Shalom brothers and sisters. I will start this off with a brief history lesson and then move forward with this blog, so please be patient.
Anyone that has had to study American History or chose to, has at some point learned about the Prohibition Era. This era was instituted and enforced by the government by stopping the sell, import, export, manufacture and transport of alcoholic drinks thus making alcohol illegal. The rule of thought was that this would reduce the social problems, lower things like tax used to support prisons and poorhouses, crime, corruption and to make America healthy and clean. Of course history shows us that the complete opposite happened and made things worse/more dangerous. Alcohol became dangerous to consume (at your own risk because of quality), prisons overcrowded, organized crime boomed and of course the corruption of those who were supposed to legislate and execute the laws happened as well (sound familiar?). Although the prohibition law had been implemented statewide in Kansas, it was not enforced. History says that a woman named Carry Nation (who said she was ordained by God) went into illegal saloons busting up the bars and destroying the alcohol (also known as spirits remember that) with her hatchet. Carry brought attention to the non adherence of prohibition laws stateside that were not being enforced, through her actions and speeches. These speeches and actions eventually got the 18th Amendment ratified in 1919 and Prohibition went into effect January 16, 1920. Again we know that the law didn’t stop people from “enjoying” alcohol even though it became illegal and that underground drinking places (known as speakeasies) made it easily accessible to those seeking to consume alcohol/spirits. People kept “private bars” at home to entertain, legal and illegal home brewing became popular and the government even allowed commercial wine to be sold at government warehouses for use in “religious” ceremonies and communion.
Looking at this issue from a spiritual standpoint, prohibition has and is happening spiritually to this day. There are two different types or vantage points of spiritual prohibition. There is the spiritual prohibition Given by Yahuah (The Father) to His chosen people (bloodline and our companions/grafted in) and then there is the spiritual prohibition given by the world system (Satan/ Ha’Satan). Since the beginning of mankind, Yah gave us a law/prohibition when He told Adam that he could eat of every tree in the Garden accept for one (Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil) because when he partook of it, he would certainly die (Genesis/Bereshith 2:16-17). Of course we know that the nahash/serpent was crafty and beguiled the woman (Hawwah) by lying to her about the quality of Yah’s words compared to the quality of the forbidden tree/fruit. The nahash/serpent/Satan was actually the first “speakeasy.” The term “speakeasy” means speak quietly about a place or speak softly shop meaning a smuggler’s house. Didn’t the nahash/serpent speak subtly, craftily, softly to the woman in the Garden? Didn’t he smuggle a thought of sin/disobedience and rebellion into her mind and heart that attached to her will? Is it a coincidence that the term “speakeasy” was said to have originated from a woman who owned a saloon who ran an unlicensed bar in the 1880s named Kate Hester? The first “unlicensed bar” was run by a woman in the Garden and her first patron was her husband whom the law was given to, to teach and enforce. When corruption gets the head it gets the house! Of course we know what happened next. The law (Yah) came and shut it down, repossessed the property (Eden), evicted the tenants (mankind), then convicted and punished them (just like the law did speakeasies during Prohibition Era). We see that Yah still gave the law/prohibition to the remnant/good seed of Adam from Seth to Abraham, Yitzhak (Issac) and Ya’aqob/Yisrael (Jacob/Israel). Yisrael taught this law (the law of his fathers) to his twelve sons which became the 12 tribes of the nation of Yisrael/Israel. The Father (Yah) gave this law again to Yisrael through Moshe (Moses) with the Ten Commandments, laws and statues given that we see in scripture.
The world system (which is again controlled by the adversary Satan) does the same thing that he did in the Garden saying basically “don’t listen to The Most High, His quality isn’t as good as mine, nothing will happen to you other than your eyes will be open when you try what I am offering you.” It is safe to say that Satan actually was the first bootlegger (a bootlegger is someone who secretly and illegally makes/produces, sales or transports something). The world system tells you that “you don’t have to follow Yah’s commands, they are archaic, burdensome, no fun; stolen from some pagan/heathen society; etc.” The world system (just like its father Satan in the Garden to present) says, “look at it, doesn’t it look good, there is nothing wrong with this, try it.” There are laws being made by worldly politicians hearing from demonic spiritual forces being implemented to prohibit Yah’s spiritual laws/prohibitions to His people and our being set apart/holy from them and darkness (you see this quietly happening today). What has the world system done to combat Yah’s prohibition on unclean “spirits” or spiritual alcohol? They started “spiritual underground speakeasies” and “bootlegging.” These spiritual speakeasies are exemplified in New Age teachings, multiple world religions, self-empowerment/self help, ascension masters/gurus, media outlets, video game outlets; etc. Let us not forget that many of the “mega churches“ and “local church houses” have become speakeasies were people can come and get illegal “spirits” to consume. The spiritual bootleggers are again the New Age gurus, spiritual leaders of the various world religions, media and also many “clergy” (shepherds/pastors, preachers).
