HOME
Articles on Nations:
Alcohol Prayer Initiative 2009, New York
CHURCH SUPPORTING POLITICS
CONGO-KINSHASA, A REMARKABLE CONFERENCE
CORPORATE IDENTITY OF AFRICA
CORPORATE IDENTITY OF AMSTERDAM
CORPORATE IDENTITY OF AUSTRALIA
CORPORATE IDENTITY OF BELGIUM
CORPORATE IDENTITY OF BRAZIL
CORPORATE IDENTITY OF FRANCE
CORPORATE IDENTITY OF HUNGARY
CORPORATE IDENTITY OF KOREA
CORPORATE IDENTITY OF THE USA
COVERING AN AREA WITH PRAYER
Dialogue with Jacques Ellul
DURBAN II ≈ EVIAN III; NEW ANTISEMITISM
EUROPA – AFRIKA; Indrukwekkende Conferentie
EUROPA – AFRIKA; verzoeningsconferentie dvd
EUROPE - AFRICA; Berlin Congo I: Hist. Overview
EUROPE - AFRICA; Berlin Congo II: Report
EUROPE - AFRICA; Neo-Imperialism
GEBEDSBEDEKKING VAN EEN GEBIED
GOD'S COVENANT WITH ALL NATIONS
IDENTIFICEREND SCHULDBELIJDEN
JAMESTOWN APOLOGY
LOVING THE CITY GOD'S WAY
NATIVE AMERICANS, THREE DRAMA'S
NESTOR AFRICAN PRESIDENTS FORGIVES EUROPE
SLAVERY AND HEALING
SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
SPIRITUAL MAPPING
SURINAME paper
THE CITY AS BEAUTIFUL AS SHE COULD BE
THE CITY, AND WHY CITY PRAYER?
TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE PACIFIC
TWO CITIES DEDICATED TO KING JESUS
ÜBERSETZUNG THE NATIONS CALLED
VERZOENING MET NATIVE AMERICANS
WHY IS AFRICA SO POOR?
ZES LANDEN RIJNPROJECT
Articles on Society:
A REVEALING UN-MEETING
A strategic assault on this generation of children
BOEK BOS ANTIDEMOCRATISCH?
CHILDREN OF THE WORLD TARGETED
COPENHAGEN – Five questions
COPENHAGEN - No bread from stones
Copenhagen, where do we go from here?
DE ANDERE AGENDA VAN DE DALAI LAMA
DE OLYMPISCHE SPELEN
EU: HUMANISME VERSUS “GOD”
EUROPA, WAAROM DIE NAAM?
EUROPE, WHAT'S IN THE NAME?
EVROPA - CO SKRÝVÁ TO JMÉNO?
EYPΩΠH, TI KPYBETAI ΣTO ONOMA
HER-MYTHOLOGISERING INTERNATIONALE POLITIEK?
Informed intercession for the UN
KERK-STAAT VERHOUDING 1
KERK-STAAT VERHOUDING 2
KERK-STAAT VERHOUDING 3 (EU-Referendum)
KERK-STAAT VERHOUDING 4
MICRO FINANCING AND GRACE
MONDIALE SCHUDDINGEN I
MONDIALE SCHUDDINGEN II
NARNIA: JA
Obama 1: Obama en het leven
Obama 2: Door Obama een les voor de kerk
PRAYING FOR THE G8
PULLING DOWN STRONGHOLDS
RE-MYTHOLOGISATION 0 OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICS?
RE-MYTHOLOGISATION 1: CHURCH-STATE/GOD-STATE
RE-MYTHOLOGISATION 2: GOD-STATE LINK IN OUR TIME
RE-MYTHOLOGISATION 3: EU AND UN “COVENANTS”
RE-MYTHOLOGISATION 4:GOD-STATE IN NEAR FUTURE
RE-MYTHOLOGISATION 5: WHAT ABOUT GOD’S MASTER PLAN
UN MARATHON
UN-CONFERENCES, GENERAL
UN-DUURZAAMHEIDS TOP IN JOHANNESBURG
WHAT HAPPENS AT UN CONFERENCES?
WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Bible Studies:
Belijden van de zonden van je land?
BIDDEN VOOR HOOGGEPLAATSTEN
DOORSTART GEBEDSBEWEGING
GODEN DER VOLKEN
'GODS OF THE NATIONS'
HERSTEL VAN HET ALTAAR
HET KRUIS VAN JEZUS
JEZUS KOMT - drie voordrachten
NBV, COMMENTAAR OP ÉÉN ASPECT
OOK TOPCONFERENTIES IN DE BIJBEL GAAN OVER VOLKEN
SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY
THE CROSS OF JESUS
THE GLORY OF HIERARCHY
TITHING AND ETERNITY
VASTEN, WAAROM?
|
 |
|
EUROPE, WHAT'S IN THE NAME?
by: Helene Bos
date: 5/9/2005
Category: Society
EUROPE, WHAT’S IN THE NAME?
THE NAME AND DESTINY OF EUROPE AT STAKE
This article can be
downloaded as a Word-document, by right clicking on this link and then choosing "Save as."
Summary.
How did our continent receive her name? According to Greek mythology the chief Greek
god Zeus fell in love with the human daughter of the Phoenician king, named Europa; in
the shape of a white bull he abducted her, and had three sons through her. In order to
“make up” for his behavior, she was honored by naming a continent after her: Europa.
This “love” affair, though illegal, is “covenantal behavior.” And giving names to
territories is also “covenantal behavior”.
Zeus can be identified as Satan (Rev. 2:13.). Has he tried, by establishing a “covenant”
relationship with this continent, to have a “legal” claim on this continent? The story of
Genesis 6 connects this myth to European history. Did Zeus/Satan in this “legal” way try
to prevent the gospel taking root, where it was one of the first continents to be evangelized?
From this angle we explore these questions: - is that the reason why paganism in
(at least in western-) Europe was never given up? - is that the reason why this continent
through the centuries became so hostile to the gospel? - is that the reason why over the
years we saw in our own and other western nations the interest in the occult increase? -
is that the reason why even now a revival of paganism is taking place?
Through the centuries we can see that Zeus/Satan has devised spiritual strategies to
reinforce his claim on this continent. In our time we see this in the political arena
by the EU promoting the old myth, and by purposefully trying to leave the name of the
Lord God out of the preamble of the EU Constitution. And in the summer of 2004 we saw
it in the arena of a modern “idol”: sports; the Olympic Games of that year were explicitly
organized in the old pagan way, and with the stated goal to revive paganism.
If this is so, will there ever be a new covenant, with the Lord, with a new name, given
by Him, for this continent?
Intercessors have prayed over this, and the Lord did give another name. A name so
contrary to the old one that we can be full of hope for the future of this continent.
All the above poses a responsibility for the intercessors and for the Church of Europe.
This report explains these findings and these concepts, with much reference to literature,
and presents a strategy for prayer and application.
I will show my love to the one I called “Not my loved one.” And they will say,
”You are my God.” (Hosea 2:23)
Two timely reasons to write this article.
In February 2004 there were two compelling reasons to write this article: the extension
of the EU and the Olympic Games at Athens. Though both reasons have passed, the material
of this study remains valid. In April 2005 I just updated the material.
The first reason was: The extension of the EU with ten member-states. Many of
the leaders in the nations believe that it is important to reinforce the connection
between the nations. A new treaty was drafted which would replace all the former treaties.
