Harold Camping Prepares for Judgement Day, May 21, 2011

CNN ^ | May 17, 2011 | Jay Kernis

[21twelve]

I’m not real clear on it all. And I think there are a couple interpretations. But I’ve always thought that the rapture will be where the body’s of the believers in Christ, both dead and alive, will be risen and ascend into heaven.

And the reason why one would want to be raptured is to avoid the terrible Tribulation that will follow on earth. But, in spite of the terrible trials the remaining folks will experience, it will be a second chance at believing in Christ. And after a certain time, then “The End” will occur.

As I said, I’m no expert, and I’m sure I got some of that wrong.

There is a gal at our church that when anyone talks about the rapture gets a real happy face on, “Won’t it be great to meet Jesus....” I can see her point, and wonder if I shouldn’t be more excited at the prospect. I guess I’m what you might call “weak in spirit” and have my doubts on how it will all go down!

Like the bumper sticker says:

“Jesus is Coming. And boy is He pissed!” (Although I think that is better left for Judgement Day, and not the Rapture!)

[MarMema]

eternal earthbound pets

"You've committed your life to Jesus. You know you're saved. But when the Rapture comes what's to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind."

"Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you've received your reward. Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus."

I cannot tell you how hard I laughed after reading this.

[3boysdad]

I’ll stay and fight all the same if He allows it. He broke His body for us, I’ll do the same.

[Terry Mross]

So, apparently when God was talking to Noah He didn’t allow for time zones. Would that be Nine Eastern and six Specific?

[proudtobeanamerican1]

Where is the rapture in scripture......that was not an “idea: until the 1800’s?

[BigCinBigD]

Anyone who would believe such nonsense is mentally ill.

[Meet the New Boss]

Again, this doesn’t expose Camping as much as it exposes those who have complete enmity toward God.

Bingo. People love the world and the things of the world more than they love the God who created the world and those things.

They are pretending it's the date they find offensive, but it is really the idea that they might have to face God sooner rather than later.

Truth be told, any one of us could get hit by a bus or choke to death on our morning Pop-Tart tomorrow. So if that happens, next thing you know is that's Judgment Day right there for that person.

The Gospel has pretty much been preached in all the world. And it's hard to imagine that people living in Noah's day or the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were any more sinful than the world of today.

[Just mythoughts]

....And it's hard to imagine that people living in Noah's day or the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were any more sinful than the world of today.

The world is close to this reenactment but we have not reached the activity taking place in the days of Noe.

[Fred Hayek]

While the rapture (regardless of this date setting nonsense) can continue to be debated, it reminds me of one humorous variation of a hymn (the hymn itself being Biblical):
My faith is based on nothing less
than Scofield’s Notes and Moody Press

the real lyrics
My faith is based on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
.... all other ground is sinking sand

Kinda like the way some people tried to play “pin the tail on the Antichrist” - though I must admit Barry Dunham seems scary close (I plead guilty).

[Meet the New Boss]

Yep, it does seem like we're pretty close.

Israel magically reappears as a nation in our own time and is becoming surrounded by enemies, with not a friend in the world. Not long before the enemies attack.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Check - there have been many peddling false gospels in Christ's name.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Check - worst wars of all time in the last 100 years.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

Check - we've certainly had all of that in the past.

All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

Check - many martyrs in our own day. Is there any country where Christians are not hated by the Marxists or Hedonists or Islamists or Hindus or what have you?

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Check - lots of hate going around.

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Check - again, lots of people believing in false religion.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Check.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Check - pretty much been preached in all the world. Maybe there are a couple of tribes somewhere in the Amazon that have never heard of Jesus Christ.

[fwdude]

Where is the rapture in scripture......that was not an “idea: until the 1800’s?

You're kidding, right? Haven't you ever read the Scriptures? Was 1 Thessalonians 4 added in the 1800's?

13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Or 1 Corinthians 15:
49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Matthew 24:
36But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

I don't know that it gets any plainer than that.

[fwdude]

What “nonsense” would that be?

[Just mythoughts]

Deception is a ‘sign’, so it would be a Christian requirement to know what the deception is. Rapture is NEVER mentioned by Christ.

Wars and rumors of wars... are NOT the sign to be ‘troubled’ by, so that would then by necessity point in the opposite direction, ‘peace, peace, peace,’ when there will be no peace. BUT what practicing Christian would be looked at favorably to be opposed to ‘peace’. The instead of fake is the one who shows up first bringing in a so called ‘peace’ and prosperity for any who will be deceived. And Christ Himself said ‘time’ would be shortened, and this time is likened to a woman in travail, as in labor. Labor does not take years more like days.

[Lexinom]

It's not, and you're right. Its parent idea, Dispensationalism, was developed by Nelson Darby in the 1800s. It has become accepted by many as the default, vanilla view but is in a historical context a fairly new contrivance.

The idea does appear in Scripture, in 1 Thess. 4:17: "Then [after the resurrection of the dead] we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

Where most err, in my opinion, is in separating this event from final judgment. There's nothing at all secret about the rapture. It is a very loud event (see verse 16) of which everyone will be aware.

[eclecticEel]

It's not so much the idea of a rapture that PTBA is objecting to, but the idea of a secret rapture; i.e. the concept of the world continuing on after Jesus' return. It seems obvious that the three passages you reference are talking about the end of history, with nothing lying beyond except eternity.

[1lawlady]

"Camping is a false prophet and will be proven so after this weekend. But he has provided the fodder for the left to display their abject enmity toward the things of God. In this respect, I think Camping is being used as God’s instrument, to further make manifest the great divide between life and death,"

I couldn't agree more with what you posted. I'd been trying to frame my sadness and repulsion into words and you just did. G-D does, indeed, use false prophets. My sadness is for those who will be further estranged from Christ by this date-setting old fool. That Jesus Christ will return for believers is a certainty because He promised. Only Father G-D knows when that will be. I just want to be found faithful whenever, and I so wish that I that more people would accept the loving atonement and eternal life that Jesus offers. This Harold Camping guy makes it so much harder to tell the gospel as well as for others to receive it.

[Lexinom]

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

[chris_bdba]

Darn you beat me to it. LOL

[Lexinom]

Right.

[eclecticEel]

Truth be told, any one of us could get hit by a bus or choke to death on our morning Pop-Tart tomorrow. So if that happens, next thing you know is that's Judgment Day right there for that person.

Just quoting for emphasis. Talk of the Second Coming should always come around to this. May 21st will be the end of the world for many, maybe even some reading this thread.