Liar Liar Pants on Fire – Jesse Duplantis Stands by His Tall Tale of Heaven

Truth Matters Newsletters – February 2010 – Vol. 15 Issue 2 – Liar Liar Pants on Fire – Jesse Duplantis Stands by His Tall Tale of Heaven – By Rev. Robert Liichow

Discernment Ministries International

Liar Liar Pants on Fire

Jesse Duplantis Stands by His Tall Tale of Heaven

By Rev. Robert Liichow

"Smiling faces, smiling faces tell lies" lyric from 'The Undisputed Truth"

Last month DMI dealt specifically with Oral Roberts and his very questionable legacy. I, like most people, do not want to see a man who told straight faced lies (or was so deeply deceived he really thought he was telling the truth) to God’s people in God’s name. It is simply outrageous that no one within Pentecostalism ever publicly took Oral Roberts to task. There has never been a time when Pentecostalism was a unified front in America and has never had any real overall structural leadership. This allows all their ministers to basically oversee themselves and account to no one, accept possibly their Board of Directors which often consists of family members and/or close personal friends who subsist off the fortunes of the SINistry.

Brothers and sisters Truth Matters. One of the immutable characteristics of God is His verity or inherent truthfulness. Since God’s nature is unchanging He is eternally truthful everything He does and we being created in His image He demands truthfulness from all creation. The Bible is filled with commands for us to be truthful in all our deeds: We are told not to bear false witness against our neighbor (see Ex. 20:19) or even more seriously lying in the name of our Lord (see Ex. 20:7). Here alone 20% of the 10 commandments demand truthfulness in our dealings with God and man. Two of the 7 things the Lord hates are (Prov. 6:17-19). (1) A lying witness who bears false testimony and (2) A lying tongue. Here 33% of the emphasis here is further insight into how much God hates the telling of lies. ‘These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates” ( read Zechariah 8:16). The Bible ends with a somber warning in Rev. 21:8 “…all liars— their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” What does this mean (a good Lutheran question)? It means, obviously, that God places a very strong emphasis on trustworthiness of our words and actions.

My dear brothers and sisters we must never lose sight of the fact that we are representatives, ambassadors for Christ in this world (read 2 Cor. 5:20). God Himself calls and sees us as living epistles know and read of all men (see 2 Cor. 3:2). By lying we can never represent our God in any form or fashion. There is no darkness in Him, there is no crookedness in His dealings and as His ambassadors there ought not be any dishonesty in our representation of Him.

With the aforementioned in mind let us again reconsider some of the claims of Mr. Duplantis and his alleged trip to heaven and compare it with the Word of God which we know is holy and inerrant in Its testimony.

Mr. Duplantis has built his SINistry in large part on sharing many alleged supernatural experiences the most detailed and widely shared is his account of going to heaven including a visit to the throne of Almighty God. The following citations are taken from Mr. Duplantis book entitled “Heaven, Close Encounters of the God Kind.”

In August 1988 Rev. Duplantis was preaching a revival in Magnolia Arkansas. He feels impressed to go back to his hotel room and pray about the service that evening. He notices the clock (again) it was one minute before one o’clock. He gets down on his knees and gets ready to pray then

“Suddenly I felt a suction as if I was being pulled up out of the room…I heard a sound Whoose! And I was pulled up out of the room…I didn’t know I had left the room and I was zooming along at a phenomenal rate of speed…in something like a cable car…Then I looked up. There stood another being I realized that it was the blond-headed angel who had visited me…”You have an appointment with the Lord God Jehovah.” (1)

Jesse has an out-of-body experience and finds himself in an angelic cable car with the same angel who told him to get some sleep. This time we are told why this is happening, Jesse has an appointment with the Lord God Jehovah!

“As I stepped out of the chariot, everything I saw was so beautiful. I had always thought that when I went to heaven I would see only a city. But the first place I saw was Paradise; it hadn’t been destroyed. Paradise is a big place, completely surrounding the Holy City. It is like being on another planet.”  (2)

We are now informed that Paradise has (1) not been destroyed, (2) paradise is a big place, and (3) paradise completely surrounds the Holy City. Not only is this without any Biblical proof, but we seem to have a dichotomy between Mrs. Baxter’s revelation in our last section and Jesse’s revelation now. Jesus personally showed Mrs. Baxter that Paradise has been taken over by Satan in hell. Yet now, a few years later we find that Paradise is now sort of the suburbs of heaven. Who are we to believe? Which is it? Is Paradise in hell or in heaven? These two nationally known charismatic teachers both claim to have had genuine experiences but their experiences in no way agree! This is a logical impossibility. Even if their accounts internally agreed with each other they are still at complete variance with the Bible, and must be discounted.

