Have you been getting spammed incessantly with emails and links leading to the theory that May 21, 2011 will be, in essence, the "end of times"? Maybe you've seen the millions of billboards or cars around town with "MAY 21, 2011" plastered all over them. Or maybe it's just word-of-mouth. Or perhaps you subscribe to Family Radio, which featured a huge segment with Mr. Harold Camping proclaiming that after 5 decades of Bible study, he has managed to calculate the exact date and time of the rapture (May 21, 2011) and the final destruction of the earth (October 21, 2011). No matter how you've heard it, and I'm sure you have, there are some very interesting key points about this theory that should be addressed.
My soapbox, please...
First of all, I want to concede that I do believe we are nearing the end. Key word: nearing. Violence world-wide has escalated, along with a crazy mix of natural disasters and economic woes - all of which have their place in the book of Revelation. I do believe that the numbers of generations from this point forward are numbered, and that it may very well be possible that the rapture will occur during my lifetime, my children's lifetimes, or their children's lifetimes. But, this information is not disclosed to me so that I may know at exactly what hour my savior returns. I just know that there are signs in the world that let me know that we draw nearer to such a day. When is that day? I do not know.
Secondly, I do not actually care to know what day the actual return of Jesus Christ will be. Why? Because either I am fully prepared, or I am not. And if I know what date his return will be, I will likely wait until the last possible moment to live the life that my Creator intend for me to live. If I knew I had 5 days of living left to do, I would live 4 giving in to my every earthly desire, and spend the last getting reconciled to God for all the errors made during the previous 4. We're human, and that's the kind of stuff we do. So, it doesn't make sense that people with a specific timeline would live to further the Kingdom if we knew how long we had to accomplish that. Instead, God lets us know that at any time, ANY TIME, we can be taken - therefore, we should live EVERY DAY for His glory.
Third, the evidences given in the paper entitled "NOTHING Is More Important" from www.may21-2011.com, which is the theory of the May 21 deadline, are completely subjective and open to interpretation. Because God did not make a formal, world-wide, clear announcement of when the seals were broken, there are many, MANY theories as to when the Great Tribulation began or will begin. Without getting too deep into a book which I confess I do not fully understand, it is important to know that there is a specific timeline given for the "end of times". However, it is not made known to us exactly when that timeline begins. Today? 23 years ago? I don't know. Biblical evidence, in so much as I understand it, does not give any specific dates. If one knew the specific date that the Great Tribulation started, one could know exactly when the rapture would be. You should refer to my "secondly" paragraph.
Fourth, have we not suffered through enough "end of days" prophecies already?? The end of the world was supposed to happen on March 21, 1844. Of course, that date was adjusted on March 22, 1844 when the Rev. Miller realized he had not been taken up to heaven in a blaze of glory after all. The famous work (insert sarcastic face here) "88 Reasons" by Edgar C. Whisenant told us that September 13, 1988 would be the rapture of the Church. I remember this as a child because Trinity Broadcasting, based out of my home state of California, had signs and commercials backing this idea. Then this date was adjusted to September 15, 1988 and then October 3, 1988. Then it was a date in 1989, 1990, and 1991. I guess he gave up after that. The same fella who is telling us that May 21, 2011 is the end, previously predicted that a date in 1994 would be the end. Harold Camping wrote a book called "1994?", which was a much more humble approach to the theory he states today. And let's not forget the millions and millions of in-your-face comments made by would-be rapturees who gave us the idea that the ushering in of the new millennium was the end of the world. Meanwhile, my power is still on and my computer hasn't taken over my home just yet. So, we certainly should take all of this with a grain of salt... and then refer to my "secondly" paragraph.
Our God is a just God, and because He is, we are promised a day of reckoning when we will stand before Him and answer two vital questions about the time we were given on this earth: 1) Do you know my Son? 2) What did you do with him? But when that day is, we surely cannot know.
Matthew 24:36 tells us "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." If you believe in the rapture, it stands to reason that you believe the Bible. And if you believe the Bible, specifically this verse, than you must believe that if heaven, the angels, and even Jesus himself are not made aware of what date the rapture will take place, surely Harold Camping doesn't know, either. And even if his Biblical study leads him to research dates stemming back to creation itself, surely God would not make it so that it could be figured out, right? I mean, can you picture God looking down on Mr. Camping circling a date on his May calendar, then calling out "foiled again!" No. God isn't going to be fooled, He isn't going to be "figured out", and He isn't going to be coerced. If He was, we wouldn't want Him for a God anyway, would we?
I contend that May 21, 2011 will be a day like any other. I believe that there will be some who will be saved on that day - perhaps out of fear, but saved nonetheless. I believe that some will pray harder the night before, and rejoice the day of. I believe that there will be more faces looking to heaven for answers. And I believe that Bible scholars and TV evangelists will enjoy rallying their troops in the meantime. But I also believe that Jesus told us, "Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you." (Revelation 3:3) We should prepare ourselves because the time is NOT made known to us, purposely, so that we can be ready at ANY time. May 21, May 20, or in another millenia.
Get ready, Jesus IS coming. But ONLY the Father knows when...
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