Time-Out to Reflect on Wilkerson's Prophecy

Yesterday on Twitter and my Facebook page I posted the now widely circulated report from David Wilkerson concerning his prophecy that a great calamity is going to befall the urban centers of our nation, beginning with New York City. I've received a number of requests to share my thoughts on his words so I'm pausing in our discussion on the Trinity to give you my take.

First, let me say I have a lot of respect for David Wilkerson and his ministry. As he mentions in his article, he has been saying for ten years that "a thousand fires" would engulf New York City, and when the planes crashed into the Twin Towers on 9-11 many reflected on his words of warning. And the Bible tells us "Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good" (1 Thess. 5:20:21).

We don't need a "special" revelation from God to know that America is in deep trouble. Every disaster, past, present, and future is a blaring message from heaven to repent before it's too late. The disciples asked Jesus one day about a terrible massacre that occurred when Pilate had executed a number of Galileans. They were wanting to know the purpose, or the sign, behind these events. Jesus said, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:2-3) Jesus might say to us, "Do you think that the tragedies of 9-11 are signs of the end? They may be. But the message for you is 'Repent. The kingdom of God is at hand.'" I don't know what will happen in the days ahead but I know that the message from God in every calamity is the same: Repent.

There are some aspects of Wilkerson's prophecy that give me pause. John Piper has rightly observed that warnings to hoard food or pull all of your money out of the bank seems a little inauthentic. When we give in to those kinds of excesses I think we risk damaging the Lord's reputation. If thousands of people begin trampling each other at the grocery store and then this prophecy isn't true, who suffers for it? Not David Wilkerson, but more so the Lord's reputation.

On the other hand, if Wilkerson's prophecy does come true, thanks be to God! God is holding out His hand of mercy once again and calling on this world to repent before it's too late. The immediate impact of words like these are good in the sense that they remind us that the Bible is a serious book that promises judgment is coming. Why is it that when someone speaks words that remind us of that grim reality, we seem to become anxious? Could it be that we aren't as in love with the WHOLE counsel of God as we say we are? In that case, thank you David for the wake up call.