Pieter and Helene Bos, C. Parkerstraat 50, 1311
PJ Almere, The Netherlands
tel +31-36-5469660; fax +31-36-5469661;
hbos@servingthenations.org; www.servingthenations.org
EUROPE, WHAT’S IN THE NAME?
THE NAME AND DESTINY OF EUROPE AT STAKE
by HELENE BOS.
February 2004.
Summary.
How did our continent receive her name? According
to Greek mythology the chief Greek god Zeus fell in love with the human
daughter of the Phoenician king, named Europa; in the shape of a white bull he
abducted her, and had three sons through her. In order to “make up” for his
behavior, she was honored by naming a continent after her: Europa.
This “love” affair, though illegal, is “covenantal
behavior.” And giving names to territories is also “covenantal behavior”.
Zeus can be identified as Satan (Rev. 2:13.). Has he tried,
by establishing a false covenantal relationship with this continent, to have a
“legal” claim on this continent? The story of Genesis 6, where the (fallen)
sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them, connects
this myth to European history. Did Zeus/Satan in this “legal” way try to
prevent the gospel taking root, where it was one of the first continents to be
evangelized and discipled?
From
this angle we explore the questions: -
is that
the reason why paganism in (at least in western-) Europe had never been given
up? - is that
the reason why this continent through the centuries became so
hostile to the gospel? -is that
the reason why over the years we saw in our own and other western nations the
interest in the occult increase? - is that the reason why even now a revival of paganism
is taking place?
Through the centuries we can see
that Zeus/Satan has devised spiritual strategies to reinforce his claim on this
continent. In our time we see this in the political arena by the EU promoting
the old myth, and by purposefully trying to leave the name of the Lord God out
of the preamble of the EU Constitution? And very recently we see it in the
arena of a modern “idol”: sports. The up coming Olympic Games are explicitly
organized in the old pagan way, and with the stated goal and spiritual,
idolatrous means to revive paganism. This will again reinforce Satan’s claim on
Europe.
If this is so, will there ever be a new covenant,
with the Lord, with a new name, given by Him, for this continent?
Intercessors have prayed over this, and the Lord
did give another name. A name so contrary to the old one that we can be full of
hope for the future of this continent.
All the above poses a responsibility for the
intercessors and for the Church of Europe.
This report explains these findings and these
concepts, with much reference to literature, and presents a strategy for prayer
and application.
I will
show my love to the one I called “Not my loved one.” And they will say, ”You
are my God.” (Hosea 2:23)
Two timely reasons to
write this article.
- The European Union
is extending. A number of the leaders of and in the nations believe that this
new Europe needs a constitution, so the former president of France, Giscard
d’Estaing, set himself to draft one. A constitution in which he however does
not want to mention the name of God, but in which he does want to honor
humanism.
This continent was one of the first to be evangelized. How can we not
recognize that?[1]
- In August 2004 the
Olympics will be held in Athens, Greece, the nation where long ago the
tradition of athletic religious festivals started, of which the festival
dedicated to Zeus, the Olympics, was the most significant one. The first
Olympics were held in 776 B.C. and they have always been a religious festival.
The upcoming Olympics will be held in that old tradition. One of the officials
of the Olympic Games 2004 stated publicly that these Olympics will be
characterized by pagan revivalism, and priestesses will preside over the entire
games.[2]
Both thoroughly researched and documented publications, written by
trusted “compatriots in battle,” are not accidental, and not coincidental. They
also relate to issues that over the years have drawn my attention.
In this article I focus on the meaning and background of the NAME OF
EUROPE. I link the original Olympic
games and the upcoming ones, and the political and spiritual developments of
our continent in between, with that old name.
I raise the suggestion that this continent may receive a new name, once.
Names have meaning.
This article deals with the name of the continent where I live.
Over the years I was challenged to think about that name, Europe. I knew
about the mythological origin of it, and found myself often wondering: Why was
that name given to this continent and who gave that name?
In the spiritual world do names have meaning, the Bible teaches us. When
then that name is transferred to a continent, we may wonder: why? What did that
continent inherit through the connection to that name? Can that have spiritual
implications for this continent? The European Union is explicitly contributing
meaning again to the myth that is in the background of the name. Why?
Overview of the
contents:
Chapter 1 Through the
years I noticed developments that led me to pay closer attention to the name of
our continent, as a kind of personal quest.
Chapter 2 That process
raised the question if there might be a reason why Europe never quit with
paganism.
Chapter 3 At the time of
an EPL-consultation (European Prayer Link) the Lord gave another name for this
continent!
Chapter 4 I
believe this continent has a God given destiny, but we notice a revival to the
contrary, of old paganism. This is also promoted under the disguise of the
Olympic games!
Chapter 5 European
intercessors, have the responsibility to take authority over these
developments.
Chapter 6 The Church of
Europe then has a responsibility with regard to the past and the future of
Europe.
Chapter 1
THE SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF
EUROPE
Spiritual and societal developments in our continent drew my attention
gradually to the name of this continent. That is why the following is in a way
a personal account. I am aware that this contribution to think about Europe is
somewhat extraordinary. It is difficult to check my understanding according to
scientific ways. The reason is that the understanding of the spiritual reality
presented here cannot be analysed in scientific ways, yet can be right or
wrong. The question may be asked whether this understanding is consistent with
the spiritual reality as the Bible teaches us.
Maybe others have come to reflect on that name because of a very
different reason.
In the beginning of the nineties I heard that the late Swedish
intercessor and prophetic prayer-leader Kjell Sjǿberg had asked the Lord
for a new name for this continent. Though I do not know if the Lord revealed
one to him, I received this as a confirmation.
Over the years I was struck by
the fact that the once “christianized” continent was so easily flooded with the
occult, and that pagan roots of the continent were still so much alive.
The increase of the
occult.
A Increase of
“counterfeit” spiritual phenomena in the seventies.
In the beginning of the seventies I heard more and more of people, not
in Africa but in rationalistic Europe, who went into trance, of
fortune-tellers, of people with extra-sensory perception, of mediums. Coming
from a traditional church background but being hungry for the work of the Holy
Spirit, I wondered whether these things were not indicating that there are
“true” spiritual phenomena also.
In the seventies we lived as a family for almost two years in Singapore,
in de midst of a strong charismatic revival. We saw miracles by and
manifestations of the Holy Spirit. We also saw that the demonic world is not
“true,” but yet very real.
I concluded that the increase of the counterfeit spiritual might well
indicate that the plan of the Lord was to give the real gifts and
manifestations to the Body of Christ, also to the church in Europe.
B Increase of the
interest in and influence of the occult in the eighties.
- An ever-swelling
number of people are using alternative medicines and therapies, and/or are
interested in and involved in the occult, reading horoscopes and tarot-cards.
More and more games revolve around demonic beings, and cuddly toys are more and
more demonic in expression.