They call it, mistakenly, a “constitution”. The former president of France, Giscard d’Estaing,
set himself to draft this new treaty. He did not want to mention the name of God or recognize
that Europe very much was shaped by the influence of Christianity. But he did want to honor
humanism. France is a secular state, with its formal “laïcité” and Giscard d’Estaing seemed
very intent on the European Union to be secular as well. Nevertheless, in his introductory
speech to the convention on the future of Europe, on 26 February 2002, he called on the
“enthusiasm” of his audience. And he explained: “A word which comes from the Greek
“en-thousia”, meaning “inspired by a god”. In our case, you might say “inspired by a goddess”-
the goddess Europa!”
Quite revealing for his real motives. This continent was one of the first to be evangelized.
How can we not recognize that? 1)
The second reason for writing this article were the upcoming Olympic Games, to
be held in August 2004 in Athens, Greece. Long ago the tradition of athletic religious
festivals started in that nation, of which the festival dedicated to Zeus, the Olympics,
was the most significant one. The first Olympics were held in 776 B.C. and they have always
been a religious festival. The upcoming Olympics were planned to be held in that old tradition.
One of the officials of the Olympic Games 2004 stated publicly that these Olympics would be
characterized by pagan revivalism, and priestesses would preside over the entire games. 2)
(In this version the chapter on the responsibility of intercessors in relationship to the
games is left out.)
Names have meaning.
In this article I focus on the meaning and background of the NAME OF EUROPE, the continent
where I live.
Did that name have an impact on the political and spiritual developments of our continent?
Was the inspiration for the games that were planned, drawn from the antique Olympic games,
meant to stir a revival of paganism? Though the Olympics of 2004 are now in the past, I yet
keep the objectives of the organizers and the strategies for those games, just somewhat
adjusted, included in this report. That part still helps our understanding that we are
involved in a spiritual battle. In a few years other Olympic Games will be held, and though
that will be in China, a communist country, the underlying ideas of the Olympic Committee
may be the same.
Over the years I was challenged to think about that name, Europe. I knew about the mythological
origin of it, and found myself often wondering: Why was that name given to this continent
and who gave that name?
In the spiritual world names do have meaning, the Bible teaches us. When then that name
is transferred to a continent, we may wonder: why? What did that continent inherit through
the connection to that name? Can that have spiritual implications for this continent? The
European Union is explicitly contributing meaning again to the myth that is in the
background of the name. Why?
I raise the suggestion that this continent may receive a new name, once.
Overview of the contents:
Chapter 1
Through the years I noticed developments that led me to pay closer attention to the name
of our continent, as a kind of personal quest.
Chapter 2
That process raised the question if there might be a reason why Europe never quit with paganism.
Chapter 3
At the time of an EPL-consultation (European Prayer Link) the Lord gave another name for
this continent!
Chapter 4
I believe this continent has a God given destiny, but we notice a revival to the contrary,
of old paganism. This was also promoted under the disguise of the Olympic games!
Chapter 5
The Church of Europe then has a responsibility with regard to the past and the future of Europe.
Chapter 1
THE SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF EUROPE
Spiritual and societal developments in our continent drew my attention gradually to the
name of this continent. That is why the following is in a way a personal account. I am
aware that this contribution to think about Europe is somewhat extraordinary. It is
difficult to check my understanding according to scientific ways. The reason is that
the understanding of the spiritual reality presented here cannot be analyzed in scientific
ways, yet can be right or wrong. The question may be asked whether this understanding is
consistent with the spiritual reality as the Bible teaches us. Maybe others have come to
reflect on that name because of a very different reason.
In the beginning of the nineties I heard that the late Swedish intercessor and prophetic
prayer-leader Kjell Sj?berg had asked the Lord for a new name for this continent. Though I
do not know if the Lord revealed one to him, I received this as a confirmation.
Over the years I was struck by the fact that the once “Christianized” continent was so
easily flooded with the occult, and that pagan roots of the continent were still so much alive.
The increase of the occult.
A. Increase of “counterfeit” spiritual phenomena in the seventies.
In the beginning of the seventies I heard more and more of people, not in Africa but in
rationalistic Europe, who went into trance, of fortune-tellers, of people with extra-sensory
perception, of mediums. Coming from a traditional church background but being hungry for
the work of the Holy Spirit, I wondered whether these things were not indicating that
there are “true” spiritual phenomena also.
In the seventies we lived as a family for almost two years in Singapore, in de midst of
a strong charismatic revival. We saw miracles by and manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
We also saw that the demonic world is not “true,” but yet very real.
I concluded that the increase of the counterfeit spiritual might well indicate that the
plan of the Lord was to give the real gifts and manifestations to the Body of Christ, also
to the church in Europe.
B. Increase of the interest in and influence of the occult in the eighties.
- An ever-swelling number of people are using alternative medicines and therapies, and/or
are interested in and involved in the occult, reading horoscopes and tarot-cards. More and
more games revolve around demonic beings, and cuddly toys are more and more demonic in expression.
- Much “literature,” for adults as well as for children, has occult topics, or is weaving
the occult into the story. We see a strong increase of the occult in TV-programs and movies;
there is an increase of exhibitions on foreign religions, with expressive posters with
demonic masks all over the city.
-Practitioners of the occult appear before the floodlights. Gurus, witches and Satanists
give interviews or seek publicity in other ways. People open up for Tibetan Buddhism, for
courses and therapies that are new- age inspired. These things are offered for individuals
privately, but also in businesses and for officials in government departments. Police-officials
are using clairvoyants in order to solve crimes. Schools have to teach all sorts of religions,
with not seldom lessons in which is “practiced” what was taught. Many cults have sprung up
over the last years, with their priests and priestesses. Many of them seek publicity and
try to recruit new members/followers through their websites.
The list is growing.
C. A recapture of the continent by the “queen of heaven” in the nineties.
Our attention was drawn to the special place “Mary” occupied in the lives of
committed Roman-Catholics and Eastern-Orthodox believers. And we were perplexed
to notice that many of them, born again believers, fruits of renewal in these
old churches, often have an obvious closer relationship with “Mary” than with
Jesus Christ, whom they confess to be their Savior.
In an in depth study I developed the understanding that this “Mary” is NOT the mother of
the Lord Jesus Christ, but an adaptation of a pagan “principality” that over the whole
world had secured for itself a place of veneration, under many names, the most presumptuous
name being “queen of heaven,” as mentioned in the Bible. When Christianity in her first
centuries pushed back this influence, this principality secured itself a place again IN
the church, now under the name of Mary. There is an increase in appearances of “Mary.”
A movement to pronounce her “mediatrix,” and “Lady of all nations” is (out of Amsterdam!)
gaining momentum in nations all over the world.3)
Under the influence of the queen of heaven we see an increase of deception, violence,
confusion, chaos, manipulation and intimidation, enrichment for some, impoverishment for
many, breakdowns in relationships, seduction, immorality, together with (new age, and eastern)
religion (to call just some effects).4)
In our time we see this principality increase her influence through treaties that are
coming out of the United Nations, in which the concept of “sustainability” is a key issue.
The foundation for that concept is a pantheistic veneration for the Earth, or “Gaia,”
or “Mother Earth,” the 21st century adaptation of that same old principality, a pagan
goddess, the queen of heaven. When UN-treaties are ratified by a nation, the treaty
becomes international law, to which national law is subject. In this way almost all
areas of our lives become “covered” by the rule of the queen of heaven.5)
Paganism is still “everywhere.”
