Prophetic Standards

I came across yesterday on my Facebook Timeline the following statement:

“Charismatics Issue ‘Prophetic Standards’ To Address False Trump Prophecies

Julia Duin. 29Apr2021

CHARLOTTE— After an embarrassing number of wrong prophecies and bungled predictions about the 2020 election, a group of charismatic Christian leaders have released a four-page statement of “prophetic standards” to help correct abuses in the movement.

The statement, released April 29 on the newly created propheticstandards.com, is the work of 85 Christian ministry heads, preachers, academics, denominational officials, authors, revivalists, evangelists and other participants in what’s been called the prophetic movement, a subset of Pentecostal Christianity. Their signatures are attached. https://religionunplugged.com/…/charismatics-issue… “

My friend who posted this had clear reservations and made the following comment:

“This is billed as an attempt to keep modern prophecy on track.

The problem however, is that many modern Christians are unwilling to take a firm stand for the truth.

The US Election was very obviously stolen. But how many Christians are willing to take a stand on that fact, and to declare boldly that the LORD will both expose and overturn it?

The LORD is presently separating those who will stand from those who will not.

President Trump WILL be reinstated, because he is the ONLY legal President!

The people voted for him in a LANDSLIDE, and this will be fully revealed.

All this is happening in order to expose and take down the Luciferian Global Cabal.”

I decided to check out the statement, along with the signers (see here) and to read the full “Charismatics Issue ‘Prophetic Standards’ To Address False Trump Prophecies” article (see here). But before I say what I found and offer a view, I need to declare an interest and give some context and background.

Much of 2020 was spent writing my book “Prophets of the Bible”. It was my attempt to cover the lives and ministries of every prophet in the Bible, including some who are not generally recognised as prophets, and to discuss many of their prophecies (and there are many), including yet to be fulfilled ones. The first edition was released September 2020, after which I began work on the second edition. Besides including material not included first time round, I wanted to address modern day prophets and their prophecies, including those “prophets” the movers behind “the statement” objected to. This was completed April 2021 and I have yet to release it to the world, although an electronic version is freely available for download (see here). Of particular relevance to this article is Chapter 6: Balaam and assorted false prophets and Chapter 21: 2020, 2021 and the prophetic.

I confess one of the motivations behind writing Chapter 21, where I offer a view, albeit sometimes tentatively, based on my understanding of world events and much of it borne out of distress at the evil that is being allowed to go unchecked (e.g. check out here), and this included examining a class of prophets I called political. Many predicted Trump will get a second term as President. I had hoped (and also expected – partly because of what these political prophets said) when the election was held November 3^rd that Trump would win. When that did not happen (although I agree with my friend – it did) and there were claims of industrial scale voter fraud, that justice would be done and Trump would be inaugurated on January 20^th. That did not happen either and with it a call for the Trump second term prophets to repent, thus giving rise to this “Prophetic Statement”. I should add that many in my own church do not believe in modern day prophets other than the false variety. Also, my own eschatology sees the world getting worse and Biden being elected by fraud and party to the New World Order to be headed by the Antichrist. On the other hand, besides predicting a Trump second term, many of these political prophets see a great exposing and judging of evil soon to take place and a great revival.

Back to the “Prophetic Statement”– I found to my surprise little to disagree with. A minor point perhaps of dissent was its attempt to distinguish the role of a New Testament prophet from that of the Old. Neither did I disagree with notions of false prophecy and lack of accountability, or that it is beholden on hearers to test and weigh what has been prophesied. Less surprisingly, none of the names I associated with the “political” prophet class, signed. More disappointing was the article that accompanied it, which provided some of the background behind the statement. “The movement came into much disrepute in recent months after scores of prophets incorrectly prophesied that former President Donald Trump would win a second term, while failing to prophesy major events such as COVID-19 and the storming of the U.S. Capitol” is one of several examples of antagonistic reporting and even an attempt to bully those who have the temerity to stick by their prophesies. I write not so much to say who is right but rather to offer an alternative view. From what I can make out, some of what these political prophets have said has remarkably come to pass and much of the rest can and will happen. I hope too whatever our view, our motive is for God alone to get the glory and we merely His unprofitable servants. Also, our trust should not be in Trump or the prophets, but God.

I believe Trump did win and the storming of the Capitol was a false flag event. As for Covid-19, who are any of us to tell the Almighty what words He gives to His prophets? While disappointed that things did not turn out the way I thought, I see the hand of God, especially now seeing evil exposed on a daily basis (where ironically Covid plays a part) and that He will honour His faithful prophets. My study of Prophets of the Bible revealed they often were vilified and scorned. But as far as God was concerned, he/she must only speak what they are given, regardless of people’s approval or disapproval and leave the rest to God. It seems to me that the poet Longfellow understood something of the ways of the Lord and as for us we need to merely remain faithful: “Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all.” Thousands of Bible prophecies have already been fulfilled and this gives us confidence the rest will be and if God has given a word today, then it will be too, however unlikely it might seem. “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” Revelation 19:10.