988).
The Houston
newspaper then quoted Hagee's own shocking words: "I'm not trying to
convert the Jewish people to the Christian faith... In fact, trying to convert
Jews is a 'waste of titne. . Jews already have a covenant with God and that has
never been replaced by Christianity." (Houston
Chronicle, April 30, 1988, sec, 6, pg. 1).
But, Hagee knows
that most Christians and almost all dispensational believers do not accept this
and are in fact shocked by it. In response to a letter by PFO Director M. Kurt
Goedelman, Hagee essentially denied this. NOW HERE IS THE POINT REGARDING WORDS
BEING USED TO COVER AND DECIEVE. "Hagee claimed in a carefully nuanced
letter, dated June 18, that the Houston Chronicle had distorted what he
said and went on to further to assert: "I have not or never have been dual
covenant in my preaching”. In this he is being less than honest and playing
word games... Hagee's true view is a muddled form of the 'Two Covenant' or
'Dual Covenant' theory, even though he would deny the label. It should be noted
that Hagee said in his reply only that he has not been dual covenant 'in my preaching'."
(PFO, G. Richard Fisher, the Other Gospel Of John Hagee.) This
is slicing and dicing words to cover and deceive. Words can or they can conceal
and even deceive.
Orrel Steinkamp
74425 Co. Rd. 21
RenvilIe MN 56284
320 235 5082