Questions & Answers
The 2005 MLB playoffs
First posted: October 21, 2005
Question
I read your article on
the last Super Bowl. Has
the Lord given you any prophetic word on the World Series baseball playoffs
[involving] the Chicago White Sox [vs.] the Los Angeles Angels and the Houston Astros
[vs.] the St. Louis Cardinals? I believe there is some prophetic word in these games with all of the
controversy with the umpiring of the games, like the dropped-ball/not-catch third strike call
in the Sox-Angels game.
Answer
Before this e-mail, we had already begun to sense that there was a powerful but hidden spiritual meaning behind this year's playoff teams. This e-mail, therefore, served as prophetic confirmation from the Lord regarding this.
It is interesting to consider that the Red Sox made it to the World Series last year (2004), having last won the Series in 1918. This year (2005), the "other" Sox, the White Sox, have made it to the World Series, having last won the Series in 1917 (the year prior to 1918). Before last year, the Red Sox had not been to the World Series since 1986 (18 years before). Before this year, the White Sox had not been to the World Series since 1959 (46 years before).
Therefore, in 2 consecutive years, the droughts of the two "Sox" teams in Major League Baseball seem to be ending. This is no spiritual coincidence.
The spiritual significance of each team
This year, 4 teams have made it to their respective "League Championship Series": the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros in the National League, and the Los Angeles Angels and the Chicago White Sox in the American League. This is the spiritual significance of each team:
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Last year (2004), the Red Sox faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. In the prophetic word "Red Sox Win!", we share that the Cardinals' loss represented the defeat of "institutionalized religiosity" at the hands of the prophetic remnant (represented by the Red Sox). This year, the Cardinals once again represent the spirit of "institutionalized religiosity" in America.
Only the places that are hospitable to the "strange" things of God's remnant Spirit can experience the latter-rain revival.
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The Houston Astros' performance this year is a reward from God for the kindness that Houston showed to the Louisiana evacuees. Therefore, it is not surprising that Houston quickly went up 3-1 in their series against St. Louis. In that sense, Houston represents the spirit of "hospitality to strangers" that will enable the manifestation of God's remnant in these latter days.
The 9th inning 3-run homerun by Albert Pujols in Game 5 represents the 3-year delay in the U.S. latter-rain revival. As we shared in May of this year, the Lord had already declared a 2-year delay, and immediately after Katrina, the Lord made us understand that another year had been added to the delay, since the Church in America persisted in her "spirit of ease" even after the 2-year delay had been decreed in the spirit realm. Albert Pujols' homerun only delayed the inevitable Astros' victory in the series. Even so, it was a painful delay.
As you may know, the word "Astro" literally means "star". As we have said before, each son and daughter of God is a "spiritual star" in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:6, 2 Peter 1:19). As we move in the "new man" that God has placed in us, that spiritual star is "activated" in the spirit realm, and our light begins to shine forth (conquering the surrounding darkness unto God). Therefore, the rise of the Houston "Astros" also represents the manifestation of God's prophetic remnant in these latter days. Just as with the Astros after the Pujols home run in game 5, the prophetic remnant has been temporarily set back at the hands of the Church's so-called "ministers", but God's purposes shall be fulfilled, despite the opposition. The latter-day prophetic remnant shall be manifested, and God's Glory shall be seen on Earth.
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In these playoffs, the L.A. Angels represented the Canaanite influence in America. As we share in a recent word, illegal Latin American immigration has led to an infiltration of Canaanite influence from Latin America into the U.S. Of all the cities in America, the city most influenced by Canaanite Latin America is Los Angeles. This is the spiritual reason why the L.A. area has been pummeled by so many disasters in recent months: massive flooding around xmas of last year (2004), drought and wildfires last month, and mudslides and hail this month. God is judging the "spirit of ease" in America, and L.A. is contaminated with the "spirit of ease" imported from Latin America. As several sisters from California (and western Canada) have been sharing with us (via e-mail), a massive judgment cloud is currently looming over California. God willing, we will shortly be posting some of the prophetic words regarding California that we have received.
