Thanks for the source, Summa.
Amazing Facts President and Nationally Recognized Prophecy Speaker Challenges Harold Campings May 21st Judgment Day - Yahoo! News
In fact, Pastor Batchelor has directly challenged Camping, offering him $100,000 to hand over the deed and rights to the Family Radio network following the May 21 deadline. He explains, The Bible clearly teaches in Matthew 24:36 that No man knows the day and hour of Jesus return. Christ also warned that in the last days, there would be many false teachers. It is worth asking then, does Campings prediction match what the Bible really tells us about Christs return? I dont believe it does. But if Camping is right, he deserves the money to spread the message; if hes wrong, he should not own a radio network.
Batchelor also warns, Reckless predictions of the second coming of Christ create an artificial excitement among believers followed by a corresponding depression. In addition, it hardens skeptics in their unbelief and provides new fodder for cynics to mock the Christian faith. Across the country, hundreds of Family Radio listeners are quitting their jobs and selling their possessions. Pastor Batchelor hopes to set the record straight and save millions of believers the devastation, harm, and the embarrassment that will come to them having put their faith in the wild opinions of men and potentially losing everything they have. He says, Based on Bible prophecy, well all still be here May 22. So what can we do to save those caught up in this deception?
Exactly what I've been saying. Batchelor sounds like a good guy.
But anyways, I was looking at some of Family Radio's theology (which I assume comes from Camping) and I have to say that these folks have no idea about the Scriptures at all. For example, in their article
FACTS about May 21, 2011 it is stated:
What signs precede the Day of Judgment?
Jesus warned of several spiritual signs, such as the complete degradation of the Christian church, the devastating moral breakdown of society, the re-establishment of National Israel in1948,the emergence of the 'Gay Pride Movement', and the complete disregard of the Bible in all of society today as direct evidence of His return.
All of these things have been around for awhile. The real signs are given in Rev. 13, 2 Th. 2, Dan. 7/11, etc., which talk about a global government being ruled over by ten kings/nations and an antichrist.
What is the Timeline of History?
The timeline of history is God's predetermined timetable for the unfolding of God's Gospel program for this world. In other words the length of time between the day God created this world in 11,013 B.C. and the day he will destroy it in October 21, 2011.
The discovery of this information built the foundation for what God would later reveal from the Bible as the date for the end.
Judgment Day on May 21, 2011 is the culmination of five decades of intensive biblical study by Mr. Camping and other bible teachers who have discovered the same biblical data.
How does Camping know God created the world in 11,013 BC? I'm guessing based off of some flimsy numerology. In other words, he doesn't have a clue.
God knew before He created this world the exact day He would destroy it, the question is whether God reveals His plan to others.
He clearly doesn't. See Mt. 24:36 and other verses.
What will take place on May 21?
On May 21, 2011 two events will occur. These events could not be more opposite in nature, the one more wonderful than can be imagined; the other more horrific than can be imagined.
A great earthquake will occur the Bible describes it as "such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." This earthquake will be so powerful it will throw open all graves.The remains of the all the believerswho have ever lived will be instantly transformed into glorified spiritual bodies tobe forever with God.
So they're talking about Revelation 16 now? Don't we have an entire book of Revelation to go through before we get to Revelation 16? They must have interpreted the book of Rev. 100% symbolically instead of mostly literally - which is what it is (shown by Mt. 24, etc.).
In addition, the verse they quoted refers to the literal Second Coming of Jesus Christ at Armageddon. This can easily be shown by cross-referencing Rev. 16 with Rev. 19. This is obviously the "end of the world" - but Camping claims the "end of the world" doesn't happen until Oct. 21st, which is 5 months later (he must have interpreted the locust plague into this timeline).
Why RV Caravans?
In September of 2010 Family Radio developed a plan to send out teams of caravans consisting of recreational vehicles. The caravans travel into towns and cities across the United States warning of Judgment Day, May 21, 2011. Each member of the caravan project is a volunteer, who has dedicated his or her life to warn the people of the U.S. and boldly proclaim this very important message.
In other words, unpaid labor. Nice job, Harold.
Same webpage, the radio station wonders if:
What if May 21 ends and nothing occurs?
The Biblical evidence is too overwhelming and specific to be wrong. Christ's people can look with great confidence to this date because God promises His "beloved" He will not come upon them as a thief in the night.
God in His mercy has revealed the vital information needed to know the day. Judgment Day on May 21, 2011 will occur because the bible declares it. Anyone whom God has not saved will arrive at that day with no hope for salvation. God warns simply the "door will be shut."
What a fraud.
What do you say to those who insist we cannot know the precise date of Judgment Day?
For one to object to May 21st, 2011 one must have BIBLICAL AUTHORITY to do so. Objections cannot be based upon consensus, traditions or fear. God has given far too many biblical proofs for anyone to disregard May 21 simply because he or she does not like it.
Mt. 24:36.
So now I'm taking a look at a .pdf article written by Family Radio:
http://www.familyradio.com/PDFS/jd_en.pdf which states their reasons for the May 21st, 2011 date.
That is why He has given us in advance of the destruction the exact time of the Day of Judgment. The Bible tells us in Amos 3:7: [FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth his secret unto His servants the prophets." [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]
[/FONT][/FONT]
The book of Revelation was where he revealed his secret, and that's all you're going to get. Also, he plainly tells you you don't know the day or hour.
Then they begin to give their reasons...
In 2 Peter 3:8, which is quoted above, Holy God reminds us that one day is as 1,000 years. Therefore, with the correct understanding that the seven days referred to in Genesis 7:4 can be understood as 7,000 years, we learn that when God told Noah there were seven days to escape worldwide destruction, He was also telling the world there would be exactly 7,000 years (one day is as 1,000 years) to escape the wrath of God that would come when He destroys the world on Judgment Day.
Only problem is that the 7 days in Gen. 7:4 are not 7000 years at all, nor is there any reason to believe that they are any sort of "parable" since they are completely in context with the current event. The 2 Pet. 3:8 verse has no bearing whatsoever on the exact time of the end but is just stating that time is nothing to God.
Thus Holy God is showing us by the words of 2 Peter 3:8 that He wants us to know that exactly 7,000 years after He destroyed the world with water in Noahs day, He plans to destroy the entire world forever.
Because the year 2011 A.D. is exactly 7,000 years after 4990 B.C. when the flood began, the Bible has given us absolute proof that the year 2011 is the end of the world during the Day of Judgment, which will come on the last day of the Day of Judgment.
The verses are not in the slightest connected.
Anyways, if you want to read more about Camping's ridiculous numerological non-arguments then you can go to their web link that I provided up above.
However, one thing I wanted to add was that Camping and his followers are a perfect example of the danger of interpreting the Bible symbolically and ignoring the fact that most of the time it simply says exactly what it means. E.G. - in the book of Revelation, when the entire ocean turns into blood, that's exactly what it means - the entire ocean goes blood-red.
Because they interpreted the Bible in this manner and did not follow any principles of logic or reason when interpreting the Scriptures, they have now wound up penniless (except, of course, for Family Radio network) and disillusioned.
