House Speaker Mike Johnson drew heavy criticism after he claimed God told him to "step forward" and be the "new Moses" before he ascended to the most coveted position in the House of Representatives.

Speaking during the National Association of Christian Lawmakers’ award gala in Washington, D.C., Johnson revealed his purported interactions with the divine, referring to a “Red Sea moment” that he interpreted as a directive from God, both for the Republican conference and the wider nation.

Throughout the tumultuous process of selecting a new Speaker, Johnson shared his alleged conversations with God, indicating that he was initially under the impression that he would play a supportive role akin to Aaron to a yet-to-be-revealed Moses figure within the party's leadership.

However, as circumstances unfolded and multiple contenders failed to secure Republican support, Johnson claimed to have received divine instruction to "step forward" himself to assume the role of Moses.

You can hear what he said in the video below.

Johnson said:

"The Lord impressed upon my heart a few weeks before this happened that something was going to occur. And the Lord very specifically told me in my prayers to prepare, but to wait… I had this sense that we were going to come to a Red Sea moment in our Republican conference and in the county at large."

"Look, I’m a Southern Baptist. I don’t wanna get too spooky on you. But you know, the Lord speaks to your heart. He had been speaking to me about this, and the Lord told me very clearly to prepare and be ready."

"Be ready for what? I don’t know. We’re coming to a Red Sea moment. What does that mean, Lord?"

He described that moment in the following way, eventually concluding that he'd been under divine instruction to be the "new Moses":

"When the speaker’s race happened and Kevin McCarthy, who’s a dear friend of mine, was deposed and vacated from the chair. Oh, wow! Well this is what the Lord may have been preparing us for."

"I started praying more. Lord began to wake me up through this three-week process we’re in, in the middle of the night, and to speak to me and write things down. Plans, procedures and ideas of how to bring this conference together."

At the time, I assumed the Lord is going to choose a new Moses, and thank you Lord, you’re going to allow me to be Aaron to Moses. Ultimately 13 people ran for the post. And the Lord kept telling me to, ‘Wait, wait, wait.'"

“So I waited, I waited. And then at the end … the Lord said, ‘Now step forward.’ ... [expressing surprise] ... Me? I’m supposed to be Aaron.' No,’ the Lord said, ‘Step forward.’”

Johnson's remarks were widely criticized.

Johnson has previously cited the Bible as the source of his "worldview" and urged members of the media to turn to Scripture to understand his stance on social and political issues.

In his first remarks after being elected Speaker in late October, Johnson delivered a speech emphasizing his belief in divine ordination, drawing upon "Scripture" and "the Bible" to assert that God is responsible for raising those in authority.

Johnson expressed his conviction that his election, along with the other members of Congress, was not a coincidence but a divine plan. He urged his colleagues to recognize their significant responsibility and use their God-given gifts to serve the people of the nation.