ARCHIVE NUMBER 20
News Flash: May 2004
"One of the greatest Easters this nation has ever celebrated!"
In January of this year, Kim Clement of "Prophetic Image Expressions" woke up in the middle of the night, believing he was hearing from God. What he reported of that experience was televised, and repeated around the world, and received as accurate and reliable by thousands of gullible Christians. It has proven - like the words of so many modern-day prophets - to be terribly false.
In a series of linked prophecies, Clement said that within 35 days Osama Bin Laden would be "brought out of his hiding place", terrorism would be shaken in a big way, there would be a period of peace for the USA, cures would be found for many life-threatening diseases, and there would be major spiritual manifestations, including appearances of Jesus, with mass media coverage of those events. Consequently, this Easter would be "one of the greatest Easters this Nation has ever celebrated".
He said that March 11th 2004 would be "the beginning of the end" of major terrorist leaders and movements.
So inaccurate and misleading was this word from "God" that Kim Clement has spent a great deal of time since January covering his tracks and issuing one lame explanation after another.
Instead of holding his hand up and honestly admitting "I missed it bigtime", he is still trying to exonerate himself from all blame.
Those who support him do likewise, still continuing to promote his books, tapes and videos; still urging people to receive his prophecies as if from a trusted source.
So far is Kim Clement from admitting his failure to hear God correctly, that on his website is an advertisement for an audio tape, costing 8 dollars, containing this very same prophecy (or perhaps a version of it?)! Those who continue to follow and defend such men must surely be deaf to all God's alarm bells as well as totally lacking in discernment, for nothing could be as futile as trying to defend such manifest lies.
Latest Explanation
The most recent attempt to explain his words comes from "A Word From Kim" at www.kimclement.com/words/April142004.htm.
There he re-defines the phrases in his original prophecy to mean something different than what they intended. He explains that:
I am equally disappointed when it appears that certain events don’t come to pass. But time and again when the Lord takes me back to his word and I examine what He originally said, I can see how by changing one word or phrase or making an assumption from one line, it changes the entire meaning or translation of the prophecy which then creates further assumptions and misinterpretations. Therefore, I would like to take a couple of recent prophecies and further elaborate on the context in which they were given.
Clement goes on to define "bringing out" as not the capture of Bin Laden but "revealing his whereabouts" and that this would not actually happen within the 35 days specified in the prophecy, but would only be the "beginning of the [future, unknown] 35-day period"
The 35 days Prophecy
When was this 35 days mentioned as a time span? Let's look at the original prophecies.
This is part of the prophecy given in Utica, New York, in January. The word that was broadcast on TBN a few days later was simply an expanded repeat of that New York word.
“Al Qaeda shall be exposed shortly. There has been a threat that has come from them and there has been a threat spoken out by Osama bin Laden that within 35 days the USA shall experience a catastrophic event. But even as I brought out the other rogue from the hole in the ground, in the same period that bin Laden predicted catastrophe against this nation, I shall bring him forth, I shall raise him out of his own hiding place, and I will bring him to a place of accountability.”
Clement now maintains that he did not mean OBL would be "captured" but "bring out" means to "reveal the facts": He says:
bring out: to reveal or expose: brought out the facts. To introduce to society. To nurture and develop (a quality, for example) to best advantage: You bring out the best in me. "Bring out the truth" .
I first read the prophecy as circulated by various Prophetic ministries on the internet in January and February. When first circulated, they focused on MARCH 11TH and EASTER saying that OBL would be brought forth from his hiding place, to much rejoicing in the world, and that Easter would be a time of resurrection and joy.
The original prophecy, transcribed from TBN by Bonnie Franklin, fixed MARCH 11TH as THE significant day, and in the same breath linked the astounding events to EASTER.
"And then he said this - the Spirit of the Lord said, "There is a resurrection day coming over this Easter. This will be, the Easter that is coming now will be one of the greatest Easters this nation has ever celebrated. Why? Because there will be a resurrection of the dead, speaking spiritually of revelation that has died, of prophetic words that have died and been buried in the ground." "This Easter," says the Spirit of the Lord, "Not only will I bring your greatest enemy out, but I will also bring about a severe judgment against the powers and the principalities that have come against my servants, against my people. There shall be a judgment," says the Lord."
