The Mystical World of Bob Jones (Lance of the Basilisk)

A look at his experiences and their hazardous effect on the body of Christ
By Timothy Smith,
Former member of Kansas City Fellowship (aka Kansas City Prophets)

Color Key:

Emblazoned on the pages of Charisma Magazine, Christianity Today, and a host of other publications, these men are gaining worldwide recognition.  Who are they?  What is it they are doing that has attracted the eyes and ears of so many?  The place is Kansas City; the time is 1989-1990.  An energetic young man by the name of Mike Bickle is leading a group of people who are in the midst of seeing the apostle and prophet restored to the church.  Prophetic words that reveal secrets of the heart are a regular occurrence at a place known as Kansas City Fellowship.

By far, the most extraordinary individual is Bob Jones (not connected in any way to Bob Jones University).  White-headed, middle-aged and plainspoken, Bob has a gentle, nostalgic persona that endears those he is talking to.  His annual visit with the Lord on the Day of Atonement is probably Bob’s biggest claim to fame.  Throngs of souls wait in anticipation for this event known as The Shepherd’s Rod, when, according to Bob, Jesus turns every believer over to inspect them like a shepherd does his sheep, (see Ezekiel 20:37, RSV).  There is no concern about his lack of theological training, no alarm at his mixture of cultic beliefs with the Christian faith, and absolutely, positively no keeping score of prophecies and visions which turned out to be false!  After all, Mike Bickle has stated that Bob Jones seems to walk with the Lord day and night.  However, no human is perfect, and that is why today’s emerging prophets and seers miss a few here and there.  As they mature God will help them increase in accuracy and power, Mike explains. 

So goes the story of a movement that has ensnared tens of thousands of individuals.  People who are sincere in their devotion, who really do want to serve God and do His will.  But, as I was for my five years at Kansas City Fellowship, they are sincerely wrong.  Danger lurks in places or people who toss discernment out the window in order to be part of the “new thing” God is doing.

Literally hundreds of examples could be used in exposing the mystical, cultic origins of Bob Jones’ visions and dreams.  Why have I chosen this particular vision?  Because it illustrates more than any other the world Bob Jones lives in.  It reveals the supernatural, Gnostic foundation upon which Kansas City Fellowship and the prophetic movement at large is founded upon, more than any other single item I have come across in years of research on this “new breed” of ministry leaders.  The vision of Basilisk is but one instance of what the apostle Paul warned the church at Colosse to be wary of:

“Do not let anyone disqualify you by making you humiliate yourself and worship angels. Such people enter into visions, which fill them with foolish pride because of their human way of thinking. They do not hold tightly to Christ, the head. It is from him that all the parts of the body are cared for and held together. So it grows in the way God wants it to grow.”  -- Colossians 2:18-19, NCV.

During my five-year tenure at Kansas City Fellowship I was an eyewitness to the teachings and experiences of Bob Jones and John Paul Jackson, as well as the lesser known “prophets” and “seers.”

One of the key elements in the early history of Kansas City Fellowship was the comet that appeared in the sky on May 7, 1983.  Of course, none other than Bob Jones predicted this comet. Planets, comets, weather patterns, even visits with angels and trips to heaven are things Bob speaks of as confirmations of his dreams and visions being from the Lord. As you will read later, the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet that bombarded Jupiter in 1994 is used as a confirmation of this vision of Basilisk. 

The purpose of analyzing this vision is not personal attack.  I have nothing against Bob Jones as a person.  What I am concerned about is those who are being led astray by his unscriptural teachings.  Drawing from personal experience and many hours of research, it became clear to me that this vision of Basilisk, and the account thereof, contains numerous inaccuracies, not the least of which is shaping events and scriptures to justify God as the vision’s source.  Thanks for taking the time to read this article.  May God bless and direct you in His will for your life.

 LANCE OF THE BASILISK 

  As originally posted on Carpenter’s Home Church Prophetic Ministries Website

 WITH RESEARCH EXCERPTS AND COMMENTARY BY TIMOTHY SMITH

WHAT OR WHO IS BASILISK? 

