“The desert and the parched land will be glad…they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God… Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy… And a highway will be there; it will be called the Highway of Holiness.” Isaiah 35:1, 5-6, 8
The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a cult founded on the infallible visions and doctrines on modern day Apostles and Prophets. While Christians object to the teachings of the ‘prophet’ Muhammad’, Joseph Smith (“called of God, and ordained an apostle of Jesus Christ”), or Apostle Jim Jones in these cults, many turn a blind eye to the, deceitful and dangerous Apostles and Prophets of the New Apostolic Reformation.
The absurd claims of the NAR that NAR Apostles are not superior to the Twelve ring hollow when any Christian starts investigating the origins of many of the modern doctrines that emerged from recent apostolic or prophetic visions. In this instance, we examine another ‘infallible’ prophecy from the late Bob Jones that really brought to fruition the idea that God was raising up ‘Super Apostles’ who would move in signs and wonders.
This prophetic vision was never really given a name. However, some have referred to it as the ‘Highway of Holiness’. This is because of the 35 people mentioned being linked to the chapter number of Isaiah 35. Rather than explain the origin of this doctrine, we will use the Titus technique, allowing one of the NAR’s own to explain this prophecy:
“Bob Jones, who is considered by many to be a modern day prophet, had an encounter with the Lord on July 3, 1984, where he saw the “apostolic coming forth.” Bob saw a group of 35 young people carrying the Ark of the Covenant to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. They were leading a great procession of people who’d been healed due to their ministry. The Lord said to Bob: “These young ones are those who will keep Me high and lifted up all the days of their lives! I’ll prepare them to bring the glory of God in. They’ll bring it in through Isaiah 35, the Highway of Holiness. They’ll serve the Lord all the days of their lives and be faithful to the end.” I am longing for that day, and I believe it is near!”
Source: Kari Browning, Kari Browning: The Marks of An Apostle, ElijahList, http://www.elijahlist.com/mobile/display_word.html?ID=11653, Published December 10, 2012. [Archived]
NARpostle Kari Browning on ElijahList has interpreted this vision of Bob Brown, attributing the 35 to being apostles. This is important because countless leaders in the NARismatic movement have relied on this prophetic word to fuel the idea that NARpostles are for today through the new apostolic paradigm of the 5-fold ministry.
THE VISION OF THE CHARIOTS (aka THE VISION OF THE HIGHWAY OF HOLINESS)
The timing of this prophecy was important in bolstering the credibility of emerging apostles in the 1980s under Bickle’s leadership with the Kansas City Prophets and iHOP.
Bob Jones and Mike Bickle have shared this vision to church members for decades, signifying that God was to use them as God’s end-times apostolic and prophetic agents.
Bickle claims,
“When I talk about our prophetic history, I’m talking about some outstanding and significant events that the Lord released in our midst. Most of them occurred in 1983 and 1984. At that time, the Lord was laying the foundation for things that are happening now, twenty-five or thirty years later.”
Source: Mike Bickle, Session 2 Explosion of Light, the White Horse, and the Chariots, iHOP Kansas City, https://ihopkcorg-a.akamaihd.net/platform/IHOP/906/411/20110425_T_Explosion_of_Light_the_White_Horse_and_the_Chariots_IPH02.pdf, April 25, 2011. (Accessed July 25, 2017.) [PDF of Transcript]
Here is Mike Bickle summarizing the prophecy in his notes (read notes in source):
“On July 3, 1984, Bob Jones saw the Lord being exalted and carried by a group of young leaders, like the ark of the covenant was carried in David’s day (2 Sam. 6). In the future, God would raise up these young people and anoint them with an unusual measure of power to preach the gospel and heal the sick as seen in the book of Acts. They were leading a great procession of people who had been healed through their ministry. Thousands were lined up on both sides of the street, watching a parade walk down Blue Ridge Blvd. from Grandview Road to Arrowhead Stadium. (It would take about four hours to walk the twelve miles to the stadium). Bob guessed there were about 35 leaders since the Lord described them as walking on the highway of holiness (Isa. 35).”
Source: Mike Bickle, Session 2 Explosion of Light, the White Horse, and the Chariots, iHOP Kansas City, https://ihopkcorg-a.akamaihd.net/platform/IHOP/906/411/20110425_Explosion_of_Light_the_White_Horse_and_the_Chariots_IPH02.pdf, April 25, 2011. (Accessed July 25, 2017.) [PDF of Sermons Notes] [Archived]
We have sourced the sermon transcript from Bickle’s website so you can read in more detail about this prophecy.
