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Michael Rood: 

WAY Colleagues, Occult Calendars 

& False Prophecies

Jeremiah 23: 29 -32

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? 30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. 31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. 32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.

Posing as a Messianic Jew, Michael Rood supposedly teaches the Hebrew roots of Christianity, while propagating doomsday and holocaust attacks on the USA, like many other Prophecy Club speakers, and reminiscent of his Way International teachings. His teachings bring about the continued judaizing of believers dealt with by the Apostle Paul in such scriptures as Galatians. His teachings seem to be an extension of Way theology, Latter Rain and Karaite beliefs.

Michael Rood has continued to work alongside or directly with various Way International believers, both those who reject Way doctrine, and those who still believe it. As stated previously, that includes, Richard and Linda Fike, Robert Wadsworth, Bo and Stanley Reahard, Bob Schlenker, Dale Sides, Jamie Louis, Dan Stockemer, (Wadsworth's co-author), Greg and Rita Schuck and others.

Update: Due to the 2007 controversial breakup of A Rood Awakening Ministries, the organization was split into two groups. One held by Jamie Louis in the original A Rood Awakening! Ministries Oregon office, and one held by Michael Rood and some new staff. Michael Rood launched a new corporation in Michigan, where his new office is, called A Rood Awakening! Ministries International.

Two new websites were launched by the Rood camp, one called reallyrood.com in competition with the original aroodawakening.tv, unroododespertar.tv and aroodawakening.com, all of which have since been shut down. The new michaelroodministries.com was launched in direct competition to the original michaelrood.com, which has been shutdown. Jamie Louis also included in his Ya'akovlevi site the name of a new business called Torah to the Nations, based in Oregon. On December 14, 2007, Michael Rood's Michigan attorney's filed lawsuit against Jamie Louis. For more on this See: A Real Michael Rood Awakening Concerning Alleged Torah Observant Activities  Michael Rood has shown in his correspondence related to the breakup that he has indeed fond memories of New Knoxville, the headquarters of The Way International. end update

As noted in Michael John Rood: Messianic Karaite Rabbi, the Schuck's are Michael Rood's and Jamie Louis's Way International friends, who moved from Way false theology, into Rood's "messianic" and anti-Christian church theology, to fully rejecting Jesus Christ and the New Testament. They are now members of "Torah Observant Israel" and are listed in that Directory.

In 1998, Michael Rood united with " former Way members" Robert Scott Wadsworth and Richard Fike, and published their first Zodiac based calendar. The continually re-corrected, "Corrected Hebrew Calendar," now includes Karaite calculations for what is to be considered the TRUE Hebraic ABIB correctly calculated calendar. Michael Rood calls his often corrected zodiac based "Corrected Hebrew Calendar",  "The Astronomically and Agriculturally Corrected Biblical Hebrew Calendar". In his 2005 Summer Tour with Nehemia Gordon, promoting the anti-Christian writings of the Shem Tov Matthew, they are also promoting the calendar, billed as, The Creator's Calendar and the Restoration of All Things or Raiders of the Lost Book: New Discoveries in the Hebrew Text of Matthew.

Their January 2005 tour was no less than an attempt by Michael Rood and Nehemia Gordon to parallel the Hebrew Text of Matthew with the Dead Sea Scrolls, found in 1947, and present Shem Tov Matthew as being newly "unearthed" by calling the opening pitch, Dead Sea Scrolls of the New Testament., when in fact, it has been known of for years. That same pitch is being used for the summer tour as seen on Michael Rood's website. The supposed "original" Hebrew Matthews are from the 1400-1500 range CE. The reality is that the sources for these anti-Christian writings included the infamous Toledoth Jeshu as noted by Dr. William Peterson. The Shem Tob or Shem Tov, are known for abbreviations, verse omissions and changes, similarities to the gnostic Gospel of Thomas, and sourcing Dutch, Latin and other writings. Dr. Peterson noted:

"...3. Hebrew versions of the Gospel of Matthew have been known to and used by New Testament scholars for centuries. Often referred to in scholarship as the "Old Hebrew Matthew," Sebastian Münster produced the first edition of such a manuscript in 1537 (Münster 1537); in 1555 Jean du Tillet edited a different but similar Hebrew Matthew manuscript (du Tillet 1555). However, in addition to these two, at least five other Hebrew Matthews (mostly fragmentary) are known...a Hebrew Matthew contained in the twelfth (in some manuscripts, the thirteenth) book of the Even Bohan (The Touchstone), a Jewish polemical treatise directed against Christians (Howard 1995: 160-161). ...4. The Even Bohan was composed in Spain (presumably in Aragon) by a Castilian-born Jew named Shem-Tob ben-Isaac ben-Shaprut in 1380 (ibid.: xi). He revised his work at least three times: in 1385, around 1400, and once again, still later (ibid.)"..."

