"Ezekiel Chapters 8 & 9"
Ezekiel begins predicting that God's judgment was going to last and would become worse, and the reason that it would last and become worse was that the people's sin was lasting and becoming worse. They refused to repent as they saw God's judgments coming.
Download or email this sermon Revival of Simony
The sin called “simony” was named after a character from the eighth chapter of the book of Acts, Simon Magus. Eusebius tells us a lot about this. He had a massive following all over the ancient Near East and in Asia Minor. He tried to persuade the Apostles to sell for money the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter called down the curse of God on him. He was filled with wickedness. Repent! God will strike you.
Last year it was twenty-five pound Holy Ghost miracle handkerchiefs that could take away all debt. And then there’s Morris Cerullo’s latest fund raising scheme. Send twenty-five pounds to Morris Cerullo who will be teaching daily in the school of the Holy Spirit on a vital prophetic end time revelation and he’ll be personally praying for each candidate. Here you’ll see the very special prophetic anointing, just send in your twenty-five pounds. But that’s nothing. Confirm your attendance by returning the attached coupon with the special registration fee of just twenty-five pounds and you will be assured of your part in the great move of God that is increasing the fame of the church. You’ll see the fresh anointing of God for just twenty-five pounds. The Holy Ghost is on sale. The Holy Ghost for sale; just send in your twenty-five pounds and you will be assured of the great move and anointing.
The magazine of the charismatic denomination Elim promotes this sin of simony. What did Ezekiel see? He saw their leaders; he saw the High Priest and he named them, Jaazaniah. Today it is not Jaazaniah, it is Kensington Temple; abominations in the Temple of the Lord. As usual, Kensington Temple is committed to supplying a large number of counselors, some of whom have been saved for as little as a few months who are going to be counselors for the twenty-five pound mighty move of God. “Send your money now. Don’t delay.” That’s what Elim’s magazine says.
These scams do not escape the attention of the secular press. In a recent Sunday Times, there is a photograph on the cover of Morris Cerullo with the caption; “Would you buy a miracle from this man?” A man who has been indicted in America for tax evasion? Do you know how many people read the Sunday Times in this country? I wouldn’t buy a used toothbrush from this man. The world sees it. The world knows what he is. The world gets a hold of this stuff and uses it to discredit the Gospel in this nation and others. Yet many big names in the Evangelical church have joined with him on the platform, including Jerry Falwell, Charles Stanley, Hal Lindsay, and singer Sandi Patty. That’s just what Ezekiel saw; the leaders were promoting this abomination in the House of the Lord; the sin of simony.
“Yet greater abominations than these will you see”; idolatry, demon worship, Tammuz worship, sexual immorality, homosexual immorality, corrupt clergy. “ Yes, greater abominations than these will you see. Greater abominations than these will you see in My house Ezekiel. Greater abominations than these, in My sanctuary, I’m going to show you.”
Witchcraft’s role over Anglican priests and pagan sex rites; a holy communion service involving symbolic sex, no mention of Christ, is to be celebrated by a pagan priestess and a Church of England vicar today as part of an interfaith forum for witches and Christians meeting together. A “Holy Communion” service with witches and a symbolic act of sex. A sex rite in a Holy Communion service with witches, with Satan worshipers. “In My house,” saith the Lord.
Did God let Israel get away with it? Did God let Judah get away with it? No! He is not going to let England and America get away with it either. He is not going to let Elim get away with it. He is not going to let the Assemblies of God get away with it and He is not going to let the Church of England get away with it. He is just as angry today as He was in the 8th and 9th chapters of Ezekiel. His judgment is coming and His judgment is coming on His Church. The cup of iniquity is almost full. Why did God show Ezekiel the Temple? Because judgment begins in the House of God. God’s judgment is not coming on pimps. It’s not coming on prostitutes. It’s not coming on drug dealers. It’s not coming on crooked politicians in Westminster or cooked business men in the city, until it comes on the House of God.
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Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.