Popularity, Populism and Prophetism in the NeoPentecostal Movement: the Jehoshaphat-Ahab Narrative

Abstract

The Jehoshaphat-Ahab narrative is used as a textual base for popularity, populism and prophetism in the current political landscape and in the Neo-Pentecostal Movement. The two kings formed a political alliance strengthened through marriage. The alliance was subtly and subliminally influenced by a foreign power in the name of the Phoenician Queen Jezebel, who was an embodiment of state capture. At the height of this alliance, stepped in the prophetism that took two strands of popular prophets who saw socio-political life from the prosperity viewpoint, and the unpopular but authentic prophecy embodied in a character known as Micaiah. The modern Neo-Pentecostal Movement is characterised with popularity, populism and prophetism that may be popular or unpopular due to its humanistic proclivities. The discussions start with Jehoshaphat (popularity), followed by Ahab (populism), Jezebel the state capturer, then Israel’s prophets who sided with populism, and Micaiah who is the representative of Yahweh’s authentic prophetism. Ahab’s prophets were prophesying in the name of the Lord. They were either backsliders or syncretic believers due to Phoenician idolatry that had ‘slithered’ itself into Israel. This pictures the modern prophets who do almost everything in God’s name, but their prophecies are often highly questionable. The narrative is put into the context of Neo-Pentecostal Prophetism, exposing their activities – strange practices that disregard human dignity; and their proclivity to the political powers that are populist oriented. Weaknesses identified are poor hermeneutics, and the shift from Christ as the object of faith to objects such as water, oil etc. Recommendations made include the return to the fundamentals of faith, and sensible consideration of church regulation in South Africa.