Is Falling Backwards A sign Of Acceptance

With God?

What Does the Bible teach?

Elder Farouk Karim

• Today many preachers claim to have the power of God which they

reveal through different avenues, which they say, testifies that God

is working with and through them. Miracles of many sorts and

fashions are all done in the name of the Lord, and one of the

most used craze in the evangelistic world today, is that of

pressing the foreheads of individuals while praying for them and allowing them to fall backwards. Far more than this

some preachers only wave their hands and whole congregations fall

backwards. And this is performed to show that God is with them.

But is this really a revelation of the God of the bible ? Is this how

God works with and for His people ? Are these preachers true

ministers of God ? What does the bible teach ?

• Concerning the events that would happen during the closing years

of the existence of this world, Christ has clearly warned us in the

bible, Matt. 24 : 4+5 “ Take heed that no man deceive you. For

many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ and shall

deceive many.” The apostle Paul also writing concerning the last

days warns us in the book of 1Tim. 4 : 1, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” While these words may sound fearful, yet

they speak the truth. Many a preacher twist the word of God to

suit their fancy and to soothe their hearers with doctrines that are

wholly of the devil. As a people we must study the word of God in

the light of it’s teachings, comparing scripture with scripture

knowing that God alone is to be worshiped and that we are saved

as individuals, only as we serve Him as outlined in His word.

• What then of this falling backwards ? Is this in harmony

with the worship of God ? Let us examine what the bible reveals to

us in the worship of God, understanding that God can only accept

true worship and He gives no respect to false worship even if one

uses His name. This is clearly outlined from the very beginning

with Cain and Abel. Gen. 4 : 3—5, reads, “And in the

process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the

ground an offering to the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the

firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect

unto Abel and to his offering. But unto Cain and to his offering He

had not respect……”

• We cannot serve or worship God as we please, the penalty of sin is

death , fruits as Cain brought cannot atone for sin, the bible

teaches that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of

sin. The slaying of the animals was pointing to Christ’s ultimate

sacrifice.

• Let us now examine the bible teaching on the topic as it relates to the worship of God. Again from the book of Genesis we learn from the practice of Abraham, whom also is known as the father of faith, so

faith did exist in the old testament. As a matter of fact you

can read in the new testament, the whole of Hebrews

chapter eleven, which gives a definition of faith, and

tells of the faith practiced in the old testament by

Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph,

Moses, just to name a few. So do not allow any

minister to deceive you into thinking that there was

no faith in the old testament. When the bible says that

faith came by Jesus Christ, it means that only Christ and Christ

alone can give faith and this same Christ is the Great I AM that

gave faith ( His revealed truths ) to all the patriarchs in the old

testament, and all His disciples in the new, even now, to you

and to me.

• Yes back to Abraham, Gen. 18 : 1—3, it says, “And the

LORD appeared unto him (Abraham) in the plains of Mambre; and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him ; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground……………………” We read

also of Lot, Gen. 19 : 1, “ And there came two angels to

Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom : and

Lot seeing them rose up to meet them ; and he bowed

himself with his face toward the ground.” It is clearly seen

here that both Abraham and Lot, in worship, bowed with their

face toward the ground as in reverence, and not falling

backwards.

• Throughout the bible this is the true form of worship that is

revealed, practiced, and which is required. Not only to be

performed by individuals, but also by entire gatherings. Ex.4 :

31, “ And the people believed : and when they heard

that the LORD had visited the children of Israel,

and that He had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.” 2 Chron. 7 :

3 And when the children of Israel saw how the fire came down,

and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed

themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement,

and worshiped, and praised the LORD, saying, For He is

good: for His mercy endureth forever.”

• There are many other examples in the bible of Moses in

Exodus 34 : 6—8 ; of Balaam in Numbers 22 : 31 ; in the book

of Psalms 95 : 6 that you can also read. This form of worship

to God never changed into any other practice, as the same is

taught and practiced in the new testament. Rom. 14 : 11 , “For

it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to

me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Notice this is

God Himself making this declaration. There is no evidence

of anyone falling backwards in this statement.

• The bible continues to show that when conviction of the truth

comes to individual they respond in this said way of worship as

is recorded in 1 Cor. 14 : 24-25, “But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest: and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth” These evidences

are recorded for our learning and admonition that we need not

err nor be deceived by false prophets. God knew that false

teachers and preachers would mislead many a believer, but this

need not be the experience of you. Even the pagan roman

soldiers knew and practiced this true form of worship tough

only in mockery to Christ. Mark 15 : 19-20

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• There are many other examples in the bible of Moses in

Exodus 34 : 6—8 ; of Balaam in Numbers 22 : 31 ; in the book

of Psalms 95 : 6 that you can also read. This form of worship to

God never changed into any other practice, as the same is

taught and practiced in the new

• Even the angels in heaven practice this true form of

worship as recorded in the very last book of the bible. Rev. 7 :

11. “And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about

the elders and the four beast, and fell before the throne on their

faces, and worshiped God.”

• So then what does this other practice of falling backwards

represents as taught in the bible ? Let us continue to be guided

by God,s Holy Spirit as we examine this practice to know if it is

acceptable worship to God, or if it is not. What does the bible

reveal on this subject ?. 1 Sam. 4 : 17—18, “ And the messenger

answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and

there had been also a great slaughter among the people, and

thy two sons also Hopni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of

God is taken. And it came to pass, when he made mention of

the ark of God, that he fell from off his seat BACKWARD by

the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died;

……………” Even though Eli was the high priest and judge of

Israel for forty years, because of his unwillingness to correct

the sins of his sons, who also were priest , thereby encouraging

sin in the nation, God rejected him. Eli fell backwards and

died, a sign of rejection from God.

• Falling backwards is also a sign of departing or forsaking

God by continuing in sin. Isaiah 1:4.; Isaiah 28:13 ; 44: 24-25 ;

59:14. Falling backwards is also a sign of open rebellion

against God. Jer. 7 : 23—24 ; 15 : 6. The book of John

records the events that took place when Judas came with a

band of roman soldiers to arrest Christ in the garden of

Gethsemane. This is the result as recorded ; John 18 : 6 “ As

soon then as He had said unto them I am, they went

BACKWARD, AND FELL TO THE GROUND.” Judas and

the band of soldiers went backwards and fell to the ground

as a sign of separation from Christ. Christ was no longer with

Judas.

• So then is falling backwards a sign of acceptance with God?

The answer is emphatically NO, it never has been and it never

will be. What it signifies as seen in the bible, are revealed in

these three particular areas (1) It is rejection from God.; ( 2 ) It

is rebellion against God, and ( 3 ) It is separation from Christ.

Any one of these three pronouncements, means a lost of our

salvation and our hope of eternal life. My dear brethren please

do not be deceived by satan and his false prophets, preachers

and teachers, but rather study God’s word and serve Him in the

Spirit , having the understanding in the truth. May God bless

and keep you in His pathway of righteousness.

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Please feel free to contact us, and please do share this

message with as many persons as you can, you may be the

one that God use to help another.

Your’s in Christ

brother Farouk Billy Karim

Zebach Free SDA