Biblical Freak Shows

So… I keep hearing that Todd Bentley and the events at the Florida Outpouring amount to a freak show, a circus, or the antichrist riding a harley (satan’s sitting on the sissy seat dontcha know, and Pastor Strader’s in the sidecar)…

Enough humor. Most of the concerns raised about this revival relate to “discernment” — are the events that are happening (or being claimed) real? And if so, are they in line with what Scripture says?

Most of the critics say no… angels don’t show up, healings don’t happen, people don’t fall down under the power of God, no such thing as prophecy or tongues… and the list goes on and on. Fallen prophets should never be brought back on stage. Native Americans embrace their own spirituality, not Christ. It’s not just the cessationalists, though… some charismatics (who are pretty used to weirdness ) have issues with the angels.

I’m not going to go through a list of “concerns” because thus far I haven’t seen anyone make an accurate or factual accounting of issues and attempt to apply relevant* Scripture to those issues. If someone knows of a source I’d love to see it. (Relevant meaning that they don’t toss that verse from Collosians 2 about worshiping angels. If TB** or SS** or anyone at Lakeland worshiped an angel I’d be the first to denounce them as heretics)

What I AM going to attempt to do is go through the Bible and pull out verses that particularly illustrate that God does stuff, and it’s often weird. Weird isn’t necessarily bad, you know.

This will obviously be done over several posts. When I get done I’ll tie them all together somehow.

So… starting in Genesis 1 and 2:

• First we’ve got an all-powerful God creating the world from nothing. BAM! Then He turns around and creates the birds and the bees and the fish and the trees. Then He mixes up some mud and breathes life into it, creating man in His own image. Then He takes a rib out of man and makes woman.
• Then He rested.
• Then He had two people running around in a garden naked…

Genesis 3:

• A serpent (satan) came and deceived Eve, and Adam sinned.

(It’s funny how people have a problem with an angel showing up and getting someone to do the right thing, but they believe the devil showed up and got Eve to the wrong thing. hmmm. )

• God took a walk around the Garden. Literally, apparently.
• Everybody got the boot. One, it was prophesied, would get a boot to the head.
• God killed some animals and broke out the Holy Sewing Machine. (v. 21)
• Then God sent cherubim (angel(s)) with a flaming sword to guard the place. One must presume that said angel(s) is still there…

Genesis 4:

• Sex happened. In the Bible! (ok, so that was a bit off-topic. But hey.) (v. 1)
• Sin lies at a guy’s door (v. 7) It’s spoken of in a rather personal/real sense.
• The voice of blood cries out from the ground (v. 10)
• God gave Cain a tattoo (or some sort of mark) (v. 15)

Genesis 5:

• People lived to be OLD.

Genesis 6:

• Something was going ON between the “Sons of God” and the “Daughters of Men”… obviously the “sons of God” were not human. What they were is irrelevant.
• There were also giants running amok. You know, beings that were 10 feet tall…
• God spoke directly to Noah and gave him specific instructions.
• Noah – not a boatbuilder by trade – managed to build an ark that would float (I don’t think I could do that.. could you?).
• Then Noah brought all the animals aboard.

Genesis 7:

• God made it really, really rain. For a really, really long time.

Genesis 8:

• God has the sense of smell (v. 21)
• He spoke to Noah again. Extensively. Even into the next chapter.

Genesis 9:

• God made a rainbow.
• The whole earth was repopulated from a handful of people. Not so hard, considering it was originally populated by two people…

Genesis 11:

• God scattered people and confused their languages.

Genesis 12:

• God spoke directly to Abram and told him to leave home, and He’d make him into a great nation. (v. 1-4)
• God APPEARED to Abram (v. 7)
• God plagued pharoah (v. 17)

Genesis 13:

• God spoke to Abram again (v. 13)

Genesis 15:

• God spoke to Abram again – this time promising a son.
• As Abram fell into a deep sleep, horror and great darkness fell on him and God had more to say.

Genesis 16:

• The Angel of the Lord showed up and spoke to Hagar; she acknowledged said Angel as “You-Are-The-God-Who-Sees”

Genesis 17:

• God appeared and spoke to Abram again.
• Abram fell down and got up with a new name.
• Sarai got a new name too.
• God promised a son to Sarah, who’d been barren and was now 90 – past childbearing age.
• God established circumcision.

Now that’s got to be faith on Abraham’s part, ok? Imagine this, men. You have a spiritual encounter that leads you to cut on a VERY VERY SENSITIVE place. Guess ol’ Abe was sure he was really dealing with God, eh?

Genesis 18:

• God appeared and spoke to Abraham again.

What exactly would happen if I was to say, “God showed up at my front door. I let Him in, and we had a nice cup of coffee and had a chat”…? I’d either be called a heretic or a lunatic. So which was Abraham?

• To make matters worse, God brought company, because there were 3 of them. (the 2 angels are referenced in the next chapter)
• Quite a conversation ensued, with Sarah laughing and God knowing it, and much discussion over the promised baby.
• God decided to let Abraham in on His plans.

WOAH! What? Hmmmm.

• Abraham begged God for mercy. God listened to him.

Genesis 19:

• Angels show up at the gate of Sodom, argue with Lot, and then go spend the night at his house.
• Said angels strike the men in the crowd blind and warn Lot to get out. Lot converses with the angels.
• God rained down fire and brimstone from heaven.

Genesis 20:

• God came in a dream to Abimelech and spoke to him.
• God prevented Abimelech from sinning.
• God called Abraham a prophet.
• Abraham prayed, and God healed Abimelech and his family (which made them fertile again).

Genesis 21:

• God visited Sarah, making her womb fertile; she conceived.
• God spoke to Hagar – again. He opened her eyes and there was water to drink.

Genesis 22:

• God tested Abraham – “Take your son Isaac… offer him as a burnt offering”

What if God said that to someone today? :::faints:::

• God stopped him from carrying it out – which Ol’ Abe was going to do – and provided a ram as a sacrifice.
• The Angel of the Lord spoke to him again.

Genesis 24:

• The servant prayed for a sign, and lo and behold, there it was!

Genesis 25:

• The Lord spoke to Rebekah.

Genesis 26:

• The Lord spoke to Isaac and made him a promise.
• Twice! Actually both times He showed up…

Genesis 27:

• Jacob laid what is apparently a transferable blessing on his children. (if it were mere words, why was Esau so upset?)

Genesis 28:

(more coming)

**TB=Todd Bentley, SS=Pastor Steven Strader (Ignited Church)