Jeremiah Johnson’s brother claims he faked pro-Trump prophecies, visions
Josiah Johnson, brother to the widely followed self-described prophet Jeremiah Johnson, has publicly accused his sibling of fabricating prophetic visions and messages, particularly those involving former President Donald Trump.
Once involved in his brother’s ministry, Josiah has grown increasingly disillusioned with Jeremiah’s claims, which have influenced some Charismatic-leaning Christians, according to The Washington Post.
Early one morning, reflecting on his concerns, Josiah drafted a message to his social media followers. He questioned the integrity of those who might manipulate spiritual messages for personal gain, hinting at his brother’s activities without direct accusation.
The 36-year-old Jeremiah Johnson leads a ministry that touts him as being a global prophetic voice, with extensive outreach through social media, conferences and online courses priced at $19.99, promising to teach “prophetic maturity,” notes WaPo, adding that his influence peaked with claims that God had chosen Trump to expose “darkness and perversion in America,” garnering millions of views and a substantial following that includes over 328,000 on Facebook alone.
Despite their shared upbringing under a pastor father in Indianapolis and similar early interests, the brothers’ paths diverged dramatically. Jeremiah’s portrayal of their childhood as enchanted starkly contrasts with Josiah’s claims of abuse and disillusionment, which he has shared with his wife, Jenn, and close confidants, WaPo reports. Their father, a significant figure in their lives, purportedly favored Jeremiah, deepening the rift between the siblings, WaPo adds.
The public dispute escalated when Jeremiah responded to Josiah’s criticisms with a denial, casting his brother’s accusations as slander and expressing his choice to remain silent in the face of familial betrayal.
The conflict has spilled over into public forums, where supporters of both sides have engaged in heated exchanges.
Josiah’s frustration with what he sees as Jeremiah’s manipulation of spiritual authority for fame and political influence led him to sever ties with the ministry, according to WaPo. His departure followed what he perceived as a betrayal when Jeremiah used a personal poem of Josiah’s, “the boom in the upper room,” as a prophetic message without credit, Josiah and his wife say.
In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Jeremiah admitted to inaccurately prophesying Trump’s victory, a confession that led to considerable backlash from his followers, including death threats and a significant loss of support, as The Christian Post observed earlier.
“Over the last 72 hours, I have received multiple death threats and thousands upon thousands of emails from Christians saying the nastiest and most vulgar things I have ever heard toward my family and ministry. I have been labeled a coward, sellout, a traitor to the Holy Spirit, and cussed out at least 500 times. We have lost ministry partners every hour and counting,” wrote the leader of Jeremiah Johnson Ministries at the time.
He also confessed: “I would like to repent for inaccurately prophesying that Donald Trump would win a second term as the President of the United States. I refuse to blame the saints and say, ‘It didn’t come to pass because they did not pray enough.’ Nor will I proclaim, ‘Donald Trump actually won, so I was right, but now it has been stolen from him. I specifically want to apologize to any believer in whom I have now caused potential doubt concerning the voice of God and His ability to speak to His people. As a human being, I missed what God was saying; however, rest assured, God Himself is NOT a liar and His written Word should always be the foundation and source of our lives as Christians.”
Amid ongoing familial and public discord, Jeremiah has attempted to pivot his ministry away from direct political prophecy, focusing instead on general themes of spiritual warfare and redemption, the WaPo notes, adding that the allegations from his brother continue to cast a long shadow over his efforts to regain credibility and influence within the Charismatic Evangelical community.