On the occasion of the complete solar eclipse in Europe in august 1999, I did research
concerning the places in our own nation and in Europe where this principality, the queen
of heaven, was venerated, and where sacrifices had been and in certain instances still
are being made to her.6)
I found that sacrifices had been made to many “goddesses” and “gods,” as a common practice,
in many places, all over the continent. Many are the stories of appearances, sometimes of
Greek gods and goddesses, frequently of “Mary” and “Michael.” Certainly not all of them
can be reduced to fantasies. People did see appearances and noticed manifestations and/or
“miracles.” The remnants of pagan worship are obvious all over Europe. Particularly
noticeable are:
- There must have been many roman temples, as more and more are being excavated. Greek
and Roman gods were being worshiped in these temples. This idolatry was obviously widespread
in the European nations. Through this the enemy must have received a clear entry to this
continent and names of cities, mountains, months and weekdays confirm this.
- Also Scandinavian and German “gods” were worshiped on a large scale. Three of the weekdays
honor them. We still/again can find the marks in many places and on buildings. There are
runic symbols on houses, and statues of mermaids, and of Neptune on market places and
boulevards, of the Green Man, the male counterpart of Gaia, “the goddess,” Mother Earth,
on many older, “official” houses like the Dutch parliament, and in cathedrals.
- Many “traditions” of occult origin have become normal in daily life, as they were
“christianized”. Well-known is the search for Easter eggs, the Christmas tree, Father
Christmas and Santa Claus and his black servants. But by now the pagan roots have surfaced
clearly and completely overtaken the added Christian elements in these traditions. The general
pattern is: paganism crowds out the Christian element. Other “traditions” also became normal,
superstitious habits like “touching wood” is an example. The baptism in the name of Neptune
for all persons in the navy or marine, who pass the equator for the first time, has been an
international century-old tradition, but “dressed up” in our days.
- We see a growth of “folklore” and “folkloristic” traditions. “Tourist attractions” are
offered, for example under the motto:” Sacrificing to the gods, as our ancestors used to
do”. Many of these attractions are in reality pagan customs and they supply the enemy with
an entry to people and to regions.
Was Europe ever a “Christianized” continent?
A. Europe was a pagan continent. That is not surprising. Paganism, including witchcraft,
is everywhere where the message of the gospel has not yet been preached. There is no real
alternative (maybe with an exception for true, thora-centered, Judaism). We may assume that
the peoples wandered into the world demonized after they were scattered out of Babylon,
Genesis 11. With that spiritual burden the peoples reached the area now called Europe.
B. The gospel reached Europe in a, comparatively, early stage. The representatives of
the pagan religions resisted the progress of the gospel, and not seldom continued, after
the “official’ Christianizing of an area, with their rituals, side by side to the new faith.
Destroying a temple and rebuilding a church on the same foundations in that same place may
have given the impression of Christianization, but if/when Gods people did not take
authority over the demonic powers attached to that place, these powers still continued
to exert their influence there. Old idols were “Christianized” by renaming them: Donar,
a Scandinavian god, was renamed into “Peter,” and Wodan into “Michael’. Many old rituals
continued, but now for the god with another name, called a saint.
It was very clear that Europe never really gave up paganism; in our time there is a
revival in paganism all over Europe. The enemy cannot care less why people take part in
it, if only it happens.
When we realized all the above, we wondered:
Chapter 2
IS THERE A DEEPER CAUSE WHY EUROPE NEVER GAVE UP PAGANISM?
And other questions also popped up: Why does only this continent have a name that
stems from Greek mythology? And who gave that name?
The origin of the name “Europa”
The name is derived from (in transcript from the Greek) "Eurôpê,” and is related to a
well-known Greek myth: Europa was the beautiful daughter of the Phoenician king Agenor.
The Greek chief god Zeus fell in love with her. Zeus knew that his sister-wife, the goddess
Hera, already jealous because of his many affairs with other women, would be angry because
of a love affair with Europe. To escape Hera's eyes he changed himself into the shape of
a handsome white bull, and in that shape he approached Europe, when she was playing on
the beach with her girl friends. As he knelt down before her, she playfully took place at
his back. At that moment he jumped into the sea and swam with her to the island of Crete.
There he took on his own shape again. Europe bore him three sons, one of whom was Minos.
Then Europe married Asterios, the king of Crete. When this king died, Minos reigned in
Crete in accordance with laws given to him every nine years by his father Zeus. 7)
Minos was, according to Homer in the Odyssey and to Greek mythology, the king of Knossos.
In prehistoric times Knossos was the most important town on Crete. According to archeologists
the first advanced (European) civilization was found there. From there “civilization” spread
over the area that is now Greece.
As mentioned, Europa was a Phoenician princess. In Syria she was equated with Astarte, an
adaptation of the demonic principality named in the bible as the queen of heaven. She is
also known as Ishtar. One of Ishtar’s sacred symbols was the bull. At Knossos the queen-priestess
represented the “mother goddess,” the queen of heaven. Bulls were sacred; bull-games had a
very important place.
Some classicists interpret this story as an allegory of the contribution of Phoenicia
to Europe. In mythology it is said that to comfort Europa for the abuse she suffered,
a continent was given her name, the continent now called Europe. I could not find
who gave that name, but the naming of this continent after her developed gradually.
Initially, Eurôpê was a toponym for the area from the south of Greece up to halfway
Greece. Then the whole Hellenic peninsula was named Europa, and from 500 B.C. on the
continent itself was called Europa.8)
Revival of Greek mythology and new focus on “the woman on the bull” in Europe.
The European Union uses this story for a logo on its stationary. The story was depicted on
money in the UK and in Germany, and on postal stamps of several member-states. It was
depicted on the Berlin Wall, and can be seen in the Airport Lounge in Brussels. A sculpture
of the woman on the bull is situated outside the European Council Building in Brussels.
The image has been used in advertisements and in statues, all connected to the European
Union and in some other places as well. Remarkable in this respect is also, that in many
European cities public buildings, and parks, are being “decorated” with all sorts of
statues of bulls.
In 1999 the bi-annual international festival of sand sculptures (taking place in the very
city where we live) had as a theme: “Become acquainted with the world of the Greek gods.”
Depicted in sand was the mount Olympus with its pantheon of gods, nude or partly nude.
There is obviously a revival of Greek mythology and focus on “The woman on the bull”
in Europe.
The Olympic Games in August of 2004 also served to revive paganism. (See Ch. 4)
The background of the story of Zeus and Europa.
In 2000 the late Derek Prince, who was well educated in Greek philosophy and a
university teacher in classics, taught about Genesis 6:4:
“Those who were born in this later period (after the flood, H.B.) out of this unnatural
union were called heroes. Greek mythology abounds with descriptions of such heroes. They
were born when beings whom the Greeks called gods had intercourse with human women. These
gods were supernaturally powerful beings who came down from a higher plane of existence.
The Bible calls them nephilim. They were, in fact, fallen angels.” 9)
Prince said that we see these stories told in the mythology of the peoples. He especially
mentioned the Greek mythology. Derek Prince then gives some examples, one of which is
the case of Zeus, the “father” of the gods, having intercourse with Europa. “These
myths are like a cracked mirror, giving a distorted representation of events which are
accurately summed up in Genesis 6:4.”
The story of Zeus and Europe is an important story, about the “father of the gods,”
and it has to do with a whole continent. The abduction of Europa was in antiquity a
much-favored topic for decorations in many varieties, fresco’s, mosaics, on friezes,
and many paintings, but also in poems.10) That also shows that it is an important story,
and we almost get the impression that Zeus desired very much that people would be aware
of this story. I do believe that the Lord has given us key information in Genesis 6, so
that we may understand what it is about.
