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Jezebel spirit, false prophets, idolatry and witchcraft

The Historical And Contemporary Jezebel Spirit

        1st and 2nd Samuel and 1 Kings record the transitions of the leadership of Israel and the ultimate decline of that leadership in the reign of Solomon. This lead to the division of Israel and through a succession of kings to the reign of King Ahab. As Jeroboam lost focus upon God and focused more on self, he led the people of Israel astray from the true worship of God. Eventually, as the biblical record indicates, the people began to focus upon the pagan god Baal. The times of spiritual apostasy and moral decay worsened as time passed.
        Baal was the chief male pagan god worshipped by the Canaanites when Israel first came into the land. Mythology states that he was the son of El, the father of 70 gods. He was the god of fertility upon whom increase in every area was dependent and the god of storms, winds, clouds and weather in general. As such he was god of abundant crops. “Archaeologists have discovered rock carvings that show Baal holding a club in his right hand and a lightning flash with a spearhead in his left. These symbols identify him as the god of rain and storm. Baal is also known as the “rider of the clouds,” a term showing his power over the heavens. (Psalm 68:4), “Extol Him who rides on the clouds,” gives this title to the God of Israel—a declaration that the Lord, and not the false god Baal, is ruler over the heavens.” (Excerpted from Nelson’s Bible Dictionary)
        Baal worship incorporated both animal and child sacrifices and ritualistic sensual dancing and sodomy by male and female Baal prostitutes. Baal worship was “personalized” in each locality by adding the name of the city or place where he was worshipped. Baal-Melqart was worshipped at Tyre.
        David, by his governmental rule, had eradicated this idolatrous worship. Ahab, however, incorporated an inflated version of this idolatrous practice into his government. The self-centeredness of Jeroboam’s spirit reached its peak during the reign of King Ahab.
        Married to King Ahab for reasons that satisfied the self of both, Jezebel, princess daughter of Ethbaal, Canaanite King of Tyre and Sidon, priest of Astarte—the pagan goddess of sensual love and fertility—brought Baal-Melqart worship into Israel. 1 Kings 16:33 says: “And Ahab made a grove ...” The word “grove” here is “Asherah,” the female Canaanite goddess of love and fertility, chief goddess of the city of Tyre.
        Jezebel was not content to simply allow the worship of Baal and Asherah concurrently with the worship of Israel’s true God; she was determined to eliminate all worship of the true and living God. She killed most of God’s prophets and installed her false prophets of Baal and Asherah. She successfully controlled Ahab and implemented idol worship and had him build a temple for idol worship.
        We see in the biblical record Israel plunging from the heights of David’s glorious and Godly reign to the depths of the pagan, idolatrous and godless reign of Ahab. Focus had shifted from God to self. The apostasy and idolatry of Israel was almost completed. The foundations of Godliness were fast crumbling. The judgement of God was forthcoming.
        The biblical historical record shows that an evil Jezebel weds herself to an already evil leader and/or system, and introduces idolatry into their life as an evil religious practice. This is not a marriage of love, rather it’s a spiritual and political affiliation designed to merge two different kingdoms.
        Note also that Jezebel came from a background and an environment where sex acts, sodomy and every form of sensual and licentious living was exalted as being a way to tap into the power of the false gods that they worshipped.
        1 Kings16:23-33 (NIV):
        23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.
        24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and built a city on the hill, calling it Samaria, after Shemer, the name of the former owner of the hill.
        25 But Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him.
        26 He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit, so that they provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their worthless idols.
        27 As for the other events of Omri’s reign, what he did and the things he achieved, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
        28 Omri rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Ahab his son succeeded him as king.
        29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years.
        30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.
        31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.
        32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria.
        33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him.
        1 Kings 21:25-26 (NIV):
        25 (There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.
        26 He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.)
        To accomplish her goal of instituting idolatry among God’s people, Jezebel kills God’s prophets.
        1 Kings 18:4 (NIV): While Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.)
        1 Kings 18:13 (NIV): Haven’t you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord? I hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water.
        Jezebel spawns and supports false prophets.
        1 King 18:19 (NIV): (“ ...) Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
        Jezebel continues to threaten to kill the true prophets of God who wreak havoc with her influence.
