The Apocalypse Code by Hank Hanegraaff

[Richard Amiel McGough]

Have you read Hank's new book?

Comment here.

RAM

[Richard Amiel McGough]

I recently read The Apocalypse Code and was simultaneously very impressed and very disappointed. On the whole, the book is an excellent guide for how to let the Bible interpret itself. Hank is very strong on the "Typological Principle" which is one of the most important principles of real Biblical hermeneutics, too often ignored in modern seminaries.

The disappointment arose from Hank's extremely biased view of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. As everyone knows, the current conflict has been going on for over 50 years, and both sides have committed all kinds of atrocities. People can argue which side bears the greater guilt - some see the Israeli oppression as justified because they are fighting for survival against barbaric enemies who use their own children as bombs, while others see the Palestinian suicide tactics as justified given the extreme oppression of the Jews.

But there is nothing in Hank's book that even suggests there are two sides to the story. In his roughly 300 page book, he repeatedly refers to the Israeli massacre at Deir Yassin (1948), and does not mention a single crime from the other side. On the contrary, in a seeming attempt to win the sympathy of his Christian audience, Hank portrays the typical Palestinian as a meek, peace-loving Christian suffering under Jewish brutality! His portrait of the conflict is sureal. But it gets worse. Hank used inflated figures to make the massacre appear worse than it was! On page xxiv, Hank states:

Brother Andrew, best known for smuggling Bibles to the Christians living behind the Iron Curtain, recalls the well-known 1948 massacre of Deir Yassin in which an entire village of two hundred fifty men, women, children, and babies were brutally slaughtered by the Israeli paramilitary: [a harrowing quote from Brother Andrew follows ...]

Two hundred fifty? Is that an accurate number? Not according to the Palestinians! They themselves declare that the figure was inflated by the perpetrators to instill fear in those who remained. Here is the truth from the Palestinian website created as a memorial to those who died at Deir Yassin:

http://www.deiryassin.org/faq.html

They say that the actual number was roughly 100 - 120. That doesn't make it any less of a crime, but it does make one wonder what Hank's motives really are. Why did he present only one side of the conflict? And why did he publish a false fact that is so easy to disprove?

Well, that's the downside of the book. My hope for this thread is that we can discuss both its positive and the negative aspects. As stated above, I am very impressed with how he teaches hermeneutics. It truly is a very valuable book that corrects a lot of the errors in pop "end-time" literature. But I can not recommend his book without a warning that he is completely unbalanced with regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

RAM

[Dolores]

I have not read this book but I used to listen to Hank's radio program, "The Bible Answer Man," and although I learned a great deal from listening to him talk with his guest speakers and answer callers' questions, I frequently disagreed with him.

Your review of his book is enough for me to know that I would not spend money for it, and I hate thinking that other people will be influenced by it in the wrong way.

Thank you, Richard, for presenting this information.

[gilgal]

I have not read this book but I used to listen to Hank's radio program, "The Bible Answer Man," and although I learned a great deal from listening to him talk with his guest speakers and answer callers' questions, I frequently disagreed with him.

Your review of his book is enough for me to know that I would not spend money for it, and I hate thinking that other people will be influenced by it in the wrong way.

Thank you, Richard, for presenting this information.

Oh is this Hank Hanegraaff? I would agree that these "prophecy teachers" always stand in favour of Israel.

It makes me wonder if they are bribed to do that (favoring Israel).

I don't agree the suicide bombers (why bomb the innocent civilians? They are not responsible. Rather it's the political leaders that are responsible for the conflict.)

Here's a thought. In the book of Joshua God sided with Israel. THere were more that were killed by God's brimstones from heaven than Israel's bows and arrows. But now Israel is heavily armed by the US. Can we say that God favors Israel today?

The reason of the Arab and Israeli conflict comes from the doubt that most world Jewry is descended by blood from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (so are today's Jews Semites to begin with?):

http://k.domaindlx.com/infowars/BeWi...ts/pg_0032.asp

[Richard Amiel McGough]

Here's a thought. In the book of Joshua God sided with Israel. THere were more that were killed by God's brimstones from heaven than Israel's bows and arrows. But now Israel is heavily armed by the US. Can we say that God favors Israel today?

That is an interesting question. When I first read it, I thought to myself, yeah, they are relying on us which is like relying on the "arm of the flesh" instead of God. Then I thought about it a little more, and asked myself the question: "Has God ever used gentile nations to bless or judge Israel in the past?"

It didn't take long for me to find the answer. For example, God used Assyria as the Rod of His Anger to judge Israel (Bible Wheel book, Spoke 12 - Lamed = Rod).

And there are promises like "the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee" (Isaiah 60:5) and so forth.

So is God using the USA to support Israel, or is the USA supporting Israel because we need a foot-hold in the oil rich middle east?

