Yes, there are “Modern Day Prophets”. And False Prophets too.

If your church talks a lot about prophets, chances are, you go to a charismatic church.

Some Christians have co-opted this term to mean “people who mysteriously predict the future”. A kind of modern-day soothsayer. And now they’re even becoming YouTube stars.

These modern day "prophets" are the heroes of this wing of the church. After all, who dares to argue with a pronouncement from a church leader when it is preceded by the magic words, "The Lord told me...."

These guys must have special Zoom connection with God. I better listen and obey!

My magical Zoom device isn't picking up the divine signal. How about if I tilt it this way and squint my eyes?

But Biblically and historically, true prophets spoke out about injustice and exploitation. They spoke on God's behalf when his people went astray and forgot the poor.

They punched up. Not down.

They spoke truth to power (punching up), not condemnation to the downtrodden and marginalized (punching down).

Ironically, this is the very OPPOSITE of what many church leaders do.

(As a fun exercise - have a read through the book of Amos and see how much these words resonate, or not, with the words of the so-called "prophets" of ultra-right wing news media).

There are a whole lot of people who call themselves "prophets" today. But most of them barely acknowledge poverty, exploitation, or injustice. Many of them are too busy following Qanon and stirring up crazy theories about celebrity cannibals, pizza parlors, and deadly covid vaccines.

Jesus knew this, and that's why he warned that there will always be a bunch of false prophets and fake teachers running their mouths off who will "deceive many people" (Mt. 24:11).

You will know them by their fruit, because they only have one basic message - God is going to "enlarge your tent" and "expand your influence", he's going to "give you great favor" and "bless you mightily".

Rubbish.

Of course God blesses. Of course God gives people favor, and even gives them influence sometimes. But these blessings were not the main priorities of the Biblical prophets. This did not form the core of their message. At all.

In Biblical times, there were two types of prophets.

Firstly, there were those who feasted at the King's table because they had been co-opted to speak well of evil leaders (1 Kings 18:19). They were always bringing these smarmy words of favor and influence and prosperity to the king. And the king lapped it up. Like a sucka.

Secondly, there were those who were exiled to the caves, or beheaded (like John the Baptist) because they spoke out about the injustice or immorality of their leaders (1 Kings 18:4). The king didn't like them very much. He tried to have them knee-capped.

I would suggest to you that the leaders of the religious right in America, have become the false prophets of the Boomer generation. These are religious leaders who turned a blind eye to the immortality of those in power, and yoked themselves to a madman in exchange for influence. And my generation can smell it for what it is. Hypocrisy.

In contrast, I urge you to consider what a true prophet sounds like. Here is a sampling of Biblical prophets just to remind you what they actually sound like:

“Hear this, you who trample the needy and destroy the poor of the land!”
Amos the prophet (Amos 8:4)

“Seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”
Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 1:17)

“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice”
Jeremiah the prophet (Jeremiah 22:13)

“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.”
Ezekiel the prophet (Ezekiel 16:49)

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah the prophet (Micah 6:8)

"Thus says the Lord of hosts… do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the immigrant, or the poor…”
Zechariah the prophet (Zechariah 7:9-10)

Got it? It's pretty clear to anyone who has immersed themselves in these scriptures.

The teachings of many modern-day evangelical church leaders just do not resonate with God's heart for justice, the way the Biblical prophets did.

So, choose to listen to people who echo the prophets of the Bible, speaking truth to power and grace to the downtrodden - the poor, the hungry, the refugee...

Can you discern the difference? I'd love to know, who you see as prophetic in this day and age? Share in the comments.