Many people have come here to read my posts about David Wilkerson’s and Bob Jones and Rick Joyner’s prophecies of earthquakes in Japan and the USA. See also my more general post about prophecy. But these words from God may have seemed rather remote, especially to my British readers. For one thing, the earthquakes they prophesied are in known earthquake zones, and so sceptics can quite reasonably say that these prophecies were bound to be fulfilled – especially as no dates were given. For another, the prophets are Americans and from Pentecostal and charismatic churches which some might reject as on the lunatic fringe.
So it might come as a shock to see what Mark Stibbe has been prophesying. Rev Dr Stibbe is a Church of England minister and was until recently Vicar of St Andrew’s, Chorleywood, just outside London on the north west. In 2008 he left to start The Father’s House Trust, “a Christian charity … with a dream to bring an end to the global pandemic of fatherlessness.” Just now I came across a post at The Father’s House Blog from January this year, THE TRUTH WILL OUT! A Prophetic Word for 2011. In this Stibbe has an unexpected and shocking message for this country:
We are living in a very critical time in the UK – a time of great unrest and profound anxiety. This seems likely to increase in 2011 as Britain is gripped by storms, floods, water shortages, strikes, power cuts, unemployment and even unusual natural phenomena such as earthquakes.
Earthquakes in Britain? Surely not! Surely in our tame and civilised country we are immune from natural disasters, beyond the occasional snow or flood! No, God seems to be telling us. This year we have already seen shocking pictures of that most English of cities outside these islands, Christchurch in New Zealand, devastated by an earthquake. It wasn’t even a very powerful quake, only slightly stronger than the 1931 Dogger Bank earthquake in the North Sea. If a similar earthquake strikes a British city, the destruction could be even worse than in Christchurch. So we British certainly shouldn’t be complacent.
Of course Stibbe’s prophecy has not yet been fulfilled, and so his credentials as a prophet are still being tested. But we mustn’t forget that his words about possible earthquakes are only a small part of his overall message. He continues:
As everything is shaken around us, there will be a real longing for anchors that connect people with a deeper and more solid reality. The deepest and most lasting reality of all is the Father’s love and the Bible is our Father’s book; it is the only book that reveals his relentless love.
When natural things are shaken, people do indeed turn towards the “kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28) that we as Christians proclaim. This is a great opportunity for the church, and one which we should not miss.
Sadly, with his promotion of false revivals (Toronto and Lakeland), Stibbe has also positioned himself on the lunatic fringe. As far as his prophecy is concerned, the economy was a mess in January, and it will remain a mess for a long time, so strikes and unemployment are very possible. As far as the rest goes, I suspect he’ll be proved wrong. Let’s revisit this in Jan 2012!
Fair enough, Sidefall, although I don’t accept “false revivals”. His prophecy will be judged by the results. But he left things sufficiently open that he can’t be judged a false prophet if there is no major earthquake in Britain this year.
I noticed the subtle shift in your position – the title of this post is “Mark Stibbe prophesies earthquakes in Britain”, but you now realise that what he’s come out with a non-prophecy that he can wiggle out of if it proves false. That’s the way these people work – avoid making definite predictions!
Well, Sidefall, post titles are sometimes written to grab attention. I often add a question mark. I didn’t here because Stibbe clearly prophesied something about earthquakes in Britain, even if he was not very definite.
So would you rather prophets made definite predictions when God has not told them something definite?
Can you imagine what it would be like if the Bible said “it seems likely that a virgin will conceive…” !!!! Biblical prophets were always definite – “a virgin shall conceive…”. The charismatic world is sadly full of prophetic words that really are nothing of the sort.
And I’d be interested to know if there’s any instances of a definite prophecy coming true (not the non-prophecies like “there will be a big earthquake close to a fault line” or “there will be a war in the middle east”). I remember well John Wimber’s prophecy that revival will break out in the UK in autumn 1990 – it didn’t. I’m sure Mark Stibbe also remembers this and so isn’t going to make the same mistake!
So, Peter, can you come up with any prophecies that did come to pass?
Sidefall, if earthquake prophecies don’t count, how about the two I linked to in my first post in this series, given by Smith Wigglesworth and Sharon Stone?