  "104. There is no mystery about the genesis of Shem-Tob's Hebrew Matthew. It is obvious that it incorporates material from a variety of sources (e.g., from the Toledoth Jeshu, the Vetus Latina, etc.). But because of the high number of agreements with the Liège Harmony, many of them unique, the tradition behind the Liège Harmony--which we know to be a Latin gospel harmony--must also be the principal element responsible for the textual complexion of Shem-Tob's Hebrew Matthew:.."  [Petersen, Some Observations on a Recent Edition of and Introduction to Shem-Tob's "Hebrew Matthew" http://rosetta.reltech.org/TC/vol03/Petersen1998a.html]

Discussing the Toledoth Yeshu or Toledoth Jeshu in Part III of the series To Embrace Hebrew Roots, in the article The Talmud & Jesus Christ, it was noted, "The Talmud and Cabala teachings of the Toledot Yeshu-- (or Tolodoth Ieschu or Sepher Toldoth Jehoshua) represent various teachings regarding Christ, which may be shocking to many. A brief overview of these teachings refers to writings that quote the Talmud, (treatise Sabbath, folio 104, treatise Sanhedrim, folio 107, and Sota, folio 47)..."

The January 2005 tour is discussed here: Michael Rood of A Rood Awakening and Nehemia Gordon, US Speaking Tour January 2005 Raiders of the Lost Book Equals Raiders of  Nothing of Value 

Michael Rood has neglected to point out  that the resources for their calendar calculations are found in astrology, numerology and kabbalist gematria. These calculations are also found in the teachings of Oriental, Egyptian, Chinese, Hindu, Zodiac and Gaia based calendar information he and his associates source for the "Astronomically and Agriculturally corrected Biblical Hebrew Calendar." 

Among Michael Roods many and varied titles, he claims to be a 'messianic levite,'  who identifies himself as being Jewish. No longer a just messianic, no longer a rabbi, he is Jewish. And a Levite Priest, as the following information will reveal.

For more on what the actual role of Levite Priests was, including bearing the iniquity of the children of Israel, which role no one else could assume, please see the series : Is Tithing Scriptural for New Covenant Believers? Under the Law or Led by the Spirit : Introduction

Norman Willis, while in Israel in October 2001, related that Michael Rood and his associate Joshua Cohen, bribed a gatekeeper to enter a sacred site with him.  According to Mr. Willis, they donned Levitical Priest garments and engaged in a ceremony. Since Michael is not Jewish by birth, nor descended from a Levitical bloodline, would this not be viewed as a questionable practice according to Rabbinic Jewish standards? Especially in light of the fact that there currently is no temple in Jerusalem. Willis wrote:

"...I knew that I could probably go there if I were to take off my kippa and tassels (techelet), but I had resolved not to change my appearance for the sake of men. Therefore it occurred to me that I would not be able to go to the Pool of Shiloam on this visit.

Then on the Last Great Day of the Feast (karaite reckoning), I was coming out of the architectural dig to the south of the Western Wall plaza, and was going to head back to my room, when something hindered my steps. A still small voice told me quite clearly, "wait here for further instructions."

I stopped and rested by the wall for less than a minute, when up walked Michael Rood and a fellow pilgrim named Joshua. Michael asked me what I was doing, and I told him that I had been instructed to wait for orders. He said, "How are these for orders: Come with us to the Pool of Shiloam."

Michael had me remove my kippa and tassels (which I would not otherwise have done), and we proceeded to the Pool. We had to pay the Palestinian gatekeeper to unlock the gate, and then we all bathed (mikvah'ed) in the Pool, whereupon Michael and Joshua donned the priesthood garments, and performed a ritual ceremony, praying for the restoration of Israel. We found a cleft in a rock upon which to place twelve stones, and anointed them with water, and said many prayers for the nation. The spirit was strong with us as we were there for almost an hour. The ceremony ended when Michael blew the shofar into Hezekiah's tunnel....."

Norman Willis
General Overseer
The Israelite sect of the Nazarenes
Restoring the original faith of the Apostles

For More on Norman Willis, other than in other Michael Rood articles See: Marshall Moshe Yoseph Koniuchowsky; The James Trimm & Michael Rood Factor; Michael Rood & James Trimm & The WAY; Tom Mitchell, Board member of Union of Two House Messianic Congregations, Responds

Note: Since posting the various articles, the name of Union of Two House Messianic Congregations has been changed to : Union Of Nazarene Yisraelite Congregations, as of  October 26, 2003

In his "Calculations for the Yearly Calendar According to the Aviv Barley in the Land of Israel in the Corrected Year 6002", which has since been corrected and rewritten, a common occurrence with his articles, we find Michael aligning with kabbalist thought, as well as confirming his calendar calculations with Freemason thoughts. He notes that certain information was hidden from the average person, but he will enlighten us. Forgive the length of the quotes, but Michael Rood is not a man of few words.

"...The spring of 2002 saw an early barley ripening in the land of Israel. I arrived in Jerusalem in time,...Many who have joined the Karaite, Rabbinic, and Messianic Jews in the restoration of the Biblical Hebrew Calendar believe, as I do...