Here are two descriptions of this mythological creature:

“Bestiaries:  Collections of animals, usually legendary; a vogue in the Middle Ages...Most deadly was the Cockatrice, also known as the Basilisk, a small serpent, scarcely six inches long.  So venomous was its breath that the wretched creature dwelt in a self-created desert...”[1]

 “The early, pre-Canaanite Phoenicians had a serpent god which was called the Basilisk. This has been considered an early phallic god, common in ancient religions. An interesting note is that the word basilisk is where we got the later word for a temple of the phallic god, and eventually a type of church, the basilica…”

“The basilisk, though usually considered a serpent, does not always have clearly defined anatomical features. To look directly at a basilisk is to die, so it is impossible to picture them accurately. It is almost always an icon of fear. This ability to kill with a glance is shared by the gorgons of Greek mythology, who may be the ancestors of the basilisk. The only way to kill a basilisk was the way Perseus slew Medusa, by use of a mirror-like object in which the reflection could be viewed.”

“The Roman historian, Pliny the Elder, writes of the basilisk; ‘the basilisk serpent has the same power, to kill with its gaze. It is a native of Cyrenaica, not more than 12 inches long. It routs all snakes with its hiss, and moves its body forward in manifold coils like other snakes’".

In the Middle Ages, the basilisk became identified with the cockatrice, a serpent mentioned occasionally in Isaiah and other Hebrew scriptures. When we enter the modern period, and Medusa becomes an innocuous decorative motif, the basilisk immigrates to the United States and becomes identified with different American snakes, most especially the rattlesnake. One of the first rattle snakes seen by European explorers, a tropical variety known as the "Mexican West Coast rattlesnake" was given the scientific name "crotalus basiliscus", or basilisk snake.”[2]

”Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken; from the root of that snake will spring up a viper, its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.” –Isaiah 14:29, NIV.

Rather than referring to an evil spirit, many bible scholars believe this is a reference to the Assyrians who had, and would soon again, dominate the Philistine people.

“The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest.”  --Isaiah 11:8, NIV.

The context of this chapter is about Jesus, the one who would spring up from the family line of Jesse, King David’s father.  As the Prince of Peace, Jesus will make it possible, in the coming age, for a child to play near a cobra, and for the lion to lay down beside a lamb, as this passage also mentions.

”They hatch cockatrice eggs, and weave the spider’s web:  he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.”  --Isaiah 59:5, KJV.

In it’s proper context this verse refers to the iniquities of Israel as a nation, not to a demonic power.

“Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!  In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.”  --Proverbs 23:31-32, NIV. 

The meaning of this text is self-evident.  Excessive drinking is as dangerous as the venom from a deadly snake.  Nothing in this portion of scripture has anything to do with a demonic spirit!

“For behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the Lord.”  --Jeremiah 8:17, KJV. 

Again, the subject here is judgment on rebellious Israel, not an evil power in the spirit realm.  Symbolism is the common thread woven through the above scriptures.  God is using metaphors to describe rebellion and the plan for redemption.  Even today, in books or movies, it is this use of word pictures that make a story interesting while communicating an underlying principle such as good versus evil.

”You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”  --Psalm 91:13, NIV

“So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition…we have turned away from your commands and laws.  We have not listened to your servants the prophets…The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets…”  --Daniel 9:3-10, NIV.

During my time at Kansas City Fellowship it was blind obedience to the word of the prophets that was required.  Questioning the validity or accuracy of words from the Lord was considered rebellious.  When something bad would happen it was supposedly because that individual had not listened to or acted on the prophetic word given to them.  How convenient it is for Nita and Bob that this passage of scripture was used to confirm her vision!

Although Tertullian was a Christian writer and theologian, he was not regarded as a leader in the early church.  A few years later Tertullian left the traditional church in order to join the “new wave of the Spirit” proclaimed by the Montanists.  Through the centuries Tertullian has been held in low regard by Christian leaders, some even considered him to be a heretic.  Here are a few references concerning the life and teachings of this second century scholar:

“Tertullian was converted to Christianity, then several years later left the faith to become a Montanist for the remainder of his life.  “The doctrine of Montanus (about 156 AD), called ‘Motanism’, is a form of gnosticism based on absolute purism and on the expectation of a new revelation of the Holy Spirit…   <Sound familiar?>  …One of the most powerful minds of the times, Tertullian of Carthage, became ”[5]

“Montanus lived in the Phrygian area of Asia Minor at the back end of the 2nd Century AD. He declared that the Holy Spirit was giving new revelations to the church, and named himself and two women, Priscilla and Maximilla, as prophets, although there were others. This was referred to as the New Prophecy…”

“It seems also possible that Montanism in its homeland may have been heretical, but that it masked a genuine move of the Holy Spirit which in other places was entirely orthodox, and would today be regarded as pentecostal. In reality, it is very difficult to tell from the surviving remains, which include some wild rumours of the sort that circulate, albeit in good faith, where there is little real information and no means to check what is going on.”