OK, the first is not so specific, and there is some doubt about the genuineness of the latter. But God doesn’t fulfil prophecies as signs, especially for professing believers like you. Remember what Jesus said to the religious people who didn’t believe in him, scribes and Pharisees, in Matthew 12:38-40. Compare also Luke 16:30-31. Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead? If you do, why do you find it so hard to believe in prophecy and miracles today?
OK, Peter, so what is the fulfilment of Smith Wigglesworth’s prophecy? I’m not sure I have seen it yet. As for the Sharon Stone one, reading all the comments it looks highly dubious and there is no proof whatsoever that she gave it on the date in question.
I have absolutely no problem believing in miracles and prophecy, but fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Having spent 25 years in the charismatic and pentecostal movements, I can’t think of a single miracle that I’ve seen, and I can’t think of a single predictive prophecy that came to pass. The track record is appalling, which is all the more reason to take the Bible’s commands about discernment very seriously indeed. Let me add that I haven’t missed out on anything by taking a cautious and sceptical approach. Quite the opposite – it’s saved me from being deceived by all the nonsense that has been pumped into the church over the years. I may say more tomorrow but I need to go to bed now.
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Hi Peter. Just found your blog; I was looking for pages relating to Mark Stibbe in the light of recent news. I wonder if you have any thoughts on 2011 with the benefit of hindsight? I’m just interested in how you will weigh this now.
Sidefall, do you have anything to add?
Thanks both.
Grumpy, I commented on recent developments at this other post – see also the following comments.
Clearly there was no specific fulfillment of Mark Stibbe’s prophecy in the form of a significant UK earthquake in 2011. But Mark only mentioned this as the kind of phenomenon which might be experienced. And we have certainly seen “storms, floods, water shortages, strikes … unemployment”. So I don’t think he can be accused of false prophecy on this one. And the final paragraphs of my post remain relevant.
Thank you. Will head over there now…
Earthquakes in UK in 2011
3 January 2011 Ripon, North Yorkshire 3.6 Felt across Yorkshire and Cumbria. [38]
23 January 2011 Glenuig, Highland 3.5 Felt across the Western Highlands including in Inverness, Skye and Oban.[39]
23 June 2011 Bovey Tracey, Devon 2.7 [40]
14 July 2011 English Channel, Portsmouth, England 3.9 [41]
21 August 2011 Lochailort, Scottish Highlands, Scotland 2.9 [42]
20 October 2011 Glen Shiel, Scottish Highlands, Scotland 2.4 [43]
04 December 2011 Bodmin, Cornwall, England
Thank you, Cj. What is your source for this information? It seems to have missed the Blackpool earthquakes. Anyway none of these tiny tremors can be considered fulfilment of Stibbe’s prophecy.
Good ol Wikipedia!
Maybe I misunderstood, it just say’s earthquakes. so I guess in my simplistic thinking I thought an earthquake was an earthquake! Unless of course Mark Stibbe did mention in his prophesy what the earthquake would reach on the rictor scale. I’m just being cheeky, no harm mean’t.
I am a little unsure of prophesies, great discernment has to be used. I was given a prophesy last June that my unsaved husband would be in the Church by the same time this year, it’s now September and no sign of that happening. I believe with all my heart that Jerry will come to the Lord but I don’t know when the date will be. I try not to be too skeptical of prophesies but it’s hard not to when so many have not come to pass. Bless you for gentle wisdom Peter. 🙂
At the request of one of the parties involved, I have removed the comments about Mark Stibbe on another post, referred to in my reply to Grumpy.
At the enthronement of David Jenkins at York Minster, an acquaintance of mine stood up and said that God was not pleased and that judgement would follow. After the fire three days later he was taken into police custody on suspicion of arson. Fortunately for him a photograph of the lightning strike had been taken, so he was subsequently released.
I believe that it was the bishop of Southwark who said afterwards that God doesn’t behave like that. He does in my Bible! What I think should have comforted those in the Anglican Church is that God still considered them to be part of the House of God, for that is where judgement starts.
Thank you, OTT. Well, if God still behaves like that and judges by earthquakes, he clearly chose in 2011 (and 2012, 2013 and 2014 so far) to spare Britain that judgment.
Since the bible clearly states of the Father:
I am the Lord, I change not.
And of the Son:
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever,
We can be pretty sure that God does still judge. There are many praying that God will stay His hand of judgement. Whether they are right to do so, I do not know.
I am not a prophet in that sense, though I believe that on occasion I have spoken prophetically into a situation and my pastor has agreed with me.