...The modern Jewish calendar indicates that this is the 5,762^nd year from Creation, ... Schwab proposed that Daniel's mandate to "seal up the word and close the book", authorized Daniel to expunge certain historical events from his writings... Jewish sages may have assumed that same right as they eliminated critical chronological information under the premise of "sealing up the book" when they hid the Book of Genealogies from the eyes of the common scholar.  So, what time is it?

....the Creator's reckoning of time has been erased from modern man's cognizance; the world is fast asleep, unaware that 4000 years + 2000 years equals 6000 years, and that we have already entered the 7^th millennium, the Sabbath millennium, the Day or Millennium of the LORD. 

Last year there were several events that led us to setting the calendar year at 6001.  On March 26, 2001 the new moon sighting and the fact that the barley in Jerusalem was aviv, confirmed the beginning of the year.  During that week, a singular event in the history of the human race was proclaimed in Jerusalem.  Twice during the week a large contingency of both Sephardic and Ashkenazi rabbis met at the wall to announce, "The time of Jacob's trouble has now begun!"  

The morning that we finalized the 6001 Calendar, we prayed for confirmation.  That afternoon I was in a Florida hotel, and as the doors to the grand ballroom opened,  out poured the festively attired members of The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Florida.  The banner over the speaker's dais celebrated the 172^nd annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of Florida.  While musing over the longevity of the Lodge, we picked up a "2001 Budget and Legislation proposal" that was left behind on a chair. The official Lodge seal indicated that the Lodge was formed in the year A.L. 5830.  I quickly calculated 5830 years + 171 annual conventions to equal the year 6001 according to Masonic reckoning.  A Mason later confirmed that this year all official Masonry documents are signed 2001 A.D. - 6001 A.L.  I also discovered that A.L. represents “Anno Lucis” in Latin, which means “in the year of the light”.  Of course, I am not a Mason, nor do I espouse their doctrines, I just find this fascinating from an historical perspective..." 1

It should be noted that A.L., the Year of the Light, is based on the Freemason belief that is when the light or truth of masonry was revealed, according to Mackey's Encyclopedia. Rood went on to say, 

"... For years I had stated that if the Oslo Peace Accord was the Covenant with Death of which the prophet spoke, it would have to be annulled by violence before Tishri 1, of the seventh year,  October 28^th 2000 on the corrected calendar.  I projected that the violence would erupt on Elul 1, (corrected) " September 28^th 2000, sundown in Jerusalem."  ...  I cannot claim any prophetic insight concerning this coincidence.  I never said," thus saith the LORD." My opinions and calculations are just that.  I projected the violence to begin September 28^th simply by calculating the first day of the month of Elul, ...  I coupled that with my understanding of the Hebrew Prophets and my loose grasp of the geopolitical world in which I have lived nearly 50 years.  I did not receive any dates by Divine revelation.  There have been no angelic visitations of which I am aware, or trips to heaven, hell, or Katmandu.  That year, I offered my observations, calculations, and opinions to over 100,000 people in public venues.  Every time it was spoken with a qualifying “IF” – the difference between calculated projections and prophetic declarations.  ..."

"...The weight of evidence, according to the wisdom of the ancients [ed-occult phrasing] of Judah, compelled me to set the calendar year to 6001 as of March 26, 2001.  From the fall of 2000 to the fall of 2001 was determined to be the 7^th Sh'mittah or Sabbath year from when we reentered the land in 1948.  ...   This would indicate that a war of apocalyptic proportions is due from Tishri 1 to Tishri 10 in the fall of 6002 / 2002."

Waiting for you in Jerusalem,

Michael John Rood
Feast of Unleavened Bread 6002 / 2002"  2

Notice Michael's claim of when, "we" reentered the land...meaning the Jewish people, of which Michael now claims to be one. The following are some of Michael Rood's failed false prophecies, which are also based on his and Robert Wadsworth's astronomical calculations. 

Rosh Hashanah, (Tishri 1) which equates to sundown, September 11, 1999 was to be the year 6001, the "Great and Notable Day of the LORD". It was based on Rood's theology that an error was introduced in the Jewish calendar, which makes the generally accepted date off by several years. Although the Rapture was not expected then,  Rood falsely declared the beginning of "...bloodshed, plagues, and all manner of pestilence", followed at some unspecified time by the coming of the Messiah.

On September 24, 1999, Rood, with an obviously greatly increased perception, stated, "The countdown to the 7th millennium came and went without incident." In his imagination, the Day of the Lord was postponed for just one month, giving time for a month of preparation, according to his occult based, "astronomical and mathematical evidence". October 11-12, 1999, ended the proclaimed and required thirty days "preparation" for the Day of the Lord. 

Rood changed his 1999 false predictions to April 5, 2000, stating again that The Day would begin with, "bloodshed, plagues, and all manner of pestilence." Then, again, in September 29, 2000, declaring the Hebrew calendar false, he stated his " corrected" timeline of events meant that the seventh millennium or millennium of the Lord began on either April 6, 2000 or May 5, 2000. 