Jesse begins to describe the heavenly scene. He sees children, animals, beautiful flowers, the River of life and trees lining the River of life with thousands of people standing around under the trees. Jesse notices something that again is a totally new insight regarding some sort of caste system in heaven:

“Then I saw other people who didn’t have on robes; they were wearing gowns. They started walking toward the city, but they seemed to get weak. I saw them walk over to the trees, pick what looked like fruit and eat it. Then they took some leaves off those trees, put the leaves up to their faces and breathed in, smelling them. I asked the angel, “What’s happening? He said, ‘Some of them have not lived the life they should. They believe in God and love Jesus, but they didn’t live to their fullest potential…Yes God is merciful to them,” he said. “But they have to be prepared to stand in the presence of the Almighty.” (3)

Even in heaven some people will have to work to make themselves ready to stand in the presence of God. They did not live up to their fullest potential on earth, so now they have to do some more works in heaven…then they can face God. The work of Christ is not enough, it obviously is not a finished work, we still have to do our part to make ourselves ready to face God. Hebrews 9:12 tells us that the work Jesus Christ did on the cross obtained for us an eternal redemption. Yet it appears, according to Duplantis, we still have to work on becoming perfected even in heaven.

“Some people don’t live close to God the way they should. They know Jesus as their Savior, but they could do so much better. In heaven they will eventually be able to go to God’s Throne, but it takes more time for them. (4)

Duplantis does not explain what it takes to “live close to God” but it obviously involves some type of work(s) on our part. I have no problem with the fact that one can live a dynamic Christian life or a mediocre one on earth. I have no problem with teaching that people will receive varying degrees of reward from the Master at the Judgment Seat of Christ. I have an extreme problem with people having to do some form of works in order to merit an audience with the God who loved them so much He sent His only Begotten Son to die for us! This insight is a lie because it directly contradicts Biblical teaching.

Romans 3:26

For the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Hebrews 4:16

Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 12:23

To the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,

With nothing more than a quick glance through the New Testament anyone can see that the one who has placed their trust in the work of Christ (as opposed to their own works which can never save or justify) and declared to be righteous (2 Cor. 5:17-21). We are exhorted to draw near with confidence (parresia, Greek NAS 3954; from Greek 3956 (pas) and rhesis (speech); freedom of speech, confidence, boldness, boldness of speech, confidently, openly).   (4)

Why then does this change in heaven? Why does one have to eat fruit and smell leaves in (works) in order to approach the throne of our God? The blood of Christ has perfected us in God the Father’s eyes. However, Jesse’s experience gives us what really takes place in heaven.

“When I began to feel weak, the angel walked over to one of those trees picked some of its fruit and brought it back to me…The angel said to me, ‘Eat this fruit so you will be able to withstand the glory of God. (5)

It appears that Jesse himself at this point has not been living as close to God as he should have been, even though in his walk with God thus far he had: (1) God previously appeared to him; (2) he’s seen angels, and (3) been supernaturally teleported to Lafayette, and (4) now is in heaven! Yet, even the highly “favored” Duplantis needs to eat some angelic fruit so he can withstand the glory of God!

Jesse Meets Abraham

After eating the fruit the angel asks if he is thirsty, he is, and lo and behold, father Abraham is close by and he comes with a golden goblet to give Jesse a drink. This wise looking fellow comes over and Jesse asks him who he is. Here is the response:

“I’m Abraham, Paradise is my place…I felt I knew him like I knew my father. I fell down on my face before him; but he said; ‘Stand to your feet. The only One you worship is the Lord God…I meet all the people who come here because Paradise is my bosom.   (6)

Jesse Sees Kids in heaven With Jesus –

After his drink he and the angel keep heading towards his divine appointment with Jehovah God. Then all of the sudden he hears children singing and praising God. What’s more they were carrying little harps (I kid you not). After this insight Jesse and the angel continue their journey to meet Jehovah God. At this point in the story Jesse is given further insight into heaven works system:

“They almost got there; then they stopped, turned around and had to go back. It seems as if they were depressed. I heard someone say, ‘There is no depression here. Just eat of the Tree of Life, smell the leaves for healing and let your spirit grow. You shall stand at the Throne of God.”   (7)

Like my grandfather used to say “close but no cigar.” Obviously these folks had made some progress in their sanctification but still they had to turn back to eating the fruit and smelling the leaves.

