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John Hagee's Apostasy: A Case in Point About Evangelical Zionst Errors

Demonstrating where bad hermeneutics and theology lead, plus evidence of a continued conspiracy against historic Orthodox Christianity...

By: Jay Dyer

Pastor John Hagee of the the large Cornerstone Church in San Antionio, Texas has recently published a book, "In Defense of Israel," in which he outlines in detail his own total apostasy from the most basic of Christian beliefs--that Christ was the Messiah! See our posted video where he states it plain as day. But what is the root of this problem? I say several things. Aside from his own dubious character and obvious bad will, the cause can be found in bad hermeneutics. Hermeneutics is the science of interpretation--how we interpret he texts of Sacred Scripture. When I saw Hagee on Glenn Beck a couple weeks ago talking about Israel non-stop, I knew something was going on. I used to use John Hagee's "Prophecy Study Bible," in fact, several years ago in my evangelical days, so I can speak from experience concerning Hagee (also having read some of his books and watched his "prophecy" lectures).

Let's examine some errors of the false hermeneutic of the premillennialists and evangelicals. The first error this entire system is built upon is the idea that Israel is still God's chosen covenant nation. God's promises to Abraham's descendants were purely literal and never able to be revoked, this view holds. God is bound in his eternal love to the literal nation of Israel, even though they have rejected Christ for the most part for the past 2000 years. However, historic orthodox Christianity has always taught that the Church of Christ is the New Israel, the true bride of Christ, that faithfully keeps the testimony of Christ (Apoc. 12:17). Let's look at some texts that show this point:

1. When we examine Christ's parable of the wicked vinedressers, we see an explicit statement from our Lord concerning the possession of the kingdom of God. Keep in mind, Hagee and all his evangelical &liberal friends think God has never, in any sense, revoked the old covenant with Israel, and that they are still the possessors or future possessors of His kingdom:

Matt. 21: "33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” 41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘ The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” 45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet."

The parable is quite clear, and is explained by our Lord Himself. This was fulfilled when the Romans sacked Jerusalem in 70 A.D., and destroyed the Temple and its administration. This was the definitive end of the Old Testament dispensation, and fulfilled also the predictions of Luke 21. In response to the Jews, Christ says the kingdom of God will be taken from them because of the fact that they are going to murder him. Christ states unequivocally that the kingdom will be transferred to the Gentiles because of the rejection of Christ by the Jews.

2. Our Lord commissioned the 12 Apostles to be the foundation stones of the New Israel, replacing what St. Paul calls "flesh Israel" or "Israel after the flesh."

Luke 22: "28 But you [Apostles] are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

So, our Lord has conferred upon the 12 the possession of the kingdom, and it is they and their successors (Luke 10:16, 1 Tim. 1:3-4), who will sit on thrones judging in this spiritual kingdom. Those who sit on these thrones are also their successors, the Bishops of the Church. This is why St. Paul can write in Eph. 2:

"19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

3. Isn't it ironic that Hagee's church is named "cornerstone." It makes one wonder whether he meant Christ, the true cornerstone, or the Masonic "cornerstone" ceremony performed by masons at the erecting of a new lodge. And in case you think this is far fetched, consider what wikipedia states about Hagee in the entry under his name:

"Hagee was awarded the "Humanitarian of the Year" award by the San Antonio B'nai B'rith Council. It was the first time in the history of San Antonio that this award has been given to a Gentile. Dr. Hagee was presented the ZOA Israel Award by U.N. Ambassador Jean Kirkpatrick. This award was given by the Jewish Community of Dallas, Texas. He was presented the ZOA Service Award by Texas Governor Mark White. Houston Mayor Kathy Whitmire issued a special proclamation in his honor declaring Pastor John C. Hagee Day. Hagee has received numerous honors and accolades from national Jewish organizations for his support of Israel."

For those that don't know, B'nai B'rith is Jewish Freemasonry. Could Hagee be a Zionist agent? It seems so.

4. In response, it is the Catholic Church, and she alone, that is the building of God, the temple of God, the New Jerusalem, that is the kingdom of God built upon the foundation stones of all the Apostles, and it is this kingdom which can never fall. She alone has lasted 2000 years without changing her doctrines and without committing massive apostasy. This is why we see the name of an Apostle and the name of a tribe on each of the 12 foundation stones of the New Jerusalem in St. John's Apocalypse (Apoc. 21). The Cathoic Church has never repealed, though it has qualified the meaning of the inspired words of St. Paul in 1 Thess. 2:

"14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost."