- Much “literature,”
for adults as well as for children, has occult topics, or is weaving the occult
into the story. We see a strong increase of the occult in TV-programs and
movies; there is an increase of exhibitions on foreign religions, with
expressive posters with demonic masks all over the city.
-Practitioners of the occult appear before the floodlights. Gurus,
witches and satanists give interviews or seek publicity in other ways. People
open up for Tibetan Buddhism, for courses and therapies that are new- age
inspired. These things are offered for individuals privately, but also in businesses and for officials in
government departments. Police-officials are using clairvoyants in order to
solve crimes. Schools have to teach all sorts of religions, with not seldom
lessons in which is “practiced” what was taught. Many cults have sprung up over
the last years, with their priests and priestesses. Many of them seek publicity
and try to recruit new members/followers through their websites.
The list is growing.
C. A recapture of the continent by the “queen of heaven” in
the nineties.
Our attention was drawn to the special
place “Mary” occupied in the lives of committed Roman-Catholics and
Eastern-Orthodox believers. And we were perplexed to notice that many of them,
born again believers, fruits of renewal in these old churches, often have an
obvious closer relationship with “Mary” than with Jesus Christ, whom they
confess to be their Savior.
In an in depth study I developed the understanding that this “Mary” is
NOT the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, but an adaptation of a pagan
“principality” that over the whole world had secured for itself a place of
veneration, under many names, the most presumptuous name being “queen of
heaven,” as mentioned in the Bible. When Christianity in her first centuries
pushed back this influence, this principality secured itself a place again IN
the church, now under the name of Mary. There is an increase in appearances of
“Mary.” A movement to pronounce her “mediatrix,” and “Lady of all nations” is
(out of Amsterdam!) gaining momentum in nations all over the world.[3]
Under the influence of the queen of heaven we see an increase of
deception, violence, confusion, chaos, manipulation and intimidation,
enrichment for some, impoverishment for many, breakdowns in relationships,
seduction, immorality, together with (new age, and eastern) religion (to call
just some effects).[4]
In our time we see this principality
increase her influence through treaties that are coming out of the United
Nations, in which the concept of “sustainability” is a key issue. The
foundation for that concept is a pantheistic veneration for the Earth, or
“Gaia,” or “Mother Earth,” the 21st century adaptation of that same
old principality, a pagan goddess, the queen of heaven. When UN-treaties are
ratified by a nation, the treaty becomes international law, to which national
law is subject. In this way almost all areas of our lives become “covered” by
the rule of the queen of heaven. [5]
Paganism is still
“everywhere.”
On the occasion of the complete solar eclipse in Europe in august 1999,
I did research concerning the places in our own nation and in Europe where this
principality, the queen of heaven, was venerated, and where sacrifices had been
and in certain instances still are being made to her.[6]
I found that sacrifices had been made to many “goddesses” and “gods,” as
a common practice, in many places, all over the continent. Many are the stories
of appearances, sometimes of Greek gods and goddesses, frequently of “Mary” and
“Michael.” Certainly not all of them can be reduced to fantasies. People did
see appearances and noticed manifestations and/or “miracles.” The remnants of
pagan worship are obvious all over Europe. Particularly noticeable are:
- There must have been
many roman temples, as more and more are being excavated. Greek and Roman gods
were being worshiped in these temples. This idolatry was obviously widespread
in the European nations. Through this the enemy must have received a clear
entry to this continent and names of cities, mountains, months and weekdays
confirm this.
Also Scandinavian
and German “gods” were worshiped on a large scale. Three of the weekdays honor
them. We still/again can find the marks in many places and on buildings. There
are runic symbols on houses, and statues of mermaids, and of Neptune on market
places and boulevards, of the Green Man, the male counterpart of Gaia, “the goddess,”
Mother Earth, on many older, “official” houses like the Dutch parliament, and
in cathedrals.
- Many “traditions”
of occult origin have become normal in daily life, as they were
“christianized”. Well-known is the search for Easter eggs, the Christmas tree,
Father Christmas and Santa Claus and his black servants. But by now the pagan
roots have surfaced clearly and completely overtaken the added Christian
elements in these traditions. The general pattern is: paganism crowds out the
Christian element. Other “traditions” also became normal, superstitious habits
like “touching wood” is an example. The baptism in the name of Neptune
for all persons in the navy or marine, who pass the equator for the
first time, has been an international century-old tradition, but “dressed up”
in our days.
- We see a growth of
“folklore” and “folkloristic” traditions. “Tourist attractions” are offered,
for example under the motto:” Sacrificing to the gods, as our ancestors used to
do”. Many of these attractions are in reality
pagan customs and they supply the enemy with an entry to people and to regions.
Was Europe ever a
“christianized” continent?
A. Europe was a pagan
continent. That is not surprising. Paganism, including witchcraft, is
everywhere where the message of the gospel has not yet been preached. There is
no real alternative (maybe with an exception for true, Thora-centered,
Judaism). We may assume that the peoples wandered into the world demonized
after they were scattered out of Babylon, Genesis 11. With that spiritual
burden the peoples reached the area now called Europe.
B. The gospel reached
Europe in a, comparatively, early stage. The representatives of the pagan
religions resisted the progress of the gospel, and not seldom continued, after
the “official’ christianizing of an area, with their rituals, side by side to
the new faith. Destroying a temple and rebuilding a church on the same
foundations in that same place may have given the impression of
christianization, but if/when Gods people did not take authority over the
demonic powers attached to that place, these powers still continued to exert
their influence there. Old idols were “christianized” by renaming them: Donar,
a Scandinavian god, was renamed into
“Peter,” and Wodan into “Michael’. Many old rituals continued, but now
for the god with another name, called a saint.
It was very clear that Europe
never really gave up paganism; in our time there is a revival in paganism all
over Europe. The enemy cannot care less why people take part in it, if only it
happens.
When we realized all the above, we wondered:
Chapter 2
IS THERE A DEEPER CAUSE WHY
EUROPE NEVER GAVE UP PAGANISM?
And other questions also popped up: Why does only this continent have
a name that stems from Greek mythology? And who gave that name?
The origin of the name “Europa”
The name is derived from (in transcript from the Greek)
"Eurôpê,” and is related to a well-known Greek myth: Europa
was the beautiful daughter of the Phoenician king Agenor. The Greek chief god
Zeus fell in love with her. Zeus knew that his sister-wife, the goddess Hera,
already jealous because of his many affairs with other women, would be angry
because of a love affair with Europe. To escape Hera's eyes he changed himself
into the shape of a handsome white bull, and in that shape he approached
Europe, when she was playing on the beach with her girl friends. As he knelt
down before her, she playfully took place at his back. At that moment he jumped
into the sea and swam with her to the island of Crete. There he took on his own
shape again. Europe bore him three sons, one of whom was Minos. Then Europe
married Asterios, the king of Crete. When this king died, Minos reigned in
Crete in accordance with laws given to him every nine years by his father Zeus.[7]
Minos was, according to Homer in the Odyssey and to Greek mythology, the
king of Knossos. In prehistoric times Knossos was the most important town on
Crete. According to archeologists the first advanced (European) civilization
was found there. From there “civilization” spread over the area that is now
Greece.
