THE END OF THE WORLD IS ALMOST HERE!
HOLY GOD WILL BRING JUDGMENT DAY ON
MAY 21, 2011
This radio ministry espouses that judgment day will be a time when the world will end and true believers will be raptured into heaven. This kind of message kind of puts a damper on our "Happy New Year" greetings as we approach the new year.
- First of all (and most importantly) the overall biblical theme that the good creator God who created the earth and will one day redeem and reclaim it through a special act of God's grace (the second coming of Jesus) is totally absent in this group's pronouncement. Instead, they have opted for a view that the world that God created will be destroyed. For a biblical view, check out Revelation 21 where we are told that heaven and earth will finally be united and there will be no more suffering or death. Or just check out the Lord's Prayer where we pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven." The whole mission of the church is to offer the healing love of God through Jesus Christ to the world.
- Secondly, when Jesus returns, we will not be "snatched away" into heaven as rapture theology espouses. This is a misreading of metaphors used by Paul in I Thessalonians 4. From a 1st century historical perspective, the image is that when Jesus reappears, believers will welcome the newly arrived king. The first readers of this epistle would have associated what Paul was saying with how a Roman citizen would welcome the Roman Emperor who had left Rome to visit one of his Roman colonies. They would have met him from a distance and then would have personally escorted him into their city. If you believe in bullet point #1 above, then this second bullet point makes perfectly good sense from a biblical perspective.
- Thirdly, "Family Radio" has taken a creative biblical literary device of describing time from God's point of view (1 day = 1,000 years) and has turned it into a very literal and wooden interpretation. Using the Noah and the Ark story in the Book of Genesis, and this literal use of a poetic way of describing time, they have arrived at the date of May 21, 2011.
Having offered this rebuttal, I'll end on a positive note. It's always a good thing to anticipate Christ's second coming. But instead of focusing on a specific date that is centered around a theology that is void of fundamental doctrines (ie. God's good creation of the world and desire to redeem it), instead we should live in such a way that anticipates the way God has always intended his creation to be; a place of peace, harmony, justice, love, and joy. Of course, this happens as we depend on the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit as we feed the poor, care for the sick, find shelter for the homeless, and offer a welcome to those who feel outside of God's fold.
My advice? If you should drive down the highway and notice a large billboard with the date of May 21, 2011, pray "The Lord's Prayer." And when you get to the part that says, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven," invite God to strengthen you to use each day to offer the healing love of God through Jesus Christ in our community and world.
...including May 21, 2011.
11 comments:
What a good explanation of the Second Coming of Christ. I am making note of what you said so that I can explain it the same way that you did. Many times in my life I have been asked by non believers about the Second Coming of Christ. Since I am a preacher's kid I think that non believers thought that I knew something more than they did. I did know something more and that was because I read my Bible daily. It is hard to get a non believer to read The Holy Bible in its entirely and not quote scripture verses that they twist around and interpret in their own way to justify the way that they think. Good job, Pastor Robert.
The Bible says no one knows the day or the hour, even Jesus could not forcast the end of the world.
Thank you for this article. I'm reading it for the second time in last few weeks. I was specifically looking for a Christian perspective on that May 21 thing.
I just don't understand one thing: if the end of the world is scheduled to happen in less than 3 weeks from now, why does "Family Radio" need to take donations? (and are they tax deductible, by the way?)
What grosses me out the most about all those radical movements is their willingness to not only lead people astray from faith, but to shamelessly take their hard earned money along the way.
I bookmarked this page. Sometimes, when I start having nightmares or just can't sleep, I open and read it all over again. So, again, thank you. You helped at least one person in this world to not lose faith.
Alina
You're welcome. As far as tax deductions, I would think they would say that they need these donations so they can pay for the billboards, etc. And like you, I'm always concerned when people use a scare tactic to get people to accept God.
God is not up there no one is.God is a figure so people know there place.
It's not been my experience that the Judeo/Christian God has any interest in his creation knowing their place. This God seems much more concerned about us being fully human.
Thank you, Pastor Robert, for you kind and comforting explanation of the second coming. It has helped to ease my fears.
I'm gonna call this radio station and absolutely nark them cause this isnt going to happen... Jesus will come back when ever person group has had a chance to hear his word... theres some 6000 person groups unreached right now so unless someone is doing some serious witnessing... your so full of it your eyes are brown.
Thank you! This is the first explanation I've seen that isn't sarcastic or angry like the dialog I've come across on several forums.
I only found out about the doomsday campaign recently and have been a wreck from it.
The christian radio website promoting this has a number of tracts that detail the prediction, citing various scriptures to prove beyond a doubt that it is true. What I'd really like to see is a biblical scholar, someone wise in Word tear appart their conclusions piece by piece (scripturally).
THE PROPHECY IS BEING FULFILLED HIDE YO KIDS HIDE YO WIFE HIDE YO HUSBAND...LOL just kidding don't think its the end of the world
I liked the article, but some disagree
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