Source: Mike Bickle, Session 2 Explosion of Light, the White Horse, and the Chariots, iHOP Kansas City, https://ihopkcorg-a.akamaihd.net/platform/IHOP/906/411/20110425_T_Explosion_of_Light_the_White_Horse_and_the_Chariots_IPH02.pdf, April 25, 2011. (Accessed July 25, 2017.) [PDF of Transcript] [Archived]
HOW BOB JONES TOLD THIS VISION IN 1988
Below is a transcript from an audio from 1988, where Jones and Bickle talked openly about this vision. We have corrected the grammar of the transcript below so it is easier to read. [Go to time stamp 1:04:49 to listen to the below prophecy]:
Mike Bickle: July 3rd, 1984, the Lord told him in June that he would stand and appear to him on July 3rd, 1984 and so he told us for a month, he goes, “The lord’s got a very important message for me on July 3rd.” And so –
Bob Jones: So on July 3rd –
Mike Bickle: Now is this the vision or where were you?
Bob Jones: I was there, but I had been told for three years that He would appear to me on July the 3rd –
Mike Bickle: 1984.
Bob Jones: – And that He would bring a covenant and on July the 3rd, the Holy spirit took me to a place – this time it wasn’t the Lord took me, it was the Holy Spirit. He took me to a place and I saw the Lord, high and lifted up by some young men. And He set upon the golden ark and He set upon the mercy seat. And I bowed and I began to praise Him. And I bowed upon my knees to worship Him.
And He told me, “Stand up and look.” And I looked and there were men that had a hold of the golden ark and they had the ark upon their single shoulders, ‘and the government shall be upon his shoulder’.
And I said, “Oh, Lord, can I put my hand to that work?”
And He said, “No. You can’t.” And I sorta got my feelings hurt. “I can’t lord? But I love You Lord!”
“I know you love me. But I didn’t call you to this work. I called these young ones to it. They’re those that you’re to watch over. They’re the ones that will bear the government on their shoulders. And I love you too – so come and set at a table with me.”
And so the Lord, He came down from the golden ark. And there was a table and we started to go set at the table with the Lord. And I had to walk funny because my feet were crippled.
And the Lord said, “Mephibosheth, put your feet underneath my table and your crippled feet won’t show.” And so I set at the table.
And He said, “I’m going to explain some things to you. The leadership that I bring will not be crippled. They won’t be lame. Your early nursemaids dropped you just as they did with Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth means, this name means ‘one that will blow away the shame’. So the old prophets is going through the desert. And through the testing, they stood there in faith and in truth. And because they did, they’ll still blow away the shame. They’ll take the shame off the body of Christ, because their sons will raise up in power and lift up the golden ark on their shoulders and bring the government of God and the glory back into the house of God. “
And I set at the table of the Lord and He said, “I want you to study about Mephibosheth, Bob, because he had a son.” And he does in scripture.
And He said, “Count some name of the young people there.” And I looked and there were 35. There were 35 young people that was lifting the ark up. And so I studied. He told me to study the scripture about Mephibosheth and his son, Mephibosheth had a son. His name was Micah. Micah means ‘godlike’.
Our sons won’t have the infirmity or the warfare that we’ve had to survive. And because of the prophets teaching the sons of the prophets, that’s why I take fatherly pride in some of my children. ‘Cos what I’ve gone through, they won’t have to – every bit of victory in warfare that I’ve gone through, I can show them how to avoid it. I know where the snake pits are. I know where the quick sand is. And therefore, those that become the sons and daughters, they can just take the teachings of the old fathers and avoid the traps and the two and three year hang-ups that I had to go through.
And so the sons of the prophets, they’re going to bear the glory, they’re going to bring it in, the leadership. And so He told me as I set there, “Set with me and talk to me.” And he told me about these people. Now the visitation probably lasted thirty minutes (and very few times do I have permission to ask the lord any questions whatsoever).
This time I did and he told me about these and why that they had to be the next generation. And the birthing of the next generation. And he began to speak to me and explain and if you’ll study in there, you’ll find that Mephibosheth’s servant, (I believe that he had 15 children, sons and 20 servants – there’s 35 there). So there be two different degrees, even the help there, there’s a confirmation in that chapter in Samuel, even the 35 number.
