“That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9
A young man born in 1847 in Scotland became a Presbyterian minister in Australia, where he was known for his hard line stance against sinful living. At the age of 41 he arrived in Chicago, USA, where allegedly a string of miraculous healing followed his ministry. John Alexander Dowie was hailed a great man and idolised by many as a Prophet, healer and Restorer. In June 1901 Dowie declared himself to be ‘Elijah’[1] of the Last Days and the restorer of all things, preparing the way for Christ’s return. He started wearing High Priestly robes based on the Aaronic garments of Exodus 28. He bought 6,000 hectares of land outside Chicago and founded Zion City, a place to be based on Christian principles including the absence of doctors. It was his dream that Zion cities would be established everywhere as his attempt to restore all things. He died a sick old, wheelchair bound man in financial ruin, still believing that he was the Elijah.
This is a very sad story, yet there is a modern one much like it. David Kriss was a Melbourne based Messianic Jew who called himself a Prophet and Apostle. He had his own ministry called ‘The Hope of Israel Christian Ministries’.
