Why, I have to ask myself is Mr. Silva, so concerned whether or not Jonathan Cahn responds to those calling him a prophet? Doesn’t Pastor Silva realize that the word teaches, as he well knows, a prophet is one who teaches and speaks God’s truth.
This is why in the Book of the Revelations of Jesus Christ it declares most emphatically and without equivocation, that the testimony of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy. Thus, anyone who bears witness of the cross of Christ in the conviction and power of God’s Spirit is a modern prophet. No not someone who foretells future events, but one who teaches truth from God’s Word, as Rabbi Cahn does in The Harbinger. Silva just gets it all wrong, because he has been listening for too long to the wrong people on this, and has allowed himself to be prejudiced by their misguided and incorrect counsel.
To Pastor Silva’s credit, he does admit that Rabbi Cahn’s appearances on programs of people who hold questionable doctrinal beliefs does not indicated an endorsement of either those teachings or the ministries that teach them. He writes:
“I’m aware that going on TBN is not, in and of itself, an endorsement of the Word Faith heresies expounded on the Network and by both Clarence McClendon and the profit Manasseh Jordan so let’s avoid that rabbit trail.”
Well and good. Let’s avoid going down that rabbit hole, because it does not serve the cause of Christ and only serves distract from our discussion on The Harbinger. So, agree with Silva here; let’s avoid doing this, because it is a form religious prejudice practiced by those who think themselves superior to other Christians.
Rabbi Cahn has never claimed to be a prophet in the vein of Jeremiah and Isaiah, or Ezekiel. When he did not react to the statements made by the hosts of some of the shows he’s been on is not because he claims to be a prophet, nor is it because as Silva cynically describes, that he is being disingenuous with the Christian public. Why is Silva making this an issue?
He’s doing this in order to serve the base of his support and the support of other ministries like his, who teach Cessationism – the belief that the gifts of the Spirit such as healing, prophecy, speaking in tongues – all ceased with the closing of the Apostolic Age – Second Temple Era.
And herein lies the problem with critics of The Harbinger. It must be asked of them individually if they are Cessationists. And one not need to be a Cessationist to disbelieve The Harbinger’s message, but it appears that the book’s most vociferous critics are themselves Cessationists, and it is from this doctrinal bias they have developed their arguments against it.
But what really speaks volumes to me about Pastor Silva and other critics of The Harbinger is the manner in which they speak of and treat Christians with whom they have very strong disagreements. The example I have cited where Silva calls Jim Bakker a “wingnut,” is just one example.
Elsewhere this same Pastor calls Dr. James MacDonald “Prophet-Führer” in another post; berating the organizers of a conference recently held on the grounds of the Rolling Meadows Conference for barring entry to Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian Radio and Erin Benziger, a special correspondent of Apprising Ministries.
Is Pastor Silva as loose with his lips as he is with his writing? This kind of “name calling” and casting of aspersions against a well-respected and well-loved teacher of God’s Word is again, par for the course when it comes to Mr. Silva. He is very adept at it, perhaps too adept.
Silva’s sarcastic style of writing drips with this kind of vituperation, and one must ask if someone who refers to fellow Christians in such a way does not do himself and his credibility the damage that he seeks to do those whom he targets in his writings.
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