And He said, “Look me in the eyes. I want you to pray and I want to tell you what to pray.”
And I said, “Yes.”
He said, “I want you to pray Psalms 12:1 first.” And so I prayed Psalms 12:1. And it begins like this, ‘Help, Lord! For the godly man perishes’. What it’s really saying there is ‘Help, Lord! Cause we don’t have any heroes or champions anymore’.
We don’t have any of them 35 to lift up the glory. We don’t have any Davids or Gideons. All we got are those at the top that’s revealing shame. We need some people that the Body of Christ can look to and say, “They will not sell out. They will serve the Lord all the days of their life.”
And so I prayed that and the Lord said, “Bob, I will answer that prayer. Now I want you to ask me this prayer, that my- I want you to pray that your faith faileth not and that I help your unbelief.”
So I said, “Lord, help us so that our faith faileth not, and help our unbelief.” And so some of the revelation he brings in strange ways, like buses and things like that, that’s where our faith won’t fail us – and He’s helping our unbelief to where we can really believe God for His purpose. The last thing He told me to ask for was power.
And I said, “Lord Jesus, will you loose power to us?”
And He said, “Bob, I will answer all your requests.” And the vision was over.”
Bob Jones continued to explain the significance of this vision. He goes on to state that these 35,
“… will be faithful and true, like Him. And they will reign and reveal to he world that they truly are the ‘Faithful and True’ leaders. And the government that will be on His single shoulder, just like it says in Isaiah – like the pole of the golden ark rests on those 35 people I saw and many I know by faith (not all) – but many I saw by faith. I know their calling.”
HOW MIKE BICKLE INTERPRETED THIS VISION
Mike Bickle also fleshed out what this prophecy meant [01:15:10]:
Mike Bickle: I want to comment on that. This was probably one of the most significant visitations that Bob had. Well, I’m gonna give a, just a little different angle of it. The Lord, He told us for about a month or so, since the first of June.
He said, “On July 3rd.”
I know it’s this year. The Lord said, “This year for sure.” He said, “I’ve been waiting for this thing.” And two or three, on probably five or six occasions in the 5 1/2 years that we’ve been together, the Lord would give him a date a few months down the road and he’s appear to him, literally appear to him in the spirit. He’d see him with his eyes.
Probably happened, what? Five or six times? – To where it was a major, major word given to him – and I think that this one was probably – I don’t know which is the most significant, but this really impacted me.
And so he sees the 35 apostles that the Lord said would come out of this movement. Now every movement would have it’s own apostles. Now I think that there’s a number of different levels of apostolic ministry.
Bob Jones: Amen.
Bickle: I believe that Paul said that, “I am not inferior to even the most imminent apostles” in 2 Corinthians 12:12. So there’s apostles, there’s imminent apostles and there’s most imminent apostles – just by the implication of that description. In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul says, “So and so, they were outstanding among the apostles.” There’s various levels. There’s various levels of apostles.
And the Lord was showing that He was going to – out of this movement – there would be 35 apostles, not that they would all be at the same time because there might be five or six of them – at least in the 90’s and five or six of them at least ten years after that. So I’m not necessarily sure they’re all gonna de revealed at the same time. But in this generation, there’ll be 35 of them that will appear for this movement, that will be of the highest level of apostolic ministry.
I believe there’ll be hundreds of apostles in this movement. But I believe there’ll be 35 likened to Paul. And the Lord said, The whole government of this movement, in it’s highest level in all the places it goes, there would be 35 in whom the Lord would separate in the highest way. All the government rests on apostles and prophets.”
But He said there would be 35 apostles specifically. And they were carrying the ark, which spoke of his presence…”
THE DIVINE VISION TO BE REVEALED TO MIKE BICKLE
What makes this vision of the chariots unusual is that Bickle claims that Jones said to him back in the day that God was going to do the following:
“I’m going to visit him and I’m going to give him this very revelation about the apostles coming forth in this movement.”
Bickle claimed that Jones said,
“The Lord is going to take you to the place he took me and show you the same visitation, because this is the thing He wants you to believe for – is the manifestation of these apostles of the highest level.”