As mentioned, Europa was a Phoenician princess. In Syria she was equated
with Astarte, an adaptation of the demonic principality named in the bible as
the queen of heaven. She is also known as Ishtar. One of Ishtar’s sacred
symbols was the bull. At Knossos the queen-priestess represented the “mother
goddess,” the queen of heaven. Bulls were sacred; bull-games had a very
important place.
Some classicists interpret this story as an allegory of the contribution
of Phoenicia to Europe. In mythology it is said that to comfort Europa for
the abuse she suffered, a continent was given her name, the continent now
called Europe. I could not find who
gave that name, but the naming of this continent after her developed gradually.
Initially, Eurôpê was a toponym for the area from the south of
Greece up to halfway Greece. Then the whole Hellenic peninsula was named
Europa, and from 500 B.C. on the continent itself was called Europa.[8]
Revival of Greek
mythology and new focus on “The woman on the bull” in Europe.
The European Union uses this story for a logo on its stationary. The
story was depicted on money in the UK and in Germany, and on postal stamps of
several member-states. It was depicted on the Berlin Wall, and can be seen in
the Airport Lounge in Brussels. A sculpture of the woman on the bull is
situated outside the European Council Building in Brussels. The image has been
used in advertisements and in statues, all connected to the European Union and
in some other places as well. Remarkable in this respect is also, that in many
European cities public buildings are being “decorated” with all sorts of
statues of bulls.
In 1999 the bi-annual international festival of sand sculptures (taking
place in the very city where we live) had as a theme: “Become acquainted with
the world of the Greek gods.” Depicted in sand was the mount Olympus with its
pantheon of gods, nude or partly nude.
There is obviously a revival of Greek mythology and focus on “The woman
on the bull” in Europe.
Also the upcoming Olympic Games in August of 2004 serve to revive
paganism. (See par. 4)
The background of the
story of Zeus and Europa.
In 2000 the late Derek Prince, who was well educated in Greek philosophy
and a university teacher in classics, taught about Genesis 6:4:
“Those who were born in
this later period (after the flood, H.B.) out of this unnatural union were
called heroes. Greek mythology abounds with descriptions of such heroes. They
were born when beings whom the Greeks called gods had intercourse with human
women. These gods were supernaturally powerful beings who came down from a
higher plane of existence. The Bible calls them nephilim. They were, in fact,
fallen angels.” [9]
Prince said that we see these stories told in the mythology of the
peoples. He especially mentioned the Greek mythology. Derek Prince then gives
some examples, one of which is the case of Zeus, the “father” of the gods,
having intercourse with Europa. “These myths are like a cracked mirror,
giving a distorted representation of events which are accurately summed up in
Genesis 6:4.”
The story of Zeus and Europe is an important story, about the “father of
the gods,” and it has to do with a whole continent. The abduction of Europa was
in antiquity a much-favored topic for decorations in many varieties, fresco’s,
mosaics, on friezes, and many paintings, but also in poems.[10]
That also shows that it is an important story, and we almost get the impression
that Zeus desired very much that people would be aware of this story. I do
believe that the Lord has given us key information in Genesis 6, so that we may
understand what it is about.
Who was/is Zeus? Zeus was/is the chief god of the Greek gods. A
commentary says: “Zeus is the mightiest of the Olympians, the king of Gods and
men, whose law governs all that happens in the universe. His concerns are
sovereignty, power, justice, oaths, and the social and familial order. But he
is also concerned with the home and its larder. He guards guests, strangers,
suppliants, and children. He is associated with storms, clouds, rain, forests,
and caves. He is the father of most of the Gods and many heroes.” That
commentary also says: “Zeus had
numerous liaisons with both goddesses and mortals. He either raped them, or
used devious means to seduce the unsuspecting maidens”, like taking on the
shape of a bull, a swan, a snake, just to mention three of these means. From
each of these unions children were born.[11]
The way, according to mythology, he dealt with these women, with “his”
children, with any other personality, is so impulsively cruel, intriguing,
brute, unjust, lustful, abusive, egoistic, unreliable, deceiving, unfaithful,
and immoral that the above admiring description amazes me: none of the Greek
gods were holy and just, certainly not Zeus himself. In one word we can say: he
was evil.
The cradle of Greek philosophy was not in Greece, but in Asia Minor.
This province was the cultural center of the world at the time of Jesus, and
considered to be the most “civilized” part of the Roman empire.The city in that
area that was most admired was Pergamum, now called Bergama, in Turkey. It was
a cultural center with many temples, one of which was a huge temple for Zeus,
with an altar on which many humans have been sacrificed. That temple has been
rebuilt in Berlin and Moscow and then again in Berlin, and in each location
occult power was ascribed to it. In the letter to Pergamum, we read:” where you
dwell, where Satan’s throne is….,” and “where Satan dwells” (Rev. 2:13). The
fact that the glorified Lord Jesus himself indicates twice that Satan
dwelled in Pergamum, means that we can believe that the name of Zeus is the
disguising name for Satan. The behavior ascribed to Zeus fits in very well
with our understanding of how Satan acts.
This Zeus then abducted and abused Europa, out of which relationship
three sons were born! What type of relationship was that?
A wrong covenant.
Covenants are God’s idea. The core of all covenants is: “I, the eternal
Creator, bridge the gap with the creature, by establishing a covenant; I
promise to prosper and protect the creature, on the sole condition of
submission on his part, for ever”. In short: “I am your God and you are my
people”.[12]
In the ancient near east there were several types of covenant, of which
we find examples in the Bible. One of the covenants was the Suzerain-vassal
covenant, which regulates the relationship between a great king and one of his
subject kings. The great king claimed absolute right of sovereignty and
demanded total loyalty and service. He also pledged protection on the subject’s
realm and dynasty, conditional on the vassal’s faithfulness to him. The vassal
pledged absolute loyalty to his suzerain and total reliance on the suzerain’s
protection. The Lord established this type of covenant with Abraham as the
patriarchic head of his household and with the people of Israel at Mount Sinai.[13]
Another type of covenant we find in the Bible was the “Royal Grant.”
This is the type of covenant that the Lord made with Noah, with Abraham (Gen. 15),
with David and it is the type for the “new covenant” with His people (Jer 31,
to whom born again believers belong by faith), through the sacrifice of Jesus.
In this covenant the king (or a royal personality) grants a piece of land (or
another benefit) to a loyal servant for faithful or exceptional service. The
grant was meant to perpetuate, but the heirs only could benefit from it as they
continued the loyalty and service that their father, the first beneficiary, had
shown.
In biblical teaching marriage is a symbol for the good covenant of the
Suzerain-vassal-type: the Lord demands that the husband, as “suzerain,” takes
care of his wife and to love her; he has to lay down his life for her, as
Christ did for the Church. The wife has to submit to her husband as to the
Lord, and to accept that he is her head.[14] In this imagery is rape a form of anti-
marriage, and a symbol for a false covenant.