Jesse Meets Jesus –

“All of the sudden, the angel stopped our chariot and said, ‘Kneel. He’s here.” I felt weak then fell to my knees. The angel handed me some fruit and said, “Eat this.” So I did…Jesus was taller than I thought He would be. I would guess Him to be from five feet eleven inches to six feet one inch…He looked at me and said, “There are many things you shall see and learn here, but I have brought you here so that you will go tell My people I’m coming.  (8)

Now we know that Jesus is probably just a tad under six feet tall, that He has light brown hair and that He especially wants Jesse Duplantis to tell the Church He is coming. Again, the Bible is not enough, the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy is not enough, we need people to take special trips to heaven and come back to tell us Jesus is coming back for us.

Jesse Meets King David –

Jesus tells Jesse that He wants him to meet another king, king David. David we learn has a read beard and reddish hair. “Jesus said, “Jesse, I want you to meet the king of Israel.” The Lord said, “Take Jesse to his home. Show him what I have prepared for him. Then bring him to My Throne. I must go.”   (9)   David begins to take Jesse to see his heavenly mansion. On the way they go into another home and Jesse meets the Apostle Paul. Of all the questions he could have asked Paul here is what he comes up with:

“I said to Paul, “You went through great persecution.” “Yes”he answered, “but I kept the faith. I focused my life on faith. That’s how you get things done….Never change the message because of the hearers. Speak what God gives you.   (10)

That must have been sweet music indeed to the ears of a Word of Faith teacher like Rev. Duplantis, Paul kept his focus on faith, that is how you get things done! Isn’t that interesting? All this time I thought Paul had said he kept his eyes focused on knowing Christ (Phil 3:10-13).

Now we see that really Paul kept focused on faith, and that it is by the power of faith that things get done! Well the angel has to move Jesse along, he still has an appointment at the Throne of God. However, King David tags along with them to fellowship with Jesse. What Rev. Duplantis shares next is extreme heresy, King David is speaking –

“He did use Psalm 223 as an example as he explained, “I allowed God and the anointing to come through in that song. In other songs I sang strongly about my troubles. I think I should have allowed more of the answer to come through, instead of the complaining. Those weren’t his exact words, but I knew that was what he meant. Then he added, “I wish I had written more songs about God’s answers than about my problem.    (11)

There we have it! David allowed God and the anointing to come through on Psalm 23. Some of the other psalms in the Bible , I guess we cannot be so sure about. Like a good “faith man” David wished he had written more about the answer than the problem. David wished he had allowed more of the answer, i.e. God and the anointing, to come through instead of complaining.

I really do not think that Rev. Duplantis has thought through the ramifications of his alleged encounter with King David and David’s comments. David’s comments imply that what he wrote was not equally inspired. Some psalms he yielded to God and the anointing (as though they are separate from one another) and others, he did not yield as much.

Romans 15:4

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

2 Tim. 3:15-17

And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Then after this astounding revelation David takes Jesse into his home where here we learn that in heaven “all desires are met here. Everything has been thought of – all your desires and some that you could not even think of.”   (12)

Jesse Finally Makes it to God’s Throne –

“I felt weaker and weaker as we approached the Throne room. It looked to me like millions of people were there…When the light from the Throne hit me I couldn’t stand up; I fell down, and the angel gave me more of the fruit…I look up from the floor in the direction of the overwhelming Light, and I saw Him! I saw Elohim, Jehovah God. Yahweh sitting on the Throne! But I saw His feet – only His feet…He is so big – you can’t describe Him in a dimension. His had is huge! His body, the form if it, is sort of like energy, spirit. There’s a wall around the Throne, but the Throne is higher than the wall – that’s why you can see the Throne from every direction, from a distance. And that power, that energy-like smoke of God, covers all around the chair of the Throne itself.     (13)

Jesse still needs to eat the sanctifying fruit even though he has made it up to the very Throne of god. Like Moses he just to see part of God’s body, and not His face. Yet all-in-all even getting to see the feet of Jehovah is more than any of the rest of us have seen! Also we get the extra-Biblical insight about some type of wall around the Throne, I guess some sort of restraining wall to keep Him from being mobbed by adoring family members.

