May 22, 2011
Camping Trip Cancelled, But Bible DOES Say When Jesus Will Return
5-23-11
Well, the Rapture has come and gone, or at least Harold Camping’s itinerary for it. The news media took late and casual notice of it -– significantly, not with any focus on peoples’ last-minute confrontation with their own sinfulness, but an opportunity to paint Christians as kooks. Mr Camping is nothing if not sincere, and since there were no Kool-Aid packets in Family Radio International’s shopping cart (that is, no financial scam; maybe just bad mathematics, addressing biblical numerology) life goes on.
Or… has anyone considered whether Heaven held a rapture and nobody came? How many of us ARE worthy to meet the Lord in the air?
The question sounds half-kidding, but is totally serious. I believe the reason that the Bible is so ambiguous about all the questions regarding the Second Coming of Jesus, the End of Time, the Rapture, the End of the Age, the Great Tribulation, the advent of the Millennial Reign of Christ… is to keep us on our spiritual toes.
We should rejoice, as the angels would, for all the souls that would be “scared straight” by the possible end of the world, a week from tomorrow (or whenever). But for every one of those people I have a feeling there would be ten thousand others calculating a “Get Out of Judgment, Free” pass they can hold until five minutes to Rapture, if it is so knowable, and is well-advertised by spiritual guides like Brother Camping. I don’t claim to know God’s mind when He intends that such things are… unknowable. But I am sort of an expert on human nature, being a human and someone far too often displaying the less admirable traits of same. I am pretty sure that if the Rapture were on peoples’ to-do list of a date certain, it would be a disincentive, not an encouragement, to get right with God immediately. Most people would eat, drink, and be merry until it got too close for comfort.
I believe it is consistent with God’s will to cite a Bible verse that Brother Camping evidently overlooked. People think that we cannot know “when Jesus will return” and the saints of the ages shall be separated from the sinners. But it is there in every version of the Bible, and provides both long-term advice for our behavior, and immediate warnings about our standing with Christ; that is, our salvation.
Here it is, no billboards or radio marathons: I Thessalonians 5:2 — The day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. Another way God stated it: Matthew 24:44 — Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
There we have it: You want to know when Jesus will return? Answer: When we least expect it.
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Here is a song about that day – that moment, the twinkling of an eye, whenever it might be. BE READY!!! A humble Christian gathering in Zambia, singing an old American gospel song.
Click: When We All Get to Heaven
God gave man the Bible so that we could have a handbook for life with Him. It was written so that even the most simple person could understand it. Sadly over the years ‘man’ has added to much to it and tried to make it complicated so that for ‘man’ to understand it we have to have pastors and bible schools to teach us what it sais. Yet if it is read without trying to ‘interperet’ things into it the Bible is very clear about the Lords return. Jesus said ‘no one knows the exact hour of my return except the Father’ and as you quoted Rick it will be when we least expect it. So many Christian writers have made ‘ millions’ out of books claiming to interperet dates from the Old Testament while ignoring the the very words that Christ spoke. The only good that has come from Harold Campings miss judged claim is that it might have made a lot of people actually read the Bible. His organisation should be investigated by tax authorities to make sure people who put money into the organisation get it back!!
Okay, Rick, now you’ve made me homesick for Swaziland!
But even more homesick for my true home with the Lord.
Jesus Himself warned, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36, NKJV
I don’t party or drink, but the cares of life sure can distract me from what truly matters.
Who can be found worthy? Who can stand before His holiness? In the words of another old hymn, “Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to Thy cross I cling.”
Praise the Lord God for His sacrifice that makes us white as snow!
And now, may He find us watching, praying, and serving/feeding His household! (Matt. 24:45-51)
Thanks for faithfully sharing the truth, brother!
I’m gone.