Draft:David Wilkerson Prophecies

David Wilkerson and His Prophecies

Prophecy Definition

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "prophecy" may be defined as 1) an inspired utterance of a prophet, 2) the inspired declaration of divine will and purpose, or 3) a prediction of something to come. For the purposes of this discussion all three definitions will apply.

This article does not deal with the classical "End Times" topics such as the Rapture, Anti-Christ, Great Tribulation, Second Coming, mark of the beast, etc. It deals solely with predictions made by the Rev. David Wilkerson that he claimed to have received from God.

Wilkerson gave prophecies over decades claiming coming worldwide catastrophes. These included the US destruction by Russia in a nuclear attack, massive worldwide earthquakes, America being punished by God for the Apollo moon program, God pouring out pornography on the United States, riots in multiple US cities, and a number of other alarming announcements.

The purpose of this article is to help access the accuracy of the Rev. Wilkerson's prophecies. A representative, but not exhaustive, sampling of these prophecies will be presented.

Early Ministry Background

The Rev. David Wilkerson ((May 19, 1931 – April 27, 2011) was a very well known evangelist, pastor, and a prolific author. He became well known in the 1960's for his development of an addiction recovery program known as Teen Challenge. Until August of 1973 the Rev. Wilkerson was known for his work with drug addiction, for the books he authored, and for his nationwide youth crusades. For example, his book The Cross and the Switchblade, published in 1963, was ranked as the 32nd most influential book shaping Evangelicals in 2006. His ministry was well detailed in the book and follow-up movie of the same name which was released in 1970.

Prophetic Ministry Development

During the later part of his life he wrote and published a number of books and gave a number of sermons detailing soon to occur events involving the Evangelical Church, the Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches, the Catholic Church, the United States, and a number of other countries.

Starting in April 1973 the Reverend Wilkerson claimed to have received a series of visions. He incorporated these visions into a sermon that he delivered in August of that year at the second annual Lutheran Conference on the Holy Spirit in Minneapolis, Minnesota to an audience of about 10,000.

On January 1 of 1974 a book based on the sermon was released, entitled The Vision: A Terrifying Prophecy of Doomsday That is Starting to Happen Now! Nearly thirty years later in 2003 Wilkerson's organization, World Challenge, released a version of the book along with a few extra chapters entitled "The Vision and Beyond: Prophecies Fulfilled and Still to Come." The original sermon and the book brought him even more world wide recognition; it is estimated that over 15 million copies in thirty languages have been sold since it was first released.

In 1986 the Rev. Wilkerson founded the Times Square Church in New York City. He stepped down from his position as senior pastor at Times Square Church in 2001, although he continued to speak at the Church. His last significant prophetic pronouncement was given on March 7, 2009, and was entitled "An Urgent Message", warning that an "earth-shaking calamity" was imminent. He was killed on April 27, 2011 in East Texas when his car veered into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a lumber truck.

Between 1973 and 2009 Rev. Wilkerson issued dozens, if not hundreds of prophecies that he claimed he received from God. These prophecies came in the form of sermons that were published in text, on video, and in monthly newsletters.

Interestingly enough, although he claimed to give prophecies that came from God, he repeatedly denied being a prophet, "only a watchman who occasionally is prompted by the Holy Spirit to prophesy". Others, including his close associates, described him as a prophet. His son, Gary Wilkerson, explained that his father "wanted to avoid the baggage that came with the tag of prophet." It is may be fair to speculate that perhaps part of that baggage was the Biblical warnings about false prophets.

The Vision Prophecies

These prophecies were given by Rev. Wilkerson in either the sermon or the book and frequently both. He stated that the basis for the prophetic sermon was that a) Jesus asked him to give them, that b) God the Father placed him at the Convention to give them, and that the c) Holy Spirit was his Witness. He also noted that in the Bible the book of Joel prophesied that young men would see visions. He claimed to have tested all the parts of the vision with the Bible, which "correlated it's message". He further stated that some of the prophecy would start happening immediately, while all of it would happen within a generation.

