CHAPLAIN’S PAGE
MR CAMPING
IT just had to happen again, the predictions of a preacher that the world was about to end! Only a few months ago, an American preacher, Harold Camping and his followers, made ready to be taken up into heaven. We poor lesser mortals would be left to struggle against overwhelming catastrophes as best as we could. Needless to say, nothing happened on that day. He explained it away by stating that he got his sums wrong, so it was back to the drawing board. He then assured us that it would occur on 21st October 2011. Some of his followers sold up their homes, and gave away money and goods.
Apparently, Mr Camping made a similar prediction some years ago. What kind of people would follow a man who had already made a false promise? There is only one word, gullible!
Moses was given a warning by the Holy Spirit regarding false prophets,
And if thou say in thine heart, how shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. – DEUTERONOMY 18: 21-22
There were two kinds of prophets, those who spoke what they were shown by the Holy Spirit. Their warnings to the nation concerned events that would occur within their lifetime. Other prophets were those who were instructed to set down in writing events which were usually for a time period in the future, as far as the prophet and the nation were concerned.
Returning to Mr.Camping and his followers, they clearly didn’t heed the warning which Jesus gave to His disciples.
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my father only – MATTHEW 24:36
It would appear that Mr Camping believes that he has been given a special revelation by the Almighty. The fact that his last two predictions turned out to be false didn’t seem to deter his followers.
Through the centuries, there have been those who have assured the gullible of the actual hour and day of the Lord’s return. Our concern, as Christians, is that it makes a mockery of the Scriptures. How can the average person in the street be expected to believe in a supposed sacred book when its adherents make themselves look foolish? Clearly, this is Satan’s work, for God is not the author of confusion. Christ made it clear that the day of His return would not be revealed beforehand. In fact, He said,
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh – MATTHEW 24: 44
The Lord has stated that there would be general signs to look out for, wars and rumours of wars, pestilences, increased earthquake activity, and much more. Clearly, the majority of these signs, or pointers, are with us at the commencement of the 21st Century. Christians must be vigilant,
For when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads: for your redemption draweth nigh – LUKE 21:28
Being prepared because of the signs is not the same as a definite declaration that the end of the world will be next Tuesday. What exactly do people mean when they declare that we are approaching the end of the world? Wrong thinking has come about through a mistranslation of one word in the third verse of MATTHEW 24 in the Authorised King James Bible, there, the Lord was sitting with His disciples on the Mount of Olives, and they asked Him,
Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the world?
The word world in that text should be translated age (from the Greek AION) In fact; the majority of translations have correctly used the word age. This completely changes the meaning of what the disciples were asking Jesus. Although the Authorised, King James translation is the most accurate, nevertheless, there are some errors, and this particular example changes the meaning, thus causing many people to avoid the subject of Christ’s return.
It is now held as doctrine in many churches that Christ returns and takes the believers into heaven for a period of three and a half years, (some say seven) and then returns and sets up His Kingdom. In other words, two second comings!
A simple, uncluttered understanding of the fourth Chapter of I Thessalonians, together with other texts on the subject, portray a simple order of events. Firstly, to take part in the first resurrection, one must be a believer in Christ as our personal Saviour. At His coming, those who have already died as believers, will awake in their resurrection bodies, and rise up to meet the Lord in the air. Those who are alive and believers will follow them, also in their new bodies. When this great multitude has met the Lord, they will all return onto the earth. As verse fourteen of I Thessalonians 4 says,
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
There is nothing in this text, or others, to suggest a period in heaven before He returns again.
This is the time which the prophets warned about, a time when Satan would unleash his fury upon the earth, for he knows that his time is short, Mr Camping, and others through the centuries, believed that they would be caught up into heaven and thus escape the time of Jacob’s trouble.
There is nothing in the Scriptures to suggest that anyone will be taken up into heaven at the time of the Lord’s return. The prophecies relating to this event all indicate that the Lord’s rule will be an earthly rule. The Lord’s Prayer is specific, Thy Kingdom Come. We should not be looking for chariots taking us into heaven, either short term or long term. Instead, we must be preparing ourselves for at least a thousand years on this planet. A planet which will shortly be restored to its original beauty as it was before the fall.
And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began – ACTS 3: 20-21
May that day come soon. Amen.
