One of the most intriguing (and disappointing) themes of Israel’s past that biblical authors emphasize is God’s people’s failure to fulfill the bottom line of the Abrahamic covenant–”I will bless all nations through you.” Instead, they were what we call in modern terms “a bad testimony”, and the pagans they encountered are ironically portrayed as more righteous in their dealings.

A perfect example of this is Abraham’s encounter with Pharaoh in Genesis 12:10-20. To make a long story short, Abraham is afraid that Pharaoh will kill him and steal his wife Sarah, so he passes her off as his sister. Pharaoh brings Sarah into his household and loads Abraham down with gifts, but soon begins to suffer God’s judgment in the form of diseases and discovers Abraham’s cowardly lie. Sarah is returned to Abraham and the two leave Egypt with the gifts Pharaoh had given them.

In a recent broadcast on TBN, Benny Hinn retells this story, but check out his twisted and self-serving interpretation of the account. For Benny, this story is turned around and used as an example of how God used Abraham’s trickery of Pharaoh to bless Abraham, not an example of how Abraham’s cowardice brought shame on God’s name. Ultimately, Benny encourages the audience that “your Pharaoh is on the way to give you that money.”

I just received and e-mail from Rory and Wendy Alec, the people who brought you the Todd Bentley Show on GODTV and have since blamed Todd’s demise on witches, warlocks and critics. It was a prophetic word with “specific and powerful rhema” insight into the economic crisis and the election.

Utilizing an allegorical interpretation of Psalm 91, Wendy explained that those who have given of their substance would weather the financial storm. She supported this interpretation with a vision she says she had of oil pipelines, giant spiders and a sign with the word “Babylon” hanging over Wall Street.

Then, she gave insight into the presidential election, pointing out the media’s “Jezebelic” spirit and the need for “temperance, sober-mindedness and measured wisdom.”

Of course, it’s fairly easy to look at the remarkable nature of current events and, in the midst of them, assign them some type of apocalyptic significance. But I’m wondering why this “prophet” didn’t foresee Todd Bentley’s collapse and make a similar statement of warning—when all the signs were obvious.