The concept was inspired by the biblical story of the evil Queen Jezebel, who persecuted the prophets and was punished with a terrible death. The word “Jezebel” was used to describe Black women during slavery and throughout U.S. history, characterizing them as overtly sexual and untrustworthy.

In the context of “Jezebel spirit,” the term has sinister connotations, suggesting that the person is demon-possessed in the spiritual battle between good and evil. People studying the Jan. 6 insurrection warn that similar rhetoric about spiritual warfare drove many to the U.S. Capitol that day.

“People are hearing that this woman is possessed by a harsh, scary, man-hating, authority-hating, evil spirit who will do whatever she wants,” said Anthea Butler, a University of Pennsylvania professor and author of the book. The book “White Evangelical Racism” examines the New Apostolic Reformation.

Butler said the term is coded language to convey that the person (usually a Democrat, Black or multiracial woman) is not an acceptable candidate. Harris is a Christian and a Baptist, but when faith leaders linked her to Jezebel, Butler said it gave the false impression that she was not a Christian.

WHERE DOES THE TERM COME FROM?

In the Old Testament, Jezebel is one of the most vile of villains. She was a foreign-born queen who wielded great power, persecuted prophets, and worshiped false gods. He was finally punished by being thrown out of a window, trampled by a horse, and eaten by dogs.

Later in the Bible, Jezebel appears as a false prophet who foreshadows the end times and encourages promiscuity.

The term has a long history of being used against women, especially black women, in the United States. During times of slavery, this idea was used to justify the systematic sexual assault and rape of Black women and girls. It has been used in the past to target other women, such as Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, and to categorize movements such as feminism, abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights.

Tamura Lomax, author of “Jezebel Unhinged” and associate professor of religious studies at Michigan State University, said it’s dangerous to conceptualize female candidates through the “Jezebel spirit.”

“Any woman who steps into her power in any way will be viewed as a Jezebel who deserves violence,” she said.

WHO USE THE TERM? AND WHY?

This usage comes from a politicized movement of charismatic Christianity called the New Apostolic Reformation, a decentralized but highly networked movement whose leaders widely taught that demonic forces were involved in spiritual warfare and could speak through people. In this case, the Jezebel spirit is a demon working on earth and has the attributes of the biblical Jezebel, although the phrase “Jezebel spirit” never appears in the Bible.

This language was used to mobilize and catalyze Christians with apocalyptic sensibility with “do or die” messages of the next election, said Matthew Taylor, author of the new book “Violence Takes with Its Power,” which offers a history of the New Apostolic Reformation. and details its impact on the January 6 insurrection.

“This is used as a way to justify aggression,” Taylor said. “Christians are supposed to love their enemies. … But Christians are allowed to hate demons.”

And he said some people may use this militant rhetoric to justify real-world violence.

The movement was prominently displayed on Jan. 6, when believers waged “spiritual warfare” at the Capitol, Taylor said. People sang religious songs, prayed, and blew shofars as the attack took place; this was a horn adopted by Christian nationalists in the Jewish tradition and inspired by their use in the Biblical Battle of Jericho.

Taylor said there has been a huge increase in spiritual warfare talk in American politics since then.

Christian nationalism is a combination of American and Christian identities that seek a privileged place for Christianity in American public life.

Lance Wallnau, one of the leaders who has one million Facebook followers and used the “Jezebel spirit” to describe Harris, is considered a prophet in the New Apostolic Reformation and says he receives messages directly from God, according to Taylor.

He was one of Trump’s first evangelical supporters and remains close to his campaign. Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance recently attended an event hosted by Wallnau.

Wallnau posted a video about X in which he said: “You have a Jezebel spirit in Kamala, which is a biblical characteristic, so she is a Jezebel spirit. “The personification of intimidation, seduction, domination and manipulation,” he said and added. “He can look like the president, and that’s the seduction of what I would call witchcraft.”

In a different video, he said Harris “represents a mix of the Jezebel spirit that will be even more sinister than Hillary (Clinton) because she’ll bring a racial element and she’s younger.”

Meanwhile, some preachers with New Apostolic Reformation ties describe Trump as anointed by God, having fought alongside the angels.

The language has also seeped into down-ballot races. Indiana’s Republican lieutenant governor candidate said the choice was between the “strength and godlike courage” of the state’s Republican ticket and the “Jezebel spirit” of the Democratic ticket led by three women.

Micah Beckwith, a self-proclaimed Christian nationalist pastor, did not respond to voicemails and text messages seeking clarification of his comment. Beckwith told IndyStar this month that her comment was about Democratic ideas, not gender.

On October 12, thousands of people gathered to pray on the National Mall; where Ché Ahn, a leader of the New Apostolic Reformation, ruled that Trump is a “type of Jehu,” the biblical figure who overthrew Jezebel’s reign and ordered her death. Ahn, who did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press, implored the crowd to come out and vote.

“I’m making the decision based on my belief that Trump will win on November 5th,” he told the crowd. “He will be our 47th president and Kamala Harris will be impeached.”