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A common verse used during the Christmas season is that of Isaiah 9:6, saying, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
This verse is traditionally attributed to being a prophetic saying about the coming of Jesus Christ.
Yet this past Christmas season, televangelist Jesse Duplantis had another take on it.
“Where is the government now?” Duplantis asked during his sermon. “It’s on us. The government of the world is on mankind, and because we’re made in God’s image and in God’s likeness, you can call us Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Christ in us, the Everlasting Father, whoo! The Prince of Peace. That’s what it means to be the gift that Jesus gave to you.”
No stranger to controversy, Duplantis’ words spread across social media last week like wildfire, bringing with it harsh criticisms of heresy.
Pastor Shane Idleman of Westside Christian Fellowship in Leona Valley, California called out the words as blasphemy on Twitter.
BLASPHEMY ALERT: The government of the world is on mankind, and because we’re made in God’s image and in God’s likeness, you can call us Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Christ in us, the Everlasting Father. @malachiobrien @ToddCoconato https://t.co/uikJVIRk71
— Shane Idleman (@IdlemanShane) December 28, 2022
Others also called out the preacher’s words and his recent interpretation of the verses in Isaiah. One pointed out that this was exactly why biblical hermeneutics was needed for Scripture.
Why is Biblical hermeneutics (the study of the methodological principles of interpretation) so important? Because improper hermeneutics leads to heresy. Jesse Duplantis is exhibit A. Listen to how he takes verses that apply to Jesus and attributes them to us. Blasphemous! https://t.co/PwdLIetbxb
— Keith Walker (@KeithWalkerEM) December 27, 2022
With Duplantis’ sharp turn away from established interpretation of the Scripture, it is no surprise that many felt this was a blasphemous take on a verse that is meant to be attributed to Jesus, not mankind.
This is now another in a string of recent issues people have taken with Duplantis’ words.
As recently as 2021, while appearing at a fundraising event for Kenneth Copeland’s VICTORY channel, Duplantis said that Christians could accelerate Jesus’ return by sending in money.
“I honestly believe this,” Duplantis said, “that the reason why Jesus hadn’t come is because people aren’t giving the way God told them to give.”
As reported by Charisma News, Duplantis also caused a stir in 2018 among Christians for his believing in the Lord’s provision for a new private jet to use for his ministry. The estimated cost for the jet was around $54 million (in 2018 dollars). {eoa}
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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media
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