Were the 2020 Trump prophets right after all?

It was all the rage back in 2020. A chorus of prophetic leaders announced with certainty that Donald Trump would be reelected and serve a second term in the White House, but he did not – at least, not in 2020. Now that he has been reelected, resoundingly at that, does this mean that these prophets were right after all? Certainly not.

First, some of the “prophets” (I will let God decide their actual status and calling) said that Trump would serve eight consecutive years. They were dogmatic and clear and aggressive, even after the 2020 election results were announced. “Watch and see” they proclaimed, but nothing happened.

Second, after Biden’s victory was announced, the prophets predicting his reelection doubled down. Many said that Trump did win the election, but it was stolen.

But that begs the question: If Trump would win but actually lose, why didn’t God show them this too? This would be like me giving you a prophetic word that a rich man would be giving you a Porsche next week, entirely for free. I just failed to tell you it would be carjacked on the way to your house and you would never see it.

Others doubled down by saying, “In the coming weeks, the results will be overturned and Trump will be declared winner,” with some prophesying specific timetables in which this would take place. None of this happened – not in a single instance or court case – despite their guarantees.

Others claimed that there would be a coup and Biden would be removed from office. It would happen right after the inauguration. Or in March. Or April. Or August …

Still others claimed that Biden was not inaugurated, that there was an actor (or shapeshifter!) taking his place, and that Trump was the true president in God’s sight. Seriously!

Still others moved into other realms of spiritual fantasy, as characterized by this “vision” allegedly received in April 2021: “As I was praying today I saw a vision of DJT seated on a throne holding a golden scepter. He also had a golden crown on his head. This, I was shown, is his PRESENT status from heaven’s perspective. That becomes all I need to know, as to should I back off saying ‘the steal will not hold.’ Heaven does not recognize JB having any scepter nor wearing any crown. From heaven’s perspective, there is only the legitimacy of DJT. God has assigned a massive contingency of angels to that scepter and to that crown. They have not ceased assignment and anointed seers can see this. To repeat, the prophetic word has been true all the way from Nov 3. On that date, DJT won the election ‘as spoken by His servants the prophets.’ IT WAS FULFILLED. The only thing presently yet to be made visible is will an outrageous steal hold for a whole term. It will not! The answer from God to the question of when is – SOON. Do I have a date on that SOON? No, I don’t.”

Enough said.

You might say, “But what if God did show these prophets that Trump would be reelected, but they just misinterpreted what they saw?”

That’s actually a valid question, and it’s in keeping with biblical prophecy, in which the prophets did not always understand the timing of the revelations they received.

As Peter wrote, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things” (1 Peter 1:10–13).

That’s why we have no business setting dates and putting time frames on prophetic words we claim to receive unless God Himself gives us those dates.

Given that the whole story of Trump’s reelection is almost impossible to believe – whether you’re for him or against, it seems almost miraculous – I have no problem believing that God showed people in 2020 that he would serve two terms.

If He did, the failure was in speaking prematurely and giving false hopes and expectations, rather than praying secretly for God’s will to come to pass based on prophecies received. It would also have been fine if they had said, “God showed me Trump will serve two terms, but I have no idea if they’ll be consecutive or not.” Today, we’d be shaking our heads and marveling.

Let us, then, tread carefully when it comes to speaking for God.