May 5, 2000 is the date other occultists also proclaimed for the dawning of the New Age, also claiming that celestial events beginning August 11-September 9, would culminate in a "cosmic event" or New Age "day of judgment." May 5, 2000 was viewed as the  "Dawn of the New Light." New Agers believed that May 5, when all of the planets were in alignment, would be the day for that judgment, and they used the same calculations as Rood and friends. And they were just as wrong. Rood expected the invasion of the United States and Israel, with the concept of Gog and Magog, either at the end of September, 2000 or October 28, 2000, although his so-called prophecies are becoming more open ended. 

Robert Wadsworth, Roods calendar calculating colleague, and whose Biblical Astronomy Newsletter is the vehicle for much false prophecy and occult data,  prophesied April 26, 1997 as, "The beginning of the Great Tribulation." Wadsworth also believes that the Sun revolves around the Earth.

For a full treatment on the un-Biblical past time of date setting the return of Christ, please see, Date Setting Hypocrisy. Invariably, false date setting brings shame upon our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as non-Christians mock and laugh at another failed false prophecy. Unfortunately, they believe those doing the false prophecies in many, to most, cases belong to Jesus Christ, when in fact, they do not.

In October, 1999, Michael Rood stated on the home page to his 6001.com web site, that he was "led" to determine his false prophecies.

"....www.6001.com/

....When I say that I feel that I was led to determine September 11, 1999 at sundown to be the beginning of the 7th millennium, I see it in two ways.  As Bob Wadsworth and I were setting the calendar, we prayed that we would do the right thing concerning the setting of Nisan this last year....To correct the calendar by a month now over the next year will be very simple, but I cannot do so unless we see the events of the 7th millennium as the indisputable benchmark by which these things can be judged...."

www.6001.com/intro.htm 

"....The Biblical Hebrew year 6001 will mark the first year of the Seventh Millennium, the seventh "day," the Day of the LORD. This epoch will not begin on January 1, 2000 or 2001: those dates are inventions of man, throughly fictitious and impertinent. We must look to the Creator’s calendar, which points to Tishri 1, 6001 (September 11, 1999 at sundown) as the beginning of the seventh period of one thousand years since creation. This is neither based on the Gregorian calendar with which most of us were raised, nor the Jewish Calendar, which is based on ancient astronomical calculations rather than the Biblically-commanded moon sightings. Our Biblical Hebrew Calendar utilizes the most current computerized calculations to project the phases of the moon over Jerusalem, thus giving us the first accurate calendar since the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E.

Does this mean that the Messiah will arrive on September 11? No! In the Bible we read of the Great and Notable Day of the LORD. This Day, or Millennium, starts out with bloodshed, plagues, and all manner of pestilence. Then comes an era of peace such as the world has never known, with the Messiah as King over all. The Messiah will not come immediately, but after the time of tribulation. And of course, we must first wait for Elijah, who must come before the Messiah. When shall we expect Elijah? When will the Messiah arrive? And what does this have to do with the Ark of the Covenant? ..."

In Robert Wadsworth's online Newsletter, Michael Roods friend and Moon observer, Bruce Brill, often quoted in Michaels information, presented a letter in the December 1998/January 1999 edition in which he stated he had asked Wadsworth to generate calendars from the past. He then states, 

...Michael Rood and Astronomer Robert Wadsworth have published a calendar of the monthly new moon appearances from Jerusalem for this entire year.. Michael Rood, a colleague of Wadsworth, arrived in Israel recently with the express purpose of finding moon watchers to confirm his teams' exciting findings. His data from the Jewish New Year and this writer's sightings agree, so far. If Rood's and Wadsworth's data continue to confirm my nearly five-years of observation, then the Jewish people are indeed out of synch." 3

In December 2000, Michael Rood taught on his 6001.com site about the development of the Calendar, and promoted his good friend Nehemiah Gordon and Bruce Brill, and also Robert Wadsworth. He also gave another false prophecy.

"....September 11, 1999...In the succeeding days...The countdown to the 7th millennium came and went without incident.  What was wrong?  The year?  Probably, but still I had no way to correct the date....Then Brill handed me an English language version of the publication "Israel Today" dated May 1999 - the article: The Mystery of the 240 Missing Years.  In the article, David Rohl, an Egyptologist and Archaeologist, found hieroglyphics that provided a synchronization of the Jewish and Egyptian calendars.   He asserts that 240 years are missing from modern Jewish reckoning, bringing us to "the prophetic year 6000."  If he is correct on the 240 years, as opposed to my 241-year assertion (which is definitely wrong), the year 6000 is not a "prophetic year", but we are still waiting for the beginning of the 7th Millennium. 