It is no coincidence that Latin America and Los Angeles can both be abbreviated as LA, and it is no coincidence that the abbreviation for the state of Louisiana is LA as well. The Angels used to be the "California Angels"; they then changed their name to the "Anaheim Angels"; and, this year, they decided to incorporate "Los Angeles" into their name. Their full name now is "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim", which reflects the pandering nature of the Canaanite spirit. They want to please everyone at the same time. They wanted to have the affection of Los Angeles fans without losing the affection of Anaheim fans, so they created an artificial name to please both cities.
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In many ways, this team is the most difficult to "gauge" spiritually. As I meditated on them, the Lord brought the following thoughts to my heart and mind:
Besides the St. Louis Cardinals, the White Sox were the playoff team with the greatest presence of Latin American players. In fact, two of their 4 starting pitchers are Latin American: Jose Contreras from Cuba and Freddy Garcia from Venezuela. Interestingly enough, Cuba and Venezuela are ruled by arrogant dictators who remain in power because of the ground-swell of support they receive from citizenries that like to depend on "strong men", due to the "ease" and "comfort" that permanent dependence on men provides.
The manager of the White Sox is also a Latin American: Venezuelan Ozzie Guillen.
The controversial 3rd-strike call that cost the Angels a game in their series against the White Sox is a prophetic figure of the damages caused by the Canaanite spirit when it is not proactively dealt with. As we have said before, Canaanites are anti-judgment by nature, and they are ironically prone to making nasty and unfair judgments against those who act in righteousness. When the Angels calmly walked off the field after that 3rd strike, they were acting correctly because the ball did not hit the ground. By walking off the field, they were making a judgment, saying, "You have struck out, and you were unable to score any runs on us". In the same way, God has said to Latin America, "You have struck out; I have given you the chance to grow in Me, but you passed up on the opportunity, choosing a 'gospel' of blessings and human traditions instead of My true Gospel of justice and judgments." However, just like Latin America, the White Sox were unwilling to accept that they had been defeated, and the umpire went along with them. In the same way, many "ministers" in Latin America continue proclaiming "great and wonderful blessings" for Latin America, without realizing that Latin America's calling has already been cast off because of her Amorite arrogance and Canaanite indolence.
In a sense, when the Angels lost that game, they were being judged for the Latin American influence they themselves represented. The Bush administration has been indolent regarding the illegal immigration issue, and that indolence will lead to tragic, 9-11-style consequences if Bush (and America) fails to repent. There are tragic consequences to Canaanite indolence, and the controversial play that affected the Angels is a figure of that.
Two years after they won their last World Series, the White Sox played in the 1919 World Series, and, as many of you may know, many of the players on that White Sox team were banned for life because they had agreed to "throw" the Series in exchange for money. This is why that team came to be known as the "Black Sox", instead of the White Sox. As we have said before, Canaanites are adulterers who sacrifice their convictions in order to please others, and Amorites are fornicators who use their position of strength to derive temporal benefits from others. Therefore, the Black Sox reflected Canaanite adultery and Amorite opportunism. Some players took advantage of their position on the team in order to lose games, in an effort to profit from the illegal "opportunity" offered to them. Other players played their hearts out, but they did not denounce what their teammates were doing, because they did not want to lose their teammates' Canaanite friendship and unity.
The workers of iniquity like to sacrifice righteousness-working judgments for the sake of some temporary dynamis power. In a sense, money is a figure of earthly, temporal power. Therefore, the Black Sox scandal is a figure of how the pastoral matriarchy is working iniquity in order to maintain its control over the Church.
As we said in the "Red Sox Win!" word, Chicago is, to this day, a spiritual stronghold of Amorite and Hittite influence in America, and, where these two spirits operate, the Canaanite spirit is also bound to appear (the Amorite, Hittite, and Canaanite spirits form the left side of the "triangle of evil"). It is no spiritual coincidence that the Lord prompted us to speak about Chicago in the prophetic word on last year's (2004's) World Series.