        1 Kings 19:1-2 (NIV):
        1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
        2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
        Jezebel lies and assumes a legitimate leaders authority for herself and instructs those who are in the leaders hierarchy to also fabricate lies so that innocent people lose their property and are killed. Notice the anonymity involved in this deception. Jezebel is not prominent, everyone thought the king had issued the orders.
        Notice Jezebel’s expertise in utilizing “religion” to achieve her ends, “Proclaim a fast ...”
        1 Kings 21:8-11 (NIV):
        8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him.
        9 In those letters she wrote: “Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people.
        10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
        11 So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them.
        In addition to idolatry Jezebel is known for witchcraft.
        2 Kings 9:22 (NIV): When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?” “How can there be peace,” Jehu replied, “as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?”
        When Jezebel dies, her flesh must be destroyed so that she is not recognizable. It’s not the prophets function to kill Jezebel. This is a function for a Godly anointed leader/king.
        2 Kings 9:36-37 (NIV):
        36 They went back and told Jehu, who said, “This is the word of the Lord that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh.
        37 Jezebel’s body will be like refuse on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, ‘This is Jezebel.’”
        Jezebel is an arrogantly and pridefully self-appointed “prophetess.” She establishes herself as a teacher of God’s people and misleads them into sexual immorality. The “eating of food sacrificed to idols” carries with it a meaning of fleshly indulgences brought about by spiritual compromise seasoned liberally with moral compromise.
        Note how this brings about a focus upon self, rather than of Christ. And a focus upon fleshly values rather than the teachings of Christ.
        Revelation 2:20 (NIV):
        20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
        Jezebel is stubborn, unrepentant, prideful and arrogant, unwilling to repent of her ungodly behavior and ungodly influence upon the people of God. She must be dealt with firmly. Jesus will cast her on a bed of suffering, i.e., sickness. Those who partake of her adulterous acts will suffer intensely (KJV “great tribulation”). Those in whom she has successfully “cloned” herself, will be struck dead. From this stern dealings with Jezebel and her cohorts, we are to understand that Jesus will give unto every one of us according to our works.
        Revelation 2:21-23 (NIV):
        21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.
        22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.
        23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
        The Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on Revelation 2:21-23:
        21. space—Greek, “time.”
        of her fornication she repented not—The three oldest manuscripts read, “and she willeth not to repent of (literally, ‘out of,’ that is, so as to come out of) her fornication.” Here there is a transition from literal to spiritual fornication, as appears from Re 2:22. The idea arose from Jehovah’s covenant relation to the Old Testament Church being regarded as a marriage, any transgression against which was, therefore, harlotry, fornication, or adultery.
        22. Behold—calling attention to her awful doom to come.
        I will—Greek present, “I cast her.”
        a bed—The place of her sin shall be the place of her punishment. The bed of her sin shall be her bed of sickness and anguish. Perhaps a pestilence was about to be sent. Or the bed of the grave, and of the hell beyond, where the worm dieth not.
        them that commit adultery with her—spiritually; including both the eating of idol-meats and fornication. “With her,” in the Greek, implies participation with her in her adulteries, namely, by suffering her (Re 2:20), or letting her alone, and so virtually encouraging her. Her punishment is distinct from theirs; she is to be cast into a bed, and her children to be killed; while those who make themselves partakers of her sin by tolerating her, are to be cast into great tribulation.
        except they repent—Greek aorist, “repent” at once; shall have repented by the time limited in My purpose.
        their deeds—Two of the oldest manuscripts and most ancient versions read “her.” Thus, God’s true servants, who by connivance, are incurring the guilt of her deeds, are distinguished from her. One oldest manuscript, ANDREAS, and CYPRIAN, support “their.”
        23. her children— (Isa 57:3; Eze 23:45, 47). Her proper adherents; not those who suffer her, but those who are begotten of her. A distinct class from the last in Re 2:22 (compare Note, see on Re 2:22), whose sin was less direct, being that only of connivance.
        kill with death—Compare the disaster that overtook the literal Jezebel’s votaries of Baal, and Ahab’s sons, 1Ki 18:40; 2Ki 10:6, 7, 24, 25. Kill with death is a Hebraism for slay with most sure and awful death; so “dying thou shalt die” (Ge 2:17). Not “die the common death of men” (Nu 16:29).
        all the churches shall know—implying that these addresses are designed for the catholic [meaning, universal] Church of all ages and places. So palpably shall God’s hand be seen in the judgment on Thyatira, that the whole Church shall recognize it as God’s doing.
