My friends , allow me to introduce y'all to yet another "FAL$E PROFIT"...His name is Benny Hinn.
He was born Toufik Benedictus Hinn born December 3, 1952 in Jaffa , in the then newly-established state of Israel. Soon after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War (a.k.a. "The Six-Day War)", Hinn's family emigrated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where he attended but later prematurely left the Georges Vanier Secondary School.
Oh , did I mention he's also the founder and head deceiver of Benny Hinn Ministries?
His forte is "miracle healing," as well as what else? Prophesying and preaching the "seed faith" gospel.
WHEW!!! Where do I start with this guy? Get ready for a long post here , friends.
Okay , let's begin with his "miracle healing crusades." Oh yeah , it should also be noted that his ministry is also on Ministry Watch's 2011 "Donor Alert" .
Now , first of all , even a cursory reading of the miracle's of Jesus and the apostles will show that their TRUE miracles were ALWAYS INSTANTANEOUS! When Jesus or the apostles performed a miracle the results were always immediate! For example , the man with a lifelong infirmity was told by Jesus to "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And he DID! "immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked" ( John 5:8-9 ). Peter took the hand of the beggar , and "immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength" ( Acts 3:7 ). Even the two-stage miracle of Mark 8:22-25 took only moments , and each stage had immediately intended results. There was no gradual healing over weeks , days , or even HOURS! These miracles NEVER FAILED , and whatever was healed was PERMANENT!
Now , defenders of Benny Hinn have said , "But , I have seen Pastor Hinn immediately cure people with physical problems." Yeah , right! Then ask him to explain WHY - people with obviously apparent physical disabilities have NEVER been allowed to come up to him on his crusades for Hinn's "healing"?!
You see , In November 2004, the CBC Television show The Fifth Estate did a special titled "Do You Believe in Miracles" on the apparent transgressions committed by Benny Hinn's ministry. With the aid of hidden cameras and crusade witnesses, the producers of the show demonstrated Benny's apparent misappropriation of funds, his fabrication of the truth, and the way in which his staff chose crusade audience members to come on stage to proclaim their miracle healings. In particular, the investigation highlighted the fact that the most desperate miracle seekers who attend a Hinn crusade—the quadriplegics, the brain-damaged, virtually anyone with a visibly obvious physical condition—are never allowed up on stage; those who attempt to get in the line of possible healings are intercepted and directed to return to their seats. At one Canadian service, hidden cameras showed a mother who was carrying her Muscular Dystrophy afflicted daughter, Grace, being stopped by two screeners when they attempted to get into the line for a possible blessing from Benny. The screeners asked the mother if Grace had been healed, and when the mother replied in the negative, they were told to return to their seats; the pair got out of line, but Grace, wanting "Pastor Benny to pray for [her]", asked her mother to support her as she tried to walk as a show of "her faith in action", according to the mother. After several unsuccessful attempts at walking, the pair left the arena in tears, both mother and daughter visibly upset at being turned aside and crying as they explained to the undercover reporters that all Grace had wanted was for Benny to pray for her, but the staffers rushed them out of the line when they found out Grace had not been healed. A week later at a service in Toronto, Baptist evangelist Justin Peters, who wrote his Masters in Divinity thesis on Benny Hinn and has attended numerous Hinn crusades since 2000 as part of his research for his thesis and for a seminar he developed about the Word of Faith movement entitled A Call for Discernment, also demonstrated to the hidden cameras that "people who look like me"—Peters has cerebral palsy, walks with arm-crutches, and is obviously and visibly disabled—"are never allowed on stage[...]it's always somebody who has some disability or disease that cannot be readily seen." Like Grace and her mother, Peters was quickly intercepted as he came out of the wheelchair section (there is one at every crusade, situated at the back of the audience, far away from the stage, and never filmed for Hinn's TV show) in an attempt to join the line of those waiting to go onstage, and was told to take a seat.