Or both?

Hank's take on the modern state of Israel is that it has absolutely nothing to do with fulfillment of any biblical prophecies whatsoever. He supports his case by noting that all the land promises were actually fulfilled in the book of Joshua:

Joshua 23:14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

Likewise, he notes that God warned them the land would spue them out if they defiled it, so the promises were conditional:

Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled ) 28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

Then he notes that all the promises were ultimately fulfilled in CHRIST, and so going back to the idea of Israel having a theocracy in the middle east would be like going back to types and shadows, which would be an abomination in light of the finished work of Christ, who is the fulfillment of all prophecy.

In general, I think Hank is correct ... except that its hard to believe that God doesn't have something planned for the modern state of Israel. But I really don't think there will be a "Third Temple" and sacrifices, because 1) there is no verse that speaks of a Third Temple, and 2) it would be an abomination given the fact that Christ is the True Temple (John 2 = Bet/House).

That's a lot of grist for a number of theads!

[gilgal]

I don't trust those prophecy teachers anymore. I think it was CI Scoffield who was the father of "modern Israel in prophecy". Israel was in existence back then because of the coming of Christ. God promised Israel to bring Christ from among them.

THe same example can be found in Rachel in Genesis 30-35. She gave birth to Joseph. She called him by that name because God had promised her another (Joseph means "adding").But because she stole her father's idols and Jacob uttered death to whoever stole Laban's idols, she was the one to die exactly after bearing Benoni (son of sorrows) renamed by Jacob as Benjamin (son of the right hand). Again Benjamin points to Christ.

[Stephen]

Richard wrote: "So is God using the USA to support Israel, or is the USA supporting Israel because we need a foothold in the oil-rich Middle East? Or both?".

I believe the answer to that question is way bigger than most Christians have ever conceived. But first, in answer to the specifics that Richard posed, both aspects undeniably apply. The USA, like every other nation under the sun, always looks after its own strategic interests first. In fact, some writers believe that Israeli dependence on the US is a myth, and that the US has hampered Israel rather than helped. Professor Paul Eidelberg is one writer who subscribes to this view. I don't share his views, but he makes a good case. There is a strong element of self-interest in the American relationship with Israel.

On the other hand, God is undoubtedly using the USA to help Israel. But what really is amazing is why He does so. Why does God use America to help Israel? Why?

To even begin to understand that question, we have to ask another question. Who is America? Who is this people who, in their Pledge of Allegiance, recognise themselves as one Nation under God? Who is this nation that has taken the Bible to the four corners of the Earth? Who is this nation whose motto is, 'In God We Trust'? How did she come to be so prosperous if it were not for the favour of Divine Providence? How did so many symbols of biblical Israel end up on the Great Seal? Why is the word of God respected in America more than it has ever been in any other nation throughout history?

America shares an uncanny historical parallel with biblical Israel. Under Jeroboam, ancient Israel split from The United Kingdom of Judah and Israel. In 1776, America split from the United Kingdom of Great Britain. In both instances, the crucial issue was taxation without representation.

Judah and Israel were never reunited after this initial rift (although the prophets tell us that they eventually will reunite). Israel disappeared from the historical record shortly after the Assyrian incursions initiated by Tilgath-Pilneser ca. 740 BC. However, the law and the prophets were certainly not silent as to their eventual destiny in God's great plan. Neither was the Lord Jesus Christ, for that matter.

By way of contrast, Judah's history has been continuous to the present day. Most Judahites exiled in the time of Nebuchadnezzar never returned to the Holy Land. Those that did are known to us today as Jews. They are only a very small per centage of the 12 tribed biblical Israel. In fact, they are only a small per centage of the tribe of Judah, who was just one of the 12 tribes!

This very small portion of people descended from the tribe of Judah is known today as the nation state of Israel. Incredibly, 99.99 per cent of Christians have no idea of this. They imagine that the nation state of Israel is the same thing as the 12 tribes of Israel that dwelt in the Holy Land some three thousand years ago. This is one of the great myths of the church age, and has led to so much misinterpretation of God's word, particularly prophecy. In fact, it is impossible to fully understand God's plan as set out in much of the Old Testament without a decent grounding in this knowledge of who the 12 tribes were and are.

Cutting to the chase, the reason God uses the USA to help Israel is because the nations are brothers. The USA is, essentially, the biblical tribe of Joseph, more specifically Manasseh. The USA is part of Israel, the biblical Israel that our Old Testaments speak of.

Richard has a great article on his website about the Great Seal of the United States. The only thing the article falls short in is in making the logical leap that the data imply. The reason America has all the right symbols is because, along with a few other specific nations, America IS Israel! Small wonder that your enemies call you the big satan, and the nation state of Israel the little satan. They know who you are! Yet you don't recognise yourself ... yet!