And Christ Himself has no fear of being labelled "anti-semitic" (though He was, of course a semite!) when he calls Judaism a "synagogue of Satan," in Apoc. 2:9 &3:9.

5. Is this racism? Anti-semitism? Absolutely not. Arabs are "semites" as much as Jews, and there are and have been millions of Arab Christians. What we are concerned with opposing here is an occult, racist philosophy--Zionism, which is just as bad as "white supremacy" or the Black Panthers' ideology. Only by being incorporated into the God-man and His Body, the Church, can these petty, fleshly divisions be overcome, as St. Paul writes in Galatians 3:28-29. There we learn that the true descendants of Abraham are those who operate with the faith of Abraham, not racist pride. John Hagee is, in fact, the racist, who now worships the nation of Israel. Without Christ, there is no salvation. The flesh nation of Israel is cut off from the covenant and cannot attain to heaven without faith in Jesus. Let us look at an important allegory from St. Paul on this matter.

Galatians 4:

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written:

“ Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband.”

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free."

6. So, you see, there are only two covenants, and there have only ever been two covenants. One, symbolized by Mt. Sinai, which represents Judaism, and which cannot give life to those who seek to externally fulfill its precepts, and the New Covenant, which is the eternal covenant (Heb. 13:20), confirmed in the counsels of the Persons of the Trinity before the foundation of the world (Apoc. 13:8). This New Covenant is the covenant confirmed in Christ's Blood, which is the Eucharist--celebrated at every Mass and Divine Liturgy throughout the world (Luke 22:20 with Jer. 31:31). The Old Testament saints themselves put their faith Christ--not in Judaistic observances, as Jesus states in John 5:45-46, 8:56. Thus, He is the only way for Jew and Gentile alike (Acts 4:12). And, He only has one Church on earth that has faithfully maintained the traditions of the Apostles, both in Word and in Epistle (2 Thess. 2:15). Unfortunately, Hagee, like those who for a time believed in Christ in the first century and fell away as the writer of Hebrews mentions, Hagee has also has apostatized into Judaism because he is blind to the Spirit of Christ operative in the Old Testament. In other words, in this bad hermeneutic, one fails to understand typology. This is why St. Paul writes:

"7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious [the Old Covenant], so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. 12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains uplifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

What could be clearer? The Old Covenant has been brought to fulfillment and fruition by the New. It (the Law alone) cannot save (and never could), and those who still adhere to it as the proper way to approach God are unfortunately blind to the types of Christ which are found throughout the Law (Luke 24:44). Christ is the true High Priest; Christ is the true Moses; Christ is the true inheritor of the Abrahamic promises; Christ is the fulfillment of the promise to David concerning a kingdom, and on and on. And, all of this is actualized at Christ's First Advent--not at some fictitious, literal millennial kingdom in Jerusalem or Illinois. Thus, the kingdom is now (Col. 1:13), and it is the Church, and is ruled by His faithful Bishops abnd priests (Matt. 16:18 with 18:18).

7. Consider the First Century writer, St. Clement of Rome, who was ordained by St. Peter wrote:

"Through countryside and city [the apostles] preached, and they appointed their earliest converts, testing them by the Spirit, to be the bishops and deacons of future believers. Nor was this a novelty, for bishops and deacons had been written about a long time earlier. . . . Our apostles knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be strife for the office of bishop. For this reason, therefore, having received perfect foreknowledge, they appointed those who have already been mentioned and afterwards added the further provision that, if they should die, other approved men should succeed to their ministry" (Letter to the Corinthians 42:4–5, 44:1–3 [A.D. 80]). That's "apostolic succession."

Or consider what St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, wrote in his Letter to the Smyrneans (ca 100 A.D.):

"CHAPTER VIII.--LET NOTHING BE DONE WITHOUT THE BISHOP.

See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid."

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, in his Catechtical Lectures, Lectures 4 and 18, warns:

"Fall not away either into the sect of the Samaritans, or into Judaism: for Jesus Christ henceforth has ransomed you. Stand aloof from all observance of Sabbaths, and from calling any indifferent meats common or unclean. But especially abhor all the assemblies of wicked heretics; and in every way make your own soul safe, by fastings, prayers, almsgivings, and reading the oracles of God; that having lived the rest of your life in the flesh in soberness and godly doctrine, you may enjoy the one salvation which flows from Baptism; and thus enrolled in the armies of heaven by God and the Father, may also be deemed worthy of the heavenly crowns, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen."

