On Monday, Franklin Minnaar took to Facebook and declared “Bring out the Lion! Let the Battle Begin!”
The following day he walked into the East London zoo, clambered into the lions’ enclosure and waited for them to kill him.
A series of postings on the social network by Minnaar, right up to eight minutes before he entered the zoo, revealed his religious views.
All but two posts in the two weeks leading to his death, were excerpts of scriptures, sermons and prayers.
His post on Monday calling for the lions to be brought out ended with an invitation to United States President Barack Obama to “Armageddon”.
In several posts Minnaar calls for prayers for Israel and Africa and its repentance. He refers to God as Yah or Yahweh.
The leader of The Branch church where Minnaar was a “member of assembly”, Pastor Rodney Petersen, said Minnaar had called him two days before he died asking for prayer.
He described the 41-year-old Minnaar as a great singer who in the weeks leading up to his death was intent on recording his music.
“He was a wonderful person, loved by everybody. The reports about a history of mental illness seem a little strange.
“We have never seen anything peculiar about him,” said Petersen.
Minnaar’s sister Audrey also described him as a loving person and great singer.
“He cut a demo four years ago. We are going to play his CD at his memorial.”
Audrey said the funeral would be on Tuesday, but they would wait for details from his wife. Minnaar’s wife declined to speak to the Daily Dispatch.
Audrey, who in an earlier report spoke of her brother’s mental condition, said they had been receiving taunting messages from some members of the community.
She said Minnaar had suffered from depression before.
“I believe my brother died because he wanted to be with Yahweh, as he refers to God,” she said.
Petersen said Yahweh was the correct way to refer to God as there is no J (for Jehovah or Jesus) in Hebrew.
“We don’t refer to ourselves as Christians. We are Netsarim – followers of a teacher. People accuse us of having a strange religion, but they don’t even know the name of God they serve. We choose to address him as Yahweh.”
On Monday at 9.38pm – in an apparent reference to Israel – Minnaar posted: “Last but never the least Yisra’el! My beloved son I have returned from my very long journey and it was lovely. Is Yerushalahym still intact? I heard you are having trouble with Yishmael. When is that boy going to learn? Don’t he understand that he cannot have your inheritance?
“For I gave it to Avraham, Avraham handed it to Yitshaq your father and Yitshaq handed it down to you. If Yishmael have anything to say, let him say it to Me. For I am Elohim of the heaven and earth, for I am about to fulfil my promise to Avraham that he is the father of many nations.
“For I am going to punish Yishmael and all other national that’s rageing war against my beloved and against Setapart Place Mout Zion There Were The Lion of Yahuda ROAR!!! The Battle is mine, and he who touches my anointing in the South East is going to deal with me … Bring Out the LION! Sound the Shofar in ZION. Blow the Shofar on my Setapart Mountain! Let the Battle begin. A special invitation I send out to Barrack Obama and everybody else who would like to dance? Meet me and HarMegiddo !”
He continued posting scriptures almost hourly. His last Facebook message was on Tuesday, April 28, at 8.52am, minutes before he entered the zoo.
‘Bring out the Lion! Let the Battle Begin!’
The following day he walked into the East London zoo, clambered into the lions’ enclosure and waited for them to kill him.
A series of postings on the social network by Minnaar, right up to eight minutes before he entered the zoo, revealed his religious views.
All but two posts in the two weeks leading to his death, were excerpts of scriptures, sermons and prayers.
His post on Monday calling for the lions to be brought out ended with an invitation to United States President Barack Obama to “Armageddon”.
In several posts Minnaar calls for prayers for Israel and Africa and its repentance. He refers to God as Yah or Yahweh.
The leader of The Branch church where Minnaar was a “member of assembly”, Pastor Rodney Petersen, said Minnaar had called him two days before he died asking for prayer.
He described the 41-year-old Minnaar as a great singer who in the weeks leading up to his death was intent on recording his music.
“He was a wonderful person, loved by everybody. The reports about a history of mental illness seem a little strange.
“We have never seen anything peculiar about him,” said Petersen.
Minnaar’s sister Audrey also described him as a loving person and great singer.
“He cut a demo four years ago. We are going to play his CD at his memorial.”
Audrey said the funeral would be on Tuesday, but they would wait for details from his wife. Minnaar’s wife declined to speak to the Daily Dispatch.
Audrey, who in an earlier report spoke of her brother’s mental condition, said they had been receiving taunting messages from some members of the community.
She said Minnaar had suffered from depression before.
“I believe my brother died because he wanted to be with Yahweh, as he refers to God,” she said.
Petersen said Yahweh was the correct way to refer to God as there is no J (for Jehovah or Jesus) in Hebrew.
“We don’t refer to ourselves as Christians. We are Netsarim – followers of a teacher. People accuse us of having a strange religion, but they don’t even know the name of God they serve. We choose to address him as Yahweh.”
On Monday at 9.38pm – in an apparent reference to Israel – Minnaar posted: “Last but never the least Yisra’el! My beloved son I have returned from my very long journey and it was lovely. Is Yerushalahym still intact? I heard you are having trouble with Yishmael. When is that boy going to learn? Don’t he understand that he cannot have your inheritance?
“For I gave it to Avraham, Avraham handed it to Yitshaq your father and Yitshaq handed it down to you. If Yishmael have anything to say, let him say it to Me. For I am Elohim of the heaven and earth, for I am about to fulfil my promise to Avraham that he is the father of many nations.
“For I am going to punish Yishmael and all other national that’s rageing war against my beloved and against Setapart Place Mout Zion There Were The Lion of Yahuda ROAR!!! The Battle is mine, and he who touches my anointing in the South East is going to deal with me … Bring Out the LION! Sound the Shofar in ZION. Blow the Shofar on my Setapart Mountain! Let the Battle begin. A special invitation I send out to Barrack Obama and everybody else who would like to dance? Meet me and HarMegiddo !”
He continued posting scriptures almost hourly. His last Facebook message was on Tuesday, April 28, at 8.52am, minutes before he entered the zoo.
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