“There was a cloud that looked like smoke going up from the Throne and I heard that massive sound, “whoosh! It was power like I’ve never experienced in my life. Then I saw God’s finger barely move and when it moved, an angel that was flying near Him was thrown up against a wall. Bam! It didn’t hurt the angel.” (14)

I am reminded about the refrain from an old gospel blues song “when the Lord gets ready, you’ve got to move.” that angel must certainly have that as a revelation after getting splattered against the wall. During this time Jesse comes out of the glory of the Father and begins to preach to the assembled crowds “He was a preacher full of victory, shouting and hollering!”  (15)  Jesse enjoys the sermon and asks the angel “where’s the Holy Spirit?” He is on the earth He said.”  (16)  then he remembers this fact and feels “stupid” for asking such a “dumb question” at the Throne of God. So now we know that as of 1996 the Holy Spirit is not in heaven He is on earth. Now if asked, Jesse will admit that God is Three in One, but obviously the One God is somehow separated spatially. In any event, now you know that the Holy Spirit is not currently “in” heaven but is active here on earth.

“I saw new lives of little babies singing and flying around God’s Throne. It seemed to me that babies just came out of the breath of God. They looked like they were wearing nightgowns…I heard them saying God, “Can I be a spirit? Would You send me to earth so I can be a spirit? I want to be a redeemed person. Can I be a spirit? And while I watched, I heard that might sound of God’s power Whoosh! I saw these babies leave the Throne by the power of God.” (18)

Mrs. Baxter saw baby cherubim flying around the Throne of God kissing his face, feet, and hands while singing holy, holy, holy. Rev. Duplantis does not see these baby cherubim instead he see’s some type of proto-babies who want to become “spirits”. What is more these proto-spirit babies ask to be sent to earth and they ask to be redeemed persons. Who makes the determination to become a redeemed person? Obviously we did in our proto-spirit condition when we, in eternity past, flew around the Throne of God in our little nightgowns!

What utter drivel and heresy!  There is not one shred of Scriptural evidence to even remotely infer this type of theology. In fact, like with everything else Mr. Duplantis sees, the bible refutes it thoroughly. Here are just two verses of many –   

John 15:16

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you

Romans 9:11

“(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

I cannot take time to go into the doctrine of election. Yet the Scriptures are plain that it is always God who does the electing, not man! If we take Mr. Duplantis Throne room vision at face value then are we to assume that some babies want to be damned? After all, some ask to be redeemed people, do others ask to be allowed to be damned people? Even Jesse would admit that not everybody is saved, he does believe some folks do go to hell. So if what he saw is true, then those in hell made this choice before they ever came to earth. It is hard to imagine a preacher of the Gospel would write such things, and expect the readers to accept it as truth.

Before Jesse is sent back home to planet earth Jesus explains how He is dreading the day when He has to send some of the creation He loves to hell. “I wanted to reach out and comfort Him, so I put my hand on the Lord…I could tell that Jesus was hurting.”   (19)   Can you imagine? The One who upholds and sustains all things by His power (Heb. 1:3) feels sad and is hurting and Jesse tries to comfort the Lord God Almighty as best he can. In these closing discourses with Jesus, Jesse comes to believe “we can delay His coming by waiting for a sign before we act on His Word…” (20) Through this supernatural gnosis, we learn that people choose their eternal destiny as proto-babies and we also can delay the return of Christ by our actions or inactions. Earl Paulk, must be correct then when he teaches that it is up the Church as to when Jesus returns. Jesse continues to humanize God by saying;

“I didn’t know before how much He needed me to reach out to other people. I have always thought of how much I needed Him, not how much He needs me…He smiled at me and said, “I chose you. NO one else wanted you, and I need you Jesse.   (21)

Jesus Christ needs Jesse Duplantis! I do not doubt that the Lord Jesus loves Jesse Duplantis, I love him too, but I doubt He “needs” Jesse. If you, me or Jesse dies tomorrow God’s plan will roll on without as much as a hitch.

Jesse Comes Back to Planet Earth

Jesse returns to his body and walks up to the front of the church. “Look at Brother Jesse. He’s shining.” There was a light on my face. I had been in the presence of the glory of God.”  (22)  So like Moses, Jesse Duplantis’ face shines with the very presence of God. “I didn’t even preach that night. I didn’t say anything, but people began falling under the power of God’s Spirit! There was ministry throughout the auditorium without me saying any more.”   (23)

What is the result of this trip to heaven? Mr. Duplantis gets to church but does not even preach the gospel, yet apart from the Word & Sacraments we are supposed to believe the Holy Spirit moved! Instead something even greater transpires than preaching the Word, people begin to fall under the power of God’s Spirit. We are not told if anybody came to faith in Christ at the service, nor are we informed if anybody rededicates themselves to serving Christ. All we know, according to Mr. Duplantis, is that people see his face shining and fall into unconsciousness. However, Duplantis does not supply any COOBBERATING testimony to this alleged event.