The relationship of Zeus with Europa had elements in it of the
suzerain-vassal covenant, but then in the negative, perverted way. It was not a
good, holy, relationship, in which the “suzerain” protected the woman, cared
for her, and laid down his life for her. On the contrary, it started with
abduction, and proceeded to rape, the opposite of protection and care. It was a
wrong covenant, a covenant in the most perverted way. And: according to the
revelation about who Zeus is, it was a covenant with Satan himself.
And then, to make up for the abuse, her name is given to a continent,
our continent. In other words: a piece of land was given for “service,” and as
a solace for the abuse. That seems to be the application of the “Royal Grant”
covenant.
This all supports the assumption that the myth of Zeus abducting the
kings daughter is based on a real event, maybe before, maybe after the flood.
Is it important to know that there was a “(wrong) covenantal
relationship” between Zeus and Europe?
In my opinion: yes, it is very important. For the following reason.
“What’s in a name”?
In the Bible is “giving
names” an act of authority. Adam was authorized by the Lord to give names to
the animals, and as he called one, that “was its name”, Gen. 2:19., The Lord
sometimes Re-named people. Abram, Sarai, Jakob, Simon, Saul were renamed into
Abraham, Sarah, Israel, Peter, Paul. The meaning of these new names was
different from the old one. When the Lord changes the name of a person, area or
nation, then the status of that person, area or nation in his/its relation to
the Lord will be changed as well. The Lord said in Hosea 2 that to the one He
had called “Not my people”, Lo-Ammi, He would say “You are my people”. From of
old it was understood that name giving was an act of authority. Cain went and
had a son, Enoch. Then he built a city and named it after his son, Enoch.
We also see that the one
who offers a covenant also gives a new name. In our own times St.Petersburg
changed into Leningrad, and when the communist government fell it quickly was
renamed again into St. Petersburg. Names are important and carry a lot of
meaning, they indicate or signify a message. Jesus is indicated in the
prophetic Scriptures with the name “David.” That carried a prophetic promise.
Here we touch on spiritual principles that have to do with authority,
ownership, and covenant relationships. Of course, the enemy was well aware of
these principles.
We may ask: was by naming this continent after the woman Europa, not
only the name transferred to this continent, but also everything that was
related to this name? Could it be that by transferring the name also the (evil)
claim that Satan had on the woman with that name was transferred to the
continent? Personally I believe that the transference of the name of Europa
to a continent was a deliberate act of
claiming that continent as his possession. That Satan claimed that
continent, as “his royal grant,” for himself just by having that name laid over
the continent. This is exactly the opposite of the salvation plan of Jesus:
that nations, and continents, are destined to be discipled for the Kingdom of
God. My husband Pieter develops this concept in depth: In the Bible nations
(tribes, peoples, states, cities, continents) are addressed as “Virgin,
Daughter,” meaning: Corporate Persons, ready for (marriage-) covenant. This
concept is found also in ancient literature. The Bible presents “God’s
covenant with all nations,” that was broken, and it informs us that God
wants to make a new covenant with all nations. That was part of Jesus’
commission: “Go, and disciple all nations, baptizing (=covenanting) them” to
their heavenly Husband. Over the last years some nations have understood this
and acted accordingly[15].
Paul crossed over to Macedonia, to our continent. Immediately he saw the
first fruits (Lydia) and supernatural opposition (the slave girl, the
imprisonment), and a miraculous breakthrough (the earth quake and the
deliverance)! The continent of Europe was destined to enter into a
covenant-relationship with Jesus, the King of the nations, and to become a
disciple-nation.
But, as in a kidnapping, abduction, by giving it the name Europe, this
continent was placed not in a meant covenant relationship with Jesus, but in an
anti-covenant, with Satan.
I understand the naming of this continent after the woman who “served”
Zeus, to be an act of covenant-reward, but not in the visible, but in the
spiritual world. And the question forced itself on me: Can this be the
reason why this continent was never able to give up paganism completely? Is
there a bondage to Satan, inherited with the name Europa?
An anti-covenant is a
mockery of and a blockage to the true covenant.
In a covenant the stronger party protects the weaker party. The weaker
party may appeal to that protection at all times. The possessions of the
stronger party are being declared also to belong to the weaker party. There is
one condition: The weaker party has to be loyal to the stronger party.
In the anti-covenant there is no protection, just abuse. There is no
love, no care, just control. The weaker party has no freedom. It does not feel
loved, and reacts aggressively. There is no heart-commitment, no true loyalty.
In an anti-covenant there is no grace of the one partner for the other one.
The anti-covenant brings forth bad fruit and bad fruits. These are not
for the healing of the nations, they destroy the peoples. Disobedience to the
real Suzerain, and serving another suzerain, is idolatry! This brings a curse
over a nation, a people; the Bible makes that very clear (Deut. 12; 28).
And most importantly: a covenant with the wrong covenant-partner
prevents us from entering into the real covenant. We cannot serve two masters.
Chapter 3
REVELATION ABOUT GOD’S
DESTINY FOR THIS CONTINENT.
What do we see in the history of our continent and, almost parallel to
it, in the history of the Church of our continent? The Lord sent apostles and
evangelists to make the peoples who were living here His disciple-peoples. Many
of them were worshiping Scandinavian, Celtic and German gods. And the Roman
Empire had, at the time when the evangelists came, already taken possession over
many areas. Though there were Christian roman soldiers who shared the gospel,
the empire also introduced, in many places, the worship of the roman-Greek gods
and goddesses. We did not only receive the name of a woman with whom Zeus(
Satan) had a wrong covenant relationship, he as “the father of the gods” also
overloaded this continent with the many gods and half gods from the Greek
pantheon. The many statues of Roman/Greek gods and goddesses that gradually
were placed all over Europe, in parks and on squares, on stately houses, and
even in churches, have blanketed those nations with a spiritual defilement that
works as a hindrance against the redemption of the gospel. During the time of
the iconoclast many images of Jesus were smashed, but images of the greek gods
and goddesses were then erected everywhere. This drowned the cultures of many
nations with the fruits of the Greek idolatry.
During the “Christianizing” there (also) was, as described in Par. 2, an
adaptation of the gospel to the pagan culture. Hundreds, if not thousands, of
places and cities, are dedicated to a Madonna or to (Mary,) queen of heaven.
Through philosophy the Greek way of thinking received an important place, in
many aspects of life. The Lord gave a Reformation with a return to the Scriptures
in which He had revealed Himself. But Satan had already set in motion a
renaissance of the Greek culture with the emphasis on the Greek mind, with the
teachings of Greek philosophers mixing with theology. This “Greek mind” became
more and more dominant in the important centers of this continent, and also in
the theology of the church.
That also applies when the church let the Greek mind dominate her in
rationalistic thinking. Was the renaissance meant by the enemy to drown the
reformation?