In 2003 the Rev. Wilkerson stated that most of the prophecies he gave in "The Vision" published 30 years earlier have been fulfilled.

• Economic Confusion:

1. After a "few more fat flourishing years" there would be a world-wide economic recession (but not a depression) which would "affect the lifestyle of every wage earner in the world." Economists would be mystified. It would start in Germany (sermon) or Europe (book), spread to United States (sermon, book) and Canada (book). It would especially affect the Arab World (book). Corporations, many churches, and some missionary projects would “flounder”.
2. Some of America's major and "most popular"(?) corporations would go bankrupt, with "credit corporations" being especially affected. Automakers, RV companies, and appliance makers would be badly damaged as sales drastically fall off.
3. The Government will oppose Labor Unions. "The details are not clear to me—but I see terrible union problems ahead. Labor peace is just a dream, and there is nothing but real trouble ahead. We may soon experience the most devastating strikes of all times."
4. There will be some enthusiasm for a one world money system after a new crisis for the financial world. Faith in the American dollar will not be restored for years. "We will soon witness the development of a world trade policy, supervised by a super secretary invested with unprecedented powers by all nations involved in international trade."
5. Gold will lose its value; those who hoard gold will suffer financially.
6. Well known businessmen will commit suicide either by pills or by narcotics
7. Anger against environmentalists and ecologists

• Nature Labor Pains

1. Massive and widespread earthquakes in the United States and throughout the world
2. Famine as a result of drought and floods destroying much of the world's food production, especially in Russia, India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
3. This famine will be without doubt the end-times world famine prophesied in the Book of Joel, from which the world will never recover.
4. More than one-third of the US will be declared a disaster area in the next few years.
5. In the US the demand for corn, rice, and wheat will not be met.
6. Nature will be talked about being "out of control", with volcanic eruptions, blood and moon haze which will turn the moon red and cause darkness on the earth.
7. "Floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes will destroy crops, animals, and wildlife."
8. Without warning, sudden storms will appear and weather will become more difficult to forecast.
9. Airline pilots will report the worse flying conditions ever.
10. The United States, Canada and Europe will face the worse winters in their history.
11. Hailstorms will cause the death of many people, with their size becoming almost unbelievable.
12. There will be balls of fire that race through the skies leaving a vapor-like trail behind them, possibly accompanied by falling stars or comets racing through the atmosphere.
13. The Holy Spirit confirmed to Rev. Wilkerson's heart that the vision described by the Prophet Joel will be fulfilled in the present generation.
14. You can be very sure that there will only be a worsening of earthquakes, weather conditions, and disasters.

• God will flood America with pornography
• Rebellion in the Home
• The Super World Church

Racing to Judgment Prophecies

Promoted as being the sequel to "The Vision", the Rev. Wilkerson opened with "PLEASE DON’T PUT THIS BOOK DOWN UNTIL YOU HAVE READ EVERY WORD. YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT." He claimed that with inner peace and joy he saw "black days of holy retribution and judgment just ahead" and delivered this "doomsday" book with no apologies.

Set the Trumpet to Thy Mouth Prophecies

In the introduction to this book the Rev. Wilkerson's associate, the Rev. Leonard Ravenhill, stated that the Rev. Wilkerson was "surely a prophet in the bracket of the New Testament". He also claimed that God had made Wilkerson a "watchman unto our nation."

