Chapter 16: Myth—God Owns Solid Rock

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Myth—God Owns Solid Rock

How do I know that is fact? I wrote it in my Bible and put a line next

to the verses that were taught. What did this church want to hear about after suffering through a sex scandal with a prior pastor? Why, righteousness of course. It was sweet music to our itching ears and Matthews knew it would be so. In this thoroughly decimated church, those “elect” who remained in

the assembly welcomed this teaching with open arms. Why not?

The Branch Of Righteousness!

“ ‘Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering

the sheep of My pasture!’ declares the Lord. Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend My people: ‘because you have scattered My flock and driven them away and have not

bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,’ declares the Lord. ‘I MYSELF will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their

pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,’ declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:1-4 NIV

I remember how wonderful that message was to the wearied ears of the congregation. But listen. It was not Hoogenboom who scattered the flock of this church. He was knocked off his perch by Satan and after his

fall, most of the flock simply left on their own because they did not want to be associated with the evil that the church represented. Instead, I tell you that it was William Neal Matthews who scattered the flock of this church. He systematically drove away the people of this church. The lesson is a

strange one. Whatever you think might be going on is probably opposite of what is actually going on. That is Satan’s strategy today. It is Matthews who will answer to God for his own lack of righteousness and the scattering of the flock. “I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done” declares the Lord. Matthews’ first lesson was the stuff of Orwell’s 1984! 2