During a recent event meant to promote “ethnic reconciliation and social justice,” broadcast on Bethel.tv, “Chicago Med” actress Marlyne Barrett, along with Harvest Rock Senior Pastor Che Ahn, Harvest Evangelism’s Ed Silvoso, and Bethel Church’s Bill Johnson, engaged in a bizarre — but what they called a “prophetic”— act to end racism in the Church by reenacting the wizard Gandolf’s “thou shall not pass” scene from the movie based on Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.”
“We’re going to do some binding and loosening,” Ahn told those watching. “[O]ne of the things that I have learned in the last, maybe around 10 years in that apostles have authority to make decrees and declaration[s]. It’s something that God gives. I’ve seen it work in so many practical ways.”
He explained that Barrett had a “prophetic vision” before the event in which she saw the people doing an act together that would be “very, very historic.” Ahn handed the microphone to Barrett to explain her vision and the consequential “apostolic decree.”
Barrett, holding a staff, outlined that one of her favorite movies is “Lord of the Rings” and that during the various messages presented during the event, she felt that the Lord was telling her that she “needed to repent for the participation I had with the racist spirit in America.”
She then asked all of those on stage with her to take hold of the staff, as they were going to “command the spirit not only to leave, but he shall not pass.”
Barrett, echoing the instructions of Silvoso, asked the people to first anoint their door with oil and then to repeat their declaration, “that the spirit of racism may leave your house, whether you participated as a victim or as someone who did it.”
“And we all did it for our country to be where it’s at right now,” she said.
The group proceeded to emulate the scene from “Lord of the Rings” where the wizard Gandolf confronts the Balrog of Morgoth, or “Durin’s Bane,” in the mines of Moria.
In the film, standing on a bridge of stone, Gandolf warns the demon-like creature and declares “You shall not pass!” as he slams his staff into the ground.
As the Balrog seeks to come after Gandolf with his fiery whip, the bridge breaks and crumbles, and Durin’s Bane falls into a deep abyss.
Feeling relieved, Gandolf seeks to turn and walk away, but the Balrog suddenly lashes out with his whip again and grabs Gandolf by the ankle, which causes him to fall. He clings on to the edge of the broken bridge.
“Fly, you fools,” he urges the rest of the Fellowship, and then falls in to the abyss, soon to his death, but is later sent back to Middle Earth as “Gandalf the White.”
Barrett and her husband, Ahn, Johnson, Silvoso and the others then in like fashion, held to the staff and declared, “Thou shall not pass!”
“As an apostolic team with the authority that God’s given to us, we decree and declare the racism will end — it’s over in the ecclesia — from this night forward in Jesus’ mighty name,” Ahn proclaimed.
Barrett made sure the pounding of the staff and the declaration happened three times.
View the full video here. The segment begins at approximately two hours and 10 minutes into the event.
Public reaction to the video has been mixed.
“She is not doing anything wrong or mystical. The staff represents authority, which the Bible speaks about God giving to all believers,” one commenter wrote. “‘The Lord of the Rings’ was a fantasy set of books that was full of spiritual symbology taken from the Bible and other historical books.”
“So using the authority of a wizard and his staff — sure. Jesus Christ is our example and authority. These people are way off track,” another said.
“This is witchcraft. I can’t believe that Christians are falling for these so-called proclamations,” another commenter wrote. “We are truly living in the last days, brothers and sisters. Test the spirits.”
“Wow, how about that; racism is done now. So what is next? How about murder, lying, stealing, adultery and so on. Wonder how they will decree and declare those things away and with what movie prop. Should be interesting. Can’t wait,” a fourth stated.
“Want to end racial prejudice? Preach the truth of the Word of God (Gal 3:28, Acts 17:26),” another remarked. “See how easy that is?”
According to a “Lord of the Rings” Fandom Wiki page, “Gandalf the Grey has command over a great array of spells for all situations, such as to enhance Elrond’s flood spell, giving the water the appearance of galloping knights, and seal doors shut or open them, although it should be noted that he was unable to open the Doors of Durin prior to remembering the password.”
“[M]any of his spells are based on light and fire. He was able to light a [pile] of wet wood simply with a touch of his staff, which he considered distinctive enough that any onlooker would recognize his handiwork. He can cause the tip of his staff to glow with bright white light so as to see in the dark and increase the radiance at will, as demonstrated in Moria.”
“He later displays the ability to focus this light into a beam. When fighting a pack of wolves, he set fire to all treetops on a hill with a single blazing branch, and the air became so hot that an arrow burned mid-flight. At the cost of shattering his staff, he was able to conjure a sea of white flames that caused the bridge under the feet of Durin’s Bane to crumble.”
Become a Christian News Network Supporter...
Dear Reader, has ChristianNews.net been of benefit and a blessing to you? For many years now, the Lord has seen fit to use this small news outlet as a strong influential resource in keeping Christians informed on current events from a Biblical worldview. With much compromise and many falsehoods in modern-day Christianity, we strive to bring you the news by keeping Christ and His word in focus. If you have benefited from our news coverage, please prayerfully consider becoming a Christian News supporter by clicking here to make a one-time or monthly donation to help keep the truth of God's word widely and freely published and distributed. May Christ continue to be exalted through this work!
