Over the past several months I’ve wrote periodically about Joe Coleman, an man in Ireland who claims to be a visionary of the “Virgin Mary” and a man who describes himself as a “light worker”, a term used by New Agers to describe someone who works to help evolve people’s consciousness in preparation for the New Age and a term that Christians should not be using to describe themselves. I have not written about Coleman for awhile because I thought I had demonstrated that the man was being empowered (and perhaps exploited) by the spiritual forces of evil to lead people astray. Apparently, I have not done enough to persuade some hardcore followers of Coleman that they are following someone who is not a messenger of a godly power...
I recently received an email from an individual in Ireland who wrote a defense of Joe Coleman. The individual reported that they and fifty other Coleman followers saw a spinning sun that pulsated in different colors and hopped around in the sky for over fifty minutes during a recent gathering (this person's report is similar to other reports I've read about-link). The person tried to assure me that Coleman is an authentic visionary who speaks of events described in the Book of Revelation, including in his recent vision about the End Times.
Today I’ll attempt to again demonstrate that Coleman is not empowered by God by analyzing his recent vision concerning the End Times.
Coleman reportedly had a vision on September 11, 2010 where he allegedly received messages from the “Virgin Mary” and the “Holy Spirit” about the End Times. Coleman was told that the End Times has already begun and the second half of the “tribulation” will span from “midnight 2012” (the end of 2012) to 2016 with 2013 being a very important year symbolically. Coleman was also told that there is going to be a “Trinity period” lasting from 2013 to 2031. The eighteen year period is supposedly going to comprise three six year periods (666) that will see a new development take place during each six-year period:
- Six Year Period 1: the arrival of a single world currency
- Six Year Period 2: Antichrist is in power as the world’s leader
- Six Year Period 3: the unification of all the world’s religions led by Antichrist.
Before I refute Coleman I want to give credit him for admitting that he is unfamiliar with End Times concepts. Coleman stated the following:
“As a Catholic I was not aware what the Tribulation meant because the Second Coming of Christ is not something that is actively preached by the Catholic Church. Why I don’t know...”
If Coleman was familiar with Bible prophecy he would quickly realize that there is something very wrong with the information he’s received from the spiritual beings communicating to him (which I highly doubt are who they claim to be).
- Nowhere does the Bible teach that there is going to be an 18 year period of time called the “Trinity period”. The Bible states that 666 represents the number of the Antichrist (Revelation 13:18); not a symbolic collection of numbers that represent a future 18 year period.
- It is biblically impossible for the Antichrist to be the ruler of the world for at least a six year period of time. The Bible states that the Antichrist is going to have dominion for 42 months or 3.5 years (Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 13:5). Coleman’s vision implies that Antichrist is going to be ruling the world for perhaps up to 12 years (the final two six years in the so-called “Trinity period”).
- The Bible does not teach that the Antichrist is going to ascend to ruler of the world status after the completion of the seven year End Times period that most people call the “tribulation” and what I prefer to call the “seventieth week of Daniel”. Coleman’s information implies that the Antichrist is going to ascend to the position of world leader three years after the completion of the seven year period (2019).
- The seventieth week of Daniel will begin with Antichrist confirming a (new) covenant for seven years (Daniel 9:27). Assuming that “Midnight 2012” represents December 31, 2012, Coleman’s implied start of the End Times would be July 20, 2009 (December 31, 2012 subtract 1260 days[i]). Last I checked no one confirmed a covenant for seven years in July, 2009. Israel was not engaged in peace negotiations with anyone at that time (a new round of negotiations didn’t start until a few months ago).
Although I do not live in Ireland, it does not mean I cannot discern something ungodly taking place. I understand people have a strong belief in Coleman because of their experiences, but they and others must be aware that the spiritual forces of evil have the ability to create those experiences (for instance, the False Prophet of Revelation 13 will deceive people by performing miracles and great wonders). The Bible says to test spirits and to test teachers. A true prophet from God gets every prediction correct (Deuteronomy 18:22). Coleman’s unbiblical proclamations about the End Times are an automatic failure in my opinion.
Note
[i] The Length of the 70th Week of Daniel and Prophetic Years & How I Got 1260 Days for 42 Months
Gabriel told Daniel that 70 weeks have been given to the people of Israel and the city of Jerusalem to end their disobedience, atone for their sins, and to be saved.
- Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
- Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
- Dan 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Most Christians who study Bible prophecy agree that the first 69 weeks of this prophecy was fulfilled over a several-hundred year period with a call to rebuild Jerusalem in the 20th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus’s reign (Nehemiah Ch. 2:1-5) and the death and ascension of Christ. Therefore, Gabriel did not mean 70 literal weeks where each week is 7 days in length. The Hebrew translation of the word “week” in Daniel is shâbûa‛, which actually means “seven”. Therefore we can also refer to Daniel’s prophecy as “the 70 sevens”. The length of a prophetic week can be determined by analyzing the structure of the 70th week of Daniel. Daniel’s 70th week is divided into two halves. In the first half Antichrist will make and keep a covenant with Israel, but will break it halfway through the seven.
- Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
The 2nd half of the week is a period of severe persecution. This period of time will last for “time, times, and a half”. The Hebrew word for “time” is “mô‛êd”, which also can mean “a year”. Nearly every commentator who analyzes Daniel’s 70 week prophecy agrees that “time, times, and a half” means 3 ½ years. Therefore, a prophetic week is a seven year period.
- Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
In Revelation 12:14 we learn that 3 ½ prophetic years is the equivalent of 1260 days. If we divide 1260 days by 3 ½ years we will find that a prophetic year is 360 days long.
- Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
- Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Similarly, 3 ½ years is also defined as 42 months since seven years is the equivalent to 84 months. Therefore a prophetic month is 30 days long since 1260 days divided by 42 months equals 30 days/month.
- Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
- Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Given this information, we can confirm that the 70th Week of Daniel will be 2520 days long three different.
- 30 Days (in a Prophetic Month) x 42 Prophetic Months (in Half a Prophetic Week) x 2 Halves = 2520 Days
- 7 Prophetic Years (in a Prophetic Week) x 360 Days (in a Prophetic Year) = 2520 Days
- 1260 Days in “Time, Times, and Half” x 2 Halves = 2520 Days.
For more about the 70 Weeks of Daniel you can access my research study where I provide a completely new explanation of the prophecy by clicking this link.
