Michael Travesser
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 Michael Travesser was born Wayne Bent in 1941. He is the spiritual leader of the sect, The Lord Our Righteousness, which dwells in a place called, Strong City, which consists of about 77 people living in Travesser Park, near Travesser Creek in the U.S. state of New Mexico as well as other devotees around the world. Travesser and his followers believe that he is the Son of God and that he, along with his followers, fulfill the second coming of Jesus.
[edit] LifeTravesser converted to Christianity in 1967 while attending a Baptist church in Poway, California. Thereafter, he became a minster in the Seventh-day Adventist Church until 1982, when he left the Adventist ministry. Believing himself to be led by God, he began a seminar called LifeSupports, which eventually brought him into conflict with leaders in the Adventist Church over interpretation of scripture. One of the most prominent Scriptures under debate was Galatians 6:7. As a result, he left the Adventist church in 1987. In spring of 2000, Travesser led his group to their present location in New Mexico. Here, beginning on October 31, 2000 the group observed a 1260 day "exile into the wilderness" based on Travesser's interpretation of chapter 12 of the Biblical Book of Revelation. The group draws parallels between this time in New Mexico and the time Jesus spent instructing his disciples. According to calculations, this three and a half year period in the wilderness was to end on April 19, 2004. April 19 would also mark the beginning of the "Time, times, and a dividing of times, which would end on December 15, 2007, which takes them to the 1335 days. Owing to numerous letters from cult members' friends and family, who feared the group would turn militant or suicidal, the FBI kept the group under close surveillance at that time, and interviewing Michael Travesser and his church people to ascertain their intentions. The cult considered such fears to be simply the excited reactions of those who didn't understand them or active persecution from those who hated them. In this also, the group draws parallels to Jesus and his followers being misunderstood or persecuted. [edit] TeachingsMichael Travesser claims that all his teachings have been given to him by God. He teaches that the Son of God is the archangel Michael. Michael first appeared in Jesus of Nazareth, making this his first coming. At his second coming, Michael manifested himself in Travesser. However, Travesser does not teach that he is the only person of this second coming. Instead, the Son of God will appear in all who "love his appearing" and will yield to his appearing in them, making them truly the Sons of God. Thus, all of Travesser's followers and anyone else receiving the Anointing, are the actual image of God coming again, as the Anointing appeared in Jesus the first time. Citing Luke 17:21, the group considers that this was the message that Jesus delivered originally. Travesser claims that any "coming of Christ" that is not manifested in an individual is a fraud, thus, Travesser's followers do not await the appearance of Christ in the sky. In addition to his messianic claims, Travesser says that God told him, "You will always tell the truth." He says, "Messiah is not a man in the sky, but an awakening of the soul." "No man receives the second coming unless he receives it into himself." Travesser says. "There are thousands of false Christs pointing men to themselves and to their doctrinal theories, but only those who receive Messiah are anointed, and this truth is there for anyone." [edit] ProphesiesThe group believes that Travesser prophesied the September 11, 2001 attacks. On September 10, 2001, he posted the following in his blog:
It should be noted, however, that Travesser's writings contain frequent injunctions against the nation and culture of the United States, which he considers to be decadent, if not outright evil. Travesser claims that as of April 19, 2004 the world has been left in its sins, cut off from the intercession of Christ, while God's true Sons are called out from participating with the world. This is to correspond to the time after Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, and is based on prophesies from the Biblical Book of Daniel. The group has seen the fulfillment of most of Michael's prophecies, and the group continues to look forward to the final things that Travessers states are presently unfolding. Travesser teaches that a year of rest, began in the fall of 2006. This "year of favor", is when all is well with God's people and all is hell with those who hate Him. In the fall of 2007 the year of Jubilee (Jubilee is a year of celebration and forgiveness originally held every 50 years in both Judaism and Christianity) begins. This fall of 2007 will also mark the end of 1335 days mentioned in Daniel 12:12 which occurs December 15, 2007. "Happy is he who waits and comes to the 1335 days." To Travesser's followers that will constitute the end of the process in which they receive their reward from God which also includes the desolation of the earth, which is its reward. Travesser states that beginning July 14, 2006 his work is only the work of judgment. This work was carried out on the Shillum.net Web site, but now is closed. He sees his work of judgment as complete. Travesser's group looks forward to the fulfillment of Daniel's Prophecy of Seventy Weeks late in 2007. The group counts 490 years (the 70 "weeks" of Daniel's prophesy multiplied by 7 years) since October 31, 1517, the date that has traditionally been given for Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. The prophesy of seventy weeks makes reference to the blessing of God's people and concludes with the "desolation of the desolator" (Dan. 9:27). Travesser has stated that a partial fulfillment of this prophesy may indicate the desolation of George W. Bush, who is "desolating the Middle East in his process of democratization." Travesser claims the results of the United States Senate and House elections of November 7, 2006 support his interpretation of Daniel's prophesy of seventy weeks. The Republican's loss of the majority in both chambers of the United States Congress and specifically the loss of Donald Rumsfeld marks the end (extremity) of the desolator. After this time is the time of trouble such as never was. The threats against Iran are looming large in the minds of the group. Travesser's current prophesies for the future included looking for the great "sore," and the time of trouble such as never was. It should be noted, however, that Travesser has said the prophesies are more easy to interpret after the events have already occurred. This plague, says Travesser, the plague of the sore, is fulfilled in the person of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The President of Iran has made the "beast" sore, and the beast is moving to remove this sore. The first strike, says Travesser, was the U.N. sanctions against Iran passed on December 23, 2006. "No man can buy or sell (sanctions), save he that has the mark of the beast." Michael Travesser has finished publishing the "revelation of the plagues" on his Web site. He declares that the last plague is being poured out into the air, and then it is "done." He does not indicate just exactly when this plague is to be finished, but it is assumed to be before the end of the 70 weeks of years, prophecy in Daniel 9. Michael Travesser announced the closing of his Web site on March 9, 2007. He said that it would be closed in 7 days from the date of his announcement. He has stated that this is in preparation for him and his people to leave the earth. In his final statement, he indicated his last Web site was intended to announce the pouring out of the seven last plagues that are now falling and which he posted on his Web site. Since that is done, he states that, "It is Done." He stated that the world would not hear from him again. He states that now the time of the final desolation is here. [edit] References
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