My words of the past six months came back to bite me with their reality: 

..."This is not revelation from God.  I have had no angelic visitation from Gabriel, and I cannot say, "Thus saith the LORD."   The year calculations are based on mathematical and astronomical data that I will show you.  I believe that this is the last year of the 6th Millennium and I live like it.  I am here to deliver my soul.  When the 7th Millennium begins, Tishri 1 will begin the prophetic fulfillment of the fall Feasts of the LORD.  If this is not the year 6000, then I am going to throw up my hands on Tishri 1 and say that I don't know what year it is - and I do not have any idea how to begin figuring it out..."  

...According to the Torah, the Jewish calendar was off from God's calendar by not only a day, as I had postulated in regards to the sighting of the new moon, but both of our calendars were off by an entire month according to the Divine standard.  I was aware of this possibility when Wadsworth and I set the calendar over a year ago.  The modern Jewish calendar is approximated by averaging 7 Adar Bet months dispersed over a 19-year period.  My calendar is based upon Astronomical calculations that cannot discern the maturity of barley, in the past or future. ...

The Countdown to the 7th Millennium Timeline Charts remain valid except the years need to be slid forward by 6 months in relation to the Gregorian calendar, and the year begins on Abib (Nisan) 1.

The Day of the LORD begins April 5, 2000....Michael Rood" 4

It needs to be understood that Michael Rood has no business attempting to change the Jewish Calendar. First and foremost, he is not Jewish...at least he is not consistently Jewish, but appears to be Jewish by convenience and Gentile by convenience. Michael Rood has stated such things as, "...if ...[Abib barley] is at the right stage at the next New Moon of Tues. March 4th then we are looking at, according to scripture, a mid-march Pesach rather than a mid-April Pesach."

By saying that the Hebrew calendar needs to be moved by one month, or the "Day of the Lord" was postponed one month, Rood is changing the calendar and recognized time of Biblical feasts. It should be pointed out that the "Hebrew Scriptures" or Old Testament, also speak of a man trying to change God's appointed times for His people. His name was Jeroboam, and he led many of the Jewish people into false worship, which ended up in their destruction. He, incidentally, also changed the times by one month.

1 Kings 12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

That was Jeroboam's "devised concept", but God had ordained the times of the feasts in the Torah, or first five books of the Bible:

Numbers 29:1 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.

The result of Jeroboam's disobedience brought God's displeasure upon him and his followers, as shown in the history of the Northern Tribes.

According to the prophet Daniel, that is, the God-ordained prophet Daniel, one of the traits of the coming anti-Messiah will be the attempt to change "times" and "laws."

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

It is really no surprise to this author that Michael Rood and friends activities are found correlating to these verses. Michael tries to suggest that because he didn't say, "Thus saith the Lord", or distorts his earlier false predictions by saying,  "...Every time it was spoken with a qualifying “IF” – the difference between calculated projections and prophetic declarations."  ... he's not claiming to be a prophet.

However, Michael has taught that he is to be viewed as a prophet of God and in fact, made it clear he was speaking in obedience to God, as shown in his stating, "I was led to determine,"...and he states the events WILL happen...

"... We don't know where the boundaries are. And the job of the prophet as we read in the prophets, is the prophet is to stand in the gap, in the wall where there has been a breach in the wall, and he stands there and says, This is where the wall was. Don't go over there. ... And so it is that we stand in the gap, and that is our job in this generation, to stand in the gap...

"Not only in America, but to the entire world. Right now, we are 210 days I believe it is, it's 211 days on the calendar, but...until Tisshri 1, 6001 which will happen September 11, 1999, at sundown, in Jerusalem. This coming year. 210 days away. That is when the Seventh Millenium begins. The sabbath millenium. The day or the Millenium of the Lord. 

That is when the Lord does the judging. That is when the book of Revelation will unfold in order, in the progression which God has given to the Messiah, for the Messiah to show unto his people the things which must come to pass.  And John was in the Spirit on the Day of the Lord, in the Lord's day, he saw what was going to happen in our generation and in our time" 5

The Apostle John was given revelation about what was going to happen in the appointed times, "to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass;"--but there was nothing said about specific dates, or that it was known to John that it would be our generation and in our time as Michael has stated. That is adding to the Word of God, which we are forbidden to do.

Michael Rood gives us his definition of a false prophet in the tape on the Doctrine of the Nicolaitains. He gives the definition after saying he might be thought of as being obnoxious and rude and states he has good friends that point out his errors. Actually, listening to his 4 tape series, the 70th Week of Messiah, it is uncanny that those were the descriptive thoughts this author had about Michael Rood, but it is doubtful that he was saying he might be viewed as obnoxious and rude, as some sort of prophetic revelation.

False prophet------"...whenever someone teaches something that the Lord Jesus never told them to teach and they say the Lord told me or they teach it as if it's truth and it's incorrect  in that area, that person is prophesying falsely. If everything they said was false then no one would ever ever follow them. But it's when good honest people who are blind in some areas start teaching something that the Lord never told them to teach and when they do that then they get out of the field that the Lord gave them to teach and they are prophesying falsely because they are not speaking the truth....these things are subtle,  it's not like you know you can point at someone and say there's a false prophet... after it gets to a certain point and a person doesn't come back ...you could be more general like that." 6

That's not true. We have God's view about false prophets. And He always seems to be very clear about pointing them out.