“In Africa there was a lot of interest in the New Prophecy, and Tertullian came to believe that it was genuine, accordingly mentioning it and defending it in his later works.”[7]

“It is said that Tertullian was much too highly educated a man not to see the usefulness of many philosophical doctrines. His harsh and intolerant character kept him in a state of nervous irritation; and his choleric and impetuous nature led him to leave the Christian Church.”

“A born fighter, Tertullian always opposed and was eager to conquer the pagan religion, the pagan governors, the Gnostics and finally, the Christian Church itself, because in 205 he left Christianity to join the Montanists.”

“He felt himself attracted by the moral austerity of the Montanists and their view on ecclesiastic prophecy, which insisted on the necessity of progressive revelation. The Montanists sect is characterized by its emphasis on spontaneous ecstatic enthusiasm, eccentric ascetism and various millenarian beliefs.”[8]

Boy, if that’s not like the kettle calling the pot black—Christians praying out of superstitious imaginations…or out of wildly vivid dreams and visions, too?  Pardon me while I laugh out loud…

Hey, does this mean the rock group Dire Straits was prophetically inspired? One of their albums was titled “Brothers in Arms,” what a confirmation!

Perhaps the reason Basilisk is unchallenged is because it coincides with the Shepherd’s Rod—when all the Christians are on their backsides while their bellies are inspected?  If so, I think Bob Jones should warn Jesus about this scheduling conflict during next year’s visit.

Earlier in this article Bob Jones is said to have had the vision for the second time on July 23, 1997.  In order to have been a confirmation in the natural, Hurricane Danny would have to make landfall after the vision, not before it as weather service records indicate:

“Hurricane Danny made its first landfall near the towns of Empire and Buras in Louisiana early on July 18^th.  The center moved back over the open water of the Gulf of Mexico after crossing the mouth of the Mississippi.  It wobbled slowly eastward and east-northeast.

It strengthened a little more, reaching its peak strength of 80 mph with a minimum pressure of 984 mb as the eye reached the mouth of Mobile Bay near Ft. Morgan, Alabama, on July 18^th.  Moving very slowly, the center finally reached the southeastern shore of Mobile Bay about noon on July 19^th.”[9]

Hurricane Danny left its mark on Mobile Bay four to five days before Bob had a recurrence of this vision of Basilisk!  Either Hurricane Danny or the Lord was off in his timing since the two did not occur at the same time.  I suspect it was neither.  More likely, this is yet another attempt to use current events as confirmation of a supernatural experience.

Pick up a history book and you will find that World War II began in 1939!  Hitler’s hatred for the Jewish race was evident long before the war began.  He and his cohorts were making plans for their demise long before 1942.

First, let’s take a historical look at the date mentioned on the Jewish calendar:

“Jewish tradition associates each of these fasts with an event connected with the siege and fall of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar… b) the fast of the fourth month—on the seventeenth of Tammuz, commemorates the first breach in the wall of the city; c) The fast of the fifth month—on the ninth of Av, commemorates the destruction of the temple; …It is clear, however, that this scheme rest on something less substantial than historical fact.  In the first place, no Biblical source dates the destruction of the temple on the ninth of Av.  Jeremiah says (52:12) that the Babylonians did not even enter the city until the tenth of the month, while the author of Second Kings (25:8-9) relates that they stormed in on the seventh and burned the House of the Lord and all the principal mansions.  Secondly, there is no Scriptural authority for the statement the first breach in the walls took place on the seventeenth of Tammuz.”

