i've been wanting to add this little bit of NAC doctrine to the collection ever since it came up about a month ago. with new position papers being published and with the NAC's announcement that the Apocrypha will be given equal weight with the rest of the Bible, now is probably a good time to get this posted before "new revelations" are announced that might "change our understanding".
New Apostolics will invariably point to several verses from the scriptures that they contend are *proof* that God has sent "living apostles" in our time. the problem is that each one of these verses is always taken out of context, or they are describing people and events that have nothing to do with men claiming to be apostles in the 19th century. Joel 2:23 (KJV) is one of those verses that is proudly displayed as evidence that God has sent a "second outpouring" of the Spirit - a "latter rain" - that purportedly justifies their claims. (here is a link to the NKJV for comparison).
Joel 2:23 - Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
some background: the book of Joel was written anywhere from 300 to 1000 years before Christ's time (although some theologians are fairly confident that it was composed around 400 BC). the book is apocalyptic and eschatological in nature. a terrible invasion of locusts had ravaged Judah. Joel begins his poem by describing this event, quickly changing over to metaphors by describing the locusts as an invading army. so terrible was this vision he described that he petitioned the Jews to return to the lord with weeping and fasting. the priests were exhorted to convoke a solemn assembly where they would pray to God for deliverance.
God answered their prayers and promised to drive away the locusts, and restore peace and prosperity to the land. in addition to the material blessings promised, there would be an outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh. the end of Joel's poem visualizes the nations gathered in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where God is about to pass judgement on His and Israel's enemies. they are about to hear their indictment and have their evil deeds punished, and thus face their inevitable destruction. Joel then describes a vision of Israel restored, forever secure from her enemies.
Peter, addressing the people who saw the apostles speaking in tongues in Acts 2:16-21, tells them that the apostles aren't drunk, but that what everyone was witnessing was the fulfillment of Joel's vision - the outpouring of the Spirit that was promised hundreds of years ago. (here is a link to the NKJV for comparision.)
the New Apostolic Church is certainly not the only Pentecostal church that believes the "former and latter rains" apply to *them*. Pentecostal churches have several things in common with the NAC:
- an overemphasis on imparting or dispensing "gifts" by the laying on of hands (also by prophecy).
- the erroneous teaching that the Church was built on the foundation of the apostle ministry (especially present-day apostles), and not Jesus.
- the erroneous teaching that man can forgive sin - whether it's done "in Jesus' name" or not.
- distortions of the scriptures and strange interpretations which are in direct opposition to teachings and practices generally held by other mainstream Christian denominations.
one of these distortions is the erroneous belief that there would be a "former" and a "latter" outpouring of the Spirit, when Joel is very clear when he states: "he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month."
the former and latter rains were and are to this day an actual weather event that happens in Israel and the surrounding regions. God was promising the Jews that if they repented and asked him for deliverance from the plague, he would bless them by sending not only the former and latter rains, but he would send them the amount of rain that usually fell at both times in the first month.
if we take this verse as a metaphor for the outpouring of the Spirit, then Peter's claim that the events of Pentecost were the fulfillment of Joel's vision makes sense. nowhere does Joel mention that there will be TWO outpourings of the Spirit. the "former and latter rains" will be increased by God at ONE time - in the first month.
when taken in context, it becomes very clear that Joel 2:23 in no way, shape or form justifies the claims of men in the 19th century who believed they were called to be "apostles".
i hereby present this evidence to Bishop Freund as one of his first priorities in Biblical Conflict Resolution - whatever *that* means - and hope he can find some time to help clear this matter up. thanks awfully!
New Apostolics will invariably point to several verses from the scriptures that they contend are *proof* that God has sent "living apostles" in our time. the problem is that each one of these verses is always taken out of context, or they are describing people and events that have nothing to do with men claiming to be apostles in the 19th century. Joel 2:23 (KJV) is one of those verses that is proudly displayed as evidence that God has sent a "second outpouring" of the Spirit - a "latter rain" - that purportedly justifies their claims. (here is a link to the NKJV for comparison).
Joel 2:23 - Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
some background: the book of Joel was written anywhere from 300 to 1000 years before Christ's time (although some theologians are fairly confident that it was composed around 400 BC). the book is apocalyptic and eschatological in nature. a terrible invasion of locusts had ravaged Judah. Joel begins his poem by describing this event, quickly changing over to metaphors by describing the locusts as an invading army. so terrible was this vision he described that he petitioned the Jews to return to the lord with weeping and fasting. the priests were exhorted to convoke a solemn assembly where they would pray to God for deliverance.
God answered their prayers and promised to drive away the locusts, and restore peace and prosperity to the land. in addition to the material blessings promised, there would be an outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh. the end of Joel's poem visualizes the nations gathered in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where God is about to pass judgement on His and Israel's enemies. they are about to hear their indictment and have their evil deeds punished, and thus face their inevitable destruction. Joel then describes a vision of Israel restored, forever secure from her enemies.
Peter, addressing the people who saw the apostles speaking in tongues in Acts 2:16-21, tells them that the apostles aren't drunk, but that what everyone was witnessing was the fulfillment of Joel's vision - the outpouring of the Spirit that was promised hundreds of years ago. (here is a link to the NKJV for comparision.)
the New Apostolic Church is certainly not the only Pentecostal church that believes the "former and latter rains" apply to *them*. Pentecostal churches have several things in common with the NAC:
- an overemphasis on imparting or dispensing "gifts" by the laying on of hands (also by prophecy).
- the erroneous teaching that the Church was built on the foundation of the apostle ministry (especially present-day apostles), and not Jesus.
- the erroneous teaching that man can forgive sin - whether it's done "in Jesus' name" or not.
- distortions of the scriptures and strange interpretations which are in direct opposition to teachings and practices generally held by other mainstream Christian denominations.
one of these distortions is the erroneous belief that there would be a "former" and a "latter" outpouring of the Spirit, when Joel is very clear when he states: "he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month."
the former and latter rains were and are to this day an actual weather event that happens in Israel and the surrounding regions. God was promising the Jews that if they repented and asked him for deliverance from the plague, he would bless them by sending not only the former and latter rains, but he would send them the amount of rain that usually fell at both times in the first month.
if we take this verse as a metaphor for the outpouring of the Spirit, then Peter's claim that the events of Pentecost were the fulfillment of Joel's vision makes sense. nowhere does Joel mention that there will be TWO outpourings of the Spirit. the "former and latter rains" will be increased by God at ONE time - in the first month.
when taken in context, it becomes very clear that Joel 2:23 in no way, shape or form justifies the claims of men in the 19th century who believed they were called to be "apostles".
i hereby present this evidence to Bishop Freund as one of his first priorities in Biblical Conflict Resolution - whatever *that* means - and hope he can find some time to help clear this matter up. thanks awfully!
.....
