Harold Camping, a radio preacher who claims that the Rapture will happen today, May 21, 2011, doesn’t appear to be studying his Bible. Maybe Camping’s trouble is that he uses a “Bible-based numerology system.” This isn’t the first time Camping has gotten an Apocalyptic Rapture prediction wrong.
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
–Matthew 24:36-37
After perusing Gospel verse above, one wonders: Does radio preacher Harold Camping know something that Jesus Christ himself doesn’t know? Maybe more research needed to be done.
But, Mark was no more helpful to Camping’s cause than Matthew.
But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is.
–Mark 13:32-33
It seems pretty clear: no one–and it’s pretty clear that “no one” means exactly that–knows the day or the hour of the return of Jesus Christ to rapture his church. No less an authority than Christ weighed in on the issue.
Harold Camping, End of the World Predictions: Can a Preacher Who Doesn’t Know the Bible Be a Christian?
So, why would Harold Camping contradict Jesus Christ himself on the day of the “promised hope” of the Rapture? What does Harold Camping know of which Jesus is ignorant?
Here’s a bit about Harold Camping:
Harold Egbert Camping (born July 19, 1921) is a Christian radio broadcaster and president of Family Radio, a California-based religious broadcasting network that spans more than 150 outlets in the United States as well as a website.
Camping’s trademarks include his deep, sonorous voice coupled with a slow cadence. He has also used Bible-based numerology to predict dates for the end of the world. His most recent end times prediction is that the Rapture will occur on May 21, 2011 and that God will subsequently completely destroy the Earth and the universe five months later on October 21.
He had previously predicted that the Rapture would occur in September 1994.
Since the penalty for a Biblical prophet getting a prediction wrong was death by stoning, Harold Camping should thank his lucky stars–or whatever it is he professes to believe in–that he broadcasts in a more “enlightened” era. That wrong September ’94 rapture prediction would have ensured that Camping wouldn’t have been around to make his latest utterances.
Harold Camping bases his predictions on a “Bible-based numerology system.” Therein lies the problem.
The clear words of the Bible don’t seem to be enough for Camping. For some reason, he feels compelled to mix in the mumbo-jumbo of numerology. Where does numerology come from?
Sadly, those who have been duped by Camping’s predictions should turn off their radios and pick up a Bible and do their own research. They may find it both edifying and enjoyable.
The same advice might be passed on to Harold Camping. He would then resist the temptation to issue any further predictions claimed to be based on the Bible which are clearly contrary to the Bible.
And that would be a win-win-win situation for all concerned: for disappointed listeners who depend on Camping’s hybrid theories; for those who use Harold Camping’s broadcasts to ridicule other Christians; and for Camping himself.
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
–Matthew 24:36-37
After perusing Gospel verse above, one wonders: Does radio preacher Harold Camping know something that Jesus Christ himself doesn’t know? Maybe more research needed to be done.
But, Mark was no more helpful to Camping’s cause than Matthew.
But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is.
–Mark 13:32-33
It seems pretty clear: no one–and it’s pretty clear that “no one” means exactly that–knows the day or the hour of the return of Jesus Christ to rapture his church. No less an authority than Christ weighed in on the issue.
Harold Camping, End of the World Predictions: Can a Preacher Who Doesn’t Know the Bible Be a Christian?
So, why would Harold Camping contradict Jesus Christ himself on the day of the “promised hope” of the Rapture? What does Harold Camping know of which Jesus is ignorant?
Here’s a bit about Harold Camping:
Camping’s trademarks include his deep, sonorous voice coupled with a slow cadence. He has also used Bible-based numerology to predict dates for the end of the world. His most recent end times prediction is that the Rapture will occur on May 21, 2011 and that God will subsequently completely destroy the Earth and the universe five months later on October 21.
He had previously predicted that the Rapture would occur in September 1994.
Since the penalty for a Biblical prophet getting a prediction wrong was death by stoning, Harold Camping should thank his lucky stars–or whatever it is he professes to believe in–that he broadcasts in a more “enlightened” era. That wrong September ’94 rapture prediction would have ensured that Camping wouldn’t have been around to make his latest utterances.
Harold Camping bases his predictions on a “Bible-based numerology system.” Therein lies the problem.
The clear words of the Bible don’t seem to be enough for Camping. For some reason, he feels compelled to mix in the mumbo-jumbo of numerology. Where does numerology come from?
Modern numerology often contains aspects of a variety of ancient cultures and teachers, including Babylonia, Pythagoras and his followers (Greece, 6th century B.C.), astrological philosophy from Hellenistic Alexandria, early Christian mysticism, early Gnostics, the Hebrew system of the Kabbalah, The Indian Vedas, the Chinese “Circle of the Dead”, Egyptian “Book of the Masters of the Secret House” (Ritual of the Dead).So, it appears that Harold Camping has to mix a Babylonian-based system in with the Bible to give hislisteners the “inside scoop.” But Camping doesn’t want to say that he dabbles in numerology; he adds the vaneer of the Bible for a little respectability.
Sadly, those who have been duped by Camping’s predictions should turn off their radios and pick up a Bible and do their own research. They may find it both edifying and enjoyable.
The same advice might be passed on to Harold Camping. He would then resist the temptation to issue any further predictions claimed to be based on the Bible which are clearly contrary to the Bible.
And that would be a win-win-win situation for all concerned: for disappointed listeners who depend on Camping’s hybrid theories; for those who use Harold Camping’s broadcasts to ridicule other Christians; and for Camping himself.