So, we see the continent, overruled by Greek idolatry and thinking, and
we see the church, meant to be the Bride of Christ, and to be in a
covenant-relationship with God, defiled by Greek thinking. Where she venerates
pagan gods and goddesses, like Michael, and “Mary,” she has entered in a false
covenant that prevents her from entering into the true covenant with the Lord
himself.
After I started to consider the possibility that this continent is under
a curse or in bondage because of a false covenant, I assumed that the name
Europa for this continent had not been His first choice, and so I started to
ask the Lord, if this was true, to reveal His name for this continent. For a
number of years my husband and I regularly prayed that prayer. As mentioned,
the late Kjell Sjǿberg, had prayed it, and others may have done the same.
Autumn 2003 I felt God say I (in Dutch): “I have betrothed you as a
bride” and “the betrothed one”. We find
that in Hosea 2:16-20:
“In that day,” declares
the Lord, “you will call me my husband”;
You will no longer call
me “my master.”…
I will remove the names
of the Baals from her lips, no longer will their names be invoked….
I will betroth you to me
forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and
compassion, I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the
Lord.”
In the autumn
of 2003 there was a consultation of the European Prayer Link, the EPL. During
the orientation meeting of the EPL leadership team a
day before the consultation started, during a time of worship, the Lord started
to speak to one of that team, Pastor Ioan Peia, member of the EPL-leadership
team and a recognized prayer leader in Romania. Ioan shared later his
testimony, in order that the whole context of the revelation that the Lord gave
may be well understood. In a lengthy prophecy the Lord spoke on the lack of
unity in the Body of Christ, which is like a cloud that blocks the understanding of “the truth about your
part of the world for which you are praying. The unity is coming through
repentance and cleansing. I want to build a model of the real unity in this
part of the world. The unity of the Church will show, will reveal, the
weaknesses of human unity. I will show to this part of the world My Church in
her unity and she will challenge the unity done by people….The work of the
prayer-movement will be to prepare the revelation of the Church in unity……My
purpose for you (the prayer movement) is to unite those I'm calling to be My
watchman in this part of the world."
In His entire message the Lord referred not to Europe but to "this
part of the world". When Ioan asked: Why Lord, you don't use the name of
our continent? was His answer very clear: “Because that name is not the name I
have given to this part of the world”. When he asked what then its name is,
there was silence.
He shared the message of the
Lord with the whole team. The next day, waiting on the Lord to receive the new
name, came, through some others in the consultation, more understanding about
the significance of the name Europe. During a time of worship he waited and
asked the Lord to reveal the name. “ And straight in my mind came the word
“Beulah”. It was not a verse from Scripture, and I did not understand the
name”. (Ioan is not an Englishman, he is a Romanian, H.B.) At the end of the
meeting “ I shared with one of the other leaders that name from the Lord and I
asked her where it was written in the Bible. She received straight away in her
mind that it is mentioned in Isaiah 62, verse:4b “but you will be
called…and your land Beulah.” Upon reading Isaiah 62 the connection between the wrong covenant and the
New Covenant was clear. We
understood that the Lord wants to restore His Covenant
with this part of the world.
Ioan noticed
something special when he left from the International
Airport in Zurich, after this EPL-meeting.. Just a little bit to the north is a
village, called Bülach. He remarked: It is not by chance that in the heart
of our part of the world there is such a place carrying the name given by God.
The name Beulah means: married!
“I
have betrothed you “ and “Married” are surprisingly close!
I believe that the two Scriptures, Hosea 2:16-20 and Isaiah 62: 4b hold
a promise for this continent.[16]
The woman Europa was NOT MARRIED, NOT BETROTHED in righteousness and
justice, but ABDUCTED, carried off and abused. She experienced the opposite of
the promise in Hosea. This very same thing happened to this continent, but then
on a corporate level. The continent was meant to be betrothed in faithfulness,
in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion, to the Lord. But the
enemy as it were abducted her, and brought her under a false covenant, and
abused her. She had to serve a “master” and could not enter into a loving,
faithful relationship with her heavenly Husband.
When will the time of the wedding be? Zecharia 9:14 prophesies the
appearance of the Sovereign Lord as a warrior. We understand this as Jesus
coming as the King who will reign from Zion. Just before that the Lord will
rouse the sons of Zion against the sons of Greece. Zech. 9:13. The “sons of
Greece” may be understood as those demonic powers who, also, ruled over Europe,
and through the European nations defiled many other parts of the world. In the
time that Jesus returns there will be battles, spiritual battles especially,
but the outcome is guaranteed.
A beautiful promise for
a deceived continent .
I do believe that in this way the two Scriptures, from Isaiah and Hosea,
are key for understanding the history of this continent, and for understanding
why this continent could not in depth embrace the message of the gospel. That
is why I share this whole process plus the questions. Please, assay this
understanding. The interpretation may seem new, and questioning the name of a
continent may seem daring, but the important issue is that if we want to
intercede for this continent, this may be a key point.
The two scriptures also contain a beautiful promise. There will be a
time when Jesus will restore all things. Nations and cities will be brought
into their destiny. And we may believe the same for this continent. Is that
time not coming much closer? Not only will the Lord have a church of Europe
that will be betrothed by Him, that will be (part of) the international Bride
of Christ. Also it is God’s design that once this continent will be betrothed
by the One who really loves her, Who does not abuse her, and is not unfaithful
to her. He wants to marry her, and this continent then will acknowledge her
loving Husband, the Lord.
Chapter 4
THE STRATEGY OF THE
OLYMPIC GAMES.
No wonder that through the centuries the enemy attempted to prevent
this. The issues mentioned in par. 2 underline this. Of course, he will attempt
to prevent in Europe (and in all the continents) the gospel taking root.
And for these days, in the time that the restoration of all things is
getting closer, Satan will work the harder to keep people, nations and cities,
and also this continent, in bondage to himself. We can see that he has devised
a special strategy. I already mentioned the revival in paganism in Europe. One
strong effort to bring this about, and not just for this continent, but
worldwide, has been, and is it again through the Olympics Games!
So far many, me too, have been quite unaware of how subtle this strategy
has been over the last 100 years. However, through the up coming Olympics in
Athens the strategy is becoming quite obvious.
This paragraph deals with the revival in paganism that the committee of
the Olympic games pursues this next summer in Greece. Under the design for
these games we recognize a brilliantly evil strategy, to cover humanity even
stronger under the influence of Satan himself. We must leave open the
possibility that all, or at least, some of the Olympic Committee may not even
be aware themselves of the underlying strategy. That their minds are just
blinded by the god of this age (2 Cor.4: 4), who himself designed the strategy.
I never was very interested in the Olympics. Nevertheless I had noticed
that there were elements in the Games that were mythological, or new age.
However, last summer I heard that schoolchildren in Greece had to learn the
Olympic Hymn, and that the content was an adoration of a Greek god. When I did
some research I became alarmed. I now understand it as a renewed attempt to strengthen
the darkness over Europe, even over the entire world. I even wonder now if not
the celebrations of the Olympics during the last century, meant to be a revival
of the pagan festival, strongly contributed to the darkness that came over the
world, and especially over the western world.
