Is Saturday Really THE END?

Artist depiction of the End of the World

You can probably call this deja' vu, because this has happened many times before and if history is true to form this recent prediction will go by without any consequence. However, the attention this prediction has caused seems to be continuing to grow. This seems to be yet another elaborate publicity stunt to draw attention to a person, a cause, or even a church that wouldn't normally get noticed under normal circumstances. I remember watching an episode of the "Simpson's" cartoon, which this such scenario was the storyline for this 30 minute cartoon series. During an archeological dig Lisa discovered a cleverly placed artifact of a what appeared to be a the skeletal remains of some sort of angelic being.  This discovery caused a great stir in the little town of Springfield. And, then to add to the discovery the angelic being; after being erected in the middle pf town, mysteriously came to life and made a prophetic declaration that the end of the world was near and gave an exact date and time of which everyone in Springfield feverishly prepared for.  This angelic being instantly became the center of attention in this small town, and people begin to treat it as an angel sent from God to give them this special message of His return.  However, on the day of the prediction; as people anxiously awaited the end of the world, what they found that not only was the angelic being not a real, but it was all apart of an elaborate hoax to get people excited about a new shopping mall opening in town. Wow, what a let down!

And, so it is we are here yet another time because of the prophetic declaration, by a radio evangelist named Harold Camping who has gotten the word out through his radio show and other media outlets about his belief that the world is going to come to end this Saturday, May 21st.  And, in my search for information about this man I ran across a site called "Life's Little Mysteries" that helped me to understand more about this 21st Century Prophet.

They're site stated:

Radio Evangelist - Harold Camping

"The May 21 Judgment Day meme is the brainchild of an 89-year-old radio evangelist named Harold Camping. Using a mathematical system of his own creation to interpret obscure prophecies in the bible, Camping originally predicted Sept. 6, 1994 as Judgment Day, or the day of the "Rapture" when Christian believers will ascend to heaven, leaving the rest of humanity to its deservedly dreary fate. But 1994 came and went relatively uneventfully, and Camping has since reworked his equations in such a way that they now point to a May 21, 2011 Judgment Day. Once the 200 million true Christians (in Camping's estimation) have been whisked away this coming Saturday, he says hell on Earth will ensue and last for 5 months, until Oct. 21, at which point the world will end. Here's the gist of Camping's calculation: He believes Christ was crucified on April 1, 33 A.D., exactly 722,500 days before May 21, 2011. That number, 722,500, is the square of 5 x 10 x 17. In Camping's numerological system, 5 represents atonement, 10 means completeness, and seventeen means heaven. "Five times 10 times 17 is telling you a story," Camping said on his Oakland-based talk show, Family Radio, last year. "It's the story from the time Christ made payment for your sins until you're completely saved."

So there you have it,  all of this is the result of one man's fuzzy numbers. Don't get me wrong, I do believe in the Rapture and the "catching away of the saints of God." But, in Matthew 25:13, Jesus says "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, wherein the Son of man cometh." The Bible also speaks of Jesus Christ coming as a "thief in the night." And, one of the most telling characteristics of a thief is that they don't let you know when they're coming. I have yet to hear about a case of burglary that took place, where the burglar alerted the victims that they were on their way to burglarize the victims homes. This happens for several reasons, one of which the thief wants to catch the victims by surprise. If the victims knew the day and time their home would be burglarized, they would be prepared for the robber when he came to their home. Much in the same way, Jesus Christ return is going to be for the entire world... a SURPRISE! God is too intelligent to allow his coming to be leaked to mankind, and if there is anyone that can keep a secret is God-Himself.  He does leave us clues in the word of God of his coming, "wars and rumors of wars", "father against son, daughter against mother" and vice versa. But, he does not divulge the day nor the hour of His return, because He wants it to be a SURPRISE. However, it will not be a complete surprise for everyone, because His children (believers of Jesus Christ) are instructed to always be prepared or "Be ye also ready." Our constant preparation is a sign to God of our faith and belief in not just His return but His existence as the eternal God of the Universe.

Another important reason for Jesus Christ coming being a secret to mankind is this, God is not going to let the scores of people who have rejected Him off the hook by letting them know of his return so they can get their lives together before His return. Our lives are gifts that He has given to us to use as we chose, some of chosen to live their lives without God in mind whatsoever. They live riotously and without thought for tomorrow, and to those Jesus Christ coming is designed to be a complete SURPRISE. It is those individuals, who live their lives as if Jesus Christ is not coming back anyway, and those are likened to the victims who live their lives as if their home will never be burglarized. They leave the house unlocked; they don't have a security alarm; windows are open, garage door open, they live recklessly and haphazardly  Not only do they conduct themselves as if their home will never be violated, but this is also a sign that they do not appreciate what they have been given. And, it is these types of individuals who abuse the "temple" that is our physical man, with drugs, alcohol, pre-marital sex, and all other kinds of evil things. And, this lack of appreciation of God's gift of life is not going to be rewarded with the date and time of God's return. Conversely, there are others who have chosen to appreciate this gift of life God has given, and everyday live their life in preparation for His return. They are intimately concerned with what God thinks of their lives; am I living according to His will, am I reading His Word, have I recieved His salvation (Acts 2:38), am I in constant communication with him? These are the questions that guides the lives of those who follow Jesus Christ.

My advice to those who are not ready for His return, whether it be this Saturday, next Saturday or Saturday two years from now. You need to get ready and stay ready, because you never know when He's coming back. The only thing that is guaranteed is that HE IS COMING BACK, my question to you is WILL YOU BE READY, OR WILL YOU BE SURPRISED? Which one are you?

Your thoughts?


Pastor Nimmons
www.MichaelNimmons.com