This segment was later edited with new footage and shown on Dateline: NBC in November 2005. ( source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Hinn ).
Now , what about the prophecies of Benny Hinn? Have ANY of them come true? Let's first remember what God Himself tells us in Deuteronomy 18:20-22 regarding FALSE PROPHETS:
v. 20: "But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die."
v. 21: "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?"
v. 22: "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."
So , here we are told by God that since He did not command the false prophet to speak that word , the people were to test his prophecy ; and if his prediction did NOT "come to pass," the people were to: ( 1 ) KNOW that he had NOT spoken in the Name of the LORD ; ( 2 ) KNOW that he had spoken presumptuously ; ( 3 ) NOT be afraid of him ; and ( 4 ) KNOW that "that prophet shall die." So , we must be very careful in saying that someone has spoken in the Name of The LORD!
Again , let's see if ANY of Hinn's predictions came true , shall we?
- At the Orlando Christian Center, on Dec. 31st, 1989 , Benny Hinn said:
"The Spirit tells me - Fidel Castro will die - in the 90's. Oooh my! Some will try to kill him and they will not succeed. But there will come a change in his physical health, and he will not stay in power, and Cuba will be visited of God."
Strike one for old Benny. To my knowledge , Fidel is still alive. And when did God visit Cuba?
- At the same Orlando Crusade on the same date , Benny Hinn also said:
"The Lord also tells me to tell you in the mid 90's, about '94-'95, no later than that, God will destroy the homosexual community of America. [audience applauds] But He will not destroy it - with what many minds have thought Him to be, He will destroy it with fire. And many will turn and be saved, and many will rebel and be destroyed."
Well , strike two for Benny. It's now almost 2012 and the gay community in America is still "alive and well." It should be noted that literally THOUSANDS of homosexuals and lesbians are turning to God every day and being freed from the bonds of their gay lifestyles , and accepting Christ as their LORD and Savior and getting truly saved , so why , would God "destroy them" especially with "fire" here on earth NOW...when it is His will that no one "should perish, but that all should come to repentance"? ( 2 Peter 3:9 ).
- Now , to top everything, Benny Hinn claimed that Jesus is now physically appearing in Muslim countries, and he predicted on the April 2nd 2000 TBN broadcast that Jesus will appear physically very soon in many churches to signal the nearness of the second coming, and that Jesus would also appear physically on the stage at his crusade in Nairobi Kenya (29th -30th of April, 2000)!
Well , there's strike three for old Benny! Because the Muslims sure haven't said anything about Jesus appearing PHYSICALLY to them! Ditto with Jesus appearing at Hinn's crusade in Nairobi Kenya on 29th -30th of April, 2000!
May I remind Benny , as well as his followers , of the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:24-27:
"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
You see , my friends , in the midst of persecution , even strong believers will find it difficult to be loyal.. So , to keep from being deceived by the likes of Benny Hinn , we must understand that Jesus' return WILL be unmistakable! "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory" ( Mark 13:26 ). No one will doubt that it IS JESUS! If you have to be TOLD that Jesus has come , then He HASN'T ! ( Matt. 24:27 ). The TRUTH is that , Jesus' Second Coming will be visible to ALL!
Now , on Hinn's website ( http://www.bennyhinn.org/default.cfm ) , under the "Salvation" tab , he has a page titled "pastor's note." This is where he really twists and turns Scripture like a pretzel. He begins by writing:
"According to God's Word, people never perish for lack of money—we perish for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). That knowledge includes the principles of sowing and reaping."
Well , right there we see he has absolutely no knowledge himself of basic biblical hermeneutics ( or if he does , he certainly does not relay it to his readers ).
The word "knowledge" as used in it's proper biblical context in Hosea 4:6 , which Hinn cites means "perception, skill discernment, understanding, wisdom." The transliterated word is "Da`ath," of Hebrew lexicon. ( Source: The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon ; Strong's Number: 01847 ).
