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Local ministers don't think today is the last day read the headlines in today's Johnson City Press. In the same issue, another headline declared Israel's leader rejects U.S. plan on borders. Thus this blog will look at two current event items through the third lens of Scripture. In an effort to not make this blog too long, only the surface will be scratched. The first headline was prompted by the proclamation of Harold Camping, 89-year-old retired civil engineer and the leader and founder of the fringe ministry group with the innocuous title: Family Radio Worldwide. Camping claims that his study of the Bible and numerological calculations make it clear that the end will come beginning at 6 P.M. on May 21, 2011, beginning in New Zealand. As I write this blog, it is now 6:40 A.M. on May 22, 2011 in New Zealand and I have heard no reports of their demise or of any of the other nations now on the other side of 6 P.M. the 21st.
Most pastors interviewed for this article, and several others, judging from posts on facebook, base their rejection of Camping's wild claims (which hundreds bought into and poured themselves and their resources into proclaiming the message) on Jesus' statement: "But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (Matthew 24:36). The Scripture is true and accurate, but it is far from the best reason for Camping's prediction being declared false. Camping's claim that the end of the world is today includes the claim that true believers will be raptured (taken up) by Christ. And here is where it gets a bit messy. A short blog is no place to mount all the defenses that the truth of Scripture provide, so I will make just a few statements, with limited Scriptural reference.
The article in the Johnson City Press states, "The Rapture - the belief that Christ will bring the faithful into paradise prior to a period of tribulation on earth that precedes the end of time - is a relatively new notion compared to Christianity itself, and most Christians don't believe in it." This ludicrous statement underscores the concern I have when somebody like Mr. Camping gains some notoriety. 1. He will be proven false, and by analogy, many sincere people with an interest in eschatology (the study of the last days) who have been called with a prophetic voice at this time in history (I believe I am one) will be labeled as false, fringe or fanatical. 2. Articles will be written which have little biblical foundation, but will be read and believed by the uninformed. 3. Many will conclude that Christianity as a whole is a joke, or irrelevant
The Rapture is not a new notion in Christianity, unless you want to label the inspired writings of Paul as "notions"; unless you you consider A.D. 49-54 as "recent." In Paul's two letters to the church at Thessalonica (a church founded by Paul over a period of about 3 weeks), he addressed concerns that this young church had about the Second Coming of Christ. In the first letter, he dispels their concern that the people in the church who had already died would miss the Second Coming. He did this by making it clear that the resurrection of all those in Christ would take place first at His Coming followed immediately by all the living Christ-followers being changed in the twinkling of an eye (1 Thess. 4:13-18 and 1 Cor. 15:51-52) and all would be gathered together to meet Christ in the air, and forever be with Him.
The Rapture will take place, but not without signs preceding it. In fact, in Matthew's Gospel, just before Jesus spoke about no man knowing the day or the hour, these are the things He spoke about preceding the Rapture: 1. Deceivers and false Christ's, 2. wars and rumors of wars, 3. famines, pestilence and earthquakes (all labeled "the beginning of sorrows"), 4. Great tribulation and martyrdom, 5. more false prophets and deception, 6. a great falling away or apostasy, 7. the abomination which causes desolation (which requires the building of the third temple in Jerusalem and which will serve to reveal the Antichrist), 8. the actual sign of His coming (cosmic disturbances. Thus far, Matthew 24 parallels Revelation 6. Then the Rapture (Matt. 24:31, 37-42), the exact day or hour of which is unknown, but which is preceded by signs and the surety of which is a obvious as is summer following the budding of the fig tree (Matt. 24:32-35).
There is much more I could write in this vein, but now we'll move to the second headline concerning Israel and our president's exchange with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Our president is in office for a time such as this. God raises up one leader and He puts down another. Our president sided with the overthrow of Mubarak in Egypt and Mubarak was, in addition to being a dictator, was a secularist and he honored Egypt's peace treaty with Israel. There is precious little hope that the Muslim Brotherhood will do the same. Bashar Al-Assad, the president of Syria is also a dictator, and has killed hundreds of Syrians who have been protesting for reform, but the USA has done little against him. He is a hater of Israel and is aligned with Iran in a desire to exterminate her. I could go on and cite pages of evidence which display President Obama's true feelings towards Israel.
So, with Obama's ascension to power, God is now on the verge of being in a position to justly judge the United States for all of the innocent blood shed in the land (well over 50 million abortions and those are just the ones reported). God is now in a on the verge of being able to justly judge the USA for making a mockery out of His rules for marriage and family. I don't mean to sound like I am in a position to determine when God can and cannot act; it just seems like He has been withholding judgment for a long time now. It seems entirely plausible that the only thing that has kept the sword from falling is God honoring this promise: "I will bless all those who bless you, And I will curse all those who curse you" (Genesis 12:3a). Insisting that Israel withdraw to the pre-June 1967 borders is tantamount to cursing Israel. Those borders included a section of Israel less than 9 miles wide. It would make Israel virtually defenseless (one reason that we know it was by YAHWEH's intervention in 1967 that Israel captured the land that she did. Netanyahu rejected Obama's plan. But concurrent with the USA's backing of Israel diminishing under the present POTUS, we have seen our country ravaged by recession, mounting debt and potential insolvency, natural disaster upon natural disaster, and an influx of illegal aliens adding their burdens to an already strained system.
I have said it before and I will say it again, a diminished USA superpower seems to be inevitable for a one world government/economy/religion to prevail. Joel Rosenberg wove this theme into his last days novel, Dead Heat, I found very interesting in spite of his error in the timing of the Rapture. It grieves me to think that our brave men and women in uniform, who have been putting themselves on the line to defend us, have been able to do little to defend us from the real enemies - the enemies within. As a reward for their selfless service, they have been used as guinea pigs in social experimentation. May God pour out special grace upon them, especially as Memorial Day approaches.
