Elijah Chacko claims to be the harbinger of Christ’s Second Coming; the Second Elijah; the eschatological Noah; the ‘standard’ that the LORD has lifted up in these last of the last of the last times; the one who should ‘restore all things’ (substitute ‘all doctrines’); the anointed servant of God; the final prophet etc. He sees himself as the brightest New Testament light since the Apostle Paul. He supposes he is not a whit behind the very chiefest of God’s post-apostolic servants, possessing as his trump card the supposed benefits of hindsight.
When in October 2018, this author published an article refuting Elijah’s claims that the scriptures severally, expressly and personally prophecy of him, Zephaniah Soh (Elijah’s right hand man) was asked to respond. He ignored the majority of the article and set out to prove the theoretical possibility and perceived need for someone to be raised up as a standard in the days immediately preceding Christ’s return. He indulged in a series of rhetorical questions, such as: ‘Is it so far-fetched that another [forerunner] be sent for His Second Coming?‘ And, ‘Is it not inconceivable that “the Elias to come” is to engage in the battle of the greatest apostasy of all times before the Second Advent of Christ?‘ And, ‘it is not improbable to believe that the Spirit of God will lift up a standard against the final assail of the spiritual foes of the visible Church.‘ If God’s Word is our guide, then Elijah’s claims are no only far-fetched, inconceivable and improbable, but they are also proud, heretical and popish. Jesus said, “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man [except Elijah Chacko?], no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father… watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning… (Mark 13:32,35).” But supposing we allow that Elijah is a true servant of God, he would consider it a demotion to be just a servant of God. He insists that he is the anointed servant of God. To be the king of the castle, Elijah needs to trample upon the heads of those who preceded him. Therefore, in one short paragraph, Zephaniah also dismissed individuals such as Benjamin Warfield, Gresham Machen, Martin-Lloyd Jones, John Piper, Timothy Keller and Paul Washer. The Scottish and American Presbyterians are also consigned to the dung-heap by Elijah and his mouth-piece Zephaniah because they are ‘keen to preserve their institutionalism and promote their Presbyterian polity and Post-Millennial Eschatology‘!
Here are some direct quotes confirming what Elijah’s core disciples believe concerning him:
1. ‘Throughout the course of ecclesiological history, there had been different deluges of apostasy directed against the Church of Christ. But the Spirit of God had time and again raised up His standard to combat these evil inundations. Just to list a few main ones; in the pristine Church during the first century, when Legalism was contaminating the purity of the Gospel of grace, the Holy Ghost raised Paul the final apostle to state and expound the doctrine of Justification By Faith. In the second and third centuries, when the Arian heresy was fiercely assailing the Church, the Spirit of God raised up the early Church Fathers to expose and refute it and salvage the Church. From their battle of faith came the formulation of the Nicene Creed (AD 381) and Athanasian Creed (AD 500). When the Church entered the period of Dark Ages for more than a millennium, the Spirit of God eventually raised up the Reformers to bring about the Protestant Reformation to liberate His people from the yoke of Papacy and the Mother of Harlots. When the evil deluge of Arminian heresy inundated the Church by the close of the 16th Century, the Holy Spirit raised up the Puritans to underscore what Experimental Calvinism is. Consider now our present context and time: Satan is loosed; the evil trinity is confederating and vehemently attacking the visible Church (Revelation 16). Will not the Spirit of God lift up a standard against them? … It is not inconceivable that “the Elias to come” [i.e. Elias Thomas Chacko] is to engage [i.e. personally lead] in the battle of the greatest apostasy of all times before the Second Advent of Christ.‘ [Zephaniah Soh, 28th Oct 2018]
2. ‘Christ Yeshua has to equip His servants through the illumination of the Holy Ghost from the Holy Scriptures in different epochs of time to counter doctrinal and pastoral problems and damnable heresies. In our time and age, can we turn to the works of the Protestant Reformers and Puritans to deal with the heresies of Pentecostalism, Dispensationalism, Reformed Pentecostalism, and other contemporary heresies? The Puritans had written voluminously on the positive aspect of Experimental Religion especially in the field of Pneumatology. But what about the negative aspect of Experimental Religion brought about by the workings of the evil trinity? Can we glean sufficiently from the writings of the Puritans to deal with it? Where is the standard the Spirit of God has lifted up in our days? Who do you look to after the demise of the likes of Jonathan Edwards? The renowned Benjamin Warfield? Or Gresham Machen who did not believe the Reformers’ fundamental assertion that “Papacy is the Antichrist” and were firm supporters of the revision of the Westminster Confession of Faith in AD 1903? Or the late Martyn Lloyd-Jones who endorsed the Pentecostal Movement? Or the Scottish or American Presbyterians who are more keen to preserve their institutionalism and promote their Presbyterian polity and Post-Millennial Eschatology? Or do you look to the leading proponents of New Calvinism in the likes of John Piper, a staunch Continuationist who believes supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit still exist or Timothy Keller who does not believe in the six literal days of Creation or Paul Washer who does not practise the Regulative Principle of Public Worship? Do we turn to these New Calvinists, most of whom are against the puritanical doctrine of Preparatory Work?’ [Zephaniah Soh, 28th Oct 2018]
