A very interesting dynamic has played out in much of the world's media the last few years, and at time of writing is still demanding our attention.
Now that the election for the President of the USA is over, but seemingly still disputed, we who are not directly involved have been treated to what can only be described as a visit to Alice's Wonderland.
For Christians, the most alarming aspect of all of the political maneuverings and skulduggery must surely be the almost daily "prophetic utterances", YouTube videos, church prayer circles, pastoral utterances, not to mention sermons, Et.Al. Almost all of which have proudly and loudly proclaimed that Donald Trump would win the 2020 election, and win it by a "country mile", and more significantly win it "because God said so"!
Prophetic utterances about political events are nothing new, but in this day of "social media" and instant world-wide news cycles, they are, if nothing else, attention grabbing. Prophetic utterances generally have always been attention grabbing. Most of us want to know what tomorrow holds, often "prophecies" are nothing more than guesses, such as trying to "prophesy" the sex of an unborn child, an endeavor pretty much guaranteed a 50% success rate.
There have been very few prophecies for a Biden win, and I have heard many stern words about the grim future awaiting any Christian who would dare to vote for him. As if God would condemn a person for their politics! Millions of Germans were not condemned to a Christ-less eternity for their support of Hitler. Yes they and their country paid a terrible price for that support, but we will meet many a German solider in eternity. If, despite recounts and court cases, Biden's win holds, and he becomes the 46th President of the USA, were all those who prophesied the Donald Trump would win, false prophets?
What then, happens when political prophecies go wrong?
“If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken,” reads Deuteronomy 18:22. “That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.”
The word translated as "presumptuously" is an ancient Hebrew word, ziyd pronounced "zeed" and it means to speak or act proudly or insolently, or seethe with arrogant pride. Mistakes in prophecy do not make everyone who’s mistaken a false prophet, any more than mistakes in teaching make everyone who’s mistaken a false teacher.
However, whether from false prophets or not, very public pronouncements risk dishonor to the Church, and more importantly, to God. There are plenty of people ready to heap ridicule and mockery upon the church, and faithful believers.
Many of us have lost sight that there are "conditional" prophecies in the Bible. Often not stated as such, but conditional none-the-less. Case in point....Jonah’s “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4) was not fulfilled in Jonah’s generation because Nineveh repented.
The ancient prophet Jeremiah explained how this works.
The instant I (God) speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it. Jeremiah 18:7-10 NKJV
Views and opinions on just how conditional prophecies work varies, but I think that God foreknows human choices or outcomes, and "works" with human "time-bound" activities. God sometimes delays promised outcomes, allowing others to achieve what was promised or prophesied. Elijah prophesied the destruction of Ahab’s line (1 Kings 21:20–24). Yet after Ahab humbled himself, God told Elijah privately that because Ahab humbled himself. I won’t bring this disaster while he is alive. Instead, I’ll bring it on his household in the time of his son (21:29). Likewise, God commissioned Elijah with three tasks (1 Kings 19:15–16). Elijah fulfilled directly one of these tasks—calling Elisha. The other two were fulfilled by Elisha and by another prophet whom he in turn commissioned. Two-thirds of Elijah's mission was fulfilled by somebody else.
Do I think that the myriad prophecies and sermons etc. about a Donald Trump win were from false prophets. NO. Clearly some words and actions were from "loony" out-of-left-field attention seekers, and many more were from hopeful Christians, and still others were from those who aspire to be recognized as a prophet.
We, as believers need to have the courage to challenge a prophetic word that does not ring true, and not throw "the baby out with the bath-water". Those who have spoken "false words" about the presidential election, or anything else for that matter need to have the courage to "fess up", repent and learn from their "miss-hearing" of God's voice.
More on prophecy in part two of this post to follow.
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