Prophecy Pundits are at it Again

American Vision ^ | February 23, 2009 | Gary DeMar

[topcat54]

Calvary Chapel of Chino California held “ The Southern California Prophecy Conference” last week (Feb. 20–22, 2009). I wonder if those who came to hear speakers like Tim LaHaye, Mark Hitchcock, Paul McGuire, David Hocking, David Reagan, and Ed Hindson were aware that Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel network of churches, made some very definite predictions about when the “rapture” was going to take place.

While cleaning up my office, I came across a cassette tape of a sermon Chuck Smith preached on December 31, 1979. He told his very accepting audience on that day that the rapture would take place in 1981. The former Soviet Republic going into Afghanistan in August of 1978 was the prelude to what Smith considered to be a full-force invasion of the Middle East. It would not be long before “Russia” would invade Israel, Smith told his audience. All of this was said to have been “predicted” by Ezekiel 2600 years ago.

Smith went on to claim in his end-of-the-year message of 30 years ago that because of ozone depletion Revelation 16:8 would be fulfilled during the soon-coming Great Tribulation: “And the fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given to it to scorch men with fire.” According to Smith, Halley’s Comet would pass near the earth in 1986 and would wreck atmospheric havoc for those left behind as debris from its million-mile tail pummeled the earth. Halley’s Comet did appear in 1986 with no damage done to our planet. (A similar prelude to the end had been predicted based on the so-called Jupiter Effect.[1]) ...

[HarleyD]

He did add that he “could be wrong”

Ummmm...then why should we listen?

[Frumanchu]

Can't wait to see what the Chuck Smiths and Hal Lindseys of the world will be saying three years into the coming depression when everything looks terrible and nobody has anything. I'm sure we'll hear all sorts of predictions of the imminent return of Christ, because everybody knows that as America goes, so goes the final chapter of redemptive history </sarcasm>

[Lee N. Field]

"Where is America in bible prophecy???"

Nowhere in particular.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thanks for the Wiki definition of what some mean by it, but I am still curious what he means by it. All I got from him, in the post immediately after yours, was, "Yep." Whatever he means, it remains mysterious, optimistically speaking.

[topcat54]

I believe the term was coined by Gary North. He uses it in the context of a forward to a book by David Chilton titled Days of Vengeance, which is commentary to the book of Revelation.

North Wrote:

This book will become the new reference work on the Book of Revelation. Incredibly, Chilton’s style is so lively that few readers will even notice that the author has tossed a scholarly bombshell. The conservative Christian academic world will be speechless; Chilton has offered a remarkable exegetical challenge to those who hold to the traditional rival eschatologies, which I label pessimillennialism. …

The Days of Vengeance is especially concerned with the Revelation’s covenant structure and the historical focus of its judgment passages. If, as Chilton argues so brilliantly, these passages of imminent doom and gloom relate to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A. D., then there is no legitimate way to build a case for a Great Tribulation ahead of us. It is long behind us. Thus, the Book of Revelation cannot legitimately be used to buttress the case for eschatological pessimism. A lot of readers will reject his thesis at this point. The ones who are serious about the Bible will finish reading it before they reject his thesis.

The vast majority of Christians have believed that things will get progressively worse in almost every area of life until Jesus returns with His angels. Premillennialist believe that He will establish an earthly visible kingdom, with Christ in charge and bodily present. Amillennialists do not believe in any earthly visible kingdom prior to the final judgment. They believe that only the church and Christian schools and families will visibly represent the kingdom on earth, and the world will fall increasingly under the domination of Satan. Both eschatologies teach the earthly defeat of Christ’s church prior to His physical return in power.

While I might not be a severe as North in criticizing “other eschatologies”, he gets to the heart of matter, esp. as it related to extreme pessimism of futurist dispensaitonalism.

[topcat54]

Can't wait to see what the Chuck Smiths and Hal Lindseys of the world will be saying three years into the coming depression when everything looks terrible and nobody has anything. I'm sure we'll hear all sorts of predictions of the imminent return of Christ, because everybody knows that as America goes, so goes the final chapter of redemptive history

The economy and Islam have provided a real boon for the Rapture Ready® crowd, who are still trying to recover from the fall of the Soviet Union.

[Iscool]

Doesn’t make one whit of a difference that some predict the wrong date for the Rapture...

One thing we know for certain and that is that the prophetic end times have not taken place YET...That means only one thing, Even So Come Lord Jesus...