Who was/is Zeus? Zeus was/is the chief god of the Greek gods. A commentary says: “Zeus
is the mightiest of the Olympians, the king of Gods and men, whose law governs all that
happens in the universe. His concerns are sovereignty, power, justice, oaths, and the
social and familial order. But he is also concerned with the home and its larder. He
guards guests, strangers, suppliants, and children. He is associated with storms, clouds,
rain, forests, and caves. He is the father of most of the Gods and many heroes.” That
commentary also says: “Zeus had numerous liaisons with both goddesses and mortals. He
either raped them, or used devious means to seduce the unsuspecting maidens”, like
taking on the shape of a bull, a swan, a snake, just to mention three of these means.
From each of these unions children were born.11)
The way, according to mythology, he dealt with these women, with “his” children, with
any other personality, is so impulsively cruel, intriguing, brute, unjust, lustful,
abusive, egoistic, unreliable, deceiving, unfaithful, and immoral that the above admiring
description amazes me: none of the Greek gods were holy and just, certainly not Zeus himself.
In one word we can say: he was evil.
The cradle of Greek philosophy was not in Greece, but in Asia Minor. This province was
the cultural center of the world at the time of Jesus, and considered to be the most
“civilized” part of the Roman empire. The city in that area that was most admired was
Pergamum, now called Bergama, in Turkey. It was a cultural center with many temples,
one of which was a huge temple for Zeus, with an altar on which many humans have been
sacrificed. That temple has been rebuilt in Berlin and Moscow and then again in Berlin,
and in each location occult power was ascribed to it. In the letter to Pergamum, we read:”
where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is….,” and “where Satan dwells” (Rev. 2:13). The fact
that the glorified Lord Jesus himself indicates twice that Satan dwelled in Pergamum, means
that we can believe that the name of Zeus is the disguising name for Satan. The
behavior ascribed to Zeus fits in very well with our understanding of how Satan acts.
This Zeus then abducted and abused Europa, out of which relationship three sons were born!
What type of relationship was that?
A wrong covenant.
Covenants are God’s idea. The core of all covenants is: “I, the eternal Creator, bridge
the gap with the creature, by establishing a covenant; I promise to prosper and protect
the creature, on the sole condition of submission on his part, for ever”. In short: “I
am your God and you are my people”.12)
In the ancient near east there were several types of covenant, of which we find examples
in the Bible. One of the covenants was the Suzerain-vassal covenant, which regulates the
relationship between a great king and one of his subject kings. The great king claimed
absolute right of sovereignty and demanded total loyalty and service. He also pledged
protection on the subject’s realm and dynasty, conditional on the vassal’s faithfulness
to him. The vassal pledged absolute loyalty to his suzerain and total reliance on the
suzerain’s protection. The Lord established this type of covenant with Abraham as the
patriarchic head of his household and with the people of Israel at Mount Sinai.13)
Another type of covenant we find in the Bible was the “Royal Grant.” This is the type
of covenant that the Lord made with Noah, with Abraham (Gen. 15), with David and it is
the type for the “new covenant” with His people (Jer 31, to whom born again believers
belong by faith), through the sacrifice of Jesus. In this covenant the king (or a royal
personality) grants a piece of land (or another benefit) to a loyal servant for faithful
or exceptional service. The grant was meant to perpetuate, but the heirs only could
benefit from it as they continued the loyalty and service that their father, the first
beneficiary, had shown.
In biblical teaching marriage is a symbol for the good covenant of the Suzerain-vassal-type:
the Lord demands that the husband, as “suzerain,” takes care of his wife and to love her;
he has to lay down his life for her, as Christ did for the Church. The wife has to submit
to her husband as to the Lord, and to accept that he is her head.14) In this imagery is
rape a form of anti- marriage, and a symbol for a false covenant.
The relationship of Zeus with Europa had elements in it of the suzerain-vassal covenant, but
then in the negative, perverted way. It was not a good, holy, relationship, in which the
“suzerain” protected the woman, cared for her, and laid down his life for her. On the
contrary, it started with abduction, and proceeded to rape, the opposite of protection and
care. It was a wrong covenant, a covenant in the most perverted way. And: according to the
revelation about who Zeus is, it was a covenant with Satan himself.
And then, to make up for the abuse, her name is given to a continent, our continent. In
other words: a piece of land was given for “service,” and as a solace for the abuse. That
seems to be the application of the “Royal Grant” covenant.
This all supports the assumption that the myth of Zeus abducting the kings daughter is
based on a real event, maybe before, maybe after the flood.
Is it important to know that there was a “(wrong) covenantal relationship” between Zeus and
Europe?
In my opinion: yes, it is very important. For the following reason.
“What’s in a name”?
In the Bible is “giving names” an act of authority. Adam was authorized by the Lord to
give names to the animals, and as he called one, that “was its name”, Gen. 2:19., The Lord
sometimes Re-named people. Abram, Sarah, Jacob, Simon, Saul were renamed into Abraham,
Sarah, Israel, Peter, Paul. The meaning of these new names was different from the old one.
When the Lord changes the name of a person, area or nation, then the status of that person,
area or nation in his/its relation to the Lord will be changed as well. The Lord said in
Hosea 2 that to the one He had called “Not my people”, Lo-Ammi, He would say “You are my
people”. From of old it was understood that name giving was an act of authority. Cain
went and had a son, Enoch. Then he built a city and named it after his son, Enoch.
We also see that the one who offers a covenant also gives a new name. In our own times St.
Petersburg changed into Leningrad, and when the communist government fell it quickly was
renamed again into St. Petersburg. Names are important and carry a lot of meaning, they
indicate or signify a message. Jesus is indicated in the prophetic Scriptures with the
name “David.” That carried a prophetic promise. Here we touch on spiritual principles
that have to do with authority, ownership, and covenant relationships. Of course, the
enemy was well aware of these principles.
We may ask: was by naming this continent after the woman Europa, not only the name
transferred to this continent, but also everything that was related to this name? Could
it be that by transferring the name also the (evil) claim that Satan had on the woman
with that name was transferred to the continent?
Personally I believe that the
transference of the name of Europa to a continent was a deliberate act of claiming that
continent as his possession. That Satan claimed that continent, as “his royal grant,”
for himself just by having that name laid over the continent. This is exactly the opposite
of the salvation plan of Jesus: that nations, and continents, are destined to be discipled
for the Kingdom of God. My husband Pieter develops this concept in depth: In the Bible
nations (tribes, peoples, states, cities, continents) are addressed as “Virgin, Daughter,”
meaning: Corporate Persons, ready for (marriage-) covenant. This concept is found also
in ancient literature. The Bible presents “God’s covenant with all nations,”
that was broken, and it informs us that God wants to make a new covenant with
all nations. That was part of Jesus’ commission: “Go, and disciple all nations, baptizing
(=covenanting) them” to their heavenly Husband. Over the last years some nations have
understood this and acted accordingly.15)
Paul crossed over to Macedonia, to our continent. Immediately he saw the first fruits
(Lydia) and supernatural opposition (the slave girl, the imprisonment), and a miraculous
breakthrough (the earth quake and the deliverance)! The continent of Europe was destined
to enter into a covenant-relationship with Jesus, the King of the nations, and to become
a disciple-nation.
But, as in a kidnapping, abduction, by giving it the name Europe, this continent was
placed not in a meant covenant relationship with Jesus, but in an anti-covenant, with
Satan.
I understand the naming of this continent after the woman who “served” Zeus, to be an
act of covenant-reward, but not in the visible, but in the spiritual world. And the
question forced itself on me: Can this be the reason why this continent was never
able to give up paganism completely? Is there a bondage to Satan, inherited with the
name Europa?
An anti-covenant is a mockery of and a blockage to the true covenant.
