by Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
February 11, 2009
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That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done
is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. Is
there anything of which one might say, "See this, it is new"? Already
it has existed for ages, which were before us. --Ecclesiastes 1:9-10
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Visions of all makes and models, shapes and sizes are a common occurrence within the Charismatic and signs and wonders movements. The question is: Are the visions from God?
To no surprise, Todd Bentley claims to have had multiple visions, and further claims to have been transported back in time, not by way of Professor Peabody and his Wayback Machine, mind you, but by "Jesus":
Once in Bakersfield, as Todd was in prayer, the first night in the Pastor's office, he had a visitation from the Lord. Jesus transported him back in time. He found himself in Bakersfield, back in the '40's of '50's, and was in a Voice of Healing service, miraculous healings were taking place.
Later, Todd asked historically if there were ever any healing revivals in Bakersfield. It was then, that Todd found out that in the 1950's, Gordon Lindsay & Oral Roberts all had healing revivals there. Not only did they individually hold healing revival meetings there, but also Bakersfield was prophesied over by William Branham, and Paul Cain, that Bakersfield held a deep well of healing. [Fresh Fire Ministries, "Bakersfield California BLOWOUT!" August 8, 2002, http://tinyurl.com/Bentley-Branham ]
It is important to note that the Jesus of the Bible spent a considerable amount of time warning His followers about false prophets and false teachers (Matthew 7:15-23; Matthew chapter 24). However, Todd Bentley claims that his "Jesus" "transported him back in time" to revivals, which were led by false prophets and false teachers!
It never fails; a false "Jesus" always betrays its followers.
Another account of Todd Bentley traveling back in time is found on page 121 of his January 1, 2008 book, Journey Into The Miraculous, where he claims that,
In a vision, Jesus took me to the garden of Gethsemane. I watched the crucifixion, the suffering, and the intensity of Jesus' emotions. Throughout the encounter, I was fully aware of all of my natural senses as I wept and felt the deep despair of the moment.
As Bentley watched "Jesus" in the garden, he further claims that,
Jesus was sweating great drops of blood, wrestling back and forth, and anticipating the awful agony of taking the cup. [Ibid., emp. added]
Claims of Jesus sweating blood in the garden of Gethsemane has a familiar ring, if you know what the cult of Mormonism teaches, that is:
Following the Last Supper, Jesus and His Apostles went to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus went off by Himself to pray. He knew that the time had come for Him to suffer for the sins of the world. He prayed that He might not have to experience such suffering but told Heavenly Father that He would do the Fatherʼs will. Jesus prayed more earnestly, and He sweat great drops of blood as He atoned for our sins. ["Jesus Praying in Gethsemane," http://tinyurl.com/WrongAgain, emp. added]
But Bentley's vision and Mormonism's teaching on Jesus sweating blood in the garden of Gethsemane aren't exclusive; others have made the same claim:
In early 1860, at a tiny German mission in the Wimmera region of Victoria, a young Wotjobaluk man named Nathanael Pepper converted to Christianity. After a vision of Jesus sweating blood in Gethsemane, Pepper declared his experience to the missionaries and began evangelising his people in their own language. [ July 25, 2007, http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=3122, emp. added]
Between the new and the old renovated church there shall be the stations of the cross with all stations; before the first station shall be the station of Jesus sweating blood suffering for our sins-The Agony in the Garden, the 15th station shall be the station of victory-The Resurrection. [France Spelic, from his diary of "Messages from Mary," http://www.kurescek.info, emp. added]
Blood or perspiration?
When a verbal or written statement is made, it is important to listen to or read the statement carefully, think, then formulate a comment. The key words to remember are listen to...read carefully...think.
Regarding the subject of Jesus "sweating blood" in the garden of Gethsemane, read carefully what God's written word has to say:
Luke 22:44 (NASB): And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
Luke 22:44 (KJV): And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Note that Luke 22:44 does not say, His sweat became blood, or He sweated blood, or His sweat turned to blood. The Bible says Jesus' sweat was like drops of blood and as it were great drops of blood.
If Jesus had sweated "great drops of blood" in the garden--as taught by Todd Bentley, Mormonism, and others--He would have been a shocking sight to see. His face and beard would have been covered with blood. And, at least the front part of His clothing would have been soaked in blood, which no doubt would have shocked and startled His disciples.
Yes, Jesus was in great travail in the garden, but He did not sweat blood. He sweated sweat (perspiration), and later shed His blood on the cross.
Important questions
Todd Bentley's time travel visions raise some important questions, such as:
1. Regarding Todd Bentley and his being "transported" back in time to past revivals, would the real Jesus lead a true believer into a revival filled with heretics and false prophets for the purpose of fellowship and worship?
2. What do the following Scriptures mean?
"You are My witnesses," declares the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides Me" (Isaiah 43:10-11).
"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me'" (Isaiah 44:6).
Yet I have been the LORD your God since the land of Egypt; and you were not to know any god except Me, for there is no savior besides Me (Hosea 13:14).
"I am the Alpha and
the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and
who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8).
3. What did the Apostle Paul mean by "another Jesus" when he wrote:
But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
4. How many Jesus' are there in Todd Bentley's garden of Gethsemane vision? With all of the above Scriptures in mind, which "Jesus" is worthy of praise and worship (the "Jesus" who began the vision, or the "Jesus" in the garden of Gethsemane)?
5. Is Todd Bentley's "Jesus" the Jesus of the Bible? Are Todd Bentley's visions from the God of the Bible?
© Christian Research Service 2009