[topcat54]

prophetic end times

Do you mean "the last day" or "the day of the lord" or "blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" or "the day of judgment at His appearing"?

[Iscool]

In reality, I think the end came in 70 AD.

Then the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Heaven has come and gone...YOU missed it...

[Just mythoughts]

Know one knows the day or hour The Lord will return but Jesus told us the signs to watch for and warned us to be ready. Live like he’s coming today plan like he’s coming 100 years from now. Though I doubt it’ll be a 100 years, there’s too many countries getting the bomb - either them or terrorists will sooner or later set one off which will lead to WW3.

But we are to know the season. Are not Christ's own words giving the signs of His return basic and simple. (Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) First sign is deception. Does that not require the Bible student to learn what the deception is? Christ says those that endure to the end the same shall be saved.

Christ also said that except those *days* be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those *days* should be shortened.

So we have the *days* shortened, (whose *days*? Daniel's *days*) and who saves flesh?

And who is the 'elect'? Would this be the one and same that Paul calls predestined from before the foundation of this age?

[TaraP]

I attended the Prophecy Conference with over 4000 people at each service, it was a most blessed event. I did not hear all the speakers, and did not hear anyone predicting the Rapture although I heard about the rapture in scripture.

The mosy dynamic speaker IMO was Ed Hinson from Liberty University who spoke on the Coming of the Antichrist..
One thing that stood out was in regards to President Obama.

First let me say Ed did not say he thought Obama was the Antichrist..HOWEVER he said..*Do you see how a total unknown Like Barak Obama really came from no-where, a man that was able to capture the hearts and minds of people not only in the USA but all over the world, he said who could of thought *One Man* could accomplish such adulation in such a short time, just speaking about *Change* he said if Obama could accomplish this, what do you think the Antichrist can do? He also said if anyone currently could identify who the Antichrist is we can be sure, we have been *left Behind*.
He said what is holding the Antichrist back is GOD...GOD is still in control, GOD is still in the earth with his flock
(Holy Spirit)but when GOD removes his church (The Rapture) harpazo in greek the taking away, then the Antichrist will be able to rein on earth..So although the Antichrist has not appeared what we have is a Climate of Antichrist which is in Politics, Society and in the Church...

This was a confrence based on scripture, living in the Last Days and how to survive in these challenging times..
http://www.socalprophecy.com/

[Iscool]

Do you mean "the last day" or "the day of the lord" or "blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" or "the day of judgment at His appearing"?

All of them...Starting with the Rapture of the church and the wedding of the Bride and Groom and on into the Millenial Kingdom where we will reign with Jesus when He becomes the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, reigning with a rod of iron, making all nations His footstool and then, the last Judgement...

It's all there...It hasn't taken place yet...

[Quix]

GREAT REPORT.

THANKS.

The naysayers from the

obsessively willfully blind, hyper-Calvinist camp are not likely to pay any attention to truth, facts or Scripture. Wasting time on them is . . . fruitless unless it’s just a recreational hobby! LOL.

[Iscool]

Sounds like an exciting event...

[Quix]

CALVARY CHAPEL IS ONE OF THE MOST SOLIDLY BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS ON THE PLANET.

THANKS for giving their efforts some more publicity.

Of course, some of us realize that not all “Christians” are able or willing to rise to the level of teaching and understanding so wonderuflly demonstrated by

CALVARY CHAPEL.

[raynearhood]

The economy and Islam have provided a real boon for the Rapture Ready® crowd, who are still trying to recover from the fall of the Soviet Union.

HA! Do you ever wonder if Hal Lindsay and crew ever wonder why we weren't raptured before the wall came down (a year after we should've been raptured)?

[xjcsa]

This was a conference based on scripture...

Uh huh. Ed Hindson is a good man, and Liberty University is a wonderful institution, but both are dead wrong on eschatology. Disclaimer: I have a degree in religion from Liberty.

[TaraP]

It was great!

First time I was there, a huge place. Great Books, they served Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.. They has speakers outside so all could hear who could not get it....

The world of the LORD was spoken!

Praise be to GOD..

Starting on the Lenten season today.

[TaraP]

Time will tell....

ED had been very sick, had heart surgery last year and he also had been battling the flu, as he flew in the day before from Virginia to speak.

[BibChr]

Once again:

Interesting title - oh!
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