Camping's Prediction: Will the World End Today?

Okay, so we have been reliably informed that May 21st 2011 did not mark the reappearance of Jesus Christ but the beginning of Judgement and the actual end of the earth is five months later which makes it Friday 21st October 2011. Yes… Today, Friday 21st October 2011, we should make our calling and election sure.

I agree emphatically with Mr. Camping that Jesus Christ is coming soon. I agree with him that we, yes you and Me, we should make our calling and election sure.

But …this is where Mr. Camping and I part ways. I’ll start with the very popular and well bandied about text from Matthew 24: 36 –

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” KJV (see also Mark 13: 32).

As I continue in Matthew 24 where the disciples question Jesus about the signs of his coming verse 6 states “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet”.

To date we have seen the wars and the rumours of wars. Some of the other signs we have been advised to look out for and have seen are:

• Nation shall rise up against Nation

• Famines

• Pestilences

• Earthquakes in Divers places

Verse 8 clearly says to us that “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” For many of us, we like you Mr. Camping would wish that the signs we now see are the end and then Christ shall come.

In my review however, I have found that there are other signs which have begun but are still to be manifested in a greater manner, they include:

• The elect shall be hated of all nations

• Many shall be offended and hate each other

• False prophets shall arise and deceive many

• The love of many shall wax cold ( Matthew 24: 9-12; Mark 13:9,13,22)

Mr. Camping your very presence and actions indicate that truly the Lords’ return is imminent (False prophets shall arise and deceive many). It is telling though; that there is a role for us as the elect before the end and our role is outlined as:

• Then you (the elect) shall be delivered up to be afflicted

• The gospel shall be preached in all the world

Yes our role isn’t nice and flowery, no sir, we have to get down and dirty, take some bruising, some of us will have to die. However as we explore the books of Matthew and Mark further we note that after the tribulation (the trying of the elect- Matthew 24:29; Mark 13: 24) these signs will also be seen:

• The sun will be darkened

• The moon shall not give her light

• The stars shall fall from heaven

• The powers of heaven shall be shaken. ( Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24,25)

So the glory and majesty that we look forward to will and must be pre-empted by real trials and real tribulations for the people of God – all of us who believe in Jesus Christ, keep his commandments and have made it out business to take the gospel to the ends of the world. Yes, as in everything else done by God, we are given a role to play in our salvation.

But…there is always good news, the good news is:

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”  (Matthew 24: 30, 31; Mark 13: 26, 27)

1 Thessalonians 4:15 - 17 tells us:

“ For 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. For 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: Then 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.”

Rapture, beautiful rapture, yes this is when it will come not now, not when we still have Gods’ work to do, not when we have not fully felt the persecution resting upon us.

Photos courtesy Wikipedia

Written by :

Michelle Mc Intyre

 

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