In a covenant the stronger party protects the weaker party. The weaker party may appeal
to that protection at all times. The possessions of the stronger party are being declared
also to belong to the weaker party. There is one condition: The weaker party has to be
loyal to the stronger party.
In the anti-covenant there is no protection, just abuse. There is no love, no care, just
control. The weaker party has no freedom. It does not feel loved, and reacts aggressively.
There is no heart-commitment, no true loyalty. In an anti-covenant there is no grace of
the one partner for the other one.
The anti-covenant brings forth bad fruit and bad fruits. These are not for the healing
of the nations, they destroy the peoples. Disobedience to the real Suzerain, and serving
another suzerain, is idolatry! This brings a curse over a nation, a people; the Bible
makes that very clear (Deut. 12; 28).
And most importantly: a covenant with the wrong covenant-partner prevents us from
entering into the real covenant. We cannot serve two masters.
Chapter 3
REVELATION ABOUT GOD’S DESTINY FOR THIS CONTINENT.
Two competing influences.
What do we see in the history of our continent and, almost parallel to it, in the history
of the Church of our continent? The Lord sent apostles and evangelists to make the peoples
His disciple-peoples. Many of them were worshiping Scandinavian, Celtic and German gods.
And the Roman Empire had, at the time when the evangelists came, already taken possession
over many areas. Though there were Christian roman soldiers who shared the gospel, the
empire also introduced, in many places, the worship of the roman-Greek gods and goddesses.
We did not only receive the name of a woman with whom Zeus (Satan) had a wrong covenant
relationship, he as “the father of the gods” also overloaded this continent with the many
gods and half gods from the Greek pantheon. The many statues of Roman and Greek gods and
goddesses that gradually were erected all over Europe, in parks and on squares, on stately
houses, and even in churches, have blanketed those nations with a spiritual defilement that
works as a hindrance against the redemption through the gospel. During the time of the
iconoclast many images of Jesus were smashed, but images of the Greek gods and goddesses
were then erected everywhere. This drowned the cultures of many nations with the fruits
of the Greek idolatry.
During the “Christianizing” there (also) was, as described in
Ch. 2, an adaptation of the
gospel to the pagan culture. Hundreds, if not thousands, of places and cities, are dedicated
to a Madonna or to (Mary,) queen of heaven. Through philosophy the Greek way of thinking
received an important place, in many aspects of life. The Lord gave a Reformation with a
return to the Scriptures in which He had revealed Himself. But Satan had already set in
motion a renaissance of the Greek culture with the emphasis on the Greek mind, with the
teachings of Greek philosophers mixing with theology. This “Greek mind” became more and
more dominant in the important centers of this continent, and also in the theology of
the church.
That also applies when the church let the Greek mind dominate her in rationalistic thinking.
Was the renaissance meant by the enemy to drown the reformation?
So, we see the continent, overruled by Greek idolatry and thinking, and we see the church,
meant to be the Bride of Christ, and to be in a covenant-relationship with God, defiled
by Greek thinking. Where she venerates pagan gods and goddesses, like Michael, and “Mary,”
she has entered in a false covenant that prevents her from entering into the true covenant
with the Lord himself.
A new name for Europe?
After I started to consider the possibility that this continent is under a curse or in
bondage because of a false covenant, I assumed that the name Europa for this continent
had not been His first choice, and so I started to ask the Lord, if this was true, to
reveal His name for this continent. For a number of years my husband and I regularly
prayed that prayer. As mentioned, the late Kjell Sj?berg, had prayed it, and others
may have done the same.
Autumn 2003 I felt God say I (in Dutch): “I have betrothed you as a bride” and “the
betrothed one”. We find that in Hosea 2:16-20:
“In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me my husband”;
You will no longer call me “my master.”…
I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips, no longer will their names be invoked….
I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in
love and compassion, I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.”
Also in the autumn of 2003 a consultation of the European Prayer Link, the EPL, took place.
During the orientation meeting of the EPL leadership team a day before the consultation
started, during a time of worship, the Lord started to speak to one of that team, Pastor
Ioan Peia, member of the EPL-leadership team and a recognized prayer leader in Romania.
Ioan shared later his testimony, in order that the whole context of the revelation that
the Lord gave may be well understood. In a lengthy prophecy the Lord spoke on the lack
of unity in the Body of Christ, which is like a cloud that blocks the understanding of
“the truth about your part of the world for which you are praying. The unity is coming
through repentance and cleansing. I want to build a model of the real unity in this part
of the world. The unity of the Church will show, will reveal, the weaknesses of human unity.
I will show to this part of the world My Church in her unity and she will challenge the
unity done by people….The work of the prayer-movement will be to prepare the revelation
of the Church in unity……My purpose for you (the prayer movement) is to unite those I'm
calling to be My watchman in this part of the world."
In His entire message the Lord referred not to Europe but to "this part of the world".
When Ioan asked: Why Lord, you don't use the name of our continent? was His answer very
clear: “Because that name is not the name I have given to this part of the world”. When
he asked what then its name is, there was silence.
He shared the message of the Lord with the whole team. The next day, waiting on the Lord
to receive the new name, came, through some others in the consultation, more understanding
about the significance of the name Europe. During a time of worship he waited and asked
the Lord to reveal the name. “ And straight in my mind came the word “Beulah”. It was
not a verse from Scripture, and I did not understand the name”. (Ioan is not an Englishman,
he is a Romanian, H.B.) At the end of the meeting “ I shared with one of the other leaders
that name from the Lord and I asked her where it was written in the Bible. She received
straight away in her mind that it is mentioned in Isaiah 62, verse:4b “but you will be
called…and your land Beulah.” Upon reading Isaiah 62 the connection between the wrong
covenant and the New Covenant was clear. We understood that the Lord wants to restore
His Covenant with this part of the world.
Ioan noticed something special when he left from the International Airport in Zurich,
after this EPL-meeting.. Just a little bit to the north is a village, called Bülach.
He remarked: It is not by chance that in the heart of our part of the world there is
such a place carrying the name given by God.
The name Beulah means: married! 16)
“I have betrothed you “ and “Married” are surprisingly close!
I believe that the two Scriptures, Hosea 2:16-20 and Isaiah 62: 4b hold a promise
for this continent.17)
The woman Europa was NOT MARRIED, NOT BETROTHED in righteousness and justice, but ABDUCTED,
carried off and abused. She experienced the opposite of the promise in Hosea. This very
same thing happened to this continent, but then on a corporate level. The continent was
meant to be betrothed in faithfulness, in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion,
to the Lord. But the enemy as it were abducted her, and brought her under a false covenant,
and abused her. She had to serve a “master” and could not enter into a loving, faithful
relationship with her heavenly Husband.
When will the time of the wedding be? Zechariah 9:14 prophesies the appearance of the
Sovereign Lord as a warrior. We understand this as Jesus coming as the King who will
reign from Zion. Just before that the Lord will rouse the sons of Zion against the sons
of Greece. Zech. 9:13. The “sons of Greece” may be understood as those demonic powers who,
also, ruled over Europe, and through the European nations defiled many other parts of the
world. In the time that Jesus returns there will be battles, spiritual battles especially,
but the outcome is guaranteed.
A beautiful promise for a deceived continent .
I do believe that in this way the two Scriptures, from Isaiah and Hosea, are key for
understanding the history of this continent, and for understanding why this continent
could not in depth embrace the message of the gospel. That is why I share this whole
process plus the questions. Please, assay this understanding. The interpretation may
seem new, and questioning the name of a continent may seem daring, but the important
issue is that if we want to intercede for this continent, this may be a key point.
