The Jonah alibi of False Prophets - why it doesn't work?

Friends,

"If John Hagee, Harold Camping and Jonathan Cahn are false prophets, so was Jonah" goes the alibi of the followers of these false prophets. They quote passages from Deuteronomy 18 to prove their point.

Deu 18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
Deu 18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
Deu 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Yes, whatever was spoken by Jonah did not come to pass. But, does that mean that whatever was spoken by him was not from Jehovah? We do not know who appointed John Hagee, Harold Camping or Jonathan Cahn. Chances are that they are self-appointed. Compare this with the case of Jonah, who did not want to go to Nineveh or deliver the message from Jehovah there. Instead of proceeding to Nineveh, he tried to escape from Jehovah by setting out by ship to Tarshish. And we know how he was forcibly brought to Nineveh. Do we need any more proofs to prove that Jonah was sent by Jehovah and he did not speak presumptuously?

Jonah journeyed 3 day's distance into the city and proclaimed the punishment from Jehovah, and, evil as the people and king of Nineveh were, they repented from their evil ways, wearing sackcloths, and fasting, even without consuming water. Starting with the king on the throne to beasts in the field, every living thing observed penance. (Jonah 3:5-10)

Do the proponents of this Jonah alibi expect Jehovah God not to show mercy on such penitent people? Do they expect Jehovah to punish the people no matter whether they repent or not? If such be their understanding of God, how do they expect God to forgive their sins and iniquities while they seek forgiveness? Have you observed what Jehovah said to Jonah who was irate because the gourd that grew up to give him shade withered?

Jon 4:10 Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
Jon 4:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

The narrative of Jonah is about how Jehovah shows mercy on those who repent. It is not about how Jehovah will pamper the ego of a prophet. The narrative is about the mercy of God and it is given not to be used as an alibi by false prophets. Can the likes of John Hagee or Harold Camping show an iota of evidence to prove that with their preaching the government or the people of the USA turned away from their "evil ways"? Did anyone wear sackcloth and do penitence? Please, there are no parallels between these false prophets and Jonah.

The ultimate fall of Nineveh.

The story of Nineveh does not end with Jonah. During the days of prophet Nahum, Jehovah again declares punishment on Nineveh and it was carried out, mercilessly, probably, because the people of Nineveh did not turn away from their evil ways. (Nah 1:14; 3:19).

Conclusion:

Unlike the likes John Hagee and Harold Camping, Jonah was a successful prophet, probably, the most successful prophet of the Bible, because, within a single utterance of prophecy, he could bring an entire nation to repentance! Please stop comparing false prophets with him.

In Christ,

Tomsan Kattackal