The End?

If you were to drive down Highway 50 in Nevada you would be confronted with a billboard which proclaims in large letters that judgment day is coming on May 21.  Billboards like this one have been placed on highways throughout the country to warn the people of the end of the age.  Television ads and news stories declare the impending doom of the world.  Harold Camping's prediction has captured the attention of the nation.  Camping claims that the Bible guarantees that he is right.  As Christians, how should we respond to this bold claim?

First of all, let's take a little trip back through history.  This is not the first time that someone has predicted the end of the world.  End of the world predictions go back all the way to the time of Christ.  Looking at more recent history, in 1669, the Old Believer's in Russia were convinced that judgment day was coming in that year.  Twenty thousand Russian's burned themselves to death to save themselves from the Antichrist. William Miller claimed that Christ would return on March 21, 1843.  When March 21, 1843 came and went, Miller decided that October 22, 1844 must be the day.  For Miller's followers, October 22 will live down in history as "The Great Disappointment."  Because of the failure of this prediction, many believers abandoned their faith.  In 1850, Ellen White, founder of the Seventh Day Adventist movement prophesied that Christ would return during that year.  When again He did not come back, she changed her prophesy to 1856.  Once again, this prophesy proved to be incorrect.  The Watchtower Society tried their hand at prophecy and predicted the years 1914, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1975 and 1994.  It should be apparent from this VERY brief overview that hundreds of predictions of the end of the world have been made.  They have all been WRONG.

Camping claims that "the Bible guarantees it." Really? Where?  When I read my Bible I don't see anything that tells the date of Christ's return.  In fact, what I read is that NO ONE knows when Christ will return.  In Matthew 24, the disciples ask Christ when he will return again.  This is what Christ told them:

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coning of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be." ~ Matthew 24: 36-39 

This is interesting...not even the angels or the Son know when Christ will return?  What about Harold Camping?  If the world does end on May 21, 2011, it will not be because of Camping's prediction.  Jesus makes it very clear to us that it is impossible to the know the date or the hour of Christ's return.  Instead, Christ's coming will be like that of a thief in the night.  Even though we cannot know when Christ will return, one thing we do know.  He WILL return.  Since it is impossible to know when that will be, we must be ready.

When Christ left His disciples, He told them what to do while they waited for His return.  At the end of the chapter Christ tells this to His disciples:

"For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes." ~ Matthew 24: 44-46

While we wait for Christ's return, we must be on the alert.  It is imperative for us to live in light of the reality of the second coming.  Christ is going to return.  That is an undisputed fact.  However, His return will be sudden and unexpected just as Noah's flood interrupted business-as-usual.  As we wait, we must remain responsible in our God-given duties so that when Christ does come back He will find us busy.   False teachers will try to set dates for the coming of Christ, but, according to the Scriptures, no one can know the date and time.  Let us pray for those who have fallen to the false teaching of Harold Camping, that their faith may not be shaken.  May it be our goal to proclaim Christ in everything we do!   


If you are interested, here is the link to an excellent sermon which my pastor preached on this topic and from which came many of the ideas expressed above.