I laughed (not realising this would turn out to be a rather more significant false prophecy than usual) when it became clear that Kim Clement's "god" could not read a calendar! The original word mentioned a time period of 35 DAYS (which in fact took us to around February 14th) and then had MARCH 11th linked with the EASTER events. In fact, Easter 2004 was on APRIL 11th, not March 11th.
After this prediction that "On March the 11th and the month of March has been set aside by God for the Church in the United States of America for something unbelievably wonderful to happen - so powerful..." I marked it on my calendar. I still have those dates marked - the 35 days from his prediction and March 11th, to remind me to prove this word false.
MARCH ELEVENTH - MADRID MASSACRE
As it happened, the word was proven false in a most spectacular way, for on March 11th was the terrible tragedy that took place in Madrid.
Was this the "unbelievably wonderful" event that Kim Clement predicted? Was this the beginning of the end for terrorism? Or was it the beginning of an ESCALATION of terrorism, the exact opposite of what Kim Clement's "god" had said?
Nothing whatever took place in the "Church in the United States of America". Nor has there been any change in the method or frequency of terrorist attacks since March, nor have the leaders been arrested, nor has the war against terrorism changed or become more successful. It therefore seems cynical in the extreme for Kim Clement to try and uphold his"prophecy" about a miraculous victory over terrorism begun on March 11th.
Altered Emphasis
This same "prophecy" was by now being circulated in a softened form that seemed - even at this early stage - to have subtly altered the tone and meaning of Clement's words to make them more believable. Elijah House claimed that Kim Clement's word was: "God Told Me That March 11, 2004 Would Be the Beginning of an Unusual Chain of Events in the Kingdom of God". The "unusual chain of events" was somehow not as specific as the original word that Kim Clement spoke in New York, and Osama Bin Laden was not specifically mentioned..
They said: "The Spirit said to me, "Take note of the digits on your clock (3:11) when you first awakened." An unfolding of many thoughts came to me after I heard this. I know these thoughts were for the purpose of me entering into a greater level of prayer and intercession. God told me that March 11, 2004 would be the beginning of an unusual chain of events in the Kingdom of God. He spoke about that day being the unveiling of mysteries and revelations that would affect the following areas over a period of time:
- Political events that will bring a period of peace for the USA
- Hidden agendas exposed and a shaking of terrorist activities in a big way
- Unusual access into secular arenas for the purpose of evangelism
- Medical discoveries that will affect the following diseases: Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, Parkinson’s, a lung disease, and a rare bone disease
- Unusual spiritual manifestations in spiritually uninhabited places with mass responses due to media coverage of these events
- Kingdom appearances in church meetings (churches that are hungry for fresh things from God will "tarry" until these Kingdom manifestations actually take place. ...Regarding "Kingdom appearances," I was taken to Matthew 17:2-3. Jesus transfigured before them and they saw Him in an appearance that they had never seen before. I believe that these appearances will carry the church into a period of prophetic revelation which will not only unleash ideas, strategies, and inventions, but an overwhelming outpouring of miracles which will manifest without man's command. )
- March 11 will begin disclosures in political circles, and the President will have to use a firm hand against internal enemies
- Cain will be exposed (Ministries that attempted to "destroy and kill" their brothers because of jealousy, accusation, and hatred, will be banished for a season until they are humble again. )
- "Finally, I saw March 11 as the "beginning of the end" of major terrorist leaders and movements. God will bring them out and will display them before the world. Even though there will always be terror, hatred, aversion, and attacks against Christian Nations, there will be a reluctance to use modern methods of attack in such a violent way against this generation of believers and leaders. However, God has a plan to demote them, but that will be revealed later on.
First Attempts to Justify the Failures
However, even BEFORE March 11th, some were questioning Clement's 35-day prediction, since that day had passed without OBL being "brought out".
On March 5th, this explanation was circulated: "Kim Clement Expounds on the Controversial 35-day Prophecy: "Osama bin Laden WILL be Uncovered"
There has been an overwhelming interest in the prophecy regarding OBL (in each case OBL will stand for Osama Bin Laden) and the thirty-five day period. I would like to bring clarity to any questions one may have in this regard.
