Harold Camping and Family Radio got it wrong, as he was bound to do.
Jesus said, speaking of the time of His return,
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”
Matthew 24:36 New International Version (©1984)
Earlier in same chapter, Jesus said: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
The Tragedy Of Harold Camping’s Prediction
The tragedy here is simply that Camping has deceived many, and caused them to part with life savings, and property along the way.
Whether he was the recipient of this worldly wealth is a little unclear. What he collected for (if this is the case) is a real mystery.
Was he going to hang around while the believers were raptured? Perhaps it would have relieved his pain, because in the next passage, Jesus said:
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Are There Signs Of The End?
Yes, and there have been for the past 2,000 years.
Wars, rumours of wars, famine and persecution have been going on since then.
Are these signs more prevalent? Yes, no, maybe…?
The truth is that the true believer will be ready to depart this world whether the end comes today, or next week. Indeed, I went to the funeral of a friend on Friday, and for her, this world certainly had ended!
Harold Camping has simply painted himself as a charlatan, regardless of whether he is, interested only in the riches of this world.
He has done a vast disservice, not only to those following him, but to Christians the world over!
There have been many false prophets in all religions. The shame is that it is their followers that bear the pain, while they make the gain!
May 21 2011 did not mark the end of the world!
There was an earthquake in New Zealand, a volcanic eruption and earthquakes in Iceland, and Bernard Hopkins became the oldest man at 46 to ever win the WBC light-heavyweight championship.
Important events for the people who were there, but life goes on!
Jesus Christ is still Lord, and lives in the hearts of true believers, where ever and who ever they are.
And that’s what matters!
Update:
The Examiner.Com reports that Camping first predicted the rapture to occur in 1994, and includes a link to a YouTube video.
While my generation – baby boomers – imho have seen more change in the space of a lifetime than all the generations before, from the landing on the moon, the contraceptive pill, the fall of the Berlin wall and the end of apartheid in South Africa just to name a few, one wonders what Bible these folks are reading.
