The End Of The World

Harold Camping has put up over 3000 billboards world wide. (I would love to know where he gets his money) Below is a list of predictions made over the past 1000 years (I'm sure there are more that are not listed). Typically, there is a lot of hype. Sometimes there is signifanct church growth (Jehovah Witnesses went from 60,000 to 300,000 members back in 1975).  And then the day comes and nothing happens. Harold Camping has done this before in 1994 - but says he miscalculated. He is really sure this time.

The problem - when church leaders make such predictions, churches often go through a significant growth spurt. But after the hype, Christians are disillusioned. They are cynical and apathetic. The Church is left with fewer and less committed Christians. And non-christians dig their heels in deeper against the things of God

It simply is NOT biblical. MATTHEW 24:36 says, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Because of his prediction - the one thing that I am absolutely certain of - it won't be May 21st.

However, I would encourage you to read 2 Peter 3 tonight. I know that Jesus will come back some day. For every prophecy in the Bible concerning his 1st coming - there are 8 looking forward to his second coming. The emphasis of 2 Peter 3 is "BE READY"
I'll see ya Sunday (probably)

Pete

HISTORY OF PREDICTED 2ND COMINGS

2nd Century – Montanist movement claimed Christ’s return was imminent.



1000 A.D. – The end of the first millennium caused widespread fear – “a universal expectation” that the end of the world was at hand.



1349 – The Bubonic Plague, 25 million Europeans (1/4 of the population) died. “The horsemen of the Apocalypse are in our midst.”



1532 – “There are rumors the world will end in 1532. (It) cannot last much longer.” – Martin Luther



Oct 19, 1533, 8 am – Date and time computed by Michael Stifel that the world would end.



1661 – Fifth Monarchy Men of England Movement



1836 – Year computed by John Wesley (founder of the Methodist) that the world would end



Oct 22, 1844 – Year Jonathan Edwards predicted the world would end.



1914 – “All signs point to 1914 as the end of the age.” – Charles Taze Russel (Jehovah’s Witnesses)



1975 – “With all certainty” mathematical formulas pointed toward the Fall of 1975 as the long awaited end. – Jehovah’s Witnesses



1988 – Book: 88 Reasons Why Jesus Will Return In 1988



May 1992 – Month and year computed by Edger C. Whisenaut (retired NASA engineer) that the world would end.



Sept 1994 – “I think the date range is between September 6 and Sptember 23” – Harold Camping (head of Family Radio, Oakland, Ca)



2000 - Over 500 groups made the prediction that the year 2000 would be the end of the world. – The Millenium Watch Institute

May 21, 2011, 6 pm - "...there's nothing in the Bible that holds a candle to the amount of information to this tremendous truth of the end of the world. – Harold Camping (head of Family Radio, put up 3,200 billboards throughout the world anouncing May 21, 2011 as the Second Coming)