From all of the above, it becomes evident that the Chicago White Sox represent the remnants of the left-handed Canaanite-Amorite-Hittite influence in America that refuses to allow God's plans to be manifested. These spirits are working to prolong the delay that they have already started. This is why the White Sox are coming against the Astros in an effort to prevent the Astros' (i.e.- the remnant's) long-awaited manifestation as "champions over the world".
As we said above, the White Sox have 2 starting pitchers who represent the Latin American Canaanite influence in America. By contrast, the Astros have 2 starting pitchers who played with the New York Yankees during their recent World Series run (Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens). As many of you may know, Andy Pettitte is a devout Christian, and even though the "Boss" (George Steinbrenner) does not know it, Andy Pettitte's presence in the Yankees' dugout was essential in the spawning and sustaining the Yankees' recent World Series success.
As we have said before, New York is the city from which the latter-day revival will flow to all of America (and the world). Therefore, New York's "hidden" presence inside the Astros emphasizes the fact that, in this year's World Series, the Astros represent the manifestation of God's latter-rain remnant.
Interestingly enough, of the 4 teams that reached the League Championship Series, Houston was the team where Latin American players have the "least" influence. This is no coincidence; satan wants to drag America down the swampy path of Latin America, but God and His prophetic remnant have other plans.
The Astros beat the Cardinals at St. Louis' Busch Stadium to clinch their World Series berth. Because of the Astros' victory in Game 6, the scheduled Game 7 at Busch Stadium was never played. The current Busch Stadium will be torn down and replaced with a new stadium next year. This means that the last game ever played at the current stadium was the Cardinals' Game-6 loss. As we have said before, the Redbirds represent the Girgashite-red structures of the Church; at the same time, the number "6" is the number most directly related to the Girgashite spirit of earthliness. Therefore, the fact that the current Busch Stadium ended its history with a Game-6 loss is a prophetic figure of the inevitable destruction of the temporal structures of religiosity in the Church. The Girgashites always believe that they can achieve "completion" or "perfection" in their temporality. They think that they can reach the number "7" (which represents "perfection" or "completion") without making the "quantum leap of light" that God requires. This is why God did not allow Busch Stadium to see a Game 7 against the Astros. "Coincidentally", Busch Stadium served as site for 6 World Series during its 40-year history. Because of the Cardinals' Game-6 loss to the Astros, Busch Stadium never got to see its 7th World Series.
The Cardinals' Larry Walker has already announced his retirement, and the Cardinals have 9 players who are going into free agency at the end of this season. This speaks of the disintegration and the utter weakening of the Amorite-Girgashite spirit of religiosity in America and the world.
The 4 largest cities in America are:
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New York |
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Chicago |
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Los Angeles |
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Houston |
Of these 4 cities, the only city not represented in the two Championship Series was New York. As we have shared before, New York has been targeted by God as the city out of which the latter-day revival in America (and the world) will flow. The New York Yankees were eliminated by the L.A. Angels. This, again, is a figure of how America has allowed the Canaanite spirit to delay God's latter-day work in America.
In the 4-city list shown above, New York's place was (in a sense) "taken" by St. Louis in this year's Championship Series. This means that the spirit of "institutionalized religiosity" (represented by the Cards) has successfully delayed God's work in America.
The "3 out of 4" ratio also points to the 3 prophetic movements of the last 50+ years. The Lord has, in these last days, started a 4th prophetic movement that shall not fail, but the pastoral matriarchy (represented by the Chicago White Sox in this year's playoffs) is doing its best to defeat this 4th movement. The strength of the matriarchy's effort lies in the remnant believers who betrayed God's calling as they grew in power and acceptance (like the "minister" from Dallas and others). These spiritual traitors have strengthened satan's efforts against the prophetic remnant (just like Judas' treason did with Jesus and His remnant disciples). However, these traitors' "3 out of 4" iniquity shall be judged (Amos 1:9-10), and the prophetic remnant shall be manifested, whether satan (cursed is he) wants it or not.
The Astros' victory over the "Girgashite" Cardinals is a figure of how the latter-day prophetic remnant will not be susceptible to the flaws that doomed the 2nd prophetic movement of the late 20th century. An Astros' victory over the "Canaanite" White Sox would be a figure of how the prophetic remnant will not be susceptible to the spiritual flaws that doomed the 3rd prophetic movement of the late 20th and early 21st century. Three prophetic movements have failed, but the 4th movement (which is already underway), shall not fail.