This really is another thread, as I haven't even heard of Hank Hanegraaf, and wouldn't waste my time with his book after reading Richard's comments. But I will say this: once you become aware of where the tribes of Israel ended up in the modern world, the Old Testament will open up to you like never before. And some of Jesus' statements will take on a whole new level of understanding. That I can promise!

[Richard Amiel McGough]

To even begin to understand that question, we have to ask another question. Who is America? Who is this people who, in their Pledge of Allegiance, recognise themselves as one Nation under God? Who is this nation that has taken the Bible to the four corners of the Earth? Who is this nation whose motto is, 'In God We Trust'? How did she come to be so prosperous if it were not for the favour of Divine Providence? How did so many symbols of biblical Israel end up on the Great Seal? Why is the word of God respected in America more than it has ever been in any other nation throughout history?

On this point, it is interesting that one of the original motifs planned for the Great Seal was of Moses parting the Sea and leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. The designers obviously had biblical metaphors on their mind.

America shares an uncanny historical parallel with biblical Israel. Under Jeroboam, ancient Israel split from The United Kingdom of Judah and Israel. In 1776, America split from the United Kingdom of Great Britain. In both instances, the crucial issue was taxation without representation.

Judah and Israel were never reunited after this initial rift (although the prophets tell us that they eventually will reunite). Israel disappeared from the historical record shortly after the Assyrian incursions initiated by Tilgath-Pilneser ca. 740 BC. However, the law and the prophets were certainly not silent as to their eventual destiny in God's great plan. Neither was the Lord Jesus Christ, for that matter.

By way of contrast, Judah's history has been continuous to the present day. Most Judahites exiled in the time of Nebuchadnezzar never returned to the Holy Land. Those that did are known to us today as Jews. They are only a very small per centage of the 12 tribed biblical Israel. In fact, they are only a small per centage of the tribe of Judah, who was just one of the 12 tribes!

Those are some very powerful parallels. But we must not close our eyes to other points that don't line up at all. Its pretty hard to proclaim America as a the greatest God fearing nation in history with the same breath that says she is related in any way at all to the absolutely apostate northern tribes of Israel. They were driven from the land because of their absolute apostasy and incorrigible idolatry.

The variety of opinions on the identity of America is pretty interesting. They range from "God's City on a Hill" to "the Great Whore of Babylon."

This very small portion of people descended from the tribe of Judah is known today as the nation state of Israel. Incredibly, 99.99 per cent of Christians have no idea of this. They imagine that the nation state of Israel is the same thing as the 12 tribes of Israel that dwelt in the Holy Land some three thousand years ago. This is one of the great myths of the church age, and has led to so much misinterpretation of God's word, particularly prophecy. In fact, it is impossible to fully understand God's plan as set out in much of the Old Testament without a decent grounding in this knowledge of who the 12 tribes were and are.

Yep. Bible knowledge amongst the general population is at an all time low, I'd say.

Cutting to the chase, the reason God uses the USA to help Israel is because the nations are brothers. The USA is, essentially, the biblical tribe of Joseph, more specifically Manasseh. The USA is part of Israel, the biblical Israel that our Old Testaments speak of.

I don't think this point will stand under close scrutiny. I think it confuses a modern secular nation with the biblical symbol of Israel as "the people of God" which began with the historical believing Jews and then expanded when the Gentiles were grafted in through faith to the Root, which is Christ, not the Jews. Why do I say that? Because the Root is Holy and only Christ is truly Holy sins all have sinned, and the Bible identifies Jesus as the Root of Jesse and the Vine from which believers (both Jews and Gentiles) grow as the branches. I don't see any modern politics in this picture. Of course, I'm know you have many good reasons for your beliefs. I look forward to hashing it out with you.

Richard has a great article on his website about the Great Seal of the United States. The only thing the article falls short in is in making the logical leap that the data imply. The reason America has all the right symbols is because, along with a few other specific nations, America IS Israel! Small wonder that your enemies call you the big satan, and the nation state of Israel the little satan. They know who you are! Yet you don't recognise yourself ... yet!

I agree we have a natural affiliation with the Jews, since it was from them that our Saviour came. But I don't see how we could conclude that the USA really is part of Israel. I will enjoy learning how you came to this conclusion. But we should start a different thread for that, since it is a totally different topic from reviewing Hank's book. I ask everyone to please respond to this post here.

This really is another thread, as I haven't even heard of Hank Hanegraaf, and wouldn't waste my time with his book after reading Richard's comments. But I will say this: once you become aware of where the tribes of Israel ended up in the modern world, the Old Testament will open up to you like never before. And some of Jesus' statements will take on a whole new level of understanding. That I can promise!

You've got me curious! I'll see you in the other thread.