So , Hosea wrote this book to remind the Israelites—and us—that ours is a loving God whose loyalty to His covenant people is unwavering. In spite of Israel’s continual turning to false gods. Hosea 4:1-14:9 contains the condemnation of Israel, especially Samaria, for the worship of idols and her eventual restoration. This second section contains Hosea’s denunciation of the Israelites but followed by the promises and the mercies of God. Hosea also shows how God’s love once again restores His children as He forgets their misdeeds when they turn back to Him with a repentant heart. The prophetic message of Hosea foretells the coming of Israel’s Messiah 700 years in the future. Hosea is quoted often in the New Testament. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with "the principles of sowing and reaping" as Hinn alleges!
Hinn then goes on to state:
"In the parable of the sower, our Lord Jesus teaches that God's laws of sowing and reaping are fixed laws. He began the parable this way: “Behold, there went out a sower to sow” (Mark 4:3).
Sowing is a fixed law that God has put into effect on this planet, and it will work for anyone! Ask any farmer or gardener anywhere in the world, and he will tell you, “Every time I sow seed in the ground, I expect a harvest.”"
Here again , he is dead WRONG! God , the Author of the Universe , has made our world SUBJECT to fixed laws , so that, where our knowledge of these laws is complete, we are able to predict physical events with certainty. Hence , God has NOT made sowing a "fixed law...and it will work for anyone," as Hinn posits. He is also wrong and takes out of context when he cites Mark 4:3 that "In the parable of the sower, our Lord Jesus teaches that God's laws of sowing and reaping are fixed laws."
To understand verse 3 in it's proper context , we must also read verses 4-6 , to wit:
v. 4: "And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up."
v. 5: "And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth."
v. 6: "But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away."
So , Benny , when you say that "it will work for anyone!," how do you explain THOSE verses? Every time you "sow seed in the ground" you may very well "expect" a harvest , but that don't mean you'll get one , my friend!
So , by taking verses 3-6 in context as a whole , we see that some fell , literally , by the wayside ( Gr: hodos ) , that is , the hardened surface adjacent to the road or path. "Stony ground" ( v.5 ) , does not refer to a mixture of dirt and small stones , butspeaks of huge slabs of rock with only a thin layer of soil upon them. So , no matter how skillful , no farmer could keep some of his seed from falling by the "wayside."
Now , about half way down the same page , Hinn throws out his "Gimme your money" theology by writing:
"Jesus Christ Himself said, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24). The seed must be sown!
So if you need a financial miracle today, everything you need is hidden in your seed! Your seed has the power to produce an abundant harvest. And as you sow your seed-gift with expectation and give to the work of the Lord, you can expect your seed to be assigned to accomplish God's divine purposes with the same certainty as a farmer who expects corn seed to produce a harvest of corn!"
BUT...what Benny don't want you to know is that Jesus was NOT talking about a material or money seed in the cited verse. He was using the analogy of "a corn of wheat" to a spiritual harvest! In other words , a corn of wheat yields no increase unless it is cast into the ground. Thus Christ might have possessed His Heavenly glory alone, without becoming man. Or, after He had taken man's nature, He might have entered Heaven alone, by His own perfect righteousness, without suffering or death; but then no sinner of the human race could have been saved!
Hence , again , using proper biblical exegesis in John 12:24 , which Hinn cites , means that seeds which are not sown are alone. The seeds which are sown , die , and in so doing bring forth a harvest. Christ used this to illustrate His death , which will produce a rich SPIRITUAL HARVEST!
Now , will someone please tell that to Benny Hinn?
Hinn continues his verbal shakedown by saying:
"Now it is up to you and me to plant the seed He has provided during the harvest of finances, which will lead to the harvest of miracles, then to the harvest of souls.."
Well , how 'bout you , Benny , leading by example , and sending 1,000 or more poor families a "financial seed" of YOUR OWN? Would you like my mailing address?