        I am he—the “I” is strongly emphatical: “that it is I am He who,” &c.
        searcheth hearts—God’s peculiar attribute is given to Christ. The “reins” are the seat of the desires; the “heart,” that of the thoughts. The Greek for “searcheth” expresses an accurate following up of all tracks and windings.
        unto every one of you—literally, “unto you, to each.”
        according to your works—to be judged not according to the mere act as it appears to man, but with reference to the motive, faith and love being the only motives which God recognizes as sound.
        Revelation 2:24 (NIV): Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you):
        The Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on Revelation 2:24:
        24. you and the rest—The three oldest manuscripts omit “and”; translate then, “Unto you, the rest.”
        as many as have not—not only do not hold, but are free from contact with.
        and which—The oldest manuscripts omit “and”; translate, “whosoever.”
        the depths—These false prophets boasted peculiarly of their knowledge of mysteries and the deep things of God; pretensions subsequently expressed by their arrogant title, Gnostics (“full of knowledge”). The Spirit here declares their so-called “depths,” (namely, of knowledge of divine things) to be really “depths of Satan”; just as in Re 2:9, He says, instead of “the synagogue of God,” “the synagogue of Satan.” HENGSTENBERG thinks the teachers themselves professed to fathom the depths of Satan, giving loose rein to fleshly lusts, without being hurt thereby. They who thus think to fight Satan with his own weapons always find him more than a match for them. The words, “as they speak,” that is, “as they call them,” coming after not only “depths,” but “depths of Satan,” seem to favor this latter view; otherwise I should prefer the former, in which case, “as they speak,” or “call them,” must refer to “depths” only, not also “depths of Satan.” The original sin of Adam was a desire to know EVIL as well as good, so in HENGSTENBERG’S view, those who professed to know “the depths of Satan.” It is the prerogative of God alone to know evil fully, without being hurt or defiled by it.
        I will put—Two oldest manuscripts have “I put,” or “cast.” One oldest manuscript reads as English Version.
        none other burden—save abstinence from, and protestation against, these abominations; no “depths” beyond your reach, such as they teach, no new doctrine, but the old faith and rule of practice once for all delivered to the saints. Exaggerating and perfecting Paul’s doctrine of grace without the law as the source of justification and sanctification, these false prophets rejected the law as a rule of life, as though it were an intolerable “burden.” But it is a “light” burden. In Ac 15:28, 29, the very term “burden,” as here, is used of abstinence from fornication and idol-meats; to this the Lord here refers.
        Summary:
        Jesus referred to this personage as “Jezebel,” which indicates she had the same characteristics as the Jezebel mentioned in the Old Testament. This Jezebel is recognized in Old Testament scripture and by Jesus in the book of Revelation. Many today call this the “Jezebel spirit.” As such, that would imply that it may manifest in either men or woman since spirits have no gender. There is no reason to believe that “Jezebel” has simply ceased to exist today. Personal observation by many over the years have seen “Jezebel” manifesting itself in men and women. Whether it’s called “Jezebel” as per the example of Jesus, or called a “Jezebel spirit” the identification of characteristics and manifestation of this Jezebel are the same.
        Jezebel, like the devil himself, would very much like for people today to believe that it doesn’t exist so it can continue in its covert operations of undermining the teachings of Jesus among the people of God. Those who choose to ignore Jezebel today have put upon themselves spiritual blinders that will actually help Jezebel to flourish and breed and continue to infiltrate the pure doctrine of the Bible and of Jesus Christ. If not dealt with confrontationally, Jezebel will breed like mosquitoes in the rainy season. Be sure that if you fail to recognize this enemy of God, it does not fail to recognize and target you with its idolatry and witchcraft.
        Jezebel is an arrogantly and pridefully self-appointed “prophetess” who establishes itself as a teacher of God’s people and then leads them away from Christ and His teachings and to fleshy and fleshly activities. Because of the influence of past environments where sex acts, sodomy and every form of sensual and licentious living is equated with power and control, this flesh factor is utilized to gain its own purposes. It weds itself to an existing evil leader/system so that it can utilize the authority of another to lead God’s people astray. The institutional church system of today is such an evil system with evil leaders because it is an illegitimate, paganized, Romanized, pope-modeled, traditional, man-made system that has violated the very will and purpose of God for His ekklesia. It has no place in God’s economy other than as a spiritual Babylon from which the overcoming remnant bride of Jesus Christ will exit as they realize the truth of God’s eternal purpose.