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Since we know Michael Rood rejects Jesus Christ, and pretends to prophesy, we have the criteria for a false prophet, and God's view of such, in the Old Testament as well.

Jeremiah 29:8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.

Since Michael Rood claims to be Torah Observant, we'll also go to the Torah, that is, what is normally viewed as the first five books of the Old Testament. Many would be familiar with Deuteronomy 13, starting in verse 1- 5, which speaks of the required punishment for those who speak false prophecies, that is, they are required to be stoned. It's doubtful we'll see Michael Rood claiming Torah Observance of those verses, nor of the following.  Deuteronomy 18:

10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

 

Occult Foundations

The question is, where exactly did Michael Rood and Robert Wadsworth initially obtain their "astronomical calculations" for their predictions? 

Robert Wadsworth stated in emails that, "...While in the Marine Corps, I became involved in the ministry "The Way International".  It was there where I first came across the book "The Witness of the Stars" by E.W. Bullinger, which spured my interest in Biblical Astronomy. ...." 

And, "I started the Biblical Astronomy newsletters in July 1996.  I met Michael Rood in 1995, but only briefly at a seminar we both attended.  I later met Michael in 1996 while I was on tour with the Prophecy Club.  He came to the meeting where I was teaching in Minnesota.  We kept in touch via phone and both worked on correcting the Hebrew Calendar, which we both had a mutual interest in.  Early Church Communications was founded by Michael, I believe, in early 1997.  I was not one of the founders, nor did I belong to it, but worked with Michael on projects concerning the calendar, more or less as an independent advisor..." 

In fact, the Calendar projections Rood put out, for example, for August 2000, had the, "© 1998- Michael Rood, Robert Wadsworth, Richard Fike."

In the November 1998 Biblical Astronomy Newsletter, Wadsworth also wrote:

"TWO WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM

"Over the last year, I have been working with Michael Rood on getting the Hebrew calendar back on track. In order to do this properly, there needs to be witnesses in Jerusalem to observe the first crescent light of the new moon each month, and observance of the barley crops. Michael recently went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles and this is a quote from a letter he sent me in early October before he left for Jerusalem."

"We should have our two witnesses in place by Heshvan 1, and hopefully the web site up by that date as well." 7

Robert Wadsworth started posting his Biblical Astronomy Newsletter in 1996. This author waded through every posting, from then to current. Aside from noting the horrific occultism and use of the occult zodiac, Bullinger  and Seiss writings, all sources used by Victor Wierwille for his theology, the writings of 1997-1998 were of particular interest, as that is when Michael put out the first joint calendar with Wadsworth and Fike. 

In the June 1998, Biblical Astronomy newsletter, Wadsworth introduces a Way International colleague, named Bob Schlenker, of Christian Research Ministries. Keep in mind that Rood is working with Wadsworth and using his information, to 'figure out what year it is.' Please note the Victor Wierwille quote.

"...The following article is by Bob Schlenker, Christian Research Ministries. I thank Bob for writing this article for Biblical Astronomy.

SIGNS TO MARK SEASONS

Hi Biblical Astronomy Fans! I'd like to express my appreciation to my dear friend Bob Wadsworth for the honor of submitting this article.

Seven years ago this very month, a startling discovery had a dramatic impact upon my life. As I had been blessed with the opportunity to become familiar with what we now call biblical astronomy through the work of Rolleston, Bullinger and Seiss, Crouch/Wierwille and Martin, the Lord was able to lead me to what I believe is the most significant celestial sign yet to be given. As readers of this publication, you may be aware of Dr. Ernest L. Martin's promotion of the connection between Revelation 12:1 and the celestial sign marking the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ....

In similar manner as Dr. Martin's discovery, a celestial sign was encrypted in the Bible only to be revealed in the fullness of time the Author of these harmoniously synchronized facets of His Word had appointed to accomplish His purposes.

Quoting from Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed, (Wierwille, American Christian Press, 1982, p. 57) "The final conjunction in Leo with its massing of four planets convinced the Magi that a king had been born in Judea. They began their journey to Jerusalem to find the "king of the Judeans" soon after this event." Those same four planets massing in Leo in late August of 1991 awakened me to the fact that a further announcement regarding that very same king of the Judeans was at hand! ....

An investigation into the balance of the prophecy Jacob brought forth about Judah finds much support for a "celestial" level of interpretation by marking reference to (allusion) various other passages in the Bible (both Old and New Testament) that each contain celestial terminology. As Bullinger had so insightfully drawn the connection between the lions which are subject of Jacob's prophecy about Judah and the constellation we know as Leo, the connection between the other symbols in verse 10 can now be drawn. The scepter, an instrument of rulership wielded by a king, represents the ruling planet, the King planet Jupiter. The ruler's staff (or, perhaps better translated as lawgiver in the KJV) represents the planet Mercury. By name, Mercury is associated with the messenger god of the same name. Its association as chief speaker or messenger can be noted from Acts 14:12 - And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker...