Also , are we to seriously believe that God will give us FIRST a "harvest of finances," THEN , a "harvest of miracles," and FINALLY , a "harvest of souls"? Show me where it tells us that in the Bible!
He finishes up by writing:
"Your harvest will be in direct proportion to what you plant!"
Oh really , Ben? What if an atheist "plants" $100,000? If I'm to understand you correctly , he or she would get back $200,000?!
He goes on:
"The seed you sow in faith into the good soil of this ministry today will produce a harvest of abundance and blessings in your life."
Heh...heh...heh...that's good, Benny , when you say , "The seed you sow in faith into the good soil of this ministry.." Yeah , YOUR CROOKED AND UNDERHANDED 'MINISTRY'!
When he then writes , "Sow in faith today and expect your miracle, for everything you need is in your seed!" NO! , my friends , "everything we need" is NOT in any "seeds we sow," nor are there any "miracles" in it. ALL we need to be rich ( SPIRITUALLY ) , is JESUS CHRIST....PERIOD!
Lastly , let me just correct Benny when he defends his ( and others of his ilk ) "prosperity teaching” or “prosperity Gospel."
He writes:
"I believe in biblical prosperity. It is taught throughout the Bible."
Where? Cite the words of Jesus in regards to prosperity preaching / teaching in a material and / or money context. YOU CAN'T!!
Oh , but wait , you do cite Acts 4:32-34 , and then state , "Here we see true biblical prosperity, which is no lack!"
Well , I'm glad Benny cited those verses. Because what they REALLY tell us is that each member of the Jerusalem church was interested in the welfare of each other member. The expression "of one heart and of one soul" ( v. 32 ) , shows the remarkable unanimity of this Spirit-filled community. Richer members ( like YOU , Benny! ) , made provision for those members who were poor! ( still want my address? ). NO ONE was in want or hunger! Those who had houses or land SOLD THEM ( as Jesus told the rich young ruler in Luke 18:22 ) , in order to see to the welfare of others - NOT just to spread the Gospel! Money was brought and laid at the apostles' feet and distribution was made to everyone "according as he had need" ( v. 35 - forgot to include that one , huh Benny? ). NO ONE ( unlike yourself , Benny ) , made widfall profits ; and NO ONE was impoverished!
So , we see , my friends , that none of these true Christians ( unlike Benny Hinn and his ilk ) , felt that what they had was their own , so they were able to give and share , eliminating poverty among them. They would not let a brother or sister suffer when others had plenty. So , how do you think Benny Hinn feels about HIS possessions and money? If he knew of some believers that were about to be evicted , were hungry , and in need , would he emulate the TRUE Christians of Acts 4:32-35? Write or call him and ask him. See what he says.
This false "prosperity," gospel amounts to us using God for OUR purposes , as opposed to the other way around! It simply is NOT biblical! It's like Hinn and his ilk are telling us to use God as our own personal ATM!
Would he be like the rich young ruler who refused to do as Jesus told him when He said to him , "sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me" ( Luke 18:22 )? Would Benny Hinn be "very sorrowful: for he was [ IS ] very rich" ( v. 23 )? Would Benny Hinn then hear the words that Jesus said regarding the rich guy , "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God" ( vss. 24-25 )? What say YOU , Benny?
My friends , instead of stressing the importance of wealth, the Bible warns against pursuing it. Believers, especially leaders in the church ( 1 Tim. 3;3 ), are to be free from the love of money ( Heb. 13:5 ). In sharp contrast to the Word of Faith emphasis on gaining money and possessions in this life, Jesus said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal" ( Matt. 6:19 ). The irreconcilable contradictions between prosperity teaching and the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is best summed up in the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
I have yet to hear Benny Hinn - or any of his ilk cite or preach any of those passages!
Until next time , may God bless and keep you all -
In His service ; Pastor Mike
The Living Water Church