John Hagee, in case you are unaware, is the self-proclaimed pastor of the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. This church is described as a nondenominational, evangelical church with more than 19,000 active members. Hagee is one of the leading denominational preachers in America and at the forefront of those who preach and teach the premillennial view of the Bible. He fully expects Christ to come again and set up a literal earthly kingdom, with His throne in Jerusalem. Hagee's view of the coming kingdom of Christ is grossly erroneous, but it draws crowds and keeps him at the forefront of the televangelists; so don't think he is going to surrender his viewpoint anytime soon.
In his numerous teachings about the coming Rapture and the Battle of Armageddon to which he so often ties the situation in the Middle East and varying political conditions around the world, Hagee often speaks of one called the Antichrist. He had once identified him (the Antichrist) as the head of the European Union, a man who would rule over the earth for three and a half years before joining with a false prophet and uniting in the final battle against Jesus Christ and the faithful. You've probably heard the story of the Rapture before, but Hagee boldly identifies all the characters!
I won't go into all the numerous errors of Hagee's interpretation of the Bible, but I do want to point out that the term antichrist is a Biblical term. The Apostle John, in fact, defined him. John wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, "Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also." (1 John 5:22, 23) He later wrote, "For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist." (2 John 1:7) But there is more than one antichrist. John also wrote, "Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour." (1John 2:18)
According to the inspired apostle, anyone who denies that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, or who denies that Jesus is the Christ, is antichrist [the term antichrist simply means one in opposition to the Christ]. What's the point of mentioning all of this? According to the Bible definition, John Hagee is himself antichrist! Of course, he will deny it [and he has, in a written statement on his website]. Hagee flatly denies that he does not accept Jesus as the Christ [or the Messiah, as he likes to say]. We get the idea that he does not believe Jesus was the Christ from his own words.
You see, Hagee wrote a book, which he heavily promoted, entitled In Defense of Jerusalem. In that book, as one might expect, he gives argument upon argument for why the United States should always be prepared to defend Jerusalem from being under the control of anyone but the Jews. It is all based on his twisted Scripture view, by which he teaches his premillennial position. In that book, he wrote, "The Jews did not reject Jesus as Messiah." (p. 132) He asked, "If God intended for Jesus to be the Messiah of Israel, why didn't he authorize Jesus to use supernatural signs to prove he was God's Messiah, just as Moses had done?" (p. 137) He said, "The Jews were not rejecting Jesus as Messiah; it was Jesus who was refusing to be the Messiah to the Jews." (p. 140) And "They wanted him to be their Messiah, but he flatly refused." (p. 141) He said, "He refused to be their Messiah, choosing instead to be the Savior of the world." (p. 143) He also said, "Jesus rejected to the last detail the role of Messiah in word or deed." (p. 145)
Hagee tried to backtrack on these words. In a published statement, he wrote, "I was surprised to learn that some people were interpreting my words as a rejection of this most fundamental Christian belief that Jesus came to earth as the Messiah promised in the Hebrew Scriptures." [Note how he says the problem is others interpreting his words; his words, apparently, are not the problem.]
He added, "Over the centuries, Christians have been quick to condemn the Jews for failing to recognize Jesus as Messiah. This approach led to replacement theology and the viewpoint of some that God has rejected and broken covenant with the Jewish people."
"I tried to challenge this view by highlighting a distinction that has been long recognized in Christian theology between the role Jesus played in His first coming, and the role He will play in his second coming. Jesus came the first time as the suffering Messiah, as exemplified by His persecution, rejection and crucifixion. Jesus will come back as the reigning Messiah, who will rule the world from His throne in Jerusalem as King of Kings and Lord of Lords."
In case this is a bit confusing, Hagee is saying that for the past 20 centuries, Christians have misunderstood the Jews' view of Jesus and their rejection of Him as the Messiah. According to Hagee, this happened because God really didn't reject the Jews because they rejected Jesus, and He didn't initiate a new covenant after all. The purported misunderstanding of his own words was due to his failure to clearly explain his belief that Jesus did not come as the royal Messiah [as King], but only as the suffering Messiah. What is he saying?
Let me be as plain as I can in refuting Hagee's erroneous views of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, the Messiah.
- First of all, even in prophecy God said that the Christ [Jesus] would be rejected: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone." (Psalm 118:22) "He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." (Isaiah 53:3). And that prophecy was fulfilled (Matthew 21:42-45); even those who rejected Him [the Jewish leaders] understood that He was speaking of them. When the apostles began preaching the gospel, they taught the same thing (Acts 4:10-12).
- Second, Jesus did use supernatural signs to prove He was God's Messiah; and this, too, was taught the first time the gospel was preached (Acts 2:22). John pointed to those miracles as proof enough to prove He was the Christ (John 20:30, 31.
The remainder of Hagee's erroneous statements can be answered by referring back to these points.
But let me make the point regarding how Hagee is antichrist. In his published statement that was supposed to clear up any misunderstanding about his views of Jesus, he denied Jesus came to be King. Again, I point to the first time the gospel was preached. Peter referred to an Old-Testament passage in which God promised David that He would raise up one of his descendants to sit on his throne (Acts 2:30), and he applied that passage to Jesus (vv. 31-35). While Hagee seems unable to see this, the Scriptures plainly teach that Jesus did ascend to that throne--but not in Jerusalem as the Jews then believed, and as Hagee now believes; Jesus' throne is in heaven. He later said, "I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." (Past tense; Revelation 3:21) There is no kingdom yet to come!
But Hagee, and millions of others, denies plain Bible teaching because he is hanging on a premillennial-kingdom theory that comes from a convoluted and selective interpretation of Scripture. Why? For one, it teaches a second-chance theology that gives all unbelievers one more chance before Judgment. But more than any depth of thought or understanding, it makes a fantastic story! Some are simply too willing to believe it because it is so utterly fantastic; therefore, they reject the simple plan of salvation that is actually taught in God's word. So, are you for Christ or antichrist? What do you believe?
I recently heard Mr. Hagee preaching on Daniel 2:44,45. He correctly understood Daniel's prophecy about the four kingdoms-Babylon, Mede-Persia, Greece, and Rome. But, he explained that the kingdom God would set up "in those days," is the raptured church that will begin when He returns to establish His kingdom. How can that be? Daniel said, "In the days of these (Roman) kings." Hagee has to interpret it that way to fit his false premillennial-kingdom teaching. Truly, he is an antichrist. (KMG)