HISTORY OF FALSE PROPHETS
In every generation after the apostles, there have been Christians who mistakenly believed that they were in the last days. They have thought that their generation was the one Jesus spoke of when He prophesied that “all these things” would happen in “this generation.” Failed prognosticators have been a persistent embarrassment to Christianity.
End Times speculation holds a particular fascination for American evangelicals who are wrapped up in rapture theology. They curiously find hope in an expected destruction of the planet and its replacement with a utopia in which carnivorous animals will take up vegetarianism. It is simply taken for granted that the Bible predicts an end of time, and that there is no number of elapses centuries spent waiting for it that cannot be called “the end times.”
Francis Gumerlock, in his book THE DAY AND THE HOUR: CHRISTIANITY’S PERENNIAL FASCINATION WITH PREDICTING THE END OF THE WORLD, lists end-times prophecy predictions made by Christians, beginning with the apostolic fathers.
For example, Ignatius writes around the year AD 100 that “the last times are come upon us.” Cyprian (200-258) writes that “the day of affliction has begun to hang over our heads, and the end of the world and the time of the Antichrist. . . draw near, so that we must all stand prepared for the battle.”
Christopher Columbus wrote a book entitled BOOK OF PROPHECIES in which he called on many of the same passages of Scripture that false prophets cite today to predict the imminent end of the world. He apparently thought that his discoveries marked the beginning of the end.
Martin Luther made this statement: “I am satisfied that the last day must be before the door; for the signs predicted by Christ and the Apostles Peter and Paul have now all been fulfilled, the trees put forth, the Scriptures are green and flourishing. . . . We certainly have nothing now to wait for but the end of all things.”
Here are just a few more modern examples of end-times dating from Christians as well as pseudo-Christian cultists:
—Ellen G. White (co-founder—Seventh Day Adventist Church): 1843, 1844, 1850, 1856.
—Joseph Smith (founder—Mormon Church): 1891.
—Jehovah’s Witnesses: 1874, 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975, and 1984.
—Hal Lindsey: 1982, 1988, 2007, with contingency dates going as far as 2048.
—Jack Van Impe: 1975, 1992, 2000, 2012.
—Chuck Smith (founder of Calvary Chapel): before 1981
—Pat Robertson: 1982, 2007.
—Edgar C. Whisenant: 1988, 1989.
—Bill Maupin: 1988.
—Charles R. Taylor: 1992.
—Benny Hinn: 1993.
—Grant R. Jeffrey: 2000.
—Lester Sumrall: 1985, 1986, 2000.
—Kenneth Hagin: 1997 to 2000.
—Jerry Falwell: 2010.
—John Hagee (at age 71): before he dies.
―John Walvoord: before he died (He died in 2002)
—Harold Camping: 1994, 2011.
—Perry Stone: 2009-2015
—Billy Graham: Even this venerable preacher began telling us in the 1930’s to expect the soon return of Christ.
Pastors all across America’s fruited plains have books of some of these authors proudly displayed in their office libraries. Money continues to flow to these authors and many others of the same ilk. Whenever you happen to be reading this, you will probably be hearing from a new generation of false teachers.
Perhaps there is something fundamentally wrong with these predictions. All of these prognosticators had something in common: They all thought they knew better than Jesus, who over and over told his followers that his prophecies would come to pass while some of them were still alive (Matthew 10:23; 16:27-28; 26:64; Luke 21:22, 32; John 21:22; etc.) Along with the New Testament writers, there are over 100 time-statements in the New Testament that limit fulfillment of prophecy to the first century (Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 John 2:18; etc.).
Here are more failed predictions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictions_and_claims_for_the_Second_Coming_of_Christ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dates_predicted_for_apocalyptic_events
This really is a useless exercise in carping or grumping. At least these folks were in the arena and did the best they could with the data they had at the time. The question is when Jesus comes will he find you watching or sleeping?
There’s a reason He said this:
So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ~ Mathew 24:26
You’ve got some issues grumpa!! Stop bashing and start preaching the Gospel. MAny on that list will be rejoicing around the Throne of God!!!!
IIRC the New Testament advocates this position.
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All scammers you listed! Thanks for that list!
All these failed religioso scammer prophets made millions. Business is good!