When Prophets of Doom Predict Natural Disasters on Specific Dates That Don’t Come to Pass
After Harold Camping repeatedly missed it on his rapture predictions, he finally admitted his statement was sinful. He even wrote a letter to the body of Christ apologizing for his end-of-the-world dramatics.
And that’s rare—indeed, too rare.
Most prophets of doom refuse to acknowledge they missed it with clearly dated—and clearly failed—prophecies of asteroids hitting Puerto Rico, earthquakes making the Florida Keys no more, tsunamis putting South Florida completely under water, man-made disasters worse than 9/11 hitting New York, a major government official taking a bullet through the heart, earthquakes splitting the United States down the middle and … shall I go on?
I am not sure where most of these poor prophecies started so I can’t trace them back to their misguided root and call out names. You’ll find a number of Internet prophets parroting these words as if God spoke to them personally. Calling out names is not the point anyway. The point is when these dated prophecies fail to come to pass, the many mouths trumpeting the doom and gloom also fail to take responsibility for the words that clearly fell to the ground. They can’t even point to intercession staying God’s hand of judgment because their prophecies left no room for His mercy.
Makes Me Scratch My Head
Now, I’m not saying that a great earthquake won’t strike and do massive damage to the U.S. It’s happened before and it’s likely to happen again. Matthew 24 paints a pretty clear picture of what’s to come. But when “prophets” repeatedly put specific dates on specific natural disasters, widespread riots and other cataclysmic events with no way of escape that don’t happen, why are they given the microphone at the next megaconference?
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I have to wonder, why do some in the prophetic ministry keep rehashing curses that have fallen to the ground with a new twist and a new date? Why do we make excuses for these prophets? Why is there no repentance? No apology? No accountability? Where are the apostolic fathers who will jerk a knot in the tails of erroneous prophetic voices releasing dreadful messages of fear with no redemptive value, messages that clearly did not emanate from the heart of the Father?
I love the prophetic ministry and anyone can miss it. None of us is perfect. Prophetic ministry is vital in this hour; perhaps more vital than in any hour of history. Perhaps that’s why Jezebel is working so hard to pervert prophetic voices with platforms large and small. Some thrive on the honor of men and announce peace when there is no peace. Others have bitter spirits and pronounce curses and ruthless judgment with no escape. Many are asking, “What is the truth?”
We Need Balanced Prophets
We need the prophets to announce, decree, impart and activate. But in this hour, we need prophets who pray more than we need prophets who predict. We need prophets who trumpet a message of repentance more than we need prophets who are experts at pronouncing judgment. We need prophets of awakening who will speak to the roots of revival in our nation and command them to rise again more than we need prophets who curse the land.
I feel the Holy Spirit’s grief over how some prophetic ministries have turned away from the Word and are tapping into spirits of divination, familiar spirits and the soulish realm. One reason this happens is because the body of Christ is so hungry for personal prophecy that prophets feel pressured to release a word even when it’s not a due season. In other words, prophets who have built a reputation on their gift rise and fall on the operation of the gift. As I’ve said before, some prophets just need to keep their mouths shut. If God is not speaking, we have nothing to say.
Where’s the Fear of the Lord?
So, again, where is the accountability? Where is the repentance in the prophetic ministry? Why is it OK to get up on a megaplatform and prophesy things with specific date with no way of escape and move on to the next megaplatform (or Internet platform) without ever looking back at the mess you left behind? Why is it OK to charge for personal prophesy at the altar? Why is it OK to scare people half to death in the name of Jesus when we know God does not give us a spirit of fear? I ask you, where is the fear of the Lord?
Have we forgotten that each of us will give an account of himself to God (Rom. 14:12)? What about Jesus’ teaching that every idle word men speak they will give an account for on the Day of Judgment (Matt. 12:36-37)? Paul the apostle, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, assured us that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his recompense in the body according to what he has done, whether it was good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10).
Prophets, heed these words. Let the words of Christ strike fear in your heart and let’s cut the foolishness out of the prophetic ministry: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonderful works in Your name?’ But then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice evil'” (Matt 7:21-23).
