Speaking for God

He's at it again.  Pat Robertson is making  his prophetic predictions that he claims God has told him.  I've written before that Pat Robertson speaking for God is actually taking God's name in vain.  He's speaking in God's stead without adequate justification for why we should believe he is.  Sure, there were and might still be prophets.  Prophets speak for God and the standard in the Old Testament was so high for those who claimed to speak for God that the penalty for a false prophet was the death penalty.  It's a serious thing to speak for God, in His name, because it either carries enormous authority that people should pay attention to or it brings shame on God's reputation among men. 

The issue with Robertson is not whether he's convinced he's heard form God.  I'm sure he is confident of that.  The Biblical standard is whether we, the church, have any reason to believe he is a prophet speaking for God.  Robertson has given us no reason to believe that he is - especially given the poor track record of his past prophetic utterances.

Many Christians do this kind of thing in their own arenas.  They claim God has spoken to them.  The sorry and shameful fact is that many times, as in Robertson's case, what results is ridicule - not of the person themself, but of God.  That is why it's a serious thing to speak for God and take His name in vain.

The Old Testament doesn't even use God's name because Israel felt it was a very serious thing to use His name.  Perhaps that's a legalistic rule we've grown beyond because we know also that God is our father we can approach.  But very often I think modern Christians have moved to the opposite extreme, blithely claiming God's authority, which is what His name represents, with no good reason for the rest of us to take their claim seriously.

When we use God's name, we should evaluate whether it will bring God honor or ridicule, whether we have the proper authority to use it.

Comments

[Woodrow Bailey]

I have been troubled for some time by many of the things Mr. Robertson has said but you have brought new light to the issue. What is worse is that my wife is a 1,000 club member at CBN and believes he is a godly man. One other question I would have for Mr. Robertson is: "If God told you this, then why didn't he upbraid you for your support of brutal murderous African dictators like Robert Taylor of Liberia".

[Junction]

Frank Turk over at his blog (http://centuri0n.blogspot.com/) has started a petition asking Pat Robertson to apologize. You can view and sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/fof0001/petition.html

[ChrisB]

I saw that Roberts predicted an American tsunami in 2006 saying God told him. I'm very tempted to send him a rock -- a reminder of what used to happen to such people.

[Sol Parker]

A partly fulfilled prediction is a failed prediction. "Sometimes I miss" God never misses.

[alesia]

You know the real question here to me is What is Robertson's motive to make such a claim or any claim? I have to think it is to bring attention to himself. But unfortunately as Melinda has said these kind of claims make God look bad. I know God works in supernatural ways but I don't think I want to know about Mr. Robertson's claims of "blight" to America especially in light of his last few remarks over the last 2 years or so..

[Shane Vander Hart]

"When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him," (Deut. 18:22, ESV).

Yes the grading curve for prophets are 100%, anything less is failing.

[Perry]

He has stayed up long past his bedtime. He needs to quietly go away to retirement and not be heard from anymore.

[Joel Bain]

I remember growing up in Youth Group and very often the Youth pastor, the other youth group members (myself included) would very often fall into the trap of attributing God's thoughts or words to our own thoughts, ramblings in our conscience, or imagination. I remember the many fellow Youth Group members who all stated that God had clearly told them to go into Youth Ministry after graduation and become Youth Pastors. As of now, of those 7 or 8 who stated such a "word from God," only one is making any effort to work towards that, while the others are pursuing other career paths.

It was Doug Ten Napel who shook up my thinking about this and challenged me to think seriously before EVER attributing God's name to any of my actions, thoughts or deeds. Occasionally, I feel tempted to "accidentally" use his name in conversation about what is going on in my head (ie. "God is telling me....."), but I have been working hard to prevent this from happening any more. As you stated, Melinda, more often then not, it'll bring shame on God's precious name rather than honour.
Thanks for the blog post. Nice to hear a Christian perspective on this topic that needs to be told.
-Joel

[Agilius]

Pat Robertson's "prophecy" is hardly that:

It is EASY to say that the terrorists will attack the US in 2007 because they're always trying to, now. Anyone could have said the same thing since 2001, and about 9 years before that.

But even if they DON'T attack the US in 2007, Pat will be able to get away with something like "It was a spiritual attack" or "They tried many times, but failed" (whether, or not, they tried, cuz "the media doesn't tell us everything" - which is not a proof).

You have to ask so-called prophets specific questions - and on record - so that it's HARD for them to hide their deceit.

Some questions for Pat Roberson should be:

Will the effects of the attacks be spiritual, or Earthly? If both, then where will the immediate Earthly effects of the attacks take place, specifically?

When you say the attacks will take place in the year 2007, do you mean the year 2007 as understood by most Americans, or 2007 years from another earthly or, supposedly, spiritual event?

Learn a lesson from the past failures of the JW & Mormon cults: Their leaders are still able to deceive today because we didn't ask specific enough questions, and didn't demand specific enough answers. Be specific.