1. The Rev. Wilkerson in the first paragraph of the book proclaimed "America is going to be destroyed by fire. . . in one hour a hydrogen holocaust will engulf America." He described a nuclear attack by Russia in the first chapter " . . . Oh, what horrible and swift judgments are just ahead, very imminent. . .It is a day of vengeance and judgment against sin. . .What a wonder in the heavens, as from the earth huge mushroom-type pillars of smoke rise. . . I believe it is imminent."
2. After Russia destroys the United States, it will prepare to attack Israel and God will destroy five-sixths of that nation.
3. Before Russia destroys America in a nuclear attack, there will be a "smaller holocaust" in the Mid-East when oil wells are set on fire. This will cause a panic among nations dependent on that oil.
4. America is about to face mass economic chaos as financial institutions crumble and banks close.
5. Gold and silver will lose their value to the point that silver will be cast out into the streets.
6. Senators and congressmen will be stunned as they realize there is nothing that can be done about the economic chaos.
7. America will not repent from their wickedness in spite of God's chastisement.
8. Soon there will only be repentance for the individual, but not the nation.
9. "What we see in America today is one great holocaust party, with millions drunk, high, shaking their fists at God, daring Him to send the bombs."
10. God is separating His remnant.
11. This prophecy has been preached by a increasing number of devout men and women of God. The Book of Amos states that God will never do anything without revealing it to his servants the prophets first.
12. After Russia destroys America in a nuclear holocaust, the Holy Spirit will raise up a Gideon's army of poor and simple evangelists from third-world countries. They will rapidly evangelize the world -- something that America was never able to do in spite of having lots of money and fancy equipment. These Gideon army soldiers will live on pennies a day, and point out how God's fierce, fiery judgment on wicked America is a sign the rapture is near.
13. The Rev. David Wilkerson can see this prophetic unfolding "so clearly."
14. Before the United States is destroyed God will purge the Church, of ministers and worshippers involved in adultery, fornication, eroticism, and divorce. (Chapter 2, page 29)

Sermon and Newsletter Prophecies

1. October 1977 Newsletter: I am 100% persuaded that Jesus is about to blow all the sensuous, world-like music right out of the sanctuary. We desperately need a cleansing of our music appreciation. Our Lord cannot be pleased when His children develop a taste for a sound that is so much identified with drugs, sex, and violence. And, what about the Christians who feed their minds on country western songs with lyrics featuring divorce, cheating, and barroom blues?
2. November 1978 Newsletter: "GET YOUR OLD "VISION" BOOK OUT AND RE-READ IT - TROUBLED TIMES ARE JUST AHEAD." There is "absolutely" a severe recession coming, with a housing slump, a drop in auto sales, massive strikes, runaway inflation, collapsing money markets, a Wall Street panic, bankrupt cities, layoffs, and unbelievable increased interest rates coming. "I believe God is going to crucify all my ego trips, as well as those of all other ministers and evangelists. Our little empires are going to come tumbling down. Our big budgets are going to be cut to the bone. We will be forced back to simple New Testament methods."
3. February 1982 Newsletter: Very soon a "blood-stained banner of holiness" will wave over the "battlefields of sin and corruption." The Rev. Wilkerson announced "I prophesy here and now that God is going to blow out of His church all music that offends heaven."[16]
4. March 1982 Newsletter: Babylon described in the Book of Revelation is the harlot church of today, and it's falling! It's a visible body existing within the invisible body of Christ. Some highly esteemed ministries and multimillion dollar projects are going to come crashing down! Some churches with monstrous debts will go bankrupt and liberal denominations will suffer even more. TV programs that use ungodly men and methods will suffer Divine wrath. A great purge is coming, and only spiritual ministries will remain.[17]
5. April 1982 Newsletter: "Be Ye Holy!" "Satan Has Declared War on the Saints"; all Hell is about to break out, with prime-time TV nudity. There will be an increase in corruption, adultery, and drinking, and mockery of the good and pure and holy.[18]
6. May 1982 Newsletter: God is going to clean up churches, high schools, colleges and everywhere people congregate. There will be conviction for sin and a hunger for righteousness upon all.

References:

16. ^ Wilkerson, David (February 1982). "Coming Soon: A Revival of Holiness" . World Challenge archived at the Wayback Machine. the original Archived from on October 16, 2007.

17. ^ Wilkerson, David (March 1982). "Babylon is Falling" . World Challenge Newsletters archived in the Wayback Machine. Archived the original from on October 15, 2007. Retrieved October 15, 2007.

18. ^ Wilkerson, David (April 1982). "Be Ye Holy" . World Challenge accessed via Wayback Machine. Archived from October 15, 2007. Retrieved October 15, 2007