New Life Restoration Series#2 Paganism

As we approach the soon coming Rapture in these last days and as a Prophet of God, I have written this series to help us to make sure that we have no roots of Pagan Babylon in our beliefs. Besides my restoration services in the Port St. Lucie area (please see my page on the front of the website entitled “Calendar of Events” for information as to where and when these powerful life changing services are held) the LORD has instructed me to do this restoration series on my website. The lives of so many people are being changed through healing, prophetic impartation and restoration teaching in my services. This series will teach you some of what is happening at these services. We would love to have you attend if you are in our area. Again, please see the “Calendar of Events” page on the first page of my website.

In the fourth century Constantine brought paganism into the church and wiped out anything that was Jewish from Christianity. There was a false Christianity that was developed that most of us came from. It wasn’t that paganism just crept in a little into the church; for the most part the church became assimilated into pagan beliefs. This Restoration series will also help us to get back to the Elohim (Yahweh) that created everything and demands that we put no idols or other gods between us and Him. The same Elohim that spoke from Mount Sinai is the same Elohim that came inside of YAHshua (Jesus). I pray that you study this series with an open mind and know that YAHveh wants us to worship no other gods and make sure that we have no pagan practices that we may be unaware of in our lives. We have to please the ONE and only True God or YAHveh. In this series we will go back to the beginning of Babylon and trace its roots right into the “Christianity” that Constantine of Rome started. We have to go back to our roots in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through the Blood of YAHshua (Jesus). There are many blessings that are just waiting for as we go back and we need to receive our inheritance in YAHshua (Jesus). Because of pagan tradition in many churches, the glory of God is departing from some ministries and they don’t even recognize it (Ezekiel 10:4, 19, 11:23). The spirit of antichrist is going to get much stronger in these last days and some Christians and their churches may not be able to stand against it because their roots are attached to a false Christianity and not back to the YAHveh who started everything. Most of the Ten Commandments were meant to keep His people from worshipping the gods of their pagan neighbors (Exodus 20 verse 1-17). Here is the second part of my series entitled “Paganism”:

      The Scriptures record that YAHveh scattered the inhabitants of Babylon “over the face of the Earth.” (Genesis 11:8). Those citizens of Babylon were dispersed throughout the world and new languages were given to them. Does this mean that they forgot their form of false worship which was created in Babylon?  Absolutely not. They still worship their gods, only now they had different names for them, as the languages were confused.

     This is why when we examine religions throughout the world we see many similar forms of worship, and even similar building techniques such as the pyramids and ziggurats which are an integral part of sun worship. We see step pyramids in Egypt, Mexico, Central and South America, as well as ziggurats in the Middle East and Africa and pagodas in the Far East. All of these structures are modeled on the Tower of Babel and even share similar construction methods. They are all structures which point to the sun and are a part of the religious beliefs and systems of the people that built them.    These pyramid-shaped objects have relatives known as obelisks: otherwise known as sun pillars, minarets and steeples. Sadly, these objects which trace directly back to sun worship are used today and litter the landscape of every major city in the world. While their modern day builders may be ignorant of their original meaning, they are phallic symbols which derive from sun worship. It saddens me when I think about the landscape of modern day Jerusalem. Throughout the city you will see obelisks, steeples, minarets and domes – all architectural styles used in sun worship. This is a city dedicated to YAHveh which looks more like a pagan capital as it was once renamed Aelia Capitolina by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 135 CE and dedicated to the Roman god Jupiter.

     Around 167 BCE the Seleucid King Antiochus IV dedicated an altar to Zeus on the Temple Mount, set up an image of Zeus, and slaughtered pigs on the altar. This was fulfillment of the abomination which lays waste as prophesied by Daniel (see Daniel 9:27). Zeus is the Greek god who is the same as the Roman god Jupiter – they are exactly alike, just named differently.  Interestingly, if you visit the Vatican in Rome, Italy you will find a statue of Zeus/Jupiter on a throne which has been renamed Peter. Catholic Pilgrims line up to adore this image and kiss the foot of the Greco-Roman deity in the world headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church – most unwittingly paying homage to a pagan god. The statue has been kissed on the feet so much that the foot is totally worn down!

     After scattering of Babel, YAHveh began to call out a people who would choose to love and obey Him. In Genesis 11 we read that Abram, a descendent of Shem, was called out of the land of Ur, which is in southern Babylon, to Haran. Both of these regions were known to worship Sin, the moon god. Abram later moved his family to the land of Canaan whose principal deities were Baal, El and Astarte. He lived his life surrounded by pagans and was the first person who was called a Hebrew. The word Hebrew is Ivri and literally means: “cross over.” Abram who was later renamed Abraham, was called a Hebrew because he crossed over the river – he was a sojourner who was different from those who lived in the lands that he traveled.

