Pat Robertson’s Heresies and the End of an Era?

On December 3^rd, 2007, Pat Robertson announced that he was stepping down as Chief executive of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), but will remain Chairman of the Board. His son Gordon Robertson is to replace him.

Mr. Robertson claims to be a Southern Baptist, but holds to more “charismatic” theologies. Personally, I have never met a Southern Baptist that was a constant false prophet and used fear and intimidation to line his or her pockets with cash.

Please journey with me as we take a very brief look at a couple of Mr. Robertson’s more recent declarations.

Pat Robertson was off and running in the New Year with yet another prophecy of impending doom. Apparently reacting to the Democrat takeover of the Congress, the great prognosticator told his 700 Club audience on Tuesday, January 2nd, that a terrorist attack on this country would cause "mass killing" later in the year. "I'm not necessarily saying it's going to be nuclear," he told he eager listeners.

“The Lord didn't say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that.”

He said further that God told him about the impending tragedy during a recent prayer retreat. God also said that major cities and possibly millions of people will be affected by the attack, which should take place sometime after September. - 2

Here’s another one of his prophecies:

“The world will never receive me (God in Christ), but hundreds of millions will. 2007 will be the final year for my great revelation of my love and forgiveness. Expect miracles beyond anything that you dreamed possible. Demons will be cast out. There will be miracles of healing greater than the world has ever known. Vast multitudes will find salvation. It will be so glorious that you will feel that heaven has come down to earth. 1

Now, I’m no prophet and I will admit that there are still a few weeks left in the month of December, but where has the “mass killing” happened? All of our cities are still around. Except for the occasional nutcase and the daily crimes, there haven’t been any mass graves for our civilians.

As for the other prophecy concerning what basically amounts to a great revival, that has obviously not happened in this country! So unless the Lord performs some sort of miracle during the next few weeks (and far be it for me to doubt the Lord), it doesn’t look like this is going to happen either.

So what’s the point? Why do I even bother with him? Because apparently there are still many people out there who fall for his prophecies and his charisma. Am I the only one who remembers the claim he made about how much he could bench press? Am I the only one who remembers his claim about a devastating hurricane season that never happened?

Why even bother with rebutting him? I bother because I wish to point out that he is not speaking from God, and this, is not of God.

Deuteronomy 18:22 “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”

Ok, so he does not speak by God, and is not of God. So what is the big deal?

Isaiah 9:15-16 “The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.”

It’s really a very simple fact that anyone who follows a false prophet will be lead to destruction. That is why God is so much against them. Just as those who will look to the stars for their answers instead of looking to the creator, those who follow a prophet that is proven false have also taken their eyes off of their creator. This is the gravest error indeed that one can make.

Mr. Robertson seems aware of this.

“At some times, His word to me has been remarkably precise and the subsequent fulfillment amazing. At other times, either my spiritual perception was lacking or else subsequent prayer or actions by others caused a different result than what I anticipated. Therefore, I must speak with great humility recognizing that I ‘see through a glass darkly.’” 1

There is no prophecy in the bible that is not precise. There are no grey areas. Those that have not happened yet we may not quite understand them, but they are not left up to speculation (such as those made by Nostradamus). Why, I ask you, would the Lord speak a prophetic word to him and then not have that word fulfilled? When the Lord directly speaks to a person, it is not via “spiritual perception”, but it is a known word. Just take a look at the prophets of the bible.

1 Kings 6:11 “And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,”

1 Kings 13:20 “And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:”

Ezra 1:1 “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled,…..”

Isaiah 38:4 “Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,”

Need I continue? There are endless examples. The word of the Lord and his Prophecies are specific. There are no grey areas for interpretation. God does not depend upon “spiritual perception”. Indeed, if Mr. Robertson’s spiritual perception is so weak, one is forced to ask why the Lord would attempt to reveal anything to him at all.

Mr. Robertson then attempts to lay claim to 1 Corinthians 13:12 which states, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

However, let us take a closer look at the context in which this scripture was placed. Was it in regards to prophecy? Lets take a look at 1 Corinthians 13:11 which states, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” A further reading of the passage these scriptures are places in allows one to discover that Paul is talking about discovering the mysteries of Christ, and that no matter what gift we are given, “and have not charity(love), it profiteth me nothing.”

The only mention of prophecy in this passage is this, 1 Corinthians 13:2 “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

Paul is obviously not talking about misunderstanding a word spoken to Him by God about events that will occur.

Pat Robertson has been an embarrassment to Christianity. He uses false prophecies to cause others to fear and send him money. I do know if he was ever saved, and what his earlier ministry was like. All I know is what he is like now. If he was saved, he has fallen far from the Lord.

Again I must put emphasis on this following piece of scripture:

Deuteronomy 18:22 “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”

Please notice how the Lord ends it: “thou shalt not be afraid of him.”

People, please! I beg you, read your bibles! Don’t fall for his scams, or the scams of many others like him! Always, always test the spirits whether they are from God or not! We shall indeed know them by their works, and in this case, their failed prophecies!

Now that Pat Robertson has stepped down as CEO and his son Gordon Robertson has replaced him, there will be some interesting times ahead. However please remember that Pat will still remain Chairman of the Board for CBN. He has not removed his grasp completely and still has plenty of influence.

I can only hope that the greed and corruptness that has touched the father has not yet touched the son.

I do not have any information on Gordon Robertson. If any reader out there has some, please contact me with it. We must make sure that the light does not cease to shine on shady operations such as this! If Gordon is not like his father, then I will not hesitate to praise that. However, as the fruit comes from the tree, and is like the tree, I cannot safely assume that Gordon is unlike his father.

I ask for you to watch the rest of the month. Is he a true prophet or a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Philip Damon 2007

References:

1 - http://www.patrobertson.com/pressreleases/2007PrayerRetreat_PatRobertson.asp

“Forecast for 2007”

2 - http://www.godweb.org/robertson.htm “Pat Robertson’s Evolution”