Several well-known Christian prophets who predicted that President Donald Trump would win a second term have been asking for forgiveness, saying they made a mistake. But does that make them “false prophets”?
The charismatic and Pentecostal Christian communities have faced attacks over these predictions, and now the response to the apologies is getting ugly too.
Back in 2015, prophet Jeremiah Johnson prophesied Trump would win the White House. Of course, that prophecy came true. Then, earlier this year, Johnson had a dream about Trump running a race, and he believed God was sending a message that Trump would win again.
In a recent letter, Johnson explained that he was wrong for predicting that Trump would win a second term as president.
“I was wrong, I am deeply sorry, and I ask for your forgiveness,” Johnson wrote. “I specifically want to apologize to any believer in whom I have now caused potential doubt concerning the voice of God and His ability to speak to His people. As a human being, I missed what God was saying; however, rest assured, God Himself is NOT a liar and His written Word should always be the foundation and source of our lives as Christians.”
CBN News reached out to Johnson to ask for an interview but he declined the request. That could be because the response to Johnson’s apology has been so disturbing.
“Over the last 72 hours, I have received multiple death threats and thousands upon thousands of emails from Christians saying the nastiest and most vulgar things I have ever heard toward my family and ministry. I have been labeled a coward, sellout, a traitor to the Holy Spirit, and cussed out at least 500 times. We have lost ministry partners every hour and counting,” he said.
Jeremiah Johnson prophesied Trump would win in 2020, got it wrong, and apologized — noting that Trump was prideful and the church wrongly put Trump on a pedestal. Look at this message. This is what happened. The sickness is in the church real and widespread. I’ve seen this also: pic.twitter.com/fEAYtXIx1C
— David French (@DavidAFrench) January 12, 2021
Other prophets are also apologizing for what happened in 2020. Shawn Bolz, the founder of Bolz Ministries, has also apologized for prophesying Trump’s reelection.
Bolz wrote on Facebook, “I am truly sorry as I am growing in this prophetic journey and was not accurate about something so big. In this season as I am holding myself accountable, I am going to stay out of public political prophetic words and grow in my closeness to Jesus.”
Additionally, Bethel Church senior associate leader Kris Vallotton reposted a video from Nov. where he apologized for prophesying that Trump would win a second term.
Vallotton originally posted the video on Nov. 7 after Election Day but removed it saying, “it appears there is significant amount of discrepancy in the process,” according to Redding Record Searchlight.
He reposted the video on Jan 8.
“I really want to apologize, sincerely apologize for missing the prophecy about Donald Trump,” Vallotton said. “I prophesied that he would not be impeached and that he would in fact win another term and I was completely wrong. I take full responsibility for being wrong. There’s no excuse for it. I think it doesn’t make me a false prophet but it does actually create a credibility gap. A lot of people trust me, trust my ministry and I want to say I am very sorry for everyone who put their trust in me and that there was this major, major mistake.”
He even congratulated Biden in the video and said he will be praying for him. “All these years I’ve been praying for presidents and I just want to say I pray for your success,” Vallotton added.
What Is a False Prophet?
Critics have leveled accusations that all the prophets who predicted a Trump win are “false prophets”, but how should the prophetic gifting that’s seen in action throughout the Bible be evaluated?
Vallotton says, “Getting a word wrong does not make you a false prophet… A false prophet is not someone who gives a bad prophetic word, but instead is someone who has an evil heart.”
Johnson agrees, “I don’t believe that if you miss a prophecy (it) makes you a false prophet.”
Not all prophecy is about predicting the future. In fact, it’s often more about exhortation for the Church. But it’s times like this that make people question the concept.
Vallotton went further in-depth about the issue, explaining in an online teaching, “There’s a difference between Old Testament prophets and New Testament prophets. In the Old Testament we judge prophets. In the New Testament we judge prophecy.”
He continues, “There are many Christians who don’t believe in the gifts of the Spirit or the 5-fold ministry for today. Therefore, they believe that when Jesus said, ‘In the last days, false prophets would arise,’ they think all the prophets in the last days are false ones. But if there are false prophets, there must be real ones!”
And the Bible is clear in Acts 2:17: “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;”
And 1 Thessalonians 5:20 says, “Do not despise prophecies.”
Vallotton went on to include a 5-point test to evaluate what actually constitutes a false prophet:
- “Does the prophet believe in the redemptive work of the Son of God?”
- “False prophets do not like to listen to anyone – God tells them everything.”
- “False prophets are not motivated by love, but are motivated by a need to be noticed.”
- “False prophets commonly use fear to motivate people.”
- “False prophets are not in covenant relationship with the body of Christ.”
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