The original Olympics.
The Olympic games as we know them
now, are named after the ancient Olympics, in Greece. It is assumed that those
started in 776 BC. They were held every four years, dedicated to Zeus of
Olympia. In that place stood a temple for him with a huge, 14 m. high, ivory
and golden statue of him, that was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of
the World. The name for the games was of course derived from that place, which
is on the west coast of Greece, about 150 km from Athens. Those games were
always a religious festival. There were more athletic festivals, dedicated to
other gods, but the one to Zeus became the most significant. Priests and
priestesses were leading the festival. Before and during the Olympiad
sacrifices were made, also human sacrifices. It was (therefore!) a
covenant-making event.
These annual “Olympics” continued
till AD 391 when the emperor Theodosius
I banned the Olympic games as pagan practices, and the temple for Zeus was ordered
closed. A fire destroyed the statue in AD 462 (in Constantinople, to where it
was transported), and the temple was destroyed by fire in the fifth century AD.
The revival of the
Olympics.
In 1896 Pierre de Coubertin, a Frenchman, had the vision to revive the
antique Olympics, and to organize a worldwide athletic competitions and to give
them also the name “Olympics.” He established the Olympic Charter, which
describes the goal of the Olympic Movement: “to contribute to building a
peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without
discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual
understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”[17]
That Olympic Spirit, also called “Olympism,” is a spirit of humanism. It
desires to build a peaceful and better world, without recognizing that we
humans have no good in ourselves and that we in our own strength can never make
a better world. It is through the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ that
people can be changed, not through Olympism. In the stated goal of the Olympic
Games there was an intended merging of the classical (religious, pagan!)
past with the national present (of 1896).[18]
And observers at that time noticed the ritual elements connected to the (bombastic) Olympic Hymn:
The current translation
was adopted in 1957, ”[19]
and reads
Immortal
spirit of antiquity, Father of the true, beautiful and good,
Descend, appear, shed over us thy light
Upon this ground and under this sky Which has fits witnessed by unperishable
fame.
Give
life and animation to those noble games! Throw wreaths of fadeless flowers to
the victors
In the race and in the strife! Create in our breasts, hearts of steel!
In thy light, plains,
mountains and seas Shine in a roseate hue and form a vast temple
To which all nations throng to adore thee, Oh immortal spirit of antiquity!
Obviously this is not a song to the Lord God, but a song to the one
whose name always was connected with the Olympic Games, Zeus! It is a song that
summons the powers (demonic, that is, H.B.) to inhabit the games! It has been
sung by now at many of the 24 Olympic Games, and the Olympic Winter Games. In 1896 it was sung in Greek, maybe
this was the case for the other Olympics as well. Did we, the Christians not
notice, because of the language, the pagan content of the song before? Or did
we consider it to be a “folkloristic,” archaic specialty that was just funny,
but not really important? Whatever, it was not funny at all. In 1896 Charles
Beck wrote: ”That hymn, sung in the open air in full sunshine, in the presence
of tens of thousands of spectators, moved with emotion, has something of
especial worthiness." Note 18
We have to realize that visitors in the stadiums at all those games
have, “moved with emotion,” admiringly swallowed this blasphemous song, and
have so come also under this power. Letting ourselves becoming impressed and
admiring it, is in a certain way an act of worship. This creates in us an
opening for the spiritual influence. Those that, in stadiums, in front of TV’s,
had this admiring attitude were subsequently influenced by these demonic
powers, in their spirit, mind and body.
This song will be sung as the opening hymn again. This has spread
darkness over the last 100 years and it is meant to spread this again, and when
through the TV people all over the world allow this “prayer” to enter their
homes, it will spread more darkness over the nations, and the peoples.
“See, darkness covers
the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples…” (Isaiah 60:2)
This is an end-time prophecy, and this is one way by which we can see it
becoming fulfilled.
The Olympic flame.
In the course of the modern Olympics new pagan elements were added to
the Olympics, such as the torch and the flame, “two of the greatest symbols of
Olympism,” according to the Olympics website. The origin of it goes back to the
Ancient Olympic Games through the course of which a sacred flame burned
continuously at the altar (!) to Zeus. In modern times the Olympic flame was lit for the first time at the Games in
Amsterdam, 1928. At the top of a tower inside the stadium it remained burning
throughout the Games.
Some months before the opening
of the Games, the sun's rays and a parabolic mirror are used to light the
Olympic flame in the ruins of ancient Olympia in Greece, “by the sun in
the heavens, where Zeus is said to preside,” at about the same place where the Ancient Games took place, and
where in those times the temple for Zeus and his sister-wife Hera stood. The
ceremony this year will occur on the 25 th of March, a day full of “religious”
meaning, connected to the queen of heaven. The flame has then to wait till
June before it will travel, in a
torch-run, across continents back to the host country, where it arrives more then
a month before the games. The first time the flame was lit, in 1896, was also
on the 25th of March. Obviously the Olympic committee sees that
relationship as important. At Athens the flame will be lit at the opening of
the games. There the main “altar” is lit by that flame, probably under the cheers of
the thousands of onlookers and partakers.
The quotation marks around “altar” are mine. The symbolic meaning of
this lighting of a flame and keeping it burning during the action is nothing
else than sacrificing to a god and attending to the altar! That is nothing less
than: covenanting to Zeus!
For the upcoming games the flame will be run to all of the cities where
since 1896 the Olympics were held, and to some more. All
continents will be touched and connected in that way. Rekindling or lighting
that fire in those cities should be spiritually understood as renewing the
covenants with Zeus that were made in the past, or
establishing them.This defilement will go all over the world. The flame in
2004 is meant to be the most honored altar flame in history.
More pagan elements
Zeus (Satan) will be honored by the hymn, the flame and the torch. But
there are more pagan elements added to the upcoming games.
The main feature of the Olympic medals is
the Greek character of the Games as regards both their origin and their
revival, that from now on all Olympic medals will be reflected.
On one side we find some lines from the Greek poet Pindarus, who wrote
in 460 BC in his 8th Olympic Ode:
Mater oo
chrusostephanoon aethloon, Oulumpia,
Despoin' alatheias (Translated it means:
O Mother of contests, crowned with wreaths of gold, Olympia, queen of truth !)
Who is that “queen of truth”?
In the poem it
continues:
(Where, by the
test of sacrifices, diviners inquire the will of Zeus of the
flashing thunderbolt, asking if he has any message to give concerning men,
who in their very heart are seeking to win great praise for prowess and a
breathing-space from toils.) Etc.
On the
reverse we see then the goddess Nike descending in the panathenic stadium
(where the first new Olympics in 1896 were held), bringing to the winners the
victory that “the gods allotted to them”. (And that the diviners had inquired
Zeus about!)
.