Prophecy itself is not complete because of the element of the Human and Divine interaction. This means our dependency is always on God, who in His wisdom will only speak what He deems necessary for that moment. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:9 that we prophesy in part. ----- [more scriptures given here]
The 35-day Period Explained:
Our personal desires can sometimes cause the Word of the Lord to be interpreted incorrectly. I would therefore like to offer a few explanations regarding the thirty-five day period:
The prophecy referred to the declaration that was given by OBL about a thirty-five day period. This was a designated time period in which he had purposed for a catastrophic event to take place in the United States of America.
The word of the Lord that came forth referred to these thirty-five days in which God would reverse the planned events and begin to do something special for God's people and the United States of America. This period of time was linked to Easter and did not specify a particular day that the 35 days would commence.
Take note of the word. This utterance was first prophesied in Utica, New York on January 10 and then it continued in Miami, Florida on January 12.
UTICA, NEW YORK – JANUARY 10, 2004. The Spirit says:
"al Q*eda shall be exposed shortly. There has been a threat that has come from them and there has been a threat spoken out by OBL that within 35 days the USA shall experience a catastrophic event. But even as I brought out the other rogue from the hole in the ground, in the same period that OBL predicted catastrophe against this nation, I shall bring him forth, I shall raise him out of his own hiding place, and I will bring him to a place of accountability." This speaks of three things that will happen verifying that in the 35-day period, the following would take place:
1. I shall bring him forth.
2. I shall raise him out of his own hiding place.
3. I will bring him to a place of accountability.The prophecy continues:
"As a result, this Easter you shall say, 'Surely this is a time of resurrection for the USA. Therefore, the curse that he has placed upon this nation has been reversed and what OBL has predicted (35 days), I shall surely bring upon his head. You will celebrate an Easter as never before for the resurrection shall come upon you, My people, as well."
Please note that God refers to Easter as the time of victory. Also, God had given me a clear word in the late 90's about the month of March and then again on November 27, 2003, I was instructed to prophesy about 3-11, March 11, 2004 in which the Spirit spoke of the beginning of a 10-year period of release and breakthr*ugh in the Kingdom of God, which would bring about various things. (You may see this on my website: http://kimclement.com/)
ON JANUARY 12, TWO DAYS AFTER I PROPHESIED REGARDING BIN LADEN, I CONTINUED THE UTTERANCE ON NATIONAL TELEVISION IN MIAMI.
Take note of the word:
OBL said that in 35 days America would be abolished (he was prophesying, predicting), wiped out because he has a plan for 35 days. The word of the Lord came to me and said, "You prophesy that the very thing that he said and predicted for this nation is reversed, and I'm going to bring him out in 35 days. There is a resurrection day coming over this Easter. This Easter will be one of the greatest Easters this nation has ever celebrated. Why? Because there will be a resurrection of the dead, spiritually speaking, of revelation that has died, of prophetic words that have died and been buried in the ground. This Easter, not only will I bring your greatest enemy out, but I will also bring about a severe judgment against the powers and principalities that have come against My servants and against My people. There shall be a judgment."Not once did I say that the 35-day period would begin from January 10 or 12. It clearly says that as bin Laden put a time limit on his attack on the USA, God has placed that same time period upon him. However, there is a deadline and from what I can gather from the utterance, Easter is the time to celebrate this victory.
LET ME EMPHASISE: HE WRITES ON March 5th: "We do know from this word that the specific time period would be linked to March 11 and Easter. We also know that God has indicated that OBL will be uncovered. In baited expectation, we look forward to the season ahead of us, anticipating the wonderful things that God has promised for both our personal lives, the nations of the earth, and specifically the United States of America."
Did This Come to Pass?
Now, as I said above, March 11th arrived and what occurred was NOT the "wonderful thing" that God had prepared, according to Kim Clement, but a dreadful tragedy involving the loss of nearly 200 people, and an escalation in violence and terrorism.
So March 11th came and went. We then had to wait until Easter to see the fulfillment of the astounding events the Kim Clement's "god" had planned. What event did Easter bring, with regard to the war against terrorism? This was the headline news on Good Friday:
Chaos, killing and kidnap
Rory McCarthy in Baghdad
Friday April 9, 2004;
The Guardian
"American troops in Iraq were last night locked in the most ferocious fighting since the war as the toll of Iraqis killed climbed to 460 and the military admitted it had lost control of two southern towns. On the eve of the anniversary of Saddam Hussein's fall from power - a moment the US had imagined would be marked by celebrations - Iraq's fragile security began to fall apart.
