Good
heavens!
OAC member
#1 wrote: “...Everything that the Old Apostolics
believe can be quoted from bible scriptures...”
OAC member #2
wrote: “...Ons kan als bewys waarin ons glo deur
die skrifte...”
For those of
you who don’t understand Afrikaans, this member is saying “...We can prove everything
we believe in through the scriptures...”
The OAC Confession of Faith states: “...WE BELIEVE in the Holy Scriptures, the Old and the New
Testament...”
 |
| OAC's seven heavens |
OAC member #3
wrote: “...Die sewe hemele van die Ou Apostoliese
Kerk is
i)
Suster
ii)
Broer
iii)Onder
Diaken
iv)
Priester
v)
Oudste
vi
Viervoud amp ( Opsiener ( herder en leraar ), profeet en evangelis )
vii)Apostel
Ons
gaan in hemele soos die rangorde hierbo wys...”
For those of
you who don’t understand Afrikaans, this member is saying “…The seven heavens
of the Old Apostolic Church are
i) Sister
ii) Brother
iii)Under
Deacon
iv) Priest
v) Elder
vi Fourfold
office ( Overseer ( pastor and teacher ), prophet and evangelist )
vii)Apostle
We go into
heavens according to the rankings shown above…”
OAC member #4
wrote: “...Die Hemele volgens ons Geloof is die
hemele waarin elke lid hom/haar bevind.
Hierdie
hemele is as volg
Kind
Suster/Broer
Onderdiaken
Priester
Oudste/Geneesheer
van Israel
Evangelis/Opsiener/Profeet
Apostel
Hierdie
is die 7 hemele wat Jesus deur beweeg het en toe in die hoogste hemel gaan sit
het aan die regte hand van God...”
For those of
you who don’t understand Afrikaans, this member is saying “…The Heavens
according to our Faith are the heavens in which each member finds
himself/herself.
Child
Sister/Brother
Underdeacon
Priest
Elder/Physician
of Israel
Evangelist/Overseer/Prophet
Apostle
This is the 7
heavens that Jesus moved through and then sat in the highest heaven at the
right hand of God…”
An ex-OAC “elder”
wrote: “…there are 7 Heavens. One for sisters; one
for Brothers; one for Underdeacons; one for Priests; one for Elders; one for
the fourfold ministry; and the Apostles and children share the same Heaven...”
As for me
personally, when I was in the OAC I was taught the seven heavens as follows:
1) Child
(this included someone new to the OAC irrespective of age)
2) Sister/Brother
3) Underdeacon
and his sister
4) Priest
and his sister
5) Elder and
his sister
6) Evangelist/Prophet/Overseer
and his sister
7) Apostle
and his sister
Looking at
the various statements it is clear that there isn’t much unity/agreement
regarding where and how children and women fit into this hierarchy. When asked
for direct references in scripture, OAC members will typically change the
subject (by asking other questions/accusations/insults) and avoid giving direct
answers defending their statements regarding the seven heavens and their
composition. Unfortunately this is typical of my experience so far, even though
many OAC members believe and even boast that everything they believe in can be
proven in the Bible.
Even the
OAC’s catechism is very vague regarding Heaven.
Catechism of the Old Apostolic Church of Africa…Part 2;
Question 17 (page 56):
“What is Heaven?”
“Ans. : It is a condition of rest unto the soul,
blessedness and peace that we will taste if we submit ourselves in the house of
the Father and become small as little children. Such a child is an angel in
heaven and beholds the face of the Father which is in heaven every day. (Refer
Matt. 18 v. 10.)”
The verse
quoted in the OAC catechism in defence of this statement is as follows:
Matthew 18:10 Take
heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in
heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in
heaven.
Notice that
the verse is talking about the angels of the little ones and not the little
ones as angels. There’s also no mention of what Heaven is.
The concept
of seven heavens is nothing new and seems to originate from one of two ancient religions,
Hinduism and the ancient Babylonian cult.
In Hinduism the earth
is believed to be the lowest of the seven “higher worlds”. The other six “higher
worlds” above earth are believed to be places of increasing wonder and delight
where people with good “karma” go after they die.
The seven heavens as
taught by the ancient Babylonians were not meant for people. Their seven
heavens were believed to be seven levels of space between the earth’s
atmosphere and the spirit of the heavens. Each of these levels was associated
with a particular god and a celestial body. The celestial bodies associated
with each of these levels were believed to be the sun, Mercury, Venus, the moon,
Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
The concept
of seven heavens is not unique to the OAC, but the composition is. As with
Hinduism and the ancient Babylonian cult, there is no scriptural basis for
seven heavens or the composition thereof.
