-------Harold Camping and The Rapture-------

According to Harold Camping, the "Rapture" of the church was supposed to have occurred on Saturday, May 21 and the world was supposed to end. Atheist groups held "Rapture" parties making fun of Christians as they anticipated another "Rapture" that would not happen.

Marc Perkel, founder of the Church of Reality, said, "I don't know what Harold Camping had in mind when he predicted the end of the world, but atheists are making up Christian jokes like there's no tomorrow."

If Mr. Camping is a true minister, then his ignorance of what the Bible actually teaches is astounding.

Laying aside the argument that the "Rapture" and "Return" are two separate events or one single event, what did Jesus say about his return to Earth? "Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." Luke 12:40 "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." Mark 13:32

Christ tells His church to always be ready to be taken to heaven but no man nor angel will know the exact date that would happen. Also, no man knows the date of his death. You don't want to die without receiving Christ's gift of pardon. Harold Camping is being disobedient to the one he claims to follow by setting dates. Mr. Camping has now set the date for 10-21-211 which almost guarantees that nothing will occur on that day.

What did Luke say about the second coming? "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh , shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8 Luke is saying when Christ returns, the world will be in spiritual darkness, having rejected the provision of the cross for their salvation. John said, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh , when no man can work ." John 9:4.

A thorough study of the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation do reveal a time when hell will literally be unleashed on Earth but it's not the end of the world. When Christ returns, the world is not going to end. Christ is returning to set up an earthly kingdom that will last for 1,000 years.

What's coming to an end is our present world system. According to scripture, Satan is the god of this age and his rule is coming to an end. Our world system is controlled by four major forces: Catholicism, Communism, Capitalism, and Islam. Therefore Satan is the god of all these world systems which may come as a shock to some people. All these systems will soon be extinct. Satan is not going to stand by passively while Christ sets up His kingdom. He will resist Jesus with everything at his disposal.

Will the world end? Isaiah 45:17 states, "But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end." Ephesians 3:21 states, "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end."

If this world is without end, then what do we do with the scripture, "Heaven and earth shall pass away : but my words shall not pass away" which is recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke? Both heaven and earth have been tainted by sin thanks to the rebellion of an angel named Lucifer. After the 1,000 year reign of Christ has ended, both earth and heaven will be cleansed by fire but they will not be annihilated. This is similar to the time of Noah's flood when the earth was completely covered with water but the earth was not destroyed because we still live on it.

Since this world is without end and the new earth and heaven will not appear for at least another thousand years, setting dates for the end of the world is ludicrous.

Harold Camping makes the church look like a bunch of idiots who believe in some kind of fantasy that will never happen. The church is supposed be telling others the good news of the gospel which is the fact that Christ took the punishment upon Himself for the sin of every man, woman, and child who will ever live. The only condition is each person must believe and trust in that sacrifice.

The fact is for all non believers such as these atheist groups who celebrate and mock Christians who have missed yet another "Rapture", will one day find themselves in the position of saying "They're gone!"

Christ will return. Christ will resurrect the dead and snatch away those who are living believers at that time. Christ will judge the sin of those who reject His gift of pardon.

I am daily astounded by the events that are occurring in 2011 that relate to Bible Prophecy. The unrest in the middle east, the persecution of Israel, nature unleashing its fury in unprecedented fashion, and the coming collapse of the global economy due to government debt.

Harold Camping is right about one thing. Prophesy is being fulfilled right before our very eyes indicating the soon return of Christ but setting the date for that is wrong for only God knows when that will be and it will catch most of the world totally by surprise.