Articles
A Watchman Issues a Call for Prayerful Discernment and Consideration regarding the Recent “March Through the Arch” in St. Louis,
Barbara L. Klika, MSW, Undershepherd, Life Coach
September 2008
2023 Note: Although this event happened many years ago, the spiritual repercussions can echo through their generations until they are recognized and addressed. May our Yeshua bring us to His full understanding of any necessary repentance/teshuvah stemming from this event.
The Stated Purpose
The Proclamation of B'nai Ephraim
Written by Hale Harris Sunday, 24 August 2008
The sons of Ephraim (B'nai Ephraim), being in exile among the nations, do hereby proclaim our desire to be recognized as members of the commonwealth of Israel. Having served our punishment, wherein we were not a people, we now humbly repent of our sins and the sins of our forefathers. Through our personal relationship with the God of Israel, we seek the full restoration of all things spoken by the prophets of the Holy Scriptures. We choose to honor, hear, and obey the God of Israel and the principles of life that He has established. We choose to walk in righteousness and to embrace the covenants of Israel. We reach out to our brothers, the sons of Judah, and affirm our love and support for them as we seek to join together and become the fully unified House of Israel. We pray that all Israel might stand together as members of her commonwealth, and that her full restoration might come swiftly by the Hand of the Almighty. Proclaimed and witnessed on this day of new beginnings, August 8, 2008, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America. [Signed: Hale Harris, John Conrad, Scott Diffenderfer]
This declaration was signed on 8/8/08 at 8:08 pm. The declared intent was to emphasize the Biblical significance of the number 8, and New Beginnings.
The location chosen for this declaration was the symbolic “Gateway to the West” arch in St. Louis. The stated intent was to walk through the arch back from the west to the east to symbolize the desire of exiled Ephraim to return as a recognized brother and son, to be reunited and restored as the full House of Israel.
The march took place on August 10, 2008, which was also Tish b’Av.
According to “Conference Memories” written by Batya Wootten as provided on the www.messianicisrael.com site, MIA Conference Coordinator, Sylvia Calderone, spoke of a dream in reference to this ceremony. She saw “an angelic blue light” around them and “heard a heavenly voice saying, “Just one more, just one more door, just one more.” “
About 1,000 people went through the arch, some carrying written lists of names of those who couldn’t be present.
There was a strong emotional, spiritual sense in the process; as described by Batya Wootten in these excerpts from her “Conference Memories” article:
“In her (Sylvia Calderone) spirit she felt the dream was prophetic and had to do with us as part of the people of Israel but was unsure of the meaning of words, “Just one more door…” We now feel we have passed through that door, In one way we feel like those who once said, “We were like those who dreamed.” But, it was not a dream. With all my heart, I believe something really happened at our Conference in the spirit realm…”
“We wanted to march through the Arch because it is called the “Gateway to the West,” and scattered Ephraim is supposed to return to Yah, in repentance, and from the west (Hosea 11: 10)
Then as I was walking past the “V-type point” in the middle of the Arch—I felt like I was stepping through a watery veil. I knew in my spirit that we were passing a watershed moment in our dispersion, we have been captives, slaves to the punishment we had brought upon ourselves through disobedience, and now we were on the other side of our captivity. Even as Sylvia had dreamed, we passed through a spiritual door, one that the Almighty had opened for us, one that no man could shut. “
The Possible Underlying Dangers
There appear to be significant Masonic interpretations to many of these elements, just as there is significant Masonic symbolism woven into many of our nations buildings and memorials. The Godly nature of Freemasonry beliefs and ceremonies is highly controversial, with arguments both for and against there being an amalgamation of Godly and ungodly elements.
The god of Freemasonry appears to be a joining of YHWH, Ba’al, and ON-- Jabulon; and the Royal Arch degree is particularly thought to involve worship of Jabulon.
