When I was a child, there was a famous psychic and astrologer named Jeane Dixon. In fact, she was perhaps the most well-known psychic of the twentieth century and was often called the “Psychic to the White House.” She died in 1997 at the age of 93.

Although she claimed to be a devout Catholic, Mrs. Dixon was not a prophet of God. She practiced forms of divination which is expressly prohibited in Scripture.

As a child, Mrs. Dixon was given a crystal ball by a gypsy fortune-teller who claimed to recognize in her the gift of divination. By the age of 14, Jeane Dixon was predicting the future of Hollywood stars. 

For over 30 years she wrote a syndicated astrology column that was carried by nearly 400 newspapers. She had millions of faithful readers.

Each January, a large wave of predictions were revealed and were highlighted on the cover of many magazines. Mrs. Dixon became famous for correctly predicting many major events. 

Some of her predictions were accurate and drew her great acclaim. Others were not, but people seemed to disregard those.

She did seem to have an uncanny ability to correctly predict events regarding United States presidents, political events, and affairs in foreign countries. She correctly predicted the death of President Franklin Roosevelt, the defeat of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his subsequent return to power at a later time. 

She gained worldwide fame after predicting the election and assassination of President Kennedy. Mrs. Dixon also predicted that China would be taken over by communists after WWII, and the current republic regime would be exiled to Taiwan. 

She told the then-current President Roosevelt that the United States would enter military conflicts with the Soviet Union, and eventually, America’s greatest threats would be Russia and China.

Her fame grew even greater as she correctly predicted the plane crash of the United Nations Secretary, the launch of the Sputnik satellite, and the failed presidential bid of Robert Kennedy due to a “tragedy” that would occur in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, where he was later assassinated.

With all these predictions, who could blame the American public (and the world) for being sucked in. But there were many predictions that did not come true.

Some of her more famous ones that never came to fruition were:

• World War III would begin in 1958.
• The Soviets would beat the United States to the moon.
• There would be a cure for cancer by 1967.
• She advised President Nixon there would be a terrorist attack on the White House, causing him to order special precautions.
• Another holocaust would occur in the 1980’s.
• A woman would become President of the United States in the next 50 years
• Rome would rise again and become the world’s foremost center of culture, learning, and religion, and there would be peace on earth by the year 2000.

Sometimes, as we face a new year, it’s easy to see the world as an unmitigated disaster. We see the tragedies, the injustices, and the evil that penetrates the fiber of man. 

But there are still those of us who see a new year as an opportunity to share the marvelous, scandalous, grace of God. A celebration of the One who is good, just, and full of mercy.

Unfortunately, some people see a tired, fabricated religion. But some of us see a wonderful and adventurous relationship with a God who is all-knowing and all-powerful. One Who intensely loves us.

Biblical Prophesies

As I was reading about the predictions of Jeane Dixon, I couldn’t help but consider the over 300 predictions made in Scripture about the birth, life, and death of Jesus. Some were recorded as many as 1500 years before Jesus was even born. 

These predictions were made by forty different authors. And all of them proved to be 100% accurate. Many were incredibly detailed.

• Jesus would be born in Bethlehem.
• He would be born to a virgin from the tribe of Judah.
• He would be a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David.
• He would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey.
• He would be betrayed for 30 pieces (not 40 or 35) of silver (not gold).
• His hands and feet would be pierced.
• He would be crucified with thieves.
• No bones would be broken in his death.
• He would be buried in a rich man’s tomb.
• He would rise from the dead.

What’s even more fascinating about all these Biblical predictions is that they were made by prophets. And the penalty in those days for a prophet giving a false prediction was death by stoning. 

That would make someone think twice before making a prophetic announcement or prediction! It was a sure way to discourage false prophets from leading the people astray.

The religious leaders at the time of Jesus’ birth and life were highly trained experts who had memorized large portions of the Old Testament, especially those about the coming Messiah. They knew all the prophecies.

But somehow, they missed the Person. They knew religion but missed the relationship with the Person standing right in front of them. 

They knew the rules, regulations, traditions, and the system. But they missed the grace, mercy, holiness, and love of the Person who fulfilled those prophecies.

As we embark on a new year, let us embrace the Person we celebrate at Christmas each year. Instead of resolutions for a new year, may we be determined to live out the principles He taught us as we forge our way in this life. 

May we vow to be more like Jesus. To love more like Jesus. To forgive more like Jesus.

Let us remember this: we may feel sorrow for our failures; but if that sorrow does not lead to a change in our present behavior, it violates the moral sincerity of our very hearts.

As we move forward into the new year, I pray for all of us to have greater amounts of patience, thankfulness, humility, self-control, perseverance, courage, and the desire to learn as we draw closer to God. 

Many people over the years have played at giving predictions. Some have even claimed to be prophets from God. 

But only God truly knows the future. He holds it in His hands. The good news for those who follow Jesus is that God’s plans for us are for good, not for evil…plans to give us hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Will you trust your present and your future to God? That is the million-dollar question! That is the road to a life in Christ. 

Sometimes trusting in God’s timing is a challenge. We live in a world that encourages us to take control of our plans and seek results and resolutions as quickly as possible. 

But God doesn’t always work that way. This year, I pray that we will let go and let God have control of our lives. The timing. The mess. The joy. The frustrations. The unpredictability. 

Even though I may not know what will happen in the events of this crazy world, I do know the Person Who does. I can rest in Him. 

And that makes all the difference.

Sources:

Ruth Montgomery, A Gift of Prophecy: The Phenomenal Jeane Dixon, (New York: Bantam Books, 1966).

Rene Noorbergen, My Life and Prophecies: Her Own Story as Told to Rene Noorbergen (New York: William Morrow, 1969).