THE VISION OF THE CHARIOTS CONTINUED
This was not just Bob Jones warning him about this upcoming visitation. Mike Bickle recalls:
“Late one night in August 1984, Augustine called me and said, “The Lord will visit you tonight.” [See PDF Sermon Notes above]
Bickle claimed the Lord visited him “and allowed me to stand before Him.” In the sermon transcript above, Bickle claims that a month later after Jones’ vision of the chariots, “I saw this company of young people. They were coming in the future.” Although he does not claim to be an apostle, no one can deny the fact that Bickle considers himself an apostle considering he is paralleling his heavenly encounter to that of the Apostle Paul:
“I started off in my sleep, but I didn’t end up in my sleep… I was standing there touching my arms and my hands. I said, “I’m not dreaming. I’m awake. I know I’m awake. This isn’t a dream. I’m awake.” I stood there for a few moments just getting oriented. I said, “This is real. Where am I?” I had no idea where I was or how I got there… Paul described this, talking about himself: “I will go to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago”—here’s the part I like—“whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:2-3). In other words, “It felt like I was there physically, but I can’t be sure I was there physically, but I think I was, but I don’t know for sure. Only God knows. I was caught up before the Lord. I know such a man.” He can’t let this go. You can tell Paul is still captured by this: “Whether in the body or out, I don’t know. Only God knows.”
This is important because in this encounter, Bickle is placed in a heavenly position to lead this ‘Highway of Holiness’ in his golden chariot (we can’t believe we are writing this).
You will notice what Bickle went through first, these ’35 apostles’ went through after him.
“Over there, just a few feet away, the clouds opened and this golden chariot came shooting up… The Lord said, “Go and get in it.” […] I walked over there and I saw a line of people, which I’ll describe in a moment—the thirty, forty, and fifty young people who were coming in the days to come. All of them were standing in line, preparing to get into a chariot… The chariot spoke of unusual grace to proclaim the gospel in power with signs and wonders… I understand it’s a calling; it’s a powerful calling to proclaim the gospel in power…
Again, I saw a line of them. There were these young people; I didn’t see anyone’s face, but there were thirty, forty, or fifty of them. I don’t know the exact number; I didn’t count them. I just gave them a glance. Then I walked over, and I was overcome with grief. […] I fell down weeping and I said, “No, no, I can’t get in. It would be an injustice for a man like me to get into that chariot.” […] I was screaming, “No!” Two angels picked me up and touched me; I felt their hands, and they put me in the chariot, and I was crying and saying, “No!” […] I went into this vast ocean of sapphire blue, endless miles of the vast blue expanse.”
Then came the young apostles (emphasis added):
“Anyway, as I was going up in this vast expanse of blue, I looked over my shoulder and saw the young people from the future. Some of them are you. These guys and gals fell down and screamed, “No!” They were taken and placed in the chariot and brought up into this vast expanse of blue.”
This means, back in 2011, Bickle claimed he recognized some faces from this vision in his current movement BEING some of these 35 apostles. Contrast this outrageous claim to his denial about his church being part of the NAR and being lead by NAR Apostles:
“There are no individuals with the title or office of prophet or apostle within the IHOPKC leadership team. IHOPKC leads with an eldership team model, having no one with the title of apostle or prophet.” [Source]
In his retelling of this story back in 2011, you may notice he was avoiding adjectives and titles of apostle or apostolic. He appears tentative calling himself an apostle. This is because Bickle is reticent in the sense that he knows the stigma that would be attached to him if he ‘came out’ as an apostle to his church and the rest of the world. However, in 1988, he was more than happy to be regarded as an apostle in the interview he had between himself and Bob Jones.
Here is Bickle talking about the 35 chariots back in 1988 [02:50]:
“And I looked over at the left and all of a sudden, there was just a great opening a vast opening there and there were golden chariots. There were golden chariots that appeared right there – and I remember looking at them and there was a whole line of them – it was the 35. I couldn’t count 35. I just knew it was 20-30 – if I could only look at them and there was a whole line of men there. I couldn’t look at any of their faces. I was staring at – like this. I didn’t know what was going on. I just was looking straight forward.
And the Lord, He called me, “young man.” That’s what he called me. Anyway – so what happens is this golden chariot, it appears – s-w-o-o-o-p – and it comes right there. And the Lord said, “Get in it.” And I under – I knew intuitively. Instantly – it was an apostolic ministry – though it’s only the invitation. It was not a commission. The Lord was not calling me an apostle. He said he was thinking.
‘The days to come, if you’re faithful, you have an opportunity in the grace of God to fill an apostolic calling if you’re faithful to the full measure’.”