...Bob Schlenker has a more detailed report on the above subject titled A Sign to the Magi ... from Christian Research Ministrie... The Christian Research Ministries' Website ... " 8

The next month, for the July 1998 Biblical Astronomy newsletter, Robert Wadsworth wrote the following, which reveals another source for his and Michael Rood's 'astronomical calculations':

"....In the ancient Egyptian Zodiac of Denderah this first Decan of Libra is represented as a lion with his tongue hanging out of his mouth, as if in thirst, and a female figure holding a cup out to him. Under his fore feet is the hieroglyphic symbol of running water. What is all this but "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" 9

Following that, the August 1998 Biblical Astronomy newsletter had Wadsworth quoting the ever popular E.W. Bullinger and his various sources for promoting his occult based zodiac. Please pay special attention to the sources he uses to validate his teachings, which Rood, Wadsworth and many others also embrace as a good and accurate source for their teachings.

"....The following is from E.W. Bullinger's The Witness of the Stars, concerning Cancer.

"With regard to the sign of Cancer, one thing is certain, that we have not got the original picture, or anything like it.

It does not agree with the names either of its three constellations which have come down to us, or of its stars.

In the ancient Denderah Zodiac it is represented as a Scarabaeus, or sacred beetle. (The Scarabaeus, passing its early existence as a worm of the earth, and thence issuing as a winged denizen of heaven, was held by the Egyptians as an emblem of the resurrection of the body). In the Zodiac of Esneh and in a Hindu Zodiac (400 B.C.) it is the same.

According to the Greeks, Jupiter placed this Crab amongst the signs of the Zodiac.

In Sir William Jone's Oriental Zodiac we meet with the crab, and an Egyptian Zodiac found in Rome bears also the crab in the sign. The more ancient Egyptians place Hermanubis, or Hermes, with the head of an ibis or hawk, as the symbol of the sign now allotted to Cancer.

The Denderah name is Klaria, or the cattle folds, and in this name we have the key meaning of the sign, and to the subject of this chapter."  10

"Former Way member" Robert Schlenker refers to the same resources, mentioned in his previously quoted article submitted to Biblical Astronomy. From his website for Christian Research Ministries, he reveals his Way International background.  

"Is the Celestial Birth Announcement of God's Son Relevant Today?"

"In May of 1991, I was drawn rather unexpectedly into the study of Bible prophecy. Because I had studied and acquired a basic familiarity with the work of E.W. Bullinger (Witness of the Stars) and Ernest Martin (via John Crouch - V.P. Wierwille - Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed),....

A most significant advancement in knowledge was made as, in the late 1970's, a scholar named Dr. Ernest L. Martin discovered something almost incredible. He recognized that Revelation 12:1 [where is your Bible anyway?] describes a celestial event which is set in the context of the birth of Jesus Christ and, based upon the consistent motions of the heavens, he concluded that it must be the event which happened on September 11, 3 BC. This happened to be Rosh Hashanah on the Jewish Calendar, a significant day indeed.

I was introduced to this work when, as a student of Dr. V.P. Wierwille, I read with fascination his version of Dr. Martin's discovery. Although these men concluded that Jesus was born in 3, BC, through Stephen Jones' independent historical research and insight, and through J.R. Church's insight, (once these things were brought to his attention via a promotional audio cassette lecture series I sent him in 1992) it would seem that Jesus was much more likely born on Rosh Hashanah in the year 2 BC. The Sun was in Virgo, the Moon was under her feet, and the planet Jupiter was crowning her head. It appears that God has thus revealed His "date stamp" marking the birth of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!..." 11

Ernest Martin was formerly head of the theology department for Ambassador College (Herbert Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God), was Chairman of the Department of Theology at Ambassador in Pasadena, California in 1973, then left Ambassador in 1974 and started FBR (the Foundation for Biblical Research). He left FBR to found the Associates for Scriptural Knowledge (A.S.K.) in 1985 and was Chairman of the Board. He died on January 16, 2002. 11a  His associate James Tabor, a Professor at the University of North Carolina and editor of the Original Bible Project, is also a former employee of Ambassador College and the Worldwide Church of God. Ernest Martin also was a supporter of that project, and Tabor, an Ebionite and leadership in the B'nai Noah movement, rejects the divinity of Christ and believes the New Testament to be merely a commentary of the Old Testament. He is a member and leadership in the United Israel World Union of New York (UIWU), founded in 1943 by David Horowitz who has maintained an office at the United Nations headquarters in New York, and United Israel of Jerusalem (UIJ), founded by Tabor. According to Tabor UIWU is to give "Mosaic Law for One World." Part of that vision is the Union of the twelve tribes, including the 'lost tribes'. The purpose of UIJ is to publish both biblical research and historical material dealing with the identity of the so-called "lost tribes" 11b James Trimm has 'worked' with James Tabor.