[Bill Bradford]

I wish there was a way to demonstrate to the rest of the public that Pat does not speak for God nor does he speak for the average Christian. I am glad that I am not the only one that winces every time I go to Yahoo or AOL and sees his face next to a headline that he has another prediction or has a declaration for America.

[alan powers]

I will be delighted when Robertson & Falwell retire from the public arena. Both men probably well intentioned but certainly not wise, they are doing the faith more harm than good. IMO they are blasphemous when representing themselves to be prophets.

[Sid Crudup Jr]

Not trying to judge Pat or trying to sound immodest, but the Word of God says something interesting in Hebrews 1:1-2. "God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." I may be wrong and please correct me, but in times "past" prophets would "foretell." In other words they spoke the mind of God and things happened. The patriarchs did not have the advantages we have today (the complete canon of Scripture), thus the office of the prophet was necessary. Today, we have the complete Word of God, so modern prophets simply "forth-tell." They are to speak those things that are consistent with the Holy Scriptures. I believe the gift of prophecy still exists, which I consider just good preaching. The "office" of the prophet is no longer. Further (and again, please correct me if I am wrong) Matt 11:13 says "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." John the Baptist introduced a new dispensation and that the old one, under which the prophets and the law of Moses were the guide, was closed when he preached the kingdom of heaven was at hand. (Albert Barnes) I say all this to say what? Should we not just look to Scripture as our guide or should we hear what the modern day prophets are saying? The prophets of old prophesied of things to come, which things are now present. Is the Word of God our final source on future events? If Pat can tell the future, then why can't any one of us? So, please help me and clear up some things about modern day prophets. Because I always thought the Scripture was God's complete revelation to me. Whatever is going to happen, I believe only God knows. Am I wrong? Please help.

[Louis Kuhelj]

Sid,
you seem to be under the impression that there two forms of prophets exist...the old-testament prophets and the modern prophets. You also seem to think that somehow the function of the two differ in some way. The thing you should think about is....what support is there in the scriptures for this kind of distinction? I personally see no evidence that such distinctions were ever made within the text. However, there is plenty of evidence that prophecy has never been defined as forth-telling and has always been defined as accurately telling the future as revealed to the prophet by God. While there were important lessons attached to to the foretelling, the full weight of the lesson would only be revealed with the "predictions" coming to pass. The one clear point of these "predictions" was that they had to be 100% accurate. If they were not, they could not have Gods perfect seal of approval which identified their source.

[alan aronson]

Weren't false prophets supposed to be stoned - just asking?

[Christ Believe Me]

Some of the predictions he has made about certain events that seemed to have come true could be considered very general and broad like many other false prophets and their lucky guesses or so-called 'predictions' (the cult leader Sollog comes to mind).

Second of all, like it was said, God's prophets never make any false predictions ever. Pat Robertson has had some of his prophecies fail (even admittedly) and he has already lost credibility according to what scripture says. If God is really who he says he is and the bible is his word, then he would be wise not to give valid prophecy to someone who has previously failed and has given people good reason to doubt him. For the prophecies to actually come true would suggest that God is a liar, and I hope that is not true, thus I personally believe this crap is bunk.

To put it simply: Why would God expect us to trust Robertson when he already told us to doubt him?

[Sid]

Hey Louis

A small misunderstanding, my friend. Perhaps I was vague, and for that I apologize. But I am not under the impression there is a distinction at all. Modern prophets are what they call themselves. I personally do not believe the "office" of the prophet exists any longer. Now, I firmly believe the prophets were and still are the foundation and their revelation of the Gospel should continue to shape and unify the church. I could be wrong, so please forgive me. As far as predicting future events, the Word has already done that. Has it not? Or am I still not clear on that? Don't want you to think I'm being obnoxious, my brother. I'm one that just needs clarity. We know precisely what is going to become of all things. How He's going to do it? I won't dare speculate. But I think it is clear that in Pat's case, some things are better left unsaid. Blessings.

[Robert Casteline]

Alan,

yep, they were. But the worst we can do these days is change the station. All it would take is a stoning or two and people like Pat would shut up.

[Louis Kuhelj]

Sid, no problem. Your clarification agrees with my view on the subject. It is sometimes difficult to be clear about a complex issue...so, it is quite understandable that a misunderstandings can crop up. I quite completely agree with you regarding Pat...he needs to learn to curb his enthusiasm for prophesy and increase it in the area of wisdom. Sadly, he seems disinterested in changing his direction in this regard. Perhaps with prayer and time, he will change.

[Markku Koponen]

Eph. 4:11-13

And he gave some, apostles; and some, PROPHETS; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Based on this I would say that the office of a prophet will be in place until the Second Coming. Since "evangelists" is in the list, it obviously cannot be speaking of Old Testament.

[Jonathan]

I have heard that Pat is a Free Mason.