[Richard Amiel McGough]

So I took a look at this thread and thought to myself "We really haven't had much talk about the positive side of Hank's book. I think I'll fix that."

So I asked myself what was one of the most important truths taught in his book, and I concluded it was his discussion of Typology, so essential for any real Biblical hermeneutic, and so sorely neglected in most modern seminaries. So I turned to the Table of Contents and found this heading:

Chapter 6. Typology Principle: The Golden Key

"Wow," I thought. "Hank certainly got that correct!" Typology truly is the Golden Key. So I turned to the chapter with anticipation of something really good to share and was freshly disappointed by his skewed view of the modern state of Israel. Here is the first quote on the title page of Chapter 6, reproduced verbatim, including the word "Christian" which Hank added in square brackets just to make sure you knew who the "good guys" are:

I am a Palestinian [Christian] living under Israeli occupation. My captor daily seeks ways to make life harder for me. He encircles my people with barbed wire; he builds walls around us, and his army sets many boundaries around us. He succeeds in keeping thousands of us in camps and prisons. Yet despite all tese efforts, he has not succeeded in taking my dreams from me. I have a dream that one dayI will wake up and see two eaqul peoples living next to each other, coexisting in the land of Palestine, stretching from the Mediterranean to the Jordan.
--- Bethlehem Pastor Mitri Rahab in Gary M. BUrge, Whose Land? Whose Promise?

Hank's quote suggests that the Jews are not actually trying to protect themselves from suicide bombers, but are actually seeking "ways to make life harder" for the Palestinians, as if they were just plain wicked at heart. But it gets worse ... the title page is then followed by seven pages of highly charged anti-Israeli propaganda. I just don't have words to describe how this makes me feel. Hank based most of his attack on the writings of Jewish professor Benny Morris, who is seen by many as a far-left Palestinian sympathizer who disputes main-stream history. Here is how he is described in Wikipedia:

Benny Morris (born in 1948) is an Israeli historian and unofficial leader of the New Historians, a group of scholars who dispute the mainstream historical view of the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Known for his work on the history of Palestinian refugees and his refusal to perform reserve duty in the West Bank, Morris was widely seen as an Israeli sympathizer of the Palestinian cause, and his work was very often cited and praised by pro-Arab writers.

Concerning Morris, Hank states: "In a clinical fashion, Morris unmasks 'the Zionist murders, terrorism, and ethnic cleansing that drove 600,000-750,000 Palestinians from their homes in 1948.' Morris marshals evidence from the Israel defense Forces archives to document 'Israeli acts of massacre.' 'To my surprise" he says, 'there were also many acts of rape."

All this, and dozens of pages like it scattered throughout a book that is supposed to be teaching us how to interpret the Bible?!? I was stunned, and more so now that I am hit with it a second time. Yet my shock goes ever deeper as I investigate the "Israeli massacre" that Hank showcases. The first page returned from a Google search on Benny Morris Israeli massacre pretty much tells the whole story. It is an article from the extreme far left magazine Counterpunch, owned by Alexander Cockburn. According to Steven Plaut of the Think-Israel site, Cockburn's "anti-Americanism can compete only with his anti-Semitism." All I can say is that Hank really should be a little more careful about his sources. But even if he sides with the anti-Israeli crowd, he should have had the common decency to present both sides of the conflict. And what does any of this have to do with interpreting the Bible?

The unfortunate fact now is that any presentation of the hermeneutical gems found in Hank's book are soiled with his anti-Israeli prejudice. I am really sad about his, because I was very impressed with the hermeneutical aspect of his book. For example, here is the gem I wanted to share from the Typology chapter:

Far from being peripheral, typology is central to the proper interpretation of the infallible Word of God. One cannot fully grasp the meaning of the New Testament apart from familiarity with the redemptive history and literary forms of the Old Testament. Likewise, the New Testament shines its light on the Old Testament and reveals the more complete significance of God's redemptive work in and through the nation of Israel. This relationship between the Testaments is in essence typological.

So there it is .. the golden jewel (or key, as the case may be) ...

Proverbs 11:22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman [or book] which is without discretion

Hank needs our prayers.

My wife made it clear that she believes this must be an attack from Satan on Hank and his book, which otherwise could have had a huge impact on the current state of biblical illiteracy. I agree with her. The thing that is so perplexing is that his repeated attacks on Israel are completely out of place in his book. They all could be ripped out and no one would know they were missing! They add NOTHING to his book, except an ugly mark like a savage black gash across the face of the Mona Lisa.

Hank has a great reputation for wisdom and honor amongst many of our Christian brothers and sisters. His book could have been a true ointment in the apothecary of the Lord. Unfortunately, it has more than a few dead flies in it.

Ecclesiastes 10:1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour

RAM