Did Robert Wadsworth wait until he connected with Michael Rood to use the occult, including the kabbalah, for the calculations for his calendar? Not according to the December 1996, Biblical Astronomy Newsletter. 

"....Venus starts this pattern again, but a little to the right or west of where the pattern was formed eight years earlier, to the day. According to E.W. Bullingers Number in Scripture, p. 203, the number "eight is the dominical number, for everywhere it has to do with the LORD. It is the number of His name, Jesus." All dominical names of Jesus (Christ, Lord, Our Lord, Savior, Emmanual, Messiah, Son, in the Greek are all marked by gematria and stamped with the number eight as a factor.

Jesus says in Revelation 22:16 "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." I believe this to be referring to the planet Venus. The number 5 also has significance to Grace. It is through what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross that we have grace and thus "Being justified without cause by His grace." -- Romans 3:24"  12

Gematria is of the kabbalah, hence the occult. All occultists refer to Venus, as the light bearer or as the morning star and intend that to mean Lucifer, not Christ. In fact, according to Sir James George Frazer, in his The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion, Venus was thought of in connection with Babylonian astronomers and divination;

"...Now Astarte, the divine mistress of Adonis, was identified with the planet Venus, and her changes from a morning to an evening star were carefully noted by the Babylonian astronomers, who drew omens from her alternate appearance and disappearance. Hence we may conjecture that the festival of Adonis was regularly timed to coincide with the appearance of Venus as the Morning or Evening Star. But the star which the people of Antioch saluted at the festival was seen in the East; therefore, if it was indeed Venus, it can only have been the Morning Star..." 13

Lucifer is referred to by occultists and Freemasons as the Morning Star, that is, Venus, “ because it is his light that heralds for man the dawn of a greater consciousness…” and “Masons themselves (and others) tell us that Lucifer (or Venus) is the Light bearer and the Morning Star. Blavatsky writes about the Druids, Magi, Zoroastians, etc., greeting “the Morning Star—the beautiful Venus-Lucifer.” 14 

Robert Wadsworth also promoted his good friend and colleague Ralph Lyman, whose teachings are also rooted in the occult. From the November 1999 Biblical Astronomy newsletter.

"...My good friend and colleague Pyramidologist Ralph Lyman states that the Pyramid gives a timeline for the Great Tribulation beginning in the Spring of 2001 and ending in the Fall of 2004.  Ralph is currently writing a book on the Great Pyramid, which he hopes to have finished within the next year...." 15

Herbert W. Armstrong also embraced Pyramidology, which teachings are reported in the article, "Anglo-Israel and Pyramidology." That article  defined Pyramidology as a form of divination:

"Pyramidologists claim that if one correctly interprets the measurements of the inner tunnels of the Great Pyramid of Giza, one can know the future..."  16  http://www.wcg.org/lit/prophecy/anglo/anglo2.htm

For More on Robert Wadsworth See: The Prophecy Club & Elijah; Marshall Moshe Yoseph Koniuchowsky

If one looks carefully, what these occultists, ie. Rood, Wadsworth, Schlenker, Church, etc., are doing is no different than what is discussed in the articles, Astrology, The Gospel of Truth?;  and  Myths & Legends Are A Legacy Of Truth?.  That is, they are deceptively causing people to use the occult and divination as a source for their theology. Those articles address all these issues and include many other "christian" leaders also using the same sources for their "astronomical and mathematical calculations." 

Those sources include the Oriental, Egyptian, Chinese, Hindu, Zodiac and Gaia based calendar information, Bullinger, Ernest Martin and Seiss, etc. for their forms of divination and false prophecy. And people like it, including those who say they belong to Jesus Christ. And it is to their shame.

God is also very clear about these issues:

Isaiah 47:12 -13

Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.

** A Prognosticator is someone who makes predictions of the future based on "special knowledge."

14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

Jeremiah 23:29 -30

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? 30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. 

For more on Michael Rood connections

Previous Article:

Michael John Rood: Messianic Karaite Rabbi

The Creator's Calendar and the Restoration of All Things And Raiders of the Lost Book: New Discoveries in the Hebrew Text of Matthew > Michael Rood & Nehemia Gordon 2005 USA Summer Tour

Michael Rood,  Sky Angel , Ron Wyatt & The National Religious Broadcasters

Series On Michael Rood> Michael John Rood: WAY Days   > Part 1 of series; The Reverend Michael John Rood ;   Michael John Rood: Continuing The WAY  ; Michael John Rood: Marine Chaplain, Jewish Gentile Rabbi, & Reverend?  ; Michael John Rood: Dad & Early Church Communications ; Michael John Rood: Messianic Karaite Rabbi ; Michael Rood: WAY Colleague, Occult Calendar & False Prophecies

Other > Other Articles About Michael John Rood  ;  David Hall & Michael J. Rood & The MJAA ; The James Trimm & Michael Rood Factor ; Michael Rood & James Trimm & The WAY ; Vicky Dillen's Inquisition ; EdNydle Newsflash ; Also see SeekGod.ca Letters