When he talked about his experience in the golden chariot, Bickle claims “I saw the glory of the calling and I was screaming.” The calling of what? An apostle. That is the only thing that was presented to Bickle.
Bickle stated,
“He said, “It’s ordained for you, get in the chariot. And I set in the chariot and I went shooting right into a blue sky. And I knew as I was going up that it was revelation. He said, “I’m gong to bring you to divine revelation in the days to come.” [5:48]
So Bickle is not only speaking of a vision of how he is an apostle leading the 35 end-time governing apostles, Bickle is also one commissioned by God to bring, “divine revelation in the days to come.”
Bickle continues:
“And then as I was going up, I barely peeked over my shoulder and the next guy – I heard the chariot go s-w-o-o-o-p, you know, it’ s like there was a whole line of them, you know, kind of like that place where they have circus rides. You know? S-w-o-o-o-op!
And then I heard it go, “w-h-o-o-o-o-m. ” And I saw and I heard the guy. I peeked over my shoulder and saw him on the ground and he was screaming , ‘N-o-o-o-o-o-o-! ” “N-o-o-o-o-o-o-!”
Exactly – he was screaming “No” and the Lord, I could barely, barely hear him, it was like he was getting yelled at. But I couldn’t hear the words. And as I was going up he was following me in the next one. The guy was going, “AHHH”.
You know every one of them – and the Lord allowed me to know that that was the promise He promised that there would se an end-time measure of apostolic ministry that would come out of the fruit of the intercession. The prayer of the people to release champions and faithful ones in the earth.
He said, “I will answer that prayer to this people though it won’t se like the vessels that God calls.” I feel real funny telling you that because of my particular role in that – but I figured that it would be obvious in the next ten or fifteen years anyway. So like its a number of years down the road. But the Lord said that, “I’m going to bring forth apostles – champions if the people will live in intercession and ask for them to come…
Bob Jones: Amen
Mik Bickle: And so that was no small visitation in terms of the promise of what God said to this movement. I don’t think the 35 will be located in one place. I think they will se spread out – but will be joined together deeply in the most intimate way. I don’t believe the 35 will all be at the same time. I’m not sure they’ll be in one team. The way I see it several different teams emerging – but the revelation will be so crystal clear that there will be no missing as to when the teams should come and go.
I believe those apostolic teams will have a number of apostles in them, but aren’t of the same level as the 35. But I believe there will be those 35 apostles and the prophets and everyone of them will have prophetic ministries.
That was the time Bob came into the room in March ’83. He said, “I’ve come to bring faith to this movement.” And for eighteen months until that time – it was bizarre. The comets the angel gabriel, the storms that came om the appointed day. The pitman experience – all these bizarre experiences – it seemed like after ’83 and ’84 that the measure of them changed completely.
They went from building faith ones – and they went to giving insight and direction. And after August 1984 – because I stood before the Lord myself – it was like all the faith ones – the high level faith experiences quit happening.
And the Lord says, “Now you have the Word in yourself now and you will not go running after other movements and other places because I have spoken to you face to face.” And so I believe after that eighteen month period there was a chapter that changed and they went, although there’d still been faith-building experiences. But those bizarre ones of ’83 and ’84 – they were unbelievable, weren’t they?
I mean, time and time again and the word that God gave Bob was, “Until you believe that these signs will happen until this people believe.” And then I believe that was a sign and then everyone else had different experiences and different levels of them. But I know that at that time I owned, from the voice of God – face to face – (but I never saw his face) but I mean standing next to Him, I owned the word myself. And it was not just a matter of me believing Him. It was amazing how the revelation turned after that time. It went from faith to directional and perspective. It started building perspective about the future instead of faith – not to go ahead. And so that was related to the August 3rd vision of apostolic ministry coming forth.”
While this vision was specifically for Mike Bickle’s KCP and iHOP movements, the repercussions of this vision had far-reaching implications in the birthing of the specific apostolic core of the New Apostolic Reformation in the 1990s. Furthermore, this vision has been edited and reworked over the years by Bickle.
Bob Jones re-worked this vision (among his other visions) between 2000-2010, the result crafting a specific organization in 2005-6. We will look at this organization in a future article.
This vision was crucial in the development of constructing the new apostolic paradigm and many new apostolic churches around the world.
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Categories: iHOP, New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)