So what does
the Bible say? What does heaven mean? How many heavens are there?
According to
Strong’s, the word “heaven(s)” in the Old Testament is translated from the
Hebrew word shâmayim and is defined
as:
to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the visible arch in which the
clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies
revolve): - air, heaven (-s).
According to
Strong’s, the word “heaven(s)” in the New Testament is translated from the
Greek word ouranos and is defined
as:
elevation; the sky; by extension heaven
(as the abode of God); by implication happiness,
power, eternity; specifically the Gospel
(Christianity): - air, heaven, sky.
When we read
the word “heaven(s)” in context throughout the Bible then we can identify three
heavens.
One of the
heavens we read of mentions atmospheric elements such as birds, fowls, clouds,
rain, hail and snow (Genesis 1:20, Genesis 7:23, Genesis 8:2,
Exodus
9:22-23, Exodus 16:4, Deuteronomy 11:11, Deuteronomy
11:17, Deuteronomy 28:12, Deuteronomy 28:23-24, Joshua 10:11,
2 Samuel
21:10, 1 Kings 8:35-36, 1 Kings 18:45, 2 Chronicles
6:26-27, 2 Chronicles 7:13, Job 35:11, Psalms 78:23-24, Psalms 79:2,
Psalms
104:12, Psalms 147:8, Isaiah 55:10, Jeremiah 7:33,
Jeremiah
15:3, Jeremiah 16:4, Jeremiah 19:7, Jeremiah 34:20, Ezekiel 29:5,
Ezekiel 31:6,
Ezekiel
31:13, Ezekiel 32:4, Ezekiel 38:20, Daniel 2:38,
Daniel 4:12,
Daniel 4:21,
Daniel 4:33,
Daniel 7:13,
Hosea 4:3,
Hosea 7:12,
Zephaniah 1:3,
Matthew
24:30, Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62, Luke 17:29, Acts 14:17, James 5:18, Revelation 11:6, Revelation
11:12, Revelation 16:21, Revelation 19:17 etc.)
The other
heaven we read of mentions celestial bodies beyond our atmosphere such as the
sun, moon, stars and planets (Genesis 15:5, Genesis 22:17, Genesis 26:4,
Exodus 32:13,
Deuteronomy
1:10, Deuteronomy 4:19, Deuteronomy 10:22, Deuteronomy 17:3, Deuteronomy
28:62, Joshua 10:13, 2 Kings 23:5, Nehemiah 9:23,
Isaiah 13:10,
Jeremiah 8:2,
Ezekiel 32:7,
Daniel 8:10,
Nahum 3:16,
Matthew
24:29, Mark 13:25, Revelation 6:13, Revelation 8:10,
Revelation
9:1, Revelation
12:1, Revelation 12:4 etc.)
The third
heaven we read of is the dwelling place of God and mentions His throne, paradise
and the tree of life which will allow us to live forever (Genesis 2:9, Genesis 3:22,
Genesis 3:24,
1 Kings 8:30,
1 Kings 8:39,
1 Kings 8:43,
1 Kings 8:49,
1 Kings
22:19, 2 Chronicles 6:21, 2 Chronicles 6:30, 2 Chronicles
18:18, 2 Chronicles 30:27, Psalms 11:4, Proverbs 3:18,
Proverbs
11:30, Proverbs 13:12, Proverbs 15:4, Isaiah 66:1,
Matthew 5:34,
Matthew
23:22, Luke 23:43, Acts 7:49, 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Revelation 2:7,
Revelation
4:2, Revelation
5:13, Revelation 16:17, Revelation 20:11, Revelation 22:2, Revelation
22:14 etc.) When the Bible says God lives in heaven, it doesn’t mean
that God lives with the clouds or stars; it means that He is above us
spiritually and not limited by time and space.
Paul describes
a very different concept of heaven to what members of the OAC preach.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 I knew a
man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot
tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one
caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether
in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he
was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it
is not lawful for a man to utter.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall
rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another
with these words.
Heaven is
described as the New Jerusalem and the entrance to heaven is not automatic for
people who have tried to be good or carry titles of some or other office.
Revelation 21:27 And there
shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the
Lamb's book of life.
Entry will
be granted only to those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
The REAL Jesus, our ONLY Messiah is preparing a place for those
who believe in Him.
John 14:2-6 In
my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I
am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas
saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the
way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no
man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