Let us look closer at those who are “professed believers” that are in the “church.” There are many people who come to the assembly that are really looking/thirsty for Yah and His Word, that don’t end up getting either. What they get is an illegal spirit(strange wine/fire) that if they partake enough of it will inebriate or “get them drunk in the spirit.” This type of spirit is dangerous just like the alcohol/spirits that were sold at speakeasies because the quality was not always good. People didn’t get the pure stuff, but instead received mixed drinks (harsh things like moonshine masked with something to take the edge off). This is also the cause for alcohol poisoning that became a big issue during that time. It is said that the poor quality of bootleg liquor sold at these establishments brought about a shift from classic drinks to “new” ones aimed at masking the taste. This same thing has happened in the assembly or “church” today. Look at the quality of worship that is shown today, look at the quality of the sermon/message that is given today. I see a lot of masked moonshine when I have been in some of these places. Cheap liquor was used to boost profits, and even though brand names were used to specify taste and for the purpose of selling/bringing patrons in, the speakeasies still cheated/lied and sold the cheap stuff. Is that not happening today? Some of these “church speakeasies” are boosting profits by selling low quality spirits like their secular counterparts. A “church” offers a quality brand name preacher(s) who cheat the people by giving a low quality cheap message (ie. all about prosperity, name it and claim it; etc.) instead of giving the high quality that The Holy Spirit offers, to profit themselves (bootlegging preacher) and that church (speakeasy) that hired them to bring it in! It used to sound funny to me hearing the term bootlegging preacher as I heard fellow preachers saying it (usually about an unlicensed person preaching) but now it saddens and angers me. The non- brand or “low quality” preacher who wants to compete with the brand/high quality will try to imitate but throw their on twist just like companies do with name brand stuff. This is very dangerous when dealing in the spiritual realm of worship and the five-fold ministry function.
The lower-class speakeasies were also known as “blind pig” and “blind tiger.” The term blind pig was used because they showed pigs and other animals for entertainment and then sold a complimentary drink to get around prohibition. Blind tiger establishments were mysterious as the sellers identity was concealed from the buyer. When I look at some of the “churches” today, I see the blind pig term playing out. People come to be entertained by the unclean, pay their fee and receive the complimentary worship and message(spirits). The blind tiger term also plays out where people put money into something to “get a word” from a seller/preacher whose “true” identity is concealed. Just as speakeasies were numerous in the secular, we see the same thing today. Look in the neighborhoods (especially were my people are segregated/imprisoned in). There is a liquor store, pawn shop and cash advance place on almost every corner. And what else do we also see on almost every corner? A church house! In Yehezqel/Ezekial chapter 16, the Father paints a picture of what His chosen had done. I will preface verses 24-31 where Yah told them that “they built an arched place for themselves making a high place in every street for themselves, at the head of everyway making their beauty to be hated. They played the whore to everyone that passed by (all those unclean nations/ideologies) and they increased in doing this whoring building arched places and high places and unlike a whore, didn’t even want to accept the fee/payment for it.” The arched places and high places are the temples or “churches” that they built everywhere (just like we see today). What do people usually do when they get drunk? They start to get loose or promiscuous. Many bootlegging church leaders and speakeasy churches are in bed (whoring) with the world system because they got drunk off the worlds demonic spirits (poisoned wine). What is even sadder is the fact that Yerushalayim/Jerusalem who Yah was speaking to instead of receiving gifts from lovers like a whore does, gave gifts to the lovers, bribing them to come to her (Ezek 16:33-34). What would you think or do if a whore/prostitute came to you offering you money to sleep with them? When “churches” and “gospel singers seek out secular people and pay them to come in to them or collaborate/spiritually lay with them, then they are again proving the words that Yah stated! Read that whole chapter and you will see what the punishment was for my ancestors then to present day as well as what is going to happen to those “churches” who profess to be His that are doing these things. All these churches on these corners and yet there is no light! Most of the violence is happening where they are located at, and most of them are taking from the people instead of giving something to the people that are supposed to be their mission in that community. Why is that? Maybe it is because of the spirits that they are offering the community instead of The Holy Spirit. How many of them PREY on the hope of the people in the communities that they service and how many of them PRAY for/to the hope of those people/communities? There seems to be a prohibition of the Holy Spirit in these places of “church government.” Prisons, cemeteries and hospital were overcrowded during Prohibition and that has also happened in the spiritual Prohibition. Remember that things are usually illegal as long as governments can’t make money off of it, or they realize that they can make more money by keeping it illegal.