        Because of its origin and structure the institutional church and its leaders are the evil breeding ground that Jezebel wants and needs in order to flourish and exercise its power over God’s people.
        To accomplish the goal of instituting sexual licentiousness, sensuality, idolatry and witchcraft among God’s people, Jezebel today (spiritually) kills God’s true prophets. It will make every effort to accuse, slander and otherwise verbally attack the true prophet of God. It does this to spawn and support false prophets like itself. Sexual lusts are a tool which Jezebel uses to achieve its goal of total control. The actual sex act itself, however, may never be performed. It is equally skillful in using religious spirituality as a weapon against the true prophets of God.
        Jezebel continues to threaten, by manipulation and intimidation, to spiritually kill the true prophets of God who wreak havoc with its influence. Jezebel will relentlessly utilize sexuality, sensuality, idolatry, witchcraft and every devious and demonic means to come against the true prophet of God. Elijah was a man under God’s protection for many years. The power of God worked through him. But in spite of all that he accomplished as a powerful man of God, Elijah was manipulated and intimidated by Jezebel. When Jezebel fails in its seek and destroy mission of the true prophet, it can bring that prophet to a point of fear of their very own life and put them into such a state of clinical depression that they will run away from it and to God and then cause them to ask God to kill them. That’s in the Bible, as we read of Elijah. It should be apparent that all the powers of the devil were behind Jezebel as this is not something that could have been accomplished by Jezebel alone. This is a powerful demonic force and not to be taken lightly
        Jezebel is a stubborn, unrepentant, prideful and arrogant bald-faced liar, who anonymously uses the authority of a legitimate, but evil leader in an evil system/kingdom, and utilizes “religion” to accomplish its goal of destroying God’s true prophets. Obvious manifestations of this spirit at work are discussed in the article “The Danger of Self-Centeredness” which is posted on this web site. Click the link to read it.
        This is a powerful and clever demonic spirit that knows when to roll over and play dead as the occasion demands. But it will spring back to life with renewed vigor when the danger has passed. It knows how to make itself to be attractive and how to charm and seduce a righteous person right out of their virtue. Powerful, clever, attractive, charming and seductive—these are but a few of the persuasively controlling and manipulative weapons in its considerable arsenal. Jezebel will rally as many people as possible to its cause. It needs a large circle of influence so it will have the power of numbers in its campaign against the true prophets. It is a master of the concept of winning friends and influencing people.
        Jezebel is not limited in operations to only destroying the true prophets of God. It knows it must have the power by endorsement or deceit of legitimate authority to accomplish its purposes. Wherever there are people and a leader/system—the more evil and decadent the better—Jezebel is to be found. There is no place of refuge from Jezebel—everybody and anybody may/will become its target as it presses in to achieve its goal of killing the true prophets of God in order to replace them with its false prophets.
        Jezebel is a very dangerous spirit. It is intent upon destroying the true prophets of God so that it can place the false prophets in a dominant place among God’s people, her ultimate goal. Because of widespread biblical illiteracy, these false prophets are accepted by God’s people as true prophets. These false prophets are stealthily introducing false teachings and doctrines into the institutional church system. This is causing many who name the name of Christ to depart from the faith once contended for by the saints, who are falling away into apostasy even as you are reading this.
        If Jezebel doesn’t repent, Jesus will cast it on a bed of suffering, i.e., sickness. Those affiliated with it will suffer intense tribulation. Its children, i.e., “clones” will be killed. Jezebel is a negative example of how Jesus will give unto every one of us according to our works.
        When Jezebel dies, and I believe for us today that means spiritually, its flesh must be destroyed so that it is not recognizable. This means total and complete repentance from what it was and into a true child of God. And to such an extent that it is no longer recognizable as a Jezebel, in spirit and in flesh.
        1 Corinthians 5:4-5:
        4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
        5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
        It’s not the prophets function to spiritually kill Jezebel. That is a function for a Godly anointed leader/king, one who knows how to exact obedience from those eunuchs who are serving Jezebel.

An Important Message

Click here to read Recognizing Intimidation and Manipulation

Click here to read Jezebel Spirit Controlling Institutional Church People

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