"25. Of old the Psalmist sang, Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, (ye that are) from the fountains of Israel. But after the Jews for the plots which they made against the Saviour were cast away from His grace, the Saviour built out of the Gentiles a second Holy Church, the Church of us Christians, concerning which he said to Peter, And upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Matthew 16:18 . And David prophesying of both these, said plainly of the first which was rejected, I have hated the Congregation of evil doers; but of the second which is built up he says in the same Psalm, Lord, I have loved the beauty of Your house; and immediately afterwards, In the Congregations will I bless you, O Lord. For now that the one Church in Judea is cast off, the Churches of Christ are increased over all the world; and of them it is said in the Psalms, Sing unto the Lord a new song, His praise in the Congregation of Saints. Agreeably to which the prophet also said to the Jews, I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord Almighty Malachi 1:10; and immediately afterwards, For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, My name is glorified among the Gentiles. Concerning this Holy Catholic Church Paul writes to Timothy, That you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the House of God, which is the Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the truth 1 Timothy 3:15 ."

St. Athanasius, in his First Festal Letter, Sec. 8, writes:

"8. Now observe; that city, since the coming of our Savior, has had an end, and all the land of the Jews has been laid waste; so that from the testimony of these things (and we need no further proof, being assured by our own eyes of the fact) there must, of necessity, be an end of the shadow. And not from me should these things be learned, but the sacred voice of the prophet foretold, crying; 'Behold upon the mountains the feet of Him that brings good tidings, and publishes peace Nahum 1:15;' and what is the message he published, but that which he goes on to say to them, 'Keep your feasts, O Judah; pay to the Lord your vows. For they shall no more go to that which is old; it is finished; it is taken away: He is gone up who breathed upon the face, and delivered you from affliction.' Now who is he that went up? a man may say to the Jews, in order that even the boast of the shadow may be done away; neither is it an idle thing to listen to the expression, 'It is finished; he is gone up who breathed.' For nothing was finished before he went up who breathed. But as soon as he went up, it was finished. Who was he then, O Jews, as I said before? If Moses, the assertion would be false; for the people were not yet come to the land in which alone they were commanded to perform these rites. But if Samuel, or any other of the prophets, even in that case there would be a perversion of the truth; for hitherto these things were done in Judea, and the city was standing. For it was necessary that while that stood, these things should be performed. So that it was none of these, my beloved, who went up. But if you would hear the true matter, and be kept from Jewish fables, behold our Savior who went up, and 'breathed upon the face, and said to His disciples, Receive the Holy Ghost John 20:22.' For as soon as these things were done, everything was finished, for the altar was broken, and the veil of the temple was rent; and although the city was not yet laid waste, the abomination was ready to sit in the midst of the temple, and the city and those ancient ordinances to receive their final consummation."

Similarly, the 8th Canon of the Seventh Ecumenical Council (787 A.D.) states: "Since certain, erring in the superstitions of the Hebrews, have thought to mock at Christ our God, and feigning to be converted to the religion of Christ do deny him, and in private and secretly keep the Sabbath and observe other Jewish customs, we decree that such persons be not received to communion, nor to prayers, nor into the Church; but let them be openly Hebrews according to their religion, and let them not bring their children to baptism, nor purchase or possess a slave. But if any of them, out of a sincere heart and in faith, is converted and makes profession with his whole heart, setting at naught their customs and observances, and so that others may be convinced and converted, such an one is to be received and baptized, and his children likewise; and let them be taught to take care to hold aloof from the ordinances of the Hebrews. But if they will not do this, let them in no wise be received."

In conclusion, bad theology leads to worse theology, and often this is based in a faulty hermeneutic with false presuppositions. With Hagee, its a serious failure to recognize Christ in the Old Testament and typology. Both he and the Zionists are united in rejecting the teaching of the historic Orthodox Fathers. Heresy is like a virus that compounds itself. Premillennialism, dispensationalism, and its offshoot, the virtual worship of Israel, are serious errors that, when worked out to their illogical conclusions, end up denying Christ's divinity and/or necessity of faith in Him for salvation. Hagee demonstrates that.

Posted by Jay Dyer on November 08, 2007 at 05:12 PM in America -- re-posted by the webmaster of http://bloodonthealtar.tripod.com at May 3, 2009.