The two scriptures also contain a beautiful promise. There will be a time when Jesus will
restore all things. Nations and cities will be brought into their destiny. And we may
believe the same for this continent. Is that time not coming much closer? Not only will
the Lord have a church of Europe that will be betrothed by Him, that will be (part of)
the international Bride of Christ. Also it is God’s design that once this continent will
be betrothed by the One who really loves her, Who does not abuse her, and is not
unfaithful to her. He wants to marry her, and this continent then will acknowledge her
loving Husband, the Lord.
Chapter 4
THE STRATEGY OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES.
No wonder that through the centuries the enemy attempted to prevent this. The issues
mentioned in par. 2 underline this. Of course, he will attempt to prevent in Europe
(and in all the continents) the gospel taking root.
And for these days, in the time that the restoration of all things is getting closer,
Satan will work the harder to keep people, nations and cities, and also this continent,
in bondage to himself. We can see that he has devised a special strategy. I already
mentioned the revival in paganism in Europe. One strong effort to bring this about,
and not just for this continent, but worldwide, has been through the Olympics Games!
As during the last century the Olympic Games have received an increasing interest in
the lives of many people on earth at the times at least when the games are held, it
seems appropriate to pay attention to the background ,the philosophy behind it, and
to what takes place during the games.
So far many, me too, have been quite unaware of how subtle this strategy has been over
the last 100 years. However, through the last Olympics in Athens the strategy is becoming
quite obvious.
This paragraph deals with the revival in paganism that the committee of the Olympic games
pursued summer 2004 in Greece. Under the design for these games we recognize a brilliantly
evil strategy, to cover humanity even stronger under the influence of Satan himself. We must
leave open the possibility that all, or at least, some of the Olympic Committee may not even
have been aware themselves of the underlying strategy. That their minds were just blinded by
the god of this age (2 Cor.4: 4), who himself designed the strategy.
I never was very interested in the Olympics. Nevertheless I had noticed that there were
elements in the Games that were mythological, or new age. However, in March 2003 I heard
that schoolchildren in Greece had to learn the Olympic Hymn, and that the content was an
adoration of a Greek god. When I did some research I became alarmed. I now understand it
as a renewed attempt to strengthen the darkness over Europe, even over the entire world.
I even wonder now if not the celebrations of the Olympics during the last century, meant
to be a revival of the pagan festival, strongly contributed to the darkness that came over
the world, and especially over the western world.
The original Olympics.
The Olympic games as we know them now, are named after the ancient Olympics, in Greece.
It is assumed that those started in 776 BC. They were held every four years, dedicated to
Zeus of Olympia. In that place stood a temple for him with a huge, 14 m. high, ivory and
golden statue of him, that was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The name for the games was of course derived from that place, which is on the west coast
of Greece, about 150 km from Athens. Those games were always a religious festival. There
were more athletic festivals, dedicated to other gods, but the one to Zeus became the most
significant. Priests and priestesses were leading the festival. Before and during the
Olympiad sacrifices were made, also human sacrifices. It was (therefore!) a covenant-making
event.
These annual “Olympics” continued till AD 391 when the emperor Theodosius I banned the
Olympic games as pagan practices, and the temple for Zeus was ordered closed. A fire
destroyed the statue in AD 462 (in Constantinople, to where it was transported), and
the temple was destroyed by fire in the fifth century AD.
The revival of the Olympics.
In 1890 a French theologian, Henri Didon, prior at a Dominican boarding-school, and
Pierre de Coubertin, a French nobleman, who had studied with the Jesuïts, met and became
friends. Together they arranged a sports-competition. Didon designed the motto "Citius,
Altius, Fortius” (=faster, higher, stronger), for the banner of his school. Together the
friends journeyed to Olympia and decided to organize worldwide athletic competitions and
to give them also the name “Olympics”, in order to see the Olympic Games revived. The
motto Citius, Altius, Fortius was going to be the device for these games. In 1896 Pierre
de Coubertin, established the Olympic Charter, which describes the goal of the Olympic
Movement: “to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through
sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires
mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.” 18)
That Olympic Spirit, also called “Olympism,” is a spirit of humanism. It desires to build
a peaceful and better world, without recognizing that we humans have no good in ourselves
and that we in our own strength can never make a better world. It is through the
substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ that people can be changed, not through Olympism.
The heart of De Coubertin is buried in an obelisk, placed on the ground of the temple in
Olympia. This raises the surmise that De Coubertin was a freemason. His speaking about a
world-brotherhood supports this suspicion.
In the stated goal of the Olympic Games there was an intended merging of the classical
(religious, pagan!) past with the national present (of 1896).19) And observers at that time
noticed the ritual elements connected to the (bombastic) Olympic Hymn:
The current translation was adopted in 1957,20) and reads
”Immortal spirit of antiquity, Father of the true, beautiful and good,
Descend, appear, shed over us thy light
Upon this ground and under this sky Which has fits witnessed by imperishable fame.
Give life and animation to those noble games! Throw wreaths of fadeless flowers to the victors
In the race and in the strife! Create in our breasts, hearts of steel!
In thy light, plains, mountains and seas Shine in a roseate hue and form a vast temple
To which all nations throng to adore thee, Oh immortal spirit of antiquity!”
Obviously this is not a song to the Lord God, but a song to the one whose name always was
connected with the Olympic Games, Zeus! It is a song that summons the powers (demonic,
that is, H.B.) to inhabit the games! It has been sung by now at many of the 24 Olympic
Games, and the Olympic Winter Games. In 1896 it was sung in Greek, maybe this was the
case for the other Olympics as well. Did we, the Christians not notice, because of the
language, the pagan content of the song before? Or did we consider it to be a “folkloristic,”
archaic specialty that was just funny, but not really important? Whatever, it was not
funny at all. In 1896 Charles Beck wrote: ”That hymn, sung in the open air in full sunshine,
in the presence of tens of thousands of spectators, moved with emotion, has something of
especial worthiness."
We have to realize that visitors in the stadiums at all those games have, “moved with
emotion,” admiringly swallowed this blasphemous song, and have so come also under this power.
When we let ourselves become impressed and admire it, that is in a certain way an act of
worship. This creates in us an opening for the spiritual influence. Those that, in stadiums,
in front of TV’s, had this admiring attitude were subsequently influenced by these demonic
powers, in their spirit, mind and body.
This song was sung as the opening hymn again. This has spread darkness over the last 100
years and when through the TV people allowed this “prayer” to enter their homes, it has
spread more darkness over the nations, and the peoples.
“See, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples…”
(Isaiah 60:2)
This is an end-time prophecy, and this is one way by which we can see it becoming fulfilled.
The Olympic flame.
In the course of the modern Olympics new pagan elements were added to the Olympics, such
as the torch and the flame, “two of the greatest symbols of Olympism,” according to the
Olympics website. The origin of it goes back to the Ancient Olympic Games through the
course of which a sacred flame burned continuously at the altar (!) to Zeus. In modern
times the Olympic flame was lit for the first time at the Games in Amsterdam, 1928. At
the top of a tower inside the stadium it remained burning throughout the Games.
Some months before the opening of the Games, the sun's rays and a parabolic mirror are
used to light the Olympic flame in the ruins of ancient Olympia in Greece, “by the sun
in the heavens, where Zeus is said to preside,” at about the same place where the Ancient
Games took place, and where in those times the temple for Zeus and his sister-wife Hera
stood. The ceremony this year occurred on the 25 th of March, a day full of “religious”
meaning, connected to the queen of heaven. The flame had to wait till June before it
traveled, in a torch-run, across continents back to the host country, where it arrived
more then a month before the games. The first time the flame was lit, in 1896, was also
on the 25th of March. Obviously the Olympic committee saw that relationship as important.