Earlier I stated that there were legal and illegal home brewing that was popular during Prohibition and that the government allowed commercial wine for “religious” ceremonies. The legal home brewing was allowed as long as the alcohol was heated and evaporated enough of the alcohol to bring it back within the legal limits. The government “allowed” the legal home brewing as long as they got to control the amount that was in the brew and they also allowed commercial wine for “religious” ceremonies (whatever government deemed as religious) as long as you got it from their warehouses. Now when looking at Yah’s prohibition parameters to keep us from indulging in the unclean “spirits” there is nothing wrong with it because following it actually does make us better/righteous. It is to help us get the most out of our relationship with Him and Him out of us. It is for us to be spiritually sober-minded. The government does it for control to get the best out of you, while giving you the minimum. The assemblies that formed after the day of Shavout/Pentecost were “home-brewed assemblies that were considered illegal because they didn’t let the fullness of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh/Holy Spirit evaporate from the worship/message as the governments wanted. Through governmental persecution (property repossessions, evictions, jail and execution) the righteous spiritual home brewing continued and grew. We are again getting to a point where righteous home brewing of the Word will be considered illegal not just in this country but the entire world. Prohibition hasn’t stopped on Yah’s chosen people (bloodline) since our 2nd Mitzrayim/Egypt captivity spoken of in the scriptures and that prohibition has also been placed on the true companions/grafted in chosen people of Yah as well.
One of the side effects of bootlegging that I eluded to earlier was alcohol poisoning, which we also see this happening spiritually in the “church.” All you need to do is look at the people that are actual members who attend weekly services (not the fly by nights). The way that some of them live shows they have been poisoned from the pulpit to the pew. The other side effect of bootlegging was the rise of organized crime. These organized crime syndicates realized that there was good money to be made in breaking the law of Prohibition so they went all in. They warred with each other to corner the market, they strong armed people, got politicians in their pockets and all of this was for their empowerment and betterment. They rose to prominence and the people that they “served” stayed low. Prosperity was top heavy and even those that worked for them (distribution, enforcement; etc.) were still playing the low class life. I tell the assembly that I shepherd all the time about “organized religion” which is basically the spiritual version of the secular crime syndicate. You have shepherds/pastors/overseers who form their “syndicates” having those they are on a board with deciding how they will run their regions, districts, local areas all for their gain, not for the people. It is about how big, how many members, how much money THEIR church is/has and so forth. They war with each other over who has the biggest and best pastor and church and how their members/workers take care of them. They also live the high life like their secular counterparts, while their members/workers live low-level, trying to make ends meet lives, giving everything to a man and his system, believing that they will come up (through materialistic prosperity teachings/giving out of want) instead of giving out of love to Yah’s cause and teachings (out of need to follow Yah‘s mandates). They strong arm people and pay off politicians and other people just like their criminal counterparts. They have their territory that each one “respects” and doesn’t try to come infringe upon (proselyte). They black-ball anyone who doesn’t go with the status-quo, assassinating their character and in some cases actually having them hurt or assassinated (look at the prophets, apostles, true believers and true preachers even today).
Lastly I will speak on the corruption of those whose job is/was making, and upholding the law. Prominent citizens, politicians and even the President (Harding) kept a well stocked bar in their homes and the White House. The law was against manufacturing, distributing and transport, not possession and consumption. The ones making the laws left loop-holes, so how could they be hard on/enforce law on the very things that they were doing? The Father doesn’t leave loop-holes. Being in possession of sin is still illegal in His eyes (ie. sin in the camp; read Yehoshua/Joshua chapter 7). This discrepancy/hypocritical nature of government brought about contempt causing more people to do it illegally and make organized crime (gangsters) richer. This opened up the door because of lucrative opportunities for the likes of gangsters like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano. There was some success with Prohibition but what tarnished and eventually made it to be ineffective was the corruption from those in leadership/government. Again when the head is corrupt, the house is corrupt! This has happened to the “church” or assembly even to this day. Corrupt leadership/spiritual government tries to govern and prohibit the very things that they indulge in themselves. People see the hypocritical lifestyle/behavior, become full of contempt and decide to rebel and be illegal against Yah’s law/prohibition. Organized religion (spiritual gangsters) also sees the lucrative opportunities like their secular counterparts and have bred religious Al Capones and Lucky Lucianos. Again the ineffectiveness of Prohibition was not due to the people but because of those who were suppose to govern and enforce the mandates set for the people!
Look in your communities and see how many “arched/high places (churches) are there and whether they are whoring for the world or living for Yah. Look in these churches and see whether they are true assemblies of Yah or speakeasies. Look at the worshippers and preachers and see if they are spiritually legal or if they are bootleggers. Look at the shepherds/pastors and see if they are governed/governing by Yah or if they are actually “organized religion” syndicates doing if for themselves. When you are following Yah’s laws/prohibition you are forever legal even when the world system says you are not, but in/following the world system’s prohibition you are never legal. Get the right spirit (Holy Spirit/Ruach Ha’Kodesh) in you and stop consuming those other spirits…. Shalom.
