Was This Beloved Black Novelist A Prophet Of God?

 “[God] does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” – Amos 3:7. 

Octavia Butler wrote “The Parable of the Sower” in 1993. It prophesied today’s

political and social chaos. 

2.The book begins on July 20, 2024. The main character is 15-year-old Lauren Olamina, a Black teenager exploring her faith while living through societal collapse. 

Olamina and her community battle climate change, poverty, oppressive labor laws, systemic violence, and a fascist government. Their world looks a lot like today’s reality. Was Butler a prophet? 

3. Butler claimed she never intended for the series to be a prophecy, but a warning. 

When writing the novel, Butler limited herself to writing only about a possible future. In 1993, Butler noticed signs of the grave systemic issues Olamina would have to face in the future. 

4. Although Butler wasn’t receiving messages from God, she was paying attention to the times. This arguably made her a prophet because to pay attention to the times, one has to pay attention to God, even subconsciously. 

5. Despite her predictions of political collapse, Butler reminded us that survival is possible through radical faith. We see this in“Earthseed,” the belief system that Olamina creates, one that centers community and that “God is change.” 

Through “Earthseed,” Butler planted a very real seed for us: Faith is how we make it through these times.

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