It seems that lately people immediately discount a watchman or prophet of the Lord as being false if an event that has been prophesied or shown does not come to pass in the time frame the prophet or watchman has uttered.

I can truly say that in the past, I tended to discount the prophet or watchman too when a date passed and nothing happened. The phrase, “throwing the baby out with the bathwater comes to mind“. But I’ve matured beyond this carnal understanding.

Let me ask you this question: Was Jonah a false prophet?

Well?

Then why did the prophecy from the Lord, and uttered by Jonah not come to pass in the time frame he uttered to the Assyrians?

I’ll tell you why. It’s because the people of Ninevah repented and God spared their generation. But God didn’t say that in the verbal warning to the Assyrians he would spare them if they repented and therefore Jonah sat and waited for his enemies to be destroyed by God. But God DELAYED the execution of his righteous judgment for a generation.

So, Jonah, the prophet of the living God uttered a prophetic date that did not come to pass. Instead, the prophecy came to pass later, I believe 40 years later when Ninevah was finally destroyed. A day for a year.

Therefore, just because a date passes with no judgment, do not think that the judgment will not come to pass. DELAYED does not mean ANNULED. Think about it the next time you want to discount a prophetic event just because a date has come and gone.

Blessings,

Rip