Hagee - Does he really understand the Messiahship of Jesus?
By now, everyone has blogged about Hagee and his new book called ‘In defense of Israel‘ and many people have either been shocked by it or have not been so shocked by it as they have seen this coming. A cursory reading of the Amazon comments make it clear that this book has somehow crossed over the theological divide.
In one of my posts called Hagee the Heretic, I rattled some feathers, albeit unwittingly so. I really didn’t mean to upset people and I know that there are many who stand by the man’s theology regardless of what I or anyone else says. For me it was just such a shock to hear what he said in his TV commercial.
Hagee himself said that his book will shake the Christian world and with the statements he made in his commercial as well as those within his book, he has succeeded to do just that. So for me, or for anyone to react and call his statements heretical, is I think understandable considering the circumstance that Hagee has put himself in. Hagee obviously expected some sort of repercussion and he certainly has got it. He shocked the Christian world, and in doing so, the Christian world has reacted in return.
Reaction is not always the right or the best thing to do, but if nothing else it certainly gets people talking about very important doctrinal aspects of the Atonement, the Messiahship of Jesus/Yeshua, Israel’s right to exist and the most important topic of all, the salvific gospel according to the Old and New Testament. The shadow of things that were to come and the light of Truth when they did!
Regarding heresy, perhaps we can attempt to boil it down to a basic question. The question being this. Are the following statements heretical or not?
- That Jesus did not come to earth to be the Messiah
- That Jesus refused by word and deed to claim to be the Messiah
Hagee is a strong supporter of Israel, of that there is no doubt, but he fails in one very important area. He does not believe - according to his TV commercial and book - that Jesus/Yeshua was the messiah for the Jews in deed or in word. Therefore I am left wondering exactly what good news gospel can Hagee preach to the Jews? The Atonement of the Lamb of God and the salvation message is found in Jesus’/Yeshua’s 1st coming, not at the second coming where Christ/Messiah comes as a lion to judge by the opening up of the seals! (Rev 5:5 ff)
Regarding the Salvation of Messiah His 1st coming, the lamb…
Joh 12:46-47 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Regarding the Judgement of Messiah His 2nd coming, the day of the LORD, the lion…
1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming…
Heretic is a strong word and here is an email between Ray from Prophezine and Jacob Prasch from Moriel Jacob says that he would not necessarily call Hagee a Heretic but finds that he is skating very close to the edge. Jacob also mentions the reasons behind why Christ played down His Messiahship during his 1st coming and explains that… Mr. Hagee does not again understand the Jewish Festal background in the Gospels and how Jesus fulfilled them. He could only openly reveal His Messiahship by the prophetic agenda in The Hebrew Holy Days of Leviticus 23 & 24, specifically at The High Pilgrim Feasts. The times when Jesus (Yeshua) played down His Messianic identity is because it was not the appropriate time or place. The email has not been edited, but is worth a read because we now have some prominent pastors discussing Hagee’s book and the theology found within it.
From Ray of Prophezine…
In light of his words, he is of antichrist as spoken in 1 John 2:22
1John 2:22 (KJV) Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
And I find his words to be that of a heretic as defined below…
HER’ETIC, n.
1. A person under any religion, but particularly the Christian, who holds and teaches opinions repugnant to the established faith, or that which is made the standard of orthodoxy. In strictness, among Christians, a person who holds and avows religious opinions contrary to the doctrines of Scripture, the only rule of faith and practice.2. Any one who maintains erroneous opinions.
I seek your opinion from a Messianic ministry in what Hagee is claiming.Do you have any articles pertaining to Dual Covenant or can you offer help in refuting these lies? Although Hagee adamantly denies dual covenant, it appear he is twisting scripture and is writing some mutated form of DC theology.
From Jacob Prasch of Moriel…
There are avid supporters of Israel who indeed are proven heretics such as Malcom Hedding (leader of International Christian Embassy), and there are certainly heretics within the Messianic Movement (Mark Kinser), and we openly say so.
The problem with John Hagee appears to be rather ignorance, and a misguided zeal that has rendered him doctrinally delusional. Because he is not in denial of any basic tenet of biblical Christianity however, and because he claims not to be ‘dual covenant’, I would not personally describe him as heretical. I plan to publicly challenge much of his wrong doctrine. But I do not plan to attack him as a heretic as I have for instance (Malcom Hedding) because I do not think he has gone quite that far. But he is skating dangerously close to the edge of it.
For an excellent article on the midrashic understanding of the Messiah see ‘One Messiah - Two Comings‘ written by Jacob Prasch. I cannot speak more highly of this particular article.
The public challenge of J J Prasch will be watched closely by many. I think that if Hagee is pushed enough, his theology and doctrinal basis for it will become more evident. Certainly he is a man that we should all be praying for during this time. I guess we will wait and see how far this thing goes.
Here are some more articles that may be of interest to you…