I must denounce Heaven, A closer Encounter of the God Kind as a work of fiction masquerading as fact. None of his vision and experience remotely resemble what is revealed in the bible. In fact, Duplantis’ revelations contradict Biblical teaching and doctrine.

Out of Christian charity I am willing to grant that brother Duplantis had some type of experience but it was not of the “God Kind.” This leaves us with one of two possibilities, either his experience is demonically inspired or is the result of his overactive imagination. His concept of the doctrine of God, the inerrancy of Scripture, and salvation are aberrant and heretical according to what he relayed in his vision.

Mr. Duplantis is a well known international speaker in Word of Faith circles and yet none of his fellow charismatic leaders seem to have any problem with is revelations. The editors at Harrison House Publishers did not pick up any doctrinal errors or question the validity of his experiences as they proofread his text. “Christian” bookstores seem to have no qualms about selling a book in which the author says the following is absolutely true:

• As a sinner, feels God presence continually
• Hears His voice while high on drugs
• Is personally visited by God
• Has 100% of his prayers answered
• Receives a personal message from the Lord’s angel
• Has a company of angels knock out his audience for half an hour
• Has he and his car teleported to Lafayette La and Jesse heals a girl near death.
• Goes to heaven
• Meets Abraham, Jonah, King David, Jesus, angels, the Apostle Paul, and the Father.
• Comes back with his face shining like Moses & everyone this thrown into an altered state of consciousness.

Dear brothers and sisters, I hope you can understand why I am concerned about what is foisted upon the Church as a divine revelation when it obviously is not.

There is wide scale deception taking place and little or nothing is being done about it. A person can say or write just about anything and it will be published, sold nationally, and speaking engagements and television appearances will come from it, not to mention large amounts of money. If anybody dares to raise an objection then they are labeled a heresy-hunter and one who is sowing discord among the brethren, which we are constantly reminded is an abomination to God   (Prov. 6:19).

I agree with the prophet Amos when he says there is a famine in the land, one not of bread, but one of hearing the true Word of the Lord. The sign-gift section of the church really needs to get back to the Word of God and judge every experience by it and unflinchingly correct and rebuke those who err and those who want to propagate error. If they will not receive correction, then we must mark or scope out such false teachers and in love correct them and their hearers of their error. It is the only truly loving response there is. ♦

Copyright © 2010 Robert S. Liichow

End Notes

1. Duplantis, Jesse, “Heaven A Close Encounter of the God Kind.” Harrison House, 1996, pg. 68-69

2. Ibid. pg. 70’

3. Ibid. pg 72

4. Ibid. pg 75

5. New American Standard Hebrew & Greek Dictionary, NavPress Dd Rom

6. Duplantis, Jesse. “Heaven a Close Encounter of the God Kind. Harrison House. 1996 pg. 76

7. Ibidpg. 76-77

8. Ibid. pg. 83

9. Ibid pg. 85

10. Ibid. pg.

11. Ibid pg. 93

12. Ibid. pg. 97-98

13. Ibid, pp. 100-1-1

14. Ibid pg. 102

15. Duplantis, Jesse. “Heaven, A Close Encounter of the God Kind.” Harrison House, 1996. Pg. 113-114

16. Ibid. pg. 115

17. Ibid. pg. 117

18. Ibid. pg. 118-119

19. Duplantis, Jesse. “Heaven A Close Encounter of the God Kind.” Harrison House. 1996. Pg. 119

20. Ibid. pg. 127

21. Ibid p. 129

22. Ibid. pg. 131

23. Ibid. pg. 138

24. Ibid. pg. 138

It is an eternally serious matter whenever anyone dares to stand up in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and preach/teach His Word. As James 3:1 reminds us: “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”  Why does the teacher receive a stricter judgment? Because God’s people will inherently trust their words, after all, who would dare speak that which is not in the name of the Living God? DMI will make it our business to send by registered mail this newsletter and a letter to Mr. Duplantis seeking an explanation of his heretical statements. We will let you know how it is received by JDM.