The Houston Astros franchise had to wait 44 years before their first World Series, but they have finally made it. The number "44" points to Psalm 44:
"9But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies. 10Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves. 11Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen. 12Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price. 13Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. 14Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people. 15My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, 16For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger. 17All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. 18Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; 19Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. 20If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; 21Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. 22Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. 23Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. 24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? 25For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth. 26Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake." (Psalm 44:9-26)
Just as with Joseph, God has sold His remnant to be imprisoned and afflicted (v12). Just as with Jesus, God has handed His remnant over to their enemies and "abandoned them" (v9, Matthew 27:46). But God has done this with a purpose. He knows that His remnant is willing to share in Christ's afflictions (Colossians 1:24, Matthew 16:24-27). His remnant has voluntarily entered into a covenant (v17) of affliction with the Lord, and only those who are willing to suffer until the end shall be fully redeemed (Hebrews 10:38-39, Philippians 2:12-13). Just as with the Lord Jesus, those of you who are willing to complete your assigned afflictions shall not only be redeemed yourselves, but shall also become redeemers of others.
In the midst of their affliction, the prophetic remnant is crying out for help from the Lord (v26). The name "Lazarus" means "God has helped". The spiritual "Lazaruses" (Luke 16:19-31) have refused to depend on the help of "carnal man"; they prefer to "starve to death" rather than cave in to the structures of man. They have remained faithful to the covenant they have entered into (v17), and they are crying out in desperation for God's help, not the help of carnal man. In the midst of their despair, they refuse to depend on visible man, choosing instead to depend on an invisible God. Why? Because they are after a vision that is not visible with the natural mind. They are pregnant with a vision from above, and they shall not rest until that vision is born, despite the labor pains they may have to go through (John 16:20-24, Revelation 12:5).
The number "44" also points to Ezekiel 44:
"10And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity. 11Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. 12Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity. 13And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed. 14But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein. 15But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD: 16They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge." (Ezekiel 44:10-16)
There will be a "priesthood change" within the Church. Those who betrayed God and went after their idols (because they cared more about pleasing man than pleasing God) shall bear their iniquity, and they shall be replaced by the prophetic remnant that chose to be faithful unto God in the midst of the generalized apostasy in the Church (v15). This remnant does not care how much spiritual suffering and affliction they have to endure at the hands of the apostate Church and its "leadership", for they are not after the glory of men but after the Glory of God (John 5:44).
As we shared before, the number "43" stood out during last year's (2004's) World Series. Therefore, it is no spiritual coincidence that the number "44" (the next number) is standing out during this year's World Series. "Coincidentally", the Astros starting pitcher who won Game 6 against the Cardinals wears number "44".
Chicago had to wait 46 years (since 1959) before making it back to the World Series. The number "1959" is a spiritual reversal of Isaiah 59:19, which, as we have said before, speaks of God's evangelistic kingship over the spiritual atmosphere of the Earth. Therefore, the White Sox return to the World Series is a spiritual figure of the pastoral matriarchy's effort to maintain control over God's Church. The matriarchy (cursed is she) does not want God to rule, and she will do everything in her power to prevent God's Kingship from being manifested.
Therefore, this World Series represents the prophetic remnant that has been forced to wait in the shadows for a long time before they are to be manifested. Like Joseph, they have had to wait for a long time because of all the delays that the Church's spirit of religiosity has placed in their way. The White Sox' World-Series appearance represents the pastoral matriarchy's last-ditch effort to prevent the remnant's manifestation.
While the Astros have waited 44 years, the White Sox have waited 46 years. The Chi Sox' 46-year wait also has spiritual significance. The number "44" emphasizes the number "4", which points to the manifestation of all "4 spiritual faces" in God's people. In order to change the number "44" into "46", you must change the second digit from "4" to "6". The number "6" is the number of human or earthly weakness. Therefore, the number "46" represents the Church's effort to have its cake and eat it too. It semi-wants the fulfillment of God's purposes in His people while at the same time working to preserve the rule of earthly men. It wants the "blessings" of the latter-rain revival without surrendering spiritual control of the Church unto God.