     He and his household served and obeyed YAHveh and he and his seed were directly identified with YAHveh. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was through this lineage that YAHveh would work His plan of Restoration through His covenants. The seed of Abraham would become a set apart people who were to be a Kingdom of Priests that would shine as a light to all other nations which were not serving YAHveh – thus the distinction between Israel, the seed of Abraham the Hebrews and the Gentiles. Israel represented the Set Apart Assembly that served YAHveh and the Gentiles referred to all of the other nations of the world that did not serve YAHveh.

     According to the Scriptures, Israel conquered the land of Canaanites which was not only filled with giants, but also those who worshipped pagan deities. Israel was instructed not to worship the gods of the people they conquered. They were also commanded not to worship YAHveh in the manner that their pagan neighbors worshipped their gods.  We know that Israel continually strayed away from YAHveh and worshipped these pagan gods and as a result, the Kingdom was divided after the death of Solomon. The Ten Northern Tribes, known as the House of Israel split from the Kingdom and developed their own polluted form of worship. They established two cities of worship and set up golden calves to be worshipped: one at Beth EI and one at Dan. They established feasts days which were different than those prescribed by YAHveh. They did this because Jerusalem was located geographically within the territories of Judah and Benjamin which were known collectively as the Southern Kingdom or the House of Judah (Yahudah.)

    The House of Judah (Yahudah) ended up falling into paganism as well, but in a different way. They built booths in the area of the House of YAHveh  and mixed the worship of false gods with the worship of YAHveh. They turned the House of YAHveh into a veritable Pantheon. The Prophets Ezekiel (Yehezqel) and Jeremiah(Yirmeyahu) described the abominations they committed which included erecting pagan statues and images, making cakes and burning incense to “The Queen of Heaven,” pouring out drink offerings to pagan gods, “weeping for Tammuz” and praying to the sun (Ezekiel 8, Jeremiah 7:44. As I mentioned earlier, “Queen of Heaven” was the title taken on by Semirnamis, also known as Ishtar in Babylon. The fertility goddess was known as Astarte in Canaan and Isis in Egypt. She was known as Venus by the Romans and Aphrodite by the Greeks. These are all the same goddess but again, she had different names and different cultures. Currently, we see the Catholic Church calling Mary “The Queen of Heaven” which is a tradition tracing directly back to Babylon. As a result of the various abominations of Israel and Judah (Yahudah) – both Houses were removed from the land and were scattered throughout the world – not unlike what happened to the original Babylonians. Since they wanted to worship like pagans they were scattered amongst pagan cultures. YAHveh was not going to allow them to commit these acts in His Land and in His House just as no husband would knowingly allow his wife to commit adultery in their marital home or in their marriage bed. Instead of scattering them to spread their idolatry through, YAHveh sent them into an idolatrous world so that He could later regather them and redeem them through His plan of Restoration.

Israelites and later Christians were referred to as atheists because they believed in only One Elohim. This was the original meaning of the term atheist – “one who does not believe in the gods.” Belief in many gods was the custom throughout the world and it is only since the spread of Judaism, Christianity and Islam that monotheistic belief has dominated the world scene.

Many in the Western culture are not accustomed to identifying pagan behavior because they unknowingly participate in pagan activities and mimic pagan behavior. A pagan is one who worships a god or gods in fashion not found in the word. Paganism is the worship of false god or the tainted worship of the Creator by mixing in pagan practices or concepts. A false god is any god other than the One True Elohim.

Israel was surrounded by pagans and many of the commandments were given to keep them from following their abominable practices and to live righteously before their Elohim. Israel was supposed to demonstrate the standards by which every nation was to measure up to; the nations would see how to worship the True Elohim. The people would then have a choice – to follow Elohim or their pagan gods. Israel was influenced by the pagans around them rather than the other way around. They lost the blessings of obedience and received the curses of disobedience. (Deut. 28: 15-68) Ironically Christianity has fallen into this too but don’t recognize it. Idolatry is not just bowing down to images but it is anything that would draw you away from the worship of the One True Elohim.

We must endeavor in our own quest to nurture a relationship with our Creator and not to assign our lives over to a mere mortal man, even though Elohim uses people. As a Prophet of Elohim I encourage people to find their own relationship with Elohim for themselves. Someday we will all stand before Elohim and no Pastor, Priest, Rabbi or Imam will be there with us. This is why developing an intimate relationship with our Father-the One True Elohim is so important. If you have that you will stand before Him and hear-“Well done good and trustworthy servant” (Matt. 25:23).