Prophecy
Prophecies are messages or predictions said to have been received from the Spirit World, commonly from Jesus or group founder David Berg beyond the grave.
These messages or prophecies, especially those received from Jesus, were commonly in Old English, although starting in the mid 1990s these prophecies adopted Modern English and are generally more casual or colloquial in tone. The Family International belives that when receiving a prophecy, the mouth of the person (or channel) receiving the prophecy is taken over by the spirit helper delivering the message. If the channel feels that the spirit helper speaking is not fluent in English or speaks with an accent, they will often reflect this in their own speech as the prophecy is given. These messages are often accompanied by visions or spirit trips.
When Old English was more commonly used in prophecies, it was often misused and the messages interspersed with Modern English. World Services once published a primer on Old English grammar to assist Family members in delivering their prophecies correctly.
Following the start of the Loving Jesus doctrine in 1995, prophecies from Jesus are often referred to as "golden seeds from our Husband".
Many Family members are convinced they are having a spiritual experience when receiving a prophecy. Many former members claim the prophecies they personally gave while in the group were made up, or they spoke whatever related thought came to mind.
A recent Family doctrine, referred to as the "Ask Me Everything revelation", teaches that Jesus wants Family members to make every single decision, no matter how trivial (e.g. whether or not they should cross the street), based on instantaneous prophecy. This doctrine is considered among The Family's new spiritual weapons.
In answer to questions about how members around the world might receive different messages from David Berg simultaneously, Karen Zerby has explained that the deceased Berg is able to repeatedly travel through time to the same moment at multiple locations, effectively making Berg capable of omnipresence.
List of noteable Family prophecies
David Berg, as well as many other "Family prophets", have made numerous, well-documented prophecies over the years. Many of these prophecies have already failed. Below is an incomplete list of the more well known prophecies within The Family:
| Prophet | Prediction | Predicted in | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Berg | Jesus Christ returns in 1990 | Failed | |
| David Berg | Jesus Christ returns in 1993 | ML 456 | Failed |
| David Berg | Comet Kohoutek heralds colossal doomsday event in the United States | GP 269, GP 280 | Failed |
| David Berg | Karen Zerby and Ricky Rodriguez are Endtime Witnesses during reign of the Antichrist | Failed | |
| David Berg | Single European currency called "Euro Units" | DFO 738 | Partially fulfilled |
External links
- Communicating with Heavenly Messengers — Doctrinal Paper from the Family International
- Hearing From God — 1992 article by former member Edward Priebe, who encouraged the use of prophecy by non-leadership before this was sanctioned by The Family
See also: Golden seeds, Channel, Tongues, Prayer, Spirit trip, Vision, Endtime Prophet
This article is a "stub". This means it is an incomplete article needing further elaboration.
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