Dooms Day Preacher Changes Date Once Again
Self proclaimed prophet Harold Camping revised his apocalyptic prophecy Monday, saying he was off by five months because the earth actually will be obliterated on Oct. 21st. Camping had predicted that 200 million Christians would be taken to heaven Saturday before a global cataclysm struck the planet. He told the press that when his prediction didn’t come true that he went to a hotel with his wife. In the old testament we would have gone to the hotel as well. The only difference is we would have gone with rocks to stoned him. God was not very lovie dovie when it came to declaring yourself His prophet and not batting 100%.
Forget the fact that Jesus said in Matthew 24:36 “No one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” As a result of Harold’s declarations, he has been able to raise millions of dollars.
When hope fades, cynicism is often waiting in the wings. This is indeed one of the great challenges of our time. Skepticism, simply put, I can’t trust anybody or anything, has taken hold of our culture. In an age of ever increasing skepticism why are so many people paying attention to a man who has repeated proven himself to be a false prophet? I believe there are two reasons why people are drawn to this message. The first is the lack of hope and the second is the unwillingness to preserver. An overwhelming number of believers are living without hope. They have sought the American dream and it has brought them nothing but pain and disappointment. Because of those disappointments, pessimism is king and they want out. “Get me out of here Jesus”. Secondly, believers do not want to endure. The Scriptures calls us to endure. We are called to press on. We are here on mission and it is God’s grace and mercy that causes Him to tarry. He tarries that men might know Him. History is moving to an end, and the Bible offers a good end. Therefore we must press on living out our calling not leaning on human efforts but resting in the goodness and promises of God.
Will You Stand For Truth Or Just Call Foul?
Evil confronts us in many ways, and demands some kind of an answer. It demands an answer for us and those around us. We All need answers regardless of whether we believe God exists. To the Christian, the question is posed in light of the view of God that is presented in the Bible, but all beliefs and everyone has to come up with some kind of explanation. The problem of evil demands some kind of philosophical response, but also one that satisfies us existentially.
It has been fashionable of late to reject any and all notions of truth in place of taste and perspective. The Christian appears to have become docile and afraid in even declaring an answer in the world of ideas that would speak to the problem of evil. Truth has become something that is socially constructed. When the question is asked, “If God is good why would He allow this to happen?” Some knowledge of what life is about is presupposed. Even the questions of God’s involvement and whereabouts in the midst of evil presupposes some sense and notion of good. The Westminster Confession in 1646 claims: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Today our society sees the chief end of life as achieving greater freedom and obtaining as much pleasure as possible. Our lack of interest in God and our self-assured confidence excludes any normal or routine reflection on life. C.S. Lewis put it this way, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
As you prepare your hearts for this Easter and as you experience the pain of living in a fallen world; will your life be a pointer to the goodness of God? Will you be a voice in the wilderness, or just someone who always cries foul? You were made for difficult times. You were made for challenging days. The Christ in you desires that you stand for truth, or you will fall for anything! Will you stand for Jesus or just cry foul?