The number 46 equals 23 times 2. As we have said before, the number "23" points to the pastoral ministry, and the number "2" points to the 2 "female" ministries of pastor and teacher. Therefore, the number "46", in this context, emphasizes the fact that the White Sox represent a pastoral ministry that is doing its best to "hold on to power" in God's Church.
"Coincidentally", the Chicago Bears beat the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl 20, which was played in January 1986, shortly after the 2nd prophetic movement officially died in the spirit realm (in 1985). As we have said before, the United Kingdom (especially England) has a strong apostolic impartation of justice and judgments, and the word "new" speaks of "Noah-style regeneration". Therefore, the name "New England" is a figure of a latter-day America regenerated in apostolic justice and judgments that will launch regenerating judgments around the globe. Just like the spiritual "Chicago Bears" trounced the "New England" movement of the 1980s, the spiritual "Chicago Whited Sox" are trying to trounce this latter-day "New England" movement. The fact that New England scored 10 points in Super Bowl 20 is a figure of the 10-degree regression by Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:7-8)
On their way to the 2005 World Series, Chicago beat Boston, and Houston beat St. Louis, meaning that this year's World-Series teams beat last year's World-Series teams (Boston and St. Louis). This means that this year's Series is a "continuation" of last year's Series. The winner will determine whether this "continuation" is a "forward progression" or a "backward regression".
As we said above, the White Sox last won the Series in 1917, one year before the Red Sox had last won the Series (in 1918). Therefore, the 1917-1918 years saw a progression from "White Sox" to "Red Sox" as "world champs". According to Revelation 6:1-4, the white horse must come before the red horse, meaning that the 1917-1918 period had the two colors (white and red) in the right order. Last year, the Red Sox won the Series, meaning that, if the White Sox win the Series this year, the 2004-2005 period will have the colors in the wrong order (Red before White); if that happens, there will be a spiritual "regression" rather than a "progression".
The Lord has already unleashed the horses of the Apocalypse, and their unleashing is the beginning of the end for the pastoral matriarchy. This is why the pastoral matriarchy would do "anything" to have the horses "re-leashed" (instead of "released"). They would like the horses to go back into the "stable" in reverse order. They would like to "rewind the tape" and go back to the "good ol' days" when their spiritual control was not being challenged in the spirit realm.
As we have shared in recent postings, God has been unleashing black-horse judgments around the world. The horse that comes after the red horse is the black horse (Revelation 6:3-6), meaning that, while the pastoral matriarchy is trying to "regress" from "red" back to "white", the forward transition has already been made from "red" into "black". Now, the Lord wants to launch a full, world-wide transition into the green horse. An Astros victory will signify America's successful transition into the green horse in the near future. A White Sox victory will be a terrible spiritual setback for America and the world.
Last year's World Series was a "red-horse" event in every sense of the phrase (it featured the Red Sox vs. Redbirds). This year's series has the potential of being a "green-horse" series, because it is being played by teams that are coming out of the long darkness of anonymity (World-Series-wise). Even though none of the teams wears green, they do wear the 3 colors of the other horses of the Apocalypse; Chicago uses a mostly white uniform (with black), and Houston uses a white, red, and black uniform. The result of this series determines whether there will be a spiritual regression back to "white" or a spiritual progression into "green".
As we have constantly said before, every event in the natural realm (whether "large" or "small") is a physical manifestation of things that are happening in the spirit realm. To some, this year's playoffs may seem like just another "sporting event". To others, like the brother who sent in the question, it is spiritually evident that there are prophetic events occurring in the "background", outside of natural man's view. In this World Series, a "proxy war" is being fought, and those who are sensitive to the moves of the Spirit will be praying for Houston to win. Houston represents the manifestation of the prophetic remnant, and Chicago represents the pastoral matriarchy striking back. Whoever wins this Series will decide the spiritual future of America (and the world) for years to come.
Let him who has ears hear what the Lord is saying to His people.