Faithfully Serving Christ

I had to view the web site for myself. There it was – a huge announcement that the end of the world and the final judgment was to arrive on May 21. I could not help but think, “How many others have been caught up in this date-setting mindset, later to learn they are wrong?” It was Jesus himself who said, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know” (Acts 1:7). And at another time, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Well, the Father and a man named Harold Camping, apparently.

By the time you read this, Harold Camping and his prophecy will have proved false. Who is this man, anyway? Camping is a very successful businessman from California, who retired from the building industry and began Family Radio (www.familyradio.com), comprised now of dozens of stations. Pleasant stations for listening, I should add. Now, at the age of 89, he has alarmed many by saying that he is “absolutely certain” about this date.

I noticed while reading the home page of his web site two days before the “absolutely certain” date that donations were still being solicited and received. Hmm, I wonder why?

Michael S. Rosenwald of The Washington Post writes that Camping “says he came up with the very precise date of May 21 through a mathematical calculation that would probably crash Google’s computers.” This contrived date is the result of Camping’s study of the dates of floods, the use of numbers in the Bible, multiplication, addition and subtraction. In other words, it is a convoluted mess, impossible for anyone to understand. Really, it may be that Camping is “losing it” as they say.

The words of Jesus are plain enough. No credible person can claim to know the exact date of Christ’s return and the end of the world. To claim otherwise is to put oneself squarely in the category of “false prophet.”

Let’s be clear. The Bible says of itself, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16- NLT). The Bible is intended to be understood, believed and obeyed. It is here for our personal benefit and for the benefit of others. It contains no hidden codes or mathematical formulas that only a few can detect and understand. Its teaching is clear.

And when it comes to the return of Christ, the Bible’s teaching could not be clearer. He could come at any time, the world in general will not be looking for Him and will be surprised, and His church is to be faithfully serving Him on earth until that time, doing what Jesus would do if He were bodily present. That would be teaching God’s truth and helping others along life’s way.

In the spirit of Harold Camping, let me make a prediction. Here it is: there is no person who can correctly date the return of Christ, because there is no person who knows.

And since we don’t know, we should stay busy…

faithfully serving Christ.