Snakes in the Temple: Unmasking Idolatry in Today's Church

by David Orton

The Secret to Unlocking God’s Favor, Power, and Visitation We hear about healings, miracles, dead-raisings and other breakthroughs happening in other parts of the world. Why not in our own nation? Despite our best church growth strategies, we tolerate a powerless, spiritually anemic culture. In Snakes in the Temple , David Orton, boldly confronts modern idolatry in the church. He exposes its ancient roots and how it impacts every single believer—from church leadership to everyday Christians. Open your eyes and discover If you’re tired of doing church as usual, learn how to unmask this hidden idolatry and start experiencing the supernatural life God has made available today!

Genres: Church

272 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2004

Reviews

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through Paul's use of the word, ginosko, to know, in Philippians 3:10, the Holy Spirit has breathed into the sacred text something of the passion and intimacy of truly knowing Jesus. (p37)

We do not need the implementation of apostolic strategies so much as a return to an apostolic spirit - in fact, a return to the Father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9). The forerunner anointing is a call to move on by going back - to pursue destiny by returning to deity - to the Father-heart of God. (p49)

The law of congruity - keep like things together, do not replace a worn-out thing with an unlike thing - for example, no new patches on old wineskins. p52 (I'd never heard of the "law of congruity" before and was startled in my efforts to find a definition that it's seen as a cause-effect law on witchcraft websites.)

For pragmatism, the sole test of truth is whether it works. If a programme gets results, it must be right. If a ministry is attested supernaturally, it must be right. Pragmatism says: "By their results you shall know them." (Not by their fruit.) Absolutes become lost, truth becomes relative and spiritual discernment goes out the window. (p58)

The Corinthians viewed Paul through the ideal/idolatry of Greek beauty and decided he came up short: small, bow-legged, beetle-browed, beak-nosed and bald. (p70)

Emile Durkheim discovered three stages in the development of religion: (1) a culture develops various traits and values (2) it uses an animal to symbolise those traits and values (3) it worships the animal in the form of a totem or idol. (p91)

In Revelation, John uses the phrase "those who dwell in the Land" 12 times to refer to apostate Israel and the land-beast, a religious animal, symbolises the backslidden church. (p97)

Tragically, the church - like ancient Israel - opted for a king, for human government. (p 127) Deuteronomy 17:14 foreshadows the request for a king in 1 Samuel 8:5. (p140) Through their rejection of God as king, the congregation of the Lord changed a royal mandate for a human king. (p140)

The human king of ancient Israel required 10%. Tithing did not become mandated until the sixth century when the church went into decline. From the second century, true spiritual authority was superseded by official power. (p144f)

Eschatological judgment is different from remedial judgment. The first are eternal and permanent; the second are temporary and designed to be redemptive. (p155)

On 11 September 1683, after a sixty-day siege, Muslim armies were poised to take Vienna. The walls were breached, the city was about to fall. 11 September 2001 was a reminder that the unfinished business of 1683 - the total dominion of the armies of Allah over the Christian West - was again on the agenda. (p157)

The love-covenant has stipulations (commandments) and sanctions (blessings and curses). (p161)

God's remedial judgments are always incremental - He sends messengers before judgments (military defeats, economic recession, destructive weather patterns, disease.) (p163)

The scroll - the biblion - is the title deed to a redeemed planet. (p186) The scroll was written on both sides, as was the stone tablets of the law. (p187)

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe this book strikes at the heart of the problem with the modern (Western, at least) Church. If you have noticed the issues with the system that we have today, and what must be done for the church to become what Jesus told us it should be, then take a look here. David Orton explains a few bits about early church history and the culture and society of the first several hundred years, including what happened and when the power of the Church became an institutional entity instead of a family entity. Especially on what an elder and what the 5 offices/functions mean in chapter 4 of Ephesians.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC. From the beginning chapters, I was disappointed as I increasingly became aware that this book was not what I perceived it to be about from the title and short description. I struggled to keep an open mind as I was faced with, what to my mind, were scriptures taken out of context or strangely interpreted to support a particular viewpoint, that of a Charismatic early belief of an end time group of saints who are more pure and holy than others. I was expecting a work that delved into how idolatry is expressed in various human behaviors in today's church society. That is not what this is.

[Paul Halbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful depiction of types and shadows

Parts of the book she'd light on the darkness that we take so much for granted in our every day church. Whereas a clear leading of how to escape the natural and reside in the Spirit was not given, I did learn from the book.