3. ‘And it is easy to look at the Jews during Jeremiah’s time and deride them for being so stupid. How come they didn’t follow the Word of God that came directly from Jeremiah? But as pastor said, we are more accountable. We have history, the whole canonicity of the Holy Scriptures and the servant of God raised up to reveal these things on us! God is going to take us to task. Although I don’t understand the extent of the deceitfulness or wickedness of my heart, yet, I pray for humility and spirit to believe the message and to pray for that understanding. Also when pastor mentioned that Jeremiah is not just a prophet to Judah but to the whole world, and the judgments encompassed not just Judah but also Babylon and other nations. I am reminded that in our days, we are in a time of the culmination of Gog and Magog. And the judgment is sweeping.’ [Ruth Mary Thomas, 1st July 2018]
4. ‘I acknowledge no flesh or books like Calvin’s Institute or Matthew Henry’s Commentary can reveal the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Yeshua the way you did. Truly, I can affirm that God has given you the special anointing for the special need of the hour in this last perilous times. I am so thankful that I have been brought under thy ministry to enjoy the covenantal blessings and privileges; and peradventure obtain the covenantal promise in Christ Jesus, the covenantal Head of His elect.’ [Sharon Bethany, 16th Feb 2019]
These four quotations can be summarised in the following way: (1) In the first century God raised up Paul; in the second and third centuries He raised up the early Church Fathers; then He raised up the Reformers; then the Puritans; then finally and certainly not least, Elijah Chacko. (2) The Protestant Reformers and Puritans never addressed the heresies of our own times and since the demise of Jonathan Edwards, everybody has been doctrinally corrupt… except Elijah Chacko who is without fault. (3) The servant of God (Elijah Chacko) has been raised up to announce the Final Judgment is coming. God will take us to task if we ignore him. Elijah is like Jeremiah. His ministry is global, just like Jeremiah’s was (Jer 1:10). (4) My hope of salvation rests upon having been brought under Elijah Chacko’s ministry. For Elijah is the man of the hour with the special anointing!
New Heresies Are Old Heresies Revived
In point 2, Zephaniah tries to carve out a very special niche for Elijah Chacko, as the standard the Spirit of God has raised up to combat the heresies of Pentecostalism, Dispensationalism, Reformed Pentecostalism etc. He writes, ‘In our time and age, can we turn to the works of the Protestant Reformers and Puritans to deal with the … contemporary heresies … can we glean sufficiently from the writings of the Puritans to deal with it?’
Here is William Perkins’ response, from The Art of Prophesying (ISBN 0851516890, p24):
‘… we ought to get help from orthodox Christian writers, not only from modern times but also from the ancient church. For Satan raises old heresies from the dead in order to retard the restoration of the church which has begun in our own time. The Antitrinitarians have simply painted a new coat of varnish on the views of Arius and Sabellius. The Radical Anabaptists repeat the doctrines of the Essenes, Catharists, Enthusiasts, and Donatists. The Swenkfeldians revive the views of the Eutychians, Enthusiasts and others. Menno follows the Ebionites, and Roman Catholicism resembles the Pharisees, Encratites, Tatians and Pelagians. The Libertines repeat the views of the Gnostics and Carpocratians. Servetus has revived the heresies of Paul of Samosata, Arius, Eutyches, Marcion and Apollinarius. Lastly, schismatics who separate themselves from evangelical churches revive the opinions, facts and fashions attributed by Cyprian to Pupianus and of the Audians and Donatists.‘
I could add that the Pentecostals repeat the doctrines of the Radical Anabaptists, the Zwickau prophets, the Camisards, the Quakers, the Ranters, the Irvingites etc. The Dispensationalists also repeat many heretical motifs and it should be noted that Dispensational Premillennialism was invented (no doubt with recourse to the past) by the Jesuit Ribeira in the 16th Century. The preterist scheme was work of a contemporary Jesuit called Alcazar. Both denied most importantly that the papacy is the Antichrist. Both were loyal papists. Has God suffered 400yrs to pass without raising up any capable man to refute Pentecostalism or Dispensationalism? Is Elijah Chacko the chosen one to do this? I don’t deny that I’ve heard him preach compellingly against Dispensationalism. But so can many others! God raised up thousands upon thousands of faithful preachers since the onset of the Reformation. It is only our ignorance which limits us to counting reformers on the fingers of our hands! Martin Luther was a great man, but he wasn’t the Reformation. In the New Testament church it is Jesus Christ Who is prophet, priest and king. The best of us are but vessels in a great house.
Elijah Chacko’s bombastic claim to have restored the church to a doctrinal perfection in our days falls rather flat when it’s apparent that nobody has heard of him, none of his books are publicly available (try searching ‘Elijah Thomas Chacko’ on any book retail website – the best you will find are a few tracts) and none of his sermons are extant (try searching sermonaudio.com for his material). He is 66yrs of age, ravaged by diabetes and so physically infirm that he needs full time carers and no longer stands to preach. Either his global ministry has scarcely begun, or the sphere in which he has ‘restored all things’ (i.e. The Westminster Tradition) is in fact the only true Church and the job is done. There is a third option… that his claims to be the last rallying standard that the Spirit of God has raised up are the claims of one who speaks ‘great swelling words of vanity (2 Pet 2:18).’
Views: 292