“Mater oo chrusostephanoon aethloon, Oulumpia, Despoin'
alatheias.” “O
Mother of contests, crowned with wreaths of gold, Olympia, queen of truth !
The emblem, logo, of the 2004 Olympic Games
portrays an olive wreath, or kotinos, a branch from an olive tree intertwined
in a circle. The emblem is a reference to the ancient Olympic Games, where the
kotinos was the official award of Olympic champions. In addition, the olive was
the sacred tree of Athens. The Artistic Manager and
Director of Ceremonies, Papaioannou, stated that the Opening and Closing
Ceremonies will reflect two main aspects of Ancient Greek culture: the
Apollonian and Dionysian.”[20]
The Opening Ceremony, on august 13th,
according to Papaioannou, will “draw from the myths of the ancient Greek god
Apollo, best known as the mythical deity of the bow, music and for his power
over oracles.” According to mythology, Apollo is a son of Zeus. His bow was not used for
sports, but for exercising revenge. The “power over oracles” means that he
ruled over the area of fortune- telling. Drawing from him will increase this,
and of course also gambling.
The Closing Ceremony, on august
29th, will draw inspiration from Dionysus, also known as Bacchus,
the mythical god of wine. Again, according to mythology, Dionysus is a son
of Zeus, and Semele, the daughter of a human king. It sounds again like a story
from Genesis 6. Dionysos is a strange god[21]. His realm is shadowy, he roams all over the wilderness. His followers
flirt with madness, excessive orgiastic drunkenness, and death. His chief
worshippers are "possessed” women, Bacchantes, “who surrendered themselves
to extasies”.
Dionysos often seems to stand somewhere between male and female, between
god and man, between death and life. His worship involved transvestism and the
blurring of sex roles. He seems to revel in human sacrifice. In some myths he drives girls to
suicide, in others, as a punishment, women to madness, tearing apart their
children with their bare hands or eating them. He
brings wine, but also an intoxication that merges the drinker with the deity.
It is said about him that he dies (which a Greek god should not do), but is
reborn. Is this a sly mockery about the real Son of God who was slain, but
raised again? Dionysus is also considered the god of the theatre. And isn’t the
Olympics one big theatre, complete with the mask of “building a better and
peaceful world”?
How in the world can an Olympic committee believe that drawing
inspiration for such a goal from these immoral, evil gods will benefit
athletes, dignitaries, visitors? Drawing “inspiration” from these gods brings
people under the spiritual influence that is ascribed to them. The Bible
reveals that “gods” are nothing, but that behind these gods are demonic powers
that are exerting the powers and characteristics ascribed to the gods. Why
pursuing “pagan revivalism” without considering the risk of power play,
cheating, nationalism (in stead of solidarity!), drunkenness, licentiousness,
immorality, gambling, suicides, that can be expected as a result of
“recognizing these gods” and thus releasing these influences? Or where these
effects considered?
Priestesses will preside over the entire games[22].
In other words: all athletes, dignitaries, visitors and reporters who, by being
there submit to them, are brought under the spiritual influence of these
priestesses.
Of course also many representative dignitaries, people with authority,
will be present at the games. Most of them will not discern what is happening,
and they bring the defilement home, and in their place of influence. The whole
“theatre” of the Olympics is designed to have an impact on those who watch
and/or are part of it in whatever form. Watching the different celebrative
manifestations of the Olympics, out of interest or in a naïve way, in
Athens or at home, and admiring then what we see and hear, and becoming
impressed, is in a way an act of worship. Worship of the “god” in whose honour
the festivals again are celebrated, Zeus, (who is Satan). And worship of the “gods”, demonic powers,
from whom inspiration is drawn. If we become such “worshippers” we open up
ourselves for the spiritual influences that emanates from the demonic powers
that are forcefully present in such a setting where people call upon them on
purpose. We have to search ourselves: where will that inspiration go? By our
act of worship, meant as such or not, we create in ourselves, in our homes, a
landing area for those spiritual powers, and willingly or unwillingly, we come
under their influence. This is very serious business. We are confronted in
these games with real powers in the heavenlies, they are not just neutral
words. This spiritual approach is not a game, and we become involved in a
battle, have already become involved in it. And this battle is more real than
the contests for the athletes. People who watch the games naïve, wherever
they are, will experience the defilement. Even the evangelists who want to do
outreaches during the games will come under that influence, when they do not
discern what is happening in the spiritual realm, and pray for protection
against it through the blood of Jesus.
We see that with the revival of the Olympics came a revival of pagan
practices and the covenant making nature of the games. This seems intended, and
cleverly disguised.
Under the respectable disguise of fun and sports and solidarity we see
covenant rituals that push for international satanic defilement and bondage. This sounds
dramatic. It is more than that: it is end-time strategy of the enemy: it is
kingdom against kingdom.
But God has a strategy, at the same international scale, for the
intercessors and for his Bride, the Church.
Chapter 5
INTERCESSORS’
RESPONSIBILITY, WITH REGARD TO THE
UPCOMING OLYMPICS.
For a broad instruction regarding intercession for this event I refer to
the Herald Ministry Prayer Letter, mentioned before. In short I mention the
following:
-- May I urge
Christians in all nations where the flame once was lighted, and will be lighted
now, to stand up against the renewal or
establishing of the covenant, through the lighting of the flame? We can speak
out to the Lord and to the powers in the heavenlies that we only desire to
enter the true covenant with the Father, the Sovereign Lord, and the God of
Israel, through the eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
-- I do believe that
the scheme for this event is so evil that we need to take this up with the
church and prayer leaders we know, and come to a strategy in order to resist
through prayer (and fasting) and proclamation, this attempt of the devil to
bind nations (again) in a wrong covenant. Such a covenant prevents us,
personally, but also our people group, our nation, to enter into the true
covenant with the Lord God.
-- The
intercessors in Greece ask us to withstand with them the lighting of the flame,
on 25th of March.
-- Pray for the unity
among the Christians in Greece.
-- Let also Gods people
withstand the rekindling of the fire, when the torch-run visits their nation.
-- The “renewal” of
covenants is, again, handling enormous spiritual instruments and the enemy
knows the power of it. It will bring disaster to the nations involved. A wrong
covenant (that is: covenanting a forbidden partner) brings a curse from God.
By honoring Zeus, in the past, on the occasion of the Olympic Games,
held 24 times, and the winter games, held 20 times, demonic powers were released
over the earth. Now, in a very explicit way and with the purpose of reviving
paganism, again demonic powers will be released and strengthened all over the
world. These are spiritual dynamics of international scale (and designed to be
so!).
-- Watching or visiting
the Olympics can, is my strong conviction, for Christians no longer be
entertainment. In Israel the Lord hated to see statues of other “gods’, they
were an abomination to Him. This God has not changed in His preferences, and in
His judgment over what is good and evil. We grieve Him when we pay attention to
idolatrous elements that are in integral part of the ceremonies and the games,
and that honor the one who came to rob, to kill and to destroy everyone and
everything that God created. Jesus came and gave his life to fight the devil,
and to overcome sin. How can we watch the religious ceremonies designed to
honor the devil?
