On January 2nd, many people got an E-Mail with an article from Anne Graham Lotz about the First Century Jewish mystic known as Honi ha-M’agel, a man who rejected Jesus as God and even as savior (The belief that Jesus and/or the Holy Spirit are merely creations of God the Father and are not God is known as Arianism). This E-Mail has been forwarded to me, so You can read this here. (I have screenshots in case it gets taken down.) I will provide the section in question immediately below. (And thank you to those responsible for getting the E-Mail to me).
The unmistakable sound of the Shofar could be heard coming from the wall surrounding Jerusalem, echoing across the sun-scorched valley. The blowing of the trumpet heralded great public distress and was used to summon the people. It was the first century B.C. and a severe drought was threatening the very existence of the city. So the city elders called for the people to gather outside the city walls. Then they sent for Honi.
Honi was an old man who, after this day, became known as the Circle-Drawer. Because when he was summoned, the elders asked him, “Pray that rain may fall.” Honi prayed, but nothing happened. So he drew a circle around himself in the dust of the ground, and prayed again, “O Lord of the world, Your children have turned their faces to me… I swear by Your great name that I will not stir from here until You have pity on Your children.”
The rain began to fall, one large drop at a time. But Honi protested, “Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain that will fill the cisterns, pits, and caverns.”
In answer to his prayer, the heavens opened and the waters descended in a violent gully-washer that threatened to flood the city. So once again, Honi pleaded, “Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain of goodwill, blessing and graciousness.” It is said, and recorded by the Jewish historian, Josephus, that in response to Honi’s third prayer, a long, soaking rain began to fall that ended the three-year drought. [1] Honi had prevailed in prayer.[2]
As I look ahead into 2016, I feel compelled to draw a circle around this city, this state, this nation… and pray! Until God answers. Do the same. Please. On this first day of the New Year, draw your own circle. Then pray for everything that’s inside of it.
The accounts of Honi go that he was a mystic who claimed to be a prophet but denied Jesus as God. Honi once lived during a drought. During that drought, in a nearly child-like fashion, he drew a circle and told God he would not leave it until rain was sent down. According to some, God sent rain because of this (I say that he sent rain in spite of this). In any case, Honi stayed in the circle until God sent more rain because it wasn’t enough. It would be an understatement to say he blasphemed God by this. Rather than submitting to God’s will, Honi demanded that God carry out his[Honi’s] will.
Do you see the issue with the E-Mail now? In a similar fashion to those of the Word-Faith Movement, Lotz has said that we need to pray like Honi. Honi did not pray to God, as he rejected Jesus. 1 John 2:23 (ESV) says, “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.” So Honi did not worship God. Not the Father, not the Son, and not the Holy Spirit. He is not a man we should even considerable to be used as an example. Not only this, but he prayed in such a way that he treated God as one that had to obey him (Treating God as a cosmic butler or a powerful genie in a lamp).
This article, in a similar way to Mark Batterson’s “The Circle Maker”, promotes a mystic practice that blasphemes God and was first done by a Jewish Mystic that denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. We need not draw any circle around this nation to pray for it (Physical, Mental, or Spiritual; Literal or Metaphorical). Moreso, we should not be wicked and rebel against God by acting as if we can command God, but instead, ask humbly.
Finally, we cannot support anyone who denies essential Christian Doctrine such as the Divinity of Jesus Christ. We cannot promote Honi lest people go and blaspheme God in the same way he did. We cannot promote an Arian (If that is the right word for it), lest someone study the Arians and become convinced that Christ is not divine. We must always have at least one degree of separation between Christians and Heretics. If Athanasius and Arius wrote a Join Declaration on the Nature of God, then Athansius would have broken that one-degree rule. If Augustine had spoken at the same conference as Pelagius without rebuking him, that would break from the required degree of separation. If Todd Friel were to interview Kenneth Copeland in attempts to paint him in a positive light, then he would not be properly separated. If John MacArthur were to look back and promoted the writings, teachings, or actions of A.A. Allen, then he would be violating the degree of separation. In the same way, Anne Graham Lotz is violating the required degree of separation by promoting the teachings and actions of Honi ha-M’agel. These verses show that she is clearly in the wrong.
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
[**Note – This post was originally posted at Brandon Hines’ blog, and reposted here with permission]Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.