#TheReturn?

Have you heard of The Return? It’s been heavily advertised lately on TV and various social media’s so if you haven’t yet, I would be surprised. It’s headlined by Jonathan Cahn, a Messianic Rabbi/Pastor/Author, as “a national and global day of prayer and repentance” in Washington DC on Saturday, September 26, 2020, and touts over 50 guest speakers.

Do we all as sinners need to repent? Yes

Do we all who have wondered away from God need to return to Him? Yes

Do we all need to pray? Yes

All very good and all very well and true, but……

Christians need to be careful of who they’re following. Jonathan Cahn claims to have special revelation similar to that of biblical authors and has made lots of money writing books, (The Harbinger, The Mystery of the Shemita, The Harbinger II, etc.) all of which contain a mix of fiction, truth, mythology, suspense, and prophecy. That is problematic as well as his claim that America is the new Israel. America is not the new Israel nor does America have a special covenant with God as Jonathan Cahn claims. What he refers to as deep mysteries of biblical truth is more mythology than theology. His promotion of “new prophetic truths” makes his theology more akin to false teaching.

Quoting Marsha West of the Berean Call: “Only Israel was directly established by God and had a binding covenant mediated through Moses who God chose and appointed. America has neither a Moses nor a binding covenant. We are not the new Israel and never have been. The moral laws of God that do apply are found in the Bible and they apply to all people in all nations.”

At this event called The Return, of the 55 guest speakers, there are only 8 of which I am familiar with as Christian leaders. I’m assuming they’re lacking some level of discernment rather than actual Jonathan Cahn followers. America is blessed with solid Bible believing pastors and teachers, and that’s who we should be learning from, not authors of fictional prophetic books. And while repentance, returning to God, and prayer will always be the right direction for us as individuals and as a country, it is problematic when it’s led by someone who’s taken the mantle as a modern day prophet and refers to America as the new Israel.

So, will I pray on September 26? Yes.

Will I follow Jonathan Cahn? No.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:24