At Athens the flame was lit at the opening of the games. There the main “altar” was lit
by that flame, under the cheers of the thousands of onlookers and partakers.
The quotation marks around “altar” are mine. The symbolic meaning of this lighting of a
flame and keeping it burning during the action is nothing else than sacrificing to a god
and attending to the altar! That is nothing less than: covenanting to Zeus!
For the games of 2004 the flame was run to all of the cities where since 1896 the Olympics
were held, and to some more. All continents were touched and connected in that way.
Rekindling or lighting that fire in those cities was to be spiritually understood as
renewing the covenants with Zeus that were made in the past, or establishing
them. This defilement went all over the world. The flame in 2004 was meant to be the
most honored altar flame in history.
(In hindsight we can share that thanks to the prayers of many intercessors at Athens
and all over the world, and to God who answers prayers, the flame went out the first
time when it was lit at Olympia! In our nation, Holland, the wind and rain were so
strong that the flame went out several times during the torch-run, and also at the top
of the tower. The flame that was meant to burn till the Olympics were over went out and
was not lit again. I trust that each nation has its own testimony.)
More pagan elements
Zeus (Satan) was meant to be honored by the hymn, the flame and the torch. But there
were more pagan elements added to the games.
The main feature of the Olympic medals was the Greek character of the Games as regards
both their origin and their revival, that from 2004 on all Olympic medals will be reflected.
On one side we find some lines from the Greek poet Pindarus, who wrote in 460 BC in
his 8th Olympic Ode:
“Mater oo chrusostephanoon aethloon, Oulumpia, Despoin' alatheias.” (Translated: “
O Mother of contests, crowned with wreaths of gold, Olympia, queen of truth.”
Who is that “queen of truth”?
(The poem it continues: “Where, by the test of sacrifices, diviners inquire the will
of Zeus of the flashing thunderbolt, asking if he has any message to give concerning
men, who in their very heart are seeking to win great praise for prowess and a
breathing-space from toils...”.)
On the reverse we see then the goddess Nike descending in the panathenic stadium
(where the first new Olympics in 1896 were held), bringing to the winners the victory
that “the gods allotted to them”. (And that the diviners had inquired Zeus about!)

The emblem, logo, of the 2004 Olympic Games portrays an olive wreath, or kotinos, a
branch from an olive tree intertwined in a circle. The emblem is a reference to the
ancient Olympic Games, where the kotinos was the official award of Olympic champions.
In addition, the olive was the sacred tree of Athens. The Artistic Manager and Director
of Ceremonies, Papaioannou, stated that the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will reflect
two main aspects of Ancient Greek culture: the Apollonian and Dionysian.”21)
The Opening Ceremony, on august 13th, according to Papaioannou, would “draw from the myths
of the ancient Greek god Apollo, best known as the mythical deity of the bow, music and for
his power over oracles.” According to mythology, Apollo is a son of Zeus. His bow was not
used for sports, but for exercising revenge. The “power over oracles” means that he ruled
over the area of fortune- telling. Drawing from him will increase this, and of course also
gambling on who will win.
The Closing Ceremony, on august 29th, was drawing inspiration from Dionysus, also known as
Bacchus, the mythical god of wine. Again, according to mythology, Dionysus is a son of Zeus,
and Semele, the daughter of a human king. It sounds again like a story from Genesis 6.
Dionysos is a strange god.22) His realm is shadowy, he roams all over the wilderness. His
followers flirt with madness, excessive orgiastic drunkenness, and death. His chief
worshippers are "possessed” women, Bacchantes, “who surrendered themselves to extasies”.
Dionysos often seems to stand somewhere between male and female, between god and man,
between death and life. His worship involved transvestism and the blurring of sex roles.
He seems to revel in human sacrifice. In some myths he drives girls to suicide, in others,
as a punishment, women to madness, tearing apart their children with their bare hands or
eating them. He brings wine, but also an intoxication that merges the drinker with the deity.
It is said about him that he dies (which a Greek god should not do), but is reborn. Is this
a sly mockery about the real Son of God who was slain, but raised again? Dionysus is also
considered the god of the theatre. And isn’t the Olympics one big theatre, complete with
the mask of “building a better and peaceful world”?
How in the world can an Olympic committee believe that drawing inspiration for
such a goal from these immoral, evil gods would benefit athletes, dignitaries, visitors?
Drawing “inspiration” from these gods brings people under the spiritual influence that
is ascribed to them. The Bible reveals that “gods” are nothing, but that behind these
gods are demonic powers that are exerting the powers and characteristics ascribed to the
gods. Why pursuing “pagan revivalism” without considering the risk of power play, cheating,
nationalism (in stead of solidarity!), drunkenness, licentiousness, immorality, gambling,
suicides, that can be expected as a result of “recognizing these gods” and thus releasing
these influences? Or where these effects considered?
It was announced that priestesses were going to preside over the entire games.23) In other
words: all athletes, dignitaries, visitors and reporters who, by being there submit to
them, were brought under the spiritual influence of these priestesses.
Of course also many representative dignitaries, people with authority, were present at
the games. Most of them did not discern what was happening, and they brought the defilement
home, and in their place of influence. The whole “theatre” of the Olympics was designed
to have an impact on those who watched and/or were part of it in whatever form. Watching
the different celebrative manifestations of the Olympics, out of interest or in a naïve
way, in Athens or at home, and admiring then what we see and hear, and becoming impressed,
is in a way an act of worship. Worship of the “god” in whose honour the festivals again
are celebrated, Zeus, (who is Satan). And worship of the “gods”, demonic powers, from
whom inspiration is drawn. If we become such “worshippers” we open up ourselves for the
spiritual influences that emanates from the demonic powers that are forcefully present
in such a setting where people call upon them on purpose. We had to search ourselves:
where will that inspiration go? By our act of worship, meant as such or not, we create
in ourselves, in our homes, a landing area for those spiritual powers, and willingly or
unwillingly, we come under their influence. This is very serious business. In these
games we were confronted with real powers in the heavenlies, they are not just neutral
words. This spiritual approach was not a game, and we all who felt or became involved
have become involved in a battle, more real than the contests for the athletes. People
who watched the games naïve, wherever they were, experienced the defilement, maybe
unaware.
The evangelists who did outreaches before and during the games had to withstand that
influence. Many of them did discern what was happening in the spiritual realm. And the
Lord had His intercessors at Athens, and used them in very specific ways.
We see that with the revival of the Olympics came a revival of pagan practices and the
covenant making nature of the games. This seems intended, and cleverly disguised.
Under the respectable disguise of fun and sports and solidarity we saw covenant rituals
that push for international satanic defilement and bondage. This sounds dramatic. It
is more than that: it is end-time strategy of the enemy: it is kingdom against kingdom.
But God had and still has a strategy, at the same international scale, for the intercessors
and for his Bride, the Church.
Intercessors have prayed before, during and after the Olympics. At Athens, but also in
many nations where the torch came.
For Europe, a renewal of the covenant with Zeus might have made it more difficult to cut
herself free from the already old ties, and to be free for the true covenant with the Lord
who wants to betroth Europe to Himself, calling her Beulah. That means that we in this
continent have to stand up as never before against the attempts to abduct us again.
In the myth Zeus came as a beautiful white bull; Europa did not discern the disguise,
and she was carried off, terribly deceived and abused. Satan tried again to come to Europe
(and the rest of the world), now in the shape of the glamorous Olympic Games. We however
have witnessed and seen Gods power overruling a number of the events.