The Gateway Arch is a Masonic monument; symbolic design of the movement of the zodiac; a catenary curve that is built on a geodetic connection with Giza, Egypt, drawing on the power of the stars, and in accordance with certain lay lines in the earth which are believed to be powerful sources of spiritual energy. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/9189/astgeodesy.htm http://www.edkohout.com/mundane/arch-1.html
A common element of Masonic ceremonies is to proceed from the West to the East.
There are said to be seven doors within Speculative Masonry.
A gateway, or portal, in Masonic belief is indeed a path from a material plane to a spiritual plane. The catenary curve/arch, the strongest type of arch, also carries the significance of being reflected beneath itself, symbolizing “as above, so below” which is a commonly held vision within witchcraft; and the concept of equalization of ascending and descending forces, fusing past and present, male and female.
This “reflection” might mean there is an actual structure below ground that matches the arch above to complete the circle OR it may be found in the reflecting waters, just as Masonic monuments have reflecting pools.
The significance of the number 8 and series of 8’s
In Chaldean Numerology a single number represents what one appears to be and double numbers represent hidden influences beneath the surface. http://www.professionalnumerology.com/chaldeansystem.html
In Chinese numerology, 8 means sudden fortune and prosperity. The Olympics Opening Ceremony was held at 8:08 pm on 8/8/08 because they believed it was an auspicious time for China. http://www.exploreastrology.co.uk/Numerology.html
One expert in Masonic symbolism advises that the number 8 is related to Goddess worship. Another Gnostic researcher says 8 has to do with raising the strength of the kundalini energy (kundalini refers to serpent). http://www.nick2211.yage.net/aug18.htm
Blue Light
It is customary for ceremonies for the first three degrees of the Blue Lodge of Masonry to be held under the canopy of the blue sky.
Goddess Worship
What “goddess” would be involved with the arch?
The image of the goddess hovering portrayed in the famous picture of the Gateway Arch by John L. O’Sullivan, “Manifest Destiny,” is called “the goddess of progress” in the United States Magazine and Democratic Review of 1845.
The ongoing conflict is between the noble image of America bringing a Godly heritage to the land vs. the awareness that economic gain was also a factor as native Americans were pushed out.
This goddess display may also be linked in some subtle sense to the goddess, Ishtar, represented in the Statue of Liberty.
This dual image is part and parcel of the memorial represented by the arch.
Please practice prayerful discernment on behalf of all those who marched through the arch, in person or by representation, and pass this fact sheet on to those you believe need to consider it.
- As is so often the case, there may not be a clear answer of it being ‘good’ or ‘bad’; but more of a ‘both/and’ experience.
- What YHWH intends for good, ha satan perverts for evil.
- Duplicity, or the appearance of good on the surface covering evil underneath, is the highest aspect of the Luciferian agenda in these last days.
- This is true whether the people being used are aware of it or not.
- Ha satan is not a respecter of innocence.
- At the least, there appears to be defilement here;
at worst, an abomination, as in the Golden Calf incident.
Please investigate these concerns and pray for the voice of the Ruach of the Living God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to be heard by each one clearly.
❖ If all is well, Hallelujah! Praise be to Yeshua, our Messiah!
- If repentance and teshuvah are in order, may it be so.
Try to determine what will please the Lord. Have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them, for it is shameful even to speak of the things these people do in secret. But everything exposed to the light is revealed clearly for what it is, since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says, “Get up, sleeper! Arise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.” Therefore pay careful attention to how you conduct your life—live wisely, not unwisely.
Ephesians 5:10-15 CJB
“They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
Malachi 3: 17-18
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 2: 7, 11, 17, 29; 3:7,13, 22
Therefore, from the day we heard of it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all the wisdom and understanding which the Spirit gives; so that you may live lives worthy of the Lord and entirely pleasing to Him, being fruitful in every good work and multiplying in the full knowledge of God. We pray that you will be continually strengthened with all the power that comes from His glorious might; so that you will be able to persevere and be patient in any situation, joyfully giving thanks to the Father for having made you fit to share in the inheritance of His people in the light. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.
Colossians 1: 9-13
AWatchmanIssuesaCallforPrayerfulDiscernmentandConsiderationMarchThroughtheArch.September2008.pdf