-- Also listening to
the worldwide broadcasted opening hymn to, in fact, Satan, will defile us.
Becoming “impressed” with the song and/or the rituals is in fact an act of
worship, which creates an opening to the demonic power that emanates from the
whole event.
-- We cannot allow
ourselves to be naive. We need to know if we should watch any part of
the games, and if so, which part. The Scriptures give clear instructions about
taking part in idolatrous celebrations, see Deut.12 &13. And “enjoying “ these defiled games IS, in
my understanding, taking part in a religious idolatrous festival. In Numbers 25
we read that the people of Israel let them themselves be seduced into such a
celebration. The judgement of the Lord that came was very severe. It was Balaam
who suggested this device to Balak, who paid him. In the letter to Pergamum the
apostle John has to write, at the instruction of Jesus himself, that they have
some who follow the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, and that they have
to repent of it. The Nicolaitans taught that one could take part in the
lifestyle of the surrounding culture, as that did not touch the essence of
one’s Christian faith. Jesus said through John: oh yes, it does touch you,
repent of it! Otherwise He would come and fight with them through the sword of
His mouth.That leaves us not much room. Also Paul earnestly warns against
becoming involved with idolatry and sacrificing to idols, as that in reality
means sacrificing to demons, 1 Cor. 10.
-- We need to withstand
in the spirit the messages of the song and the character of the games, by
declaring “in the heavenlies”, say prayerfully, that the song and the event are
a blasphemous and terrible sin, that Jesus is the Lord, and that only He and
the Father are worthy of our praises.
-- We need to pray for
protection through the blood of Jesus over our own spirit, mind and body and of
our loved ones, our house, city, church and nation.
-- We need to pray for
those who will be reaching out with the gospel, at the time of the games.
-- Let us also pray for
those who have a hunger in their hearts to find the truth, which they only can
find in the Savior. May many people become disgusted with the pagan substitutes
that the Olympic committee treats them with.
For Europe, a renewal of the covenant with Zeus will make it very hard
to cut herself free from the already old ties, and to be free for the true
covenant with the Lord who wants to betroth Europe to Himself, calling her
Beulah. In this continent we have to stand up as never before against this
attempt to abduct us again. In the myth Zeus came as a beautiful white bull;
Europa did not discern the disguise, and she was carried off, terribly deceived
and abused. Satan is coming to Europe (and the rest of the world) in the shape
of the glamorous Olympic Games. We need to discern the disguise and not
again playfully let ourselves be deceived, abducted and carried off. The
pagan “spiritual” man knows that this is not exaggerated, and will enjoy its
“truth”. Let not the Christian spiritual man or woman be deceived, or asleep,
or apathetic. Let us respond with spiritual means.
Chapter 6
THE CHURCH’S RESPONSIBILITY, WITH REGARD TO THE PAST.
Identificational
confession of the corporate sins of our forefathers.
With regard to the issues described in this article, we need to confess
in identificational confession the sins of our forefathers. We cannot ask for
forgiveness for them personally, as each will have to account for his/her own
deeds. But as inhabitants of this continent, and our nations, as members of the
church, we should identify with our nation and our continent, and bring the
things of the past that we have become aware of, into the light, in confession
to the Lord. We see an example in the lives of Daniel, Ezra and Nehemia; they
were guided to confess on behalf of their nation as admonished in Lev.
26:40-42. The same principle still applies to us. We can confess special things
in the realms of our life that we know of. But we cannot confess for others the
things that we will not repent of ourselves. Therefore, we need to ask the Lord
to show if there are identical or comparable sins in our own heart and life.
And if so, we need to confess these, and repent of them and break with them. We
also may bring into the light the iniquities of our ancestors, as we have been
conceived and are born in iniquity. We may ask the Lord to set us free from the
consequences of the sins of our ancestors. We cannot break the power of sin
ourselves, that is what the Lord Jesus did for humanity, and for us personally,
on the cross. We may receive that and start to walk in “newness of life.”
I do believe that we need to make real steps as the Body of Christ
regarding the sins of the past. Individual people, small prayer-groups, a
church, can, on its own, prepare a way for identificational confession. At a
certain moment the larger Body has to do it, together, in unity. This has
happened for issues as slave trade, colonialism, apartheid. We have to
progress. In this way there will come, we pray, a day that Gods children in our
nations can clean up their spiritual past
Through the research of “spiritual mappers” much information has become
available, to be used in informed prophetic intercession towards this goal.
This is certainly part of the spiritual battle that I mentioned in par.
3. We may proclaim these prophecies and the outcome, and pray these out
Breaking old covenants
and establishing a new covenant.
Coming to the end I want to submit to spiritual leaders the following,
daring as it may seem, and realizing that this process will take time to carry
it out, with the Lord’s help.
I mentioned the two types of covenant that are said to have been
established, first between the woman Europa and Zeus, and later by transference
of her name between him and this continent. In both types of covenant there
were conditions to be met, in order to have it perpetuated, to receive the
protection of the suzerain. In the case of the false Royal Grant covenant we,
the Church, can speak out, at a certain moment when we have been prepared for
it, not to be willing to meet that condition anymore. We do not want to serve
the “great king” anymore, and hence reject his domination. We also do not covet
that name anymore as a consolation for our “service” in abuse… and therefore
stop using the name Europe.
In the case of the suzerain-vassal covenant we can speak out to quit our
loyalty to this demonic “suzerain,” we do not desire his “protection” any more.
We confess to the Lord that we have been in this false covenant, that we have
grieved Him, and that we covet the one, true covenant.
Here also small prayer-groups can start, a church, a larger body,
preparing for a significant representation to speak out these confessions, and
to step out of the false covenants.
If a nation has hosted an Olympic Games, the Church of that nation needs
to confess that as a national sin. If a covenant was established by having the
flame lit in a nation, we need to break that old covenant.
We can not break the covenants one-sidedly, in our own authority. But we
have the right to appeal to the highest authority, and in His name we can do
it. I hope that there will be a day that in unity many Christians from all, or
most, of the European nations together will declare that we step out of that
old false covenant and that we receive the new covenant, that is offered to us,
and to any nation, through the sacrifice of Jesus, the coming King.
The one-sided termination of both false, evil, covenants, from our side,
will have severe consequences. Of course, Satan does not want to let go. But:
we do not need to fear when we have done it in the name of Jesus, and under His
Lordship. And when the Church serves and loves Him as her Bridegroom,
she can mediate a new covenant between her nation and God as the Highest
Suzerain. The Most High God and Sovereign Lord has invited all nations to
enter into a covenant with Him. He is the One who will break old bondages, and
old covenants, and who has established a new covenant, in His blood. He will
then protect the nation as His own, with absolute loyalty and faithfulness to
His invitation and to His promise. He is betrothing our nation and our
continent, and He will marry us.