“In view of these discrepancies, it is far more probable that the feasts really go back to popular ‘pagan’ observances which the Jews picked up during the period of the Exile and which they attempted to justify by carefully connecting them with events in their own history.”[10]

“From July 16 through July 22, 1994, fragments of Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with Jupiter, with dramatic effect. This was the first collision of two solar system bodies ever to be observed. Shoemaker-Levy 9 consists of 20 discernable fragments with diameters estimated at up to 2 kilometers, which impacted the planet at 60 km/s. The impacts resulted in plumes many thousands of kilometers high, hot "bubbles" of gas in the atmosphere, and large dark "scars" on the atmosphere, which have lifetimes at least on the order of weeks. Smaller bits and dust continue to impact the planet. Shoemaker-Levy 9 is gone, but as the Earth- and space-based images show, it did not go quietly…”

“All 20 major impacts occurred at approximately the same position on Jupiter relative to the center of the planet, but because the planet is rotating the impacts occurred at different points in the atmosphere…”[11]

My point here is not to nitpick about how many pieces there were – 20 or 21.  I would suggest that the proponents of this vision about Basilisk needed it to be 21 pieces.  Otherwise, the SL9 comet would not have been a confirmation of the above-mentioned three-week period.  Perhaps it was an oversight, like referring to the second name as Levi (a biblical name) rather than Levy.

“Let no one be found among you who…practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens…” - Deuteronomy 18:9-12, NIV.  Isn’t this what is being done when the planet Jupiter is said to be symbolic of idolatry?  Doesn’t using comets, planets, and dates on the calendar to confirm this vision of Basilisk constitute interpreting omens?

Of course! This agrees with the teaching of Paul Cain on Joel’s Army!

Wait a minute, cut, stop the tape!---do the words “Idaho potato” ring a bell?  Also, the phrase “breadbasket of the world” applies to Midwestern states such as Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and so forth.  Citrus fruits and peaches, probably; but, really, does anyone connect wheat with Florida, or corn with Alabama?  Perhaps Bob and his company of seers should read a recent copy of Old Farmer’s Almanac to better understand agriculture?

1999 United States Crop Totals -- Percentage of national harvest from nine-state region:

Included in the combined production totals are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.[12]

I am not inquiring about their personal salvation, for that is something only God can judge.  My question is, which spirit are Bob Jones and his cohorts being led by?

So what’s the big deal about visions and dreams and whether confirmations of them are historically correct or accurate?  It is vital that we base our experiences and beliefs on God’s Word!  More often than not, in today’s prophetic movement, God’s Word is conformed to the progressive revelation of prophets and seers.  Let me say this as clearly as I can:  While the gifts of the Spirit can be used to edify the body of Christ, there is not any “new revelation,” no “additional knowledge” that can be added to the Bible.  The canon is closed and no other writing or revelation should ever take precedence or have equal footing with the books of the Old and New Testament. 

Greek mythology, mysticism, signs in the heavens, multiple references to dates, times and seasons on the Jewish calendar are all used as confirmation and reliable sources in this vision of Basilisk, as well as in many other prophetic utterances and writings.  Such a paradigm as this deceptively ignores the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.  As stated in the verse below the shadow becomes the substance, and the New Testament era is pushed into the background:

“These things were like a shadow of what was to come. But what is true and real has come and is found in Christ.” –Colossians 2:17, NCV.

 “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets many times and in many different ways.  But now in these last days God has spoken to us through his Son. God has chosen his Son to own all things, and through him he made the world.” –Hebrews 1:1-2, NCV.

Before Jesus came, God had to speak through prophets.  Everyone was required to keep the law and the priests had to make sacrifices for their sins and the sins of the people.  Now, in the New Testament era, Jesus IS the sacrifice.  The Holy Spirit is in us as believers and each person can know God personally.  Therefore, it is my humble opinion that while the gift of prophecy is in operation today; the office of the prophet no longer exists because it was once and for all fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus during his life on Earth.  The extensive use of new age, cultic, and mystic beliefs and practices employed by most of today’s so-called prophets and seers seems to suggest that, although they may have personally received salvation, the source of inspiration in their dreams, visions, and teachings is not coming from the Spirit of Truth.  

 “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.”  --Jeremiah 14:14, NASB.

Compilation of research excerpts, historical notes, and commentary – Copyright 2003 by Timothy Smith.

ENDNOTES