In house-to-house fighting to regain control of Falluja, the death toll of Iraqis was 330. The Americans have lost 36 soldiers this week, the worst casualty rate since the fall of the regime. At least 13 foreigners, including one Briton, were kidnapped in different incidents, the first time that western civilians have been held by insurgents in Iraq. "
As you all know, since that time (the Easter so proudly defended by Kim Clement as a significant turning point in the war against terrorism and a glorious day for the Church) there had been a tremendous escalation of violence in Iraq, with murder of kidnapped victims, suicide bombings, and the worst riots since the beginning of the war.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has acknowledged that the upsurge in violence against U.S.-led forces in Iraq represents the "most serious" threat the coalition has faced since the end of the war. "There is no doubt that the current situation is very serious and it is the most serious that we have faced," Straw told BBC radio. "The lid of the pressure cooker has come off, and some of the tensions and pressures which were there and would have come out in any event, have to a degree been directed towards the coalition," he said.
And what of the "greatest Easter this nation has ever celebrated"?? :
Sunday, April 11, 2004: (Easter Sunday) U.S. military says 16 troops killed in past 3 days.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The deaths of two U.S. Army pilots Sunday and the announcement of eight additional American military deaths in Iraq pushed the total number of troops killed there since Friday to 16, according to U.S. Central Command.
The most recent deaths were two crew members in an Apache attack helicopter, which was shot down by surface-to-air missile fire Sunday west of Baghdad International Airport, coalition officials said. A rapid-reaction force was deployed after the 1st Cavalry AH-64 was shot down around 11 a.m. (3 a.m. ET), the officials said.
Sunday's attack came as the fate of several hostages taken in a spate of civilian kidnappings in Iraq remained unknown and as top coalition officials worked to achieve a lasting cease-fire with Iraqi insurgents in Fallujah, west of Baghdad.
Since Bush declared an end to major combat operations May 1, 2003, 528 U.S. troops have died in Iraq, 362 under hostile fire.
On [Easter] Saturday, a mortar attack at Balad Air Base in Anbar province left an airman and a Marine dead. Meanwhile [on Easter] Sunday, one hostage taken in a spate of kidnappings, British citizen Gary Teeley, has been released, the British Foreign Ministry announced. But there was no word on the fate of other civilian hostages being held by insurgents.
"We're in a testing time right now," Bremer told ABC. "We always knew there were going to be some severe tests as we moved forward, particularly as we get closer to the Iraqi assumption of sovereignty and the beginning of a democratic process."
Added to this we have all seen the photos of brutality against Iraqi prisoners that have started a new round of questions about the Iraq war in general. And there has been horrific video footage of a hostage being beheaded. Surely this is no time to proclaim a time of rejoicing, and the beginning of the end for terrorism, as Kim Clement seems to do.
I consider Clement's recent attempts to exonerate himself from these failed prophecies disgraceful and selfish, since he is responsible for misleading so many Christians who innocently trusted his public pronouncements. The sooner we see the back of such false teachers, the better.
Kim Clement puts the onus onto God and "my leadership" to judge him - and I pray that will happen:
I am accountable to God and if this explanation does not make sense then I will be corrected by my leadership. I however, do not think that this prophetic utterance is a mistake. Instead the word has been misinterpreted because of assumptions made concerning the phrase, "bring out your greatest enemy,” meant, "capture." Indeed this will happen, but when exactly we don't know.
So the prophecy has changed from a specific one - the original - to one that is about as vague as you can get. "one day, we don't know when, your non-specified enemies will be exposed and judged." I might as well "prophecy" that "one day, I don't know exactly when, prophets like Kim Clement will get what they deserve" but that wouldn't be a prophecy but wishful thinking.
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© 2004 Tricia Tillin of Banner Ministries. All rights reserved. Cross+Word Website: http://www.banner.org.uk/ This document is the property of its author and is not to be displayed on other websites, redistributed, sold, reprinted, or reproduced in printed in any other format without permission. Websites may link to this article, if they provide proper title and author information. One copy may be downloaded, stored and/or printed for personal research. All spelling and phraseology is UK English.