The Lord also gave several pastors a new vision to re-evangelize Greece. May that eventually
lead to a renewal of the Church in Europe as well.
We need to discern the disguise and not again playfully let ourselves be deceived,
abducted and carried off. The pagan “spiritual” man knows that this is not exaggerated,
and will enjoy its “truth”. Let not the Christian spiritual man or woman be deceived, or
asleep, or apathetic. Let us respond with spiritual means.
Chapter 5
THE CHURCH’S RESPONSIBILITY, WITH REGARD TO THE PAST and THE FUTURE.
Identificational confession of the corporate sins of our forefathers.
With regard to the issues described in this article, we need to confess in identificational
confession the sins of our forefathers. We cannot ask for forgiveness for them personally,
as each will have to account for his/her own deeds. But as inhabitants of this continent,
and our nations, as members of the church, we should identify with our nation and our
continent, and bring the things of the past that we have become aware of, into the light,
in confession to the Lord. We see an example in the lives of Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah;
they were guided to confess on behalf of their nation as admonished in Lev. 26:40-42.
The same principle still applies to us. We can confess special things in the realms of
our life that we know of. But we cannot confess for others the things that we will not
repent of ourselves.
Therefore, we need to ask the Lord to show if there are identical or comparable sins in
our own heart and life. And if so, we need to confess these, and repent of them and
break with them. We also may bring into the light the iniquities of our ancestors, as
we have been conceived and are born in iniquity. We may ask the Lord to set us free from
the consequences of the sins of our ancestors. We cannot break the power of sin ourselves,
that is what the Lord Jesus did for humanity, and for us personally, on the cross. We may
receive that and start to walk in “newness of life.”
I do believe that we also as the Body of Christ need to make real steps regarding the sins
of the past. Individual people, small prayer-groups, a church, can, on its own, prepare a
way for identificational confession. At a certain moment the larger Body has to do it,
together, in unity. This has happened for issues as slave trade, colonialism, apartheid.
We have to progress. In this way there will come, we pray, a day that Gods children in
our nations can clean up their spiritual past
Through the research of “spiritual mappers” much information has become available, to be
used in informed prophetic intercession towards this goal.
This is certainly part of the spiritual battle that I mentioned in Ch. 3. We may proclaim
these prophecies and the outcome, and pray these out
Breaking old covenants and establishing a new covenant.
I want to submit to spiritual leaders the following, daring as it may seem, and realizing
that this process will take time to carry it out, with the Lord’s help.
I mentioned the two types of covenant that seem to have been established, first between
the woman Europa and Zeus, and later by transference of her name between him and this
continent. In both types of covenant there were conditions to be met, in order to have
it perpetuated, to receive the protection of the suzerain. In the case of the false Royal
Grant covenant we, the Church, can speak out, at a certain moment when we have been
prepared for it, not to be willing to meet that condition anymore. We do not want to
serve the “great king” anymore, and hence reject his domination. We also do not covet
that name anymore as a consolation for our “service” in abuse… and therefore stop using
the name Europe.
In the case of the suzerain-vassal covenant we can speak out to quit our loyalty to this
demonic “suzerain,” we do not desire his “protection” any more. We confess to the Lord that
we have been in this false covenant, that we have grieved Him, and that we covet the one,
true covenant. Here also small prayer-groups can start, a church, a larger body, preparing
for a significant representation to speak out these confessions, and to step out of the
false covenants.
If a nation has hosted an Olympic Games, the Church of that nation needs to confess that
as a national sin. If a covenant was established by having the flame lit in a nation, we
need to break that old covenant.
We can not break the covenants one-sidedly, in our own authority. But we have the right
to appeal to the highest authority, and in His name we can do it. I hope that there will
be a day that in unity many Christians from all, or most, of the European nations together
will declare that we step out of that old false covenant and that we receive the new covenant,
that is offered to us, and to any nation, through the sacrifice of Jesus, the coming King.
The one-sided termination of both false, evil, covenants, from our side, will have severe
consequences. Of course, Satan does not want to let go. But: we do not need to fear when
we have done it in the name of Jesus, and under His Lordship. And when the Church serves
and loves Him as her Bridegroom, she can mediate a new covenant between her nation and God
as the Highest Suzerain. The Most High God and Sovereign Lord has invited all nations
to enter into a covenant with Him. He is the One who will break old bondages, and old covenants,
and who has established a new covenant, in His blood. He will then protect the nation as His own,
with absolute loyalty and faithfulness to His invitation and to His promise. He is betrothing
our nation and our continent, and He will marry us.
Endnote:
Ortwin Schweitzer, "
Europa, wohin?" back to article.
Herald Ministry Prayer Letter: 2.2004 herald@mweb.co.za, based on a study of
Randal Weidemaar, from Greece, with the request to make it known. For more
info. back to article.
Helene Bos, "De Koningin des hemels in de 21e eeuw," Serving the Nations, Almere,
2001. back to article.
The three "sin-clusters" of the queen of heaven are: the Semirames
cluster, the Jezebel cluster and the Babylon cluster. See Helene Bos, idem, p. 36.....
back to article.
Helene Bos, idem, chapter 3. back to article.
Helene Bos, "Heidense invloeden,". Serving the Nations, Almere, 1999
back to article.
Anna Michailidou, archeologist, "Knossos," Ekdotike Athenon S.A.
1981. back to article.
Lit.: Prof. Dr.J.Nuchelmans, Woordenboek der Oudheid; Romen, Bussum,
1976. back to article.
Derek Prince, "Because of the Angels," Teaching letter #25, DPM-UK, 2000.
back to article.
Moormann &Uitterhoeve, "Van Achilles tot Zeus," Sun, Nijmegen, 1999.
back to article.
Ron Leadbetter, 1995-2004 Encyclopedia Mythica.
back to article.
Pieter Bos, The Nations Called, Sovereign World, 2002, p. 70.
back to article.
Christian Growth Study Bible, NIV, 1997, Zondervan corporation, p. 19.
back to article.
See: "Woman, authority & the Bible," Alvera Mickelsen (eds), Inter Varsity Press,
1986. According to Berkeley and Alvera Mickelsen, in Ch. 6, the Greek word "kephale" has for centuries
been wrongly understood as the center where the decisions are being made. It means so much as: the
origin, beginning, source of life as woman came from man. back to article.
Pieter Bos, The Nations Called, Sovereign World, 2002, chapter 2
and 5. back to article.
Ioan noticed something special when he left from the International Airport
in Zurich, after this EPL-meeting.. Just a little bit to the north is a village, called Bülach.
He remarked: It is not by chance that in the heart of our part of the world there is such a place
carrying the name given by God. back to article.
These Scriptures, in Hosea and Isaiah, are meant as a promise to the
people of Israel in the first place, let that be clear. Yet it is possible that, in certain
circumstances, the Lord speaks to people outside the people of Israel, through messages that
are meant in the first place for Israel. In such cases the logos-word becomes a rhema-word
for the one who receives it, also when he does not belong to the people of Israel.
back to article.
The
website of the Olympics back to article.
Charles Beck (ed.) I"Oi Olympiakoi Agones," 776 p.X. - 1896
(The Olympic Games, 776 BC - 1896), Athens 1896. back to article.
Composed at the instruction of the council of the Olympic Games,
the lyrics were by Costis Palamas, of Greece. The music was composed by Spyridon Samaras.
The current Olympic Hymn was adopted by the International Olympic Committee in 1957. The new
translation according to the website mentioned. back to article.
At a press conference in Athens, according to the website mentioned.
back to article.
Mythography back to article.
Randal Weidemaar, see note 2, rsw@enanet.gr
back to article.
[^ top]
|