Calif. group again predicts end of world Friday
This should not surprise us. But what we need to do is to look at what the Bible says about when the End of the World is going to happen. And I think with the reporting done on the H. Camping predictions, there has been some confusion to the Biblical teachings.
Camping is claiming to have found out through mathematical equations, supposedly given in the letters of scripture, the timing of the rapture. The "Catching Away" of the saints, and the literal end of the world are two separate events. In fact, the rapture, or "catching away" of the saints (1 Thess. 4:15-17) seems to almost immediately precede the revealing of the man of lawlessness, better known as the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:7).
If 2 Thess. 2:7 is indeed referring to the Holy Spirit in the presence of the Church, (1 Thess. 4:15-17) then the rapture would merely begin the 70th shabua (or "week") in Dan. 9:26-27. And scripture seems to indicate that there would be a time of peace for the first three and a half years, and then the man (the Maitreya/ Mahdi?) heading up the one world government in the "new age" would take his seat in the Jewish temple, which is waiting to be rebuilt now, and demand universal worship to himself as God, but we know he is only a god for a brief time (Rev. 13:1-10; 19:19-20).
But if the timing of the rapture were something to be known, why wouldn't God spell that out clearly, like the rest of it the last days events? All we know of the rapture is that nothing in scripture dictates precisely when it will occur. It could happen today. It could happen two years from now, so it is imminent.
After the taking of the church, the world will remain, and scripture teaches the man of lawlessness will remain seven more years before the coming of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus (Dan. 9:27, 7:18). This begins the time of the outpouring of the wrath of El Elyon (God Most High) upon the earth. People will come to Christ in this time, though it will require their life, and possibly their head (Rev. 20:4).
The real indicator of when the "end of the world" will be is the signing of the 7-year peace treaty by a world leader, who is regarded by humanity as a 'savior'. Then you know there will be seven more years before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But even that is not the end, for in Isaiah 65:20, a passage by many thought to be speaking of the state of the world under the millennial reign of Christ, it states that those who die at 100 will be considered accursed (a sinner). So some unbelievers will live to see Christ come down from heaven, establish his rule from Zion (yes, Jesus is a Zionist!) Zech. 14:9. So during the one thousand year reign of Christ, sinners will have the opportunity to know Christ as their Savior, but even then, not all will.
Revelation gives us a glimpse that at the end of the thousand year reign, Satan, our enemy, is going to be released from the abyss, and he will come out to deceive the nations once more, and lead them in a battle to make war on the Messiah (Rev. 20:7-10) and His people. But they will again, be quickly defeated, and the great judgment will take place, and then God will renew the heavens and the earth (Rev. 21:5), and His dwelling will be among men (Rev. 21:2-3), and so we will dwell with God forever more.
He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen, Come, Lord Jesus. Rev. 22:20
This should not surprise us. But what we need to do is to look at what the Bible says about when the End of the World is going to happen. And I think with the reporting done on the H. Camping predictions, there has been some confusion to the Biblical teachings.
Camping is claiming to have found out through mathematical equations, supposedly given in the letters of scripture, the timing of the rapture. The "Catching Away" of the saints, and the literal end of the world are two separate events. In fact, the rapture, or "catching away" of the saints (1 Thess. 4:15-17) seems to almost immediately precede the revealing of the man of lawlessness, better known as the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:7).
If 2 Thess. 2:7 is indeed referring to the Holy Spirit in the presence of the Church, (1 Thess. 4:15-17) then the rapture would merely begin the 70th shabua (or "week") in Dan. 9:26-27. And scripture seems to indicate that there would be a time of peace for the first three and a half years, and then the man (the Maitreya/ Mahdi?) heading up the one world government in the "new age" would take his seat in the Jewish temple, which is waiting to be rebuilt now, and demand universal worship to himself as God, but we know he is only a god for a brief time (Rev. 13:1-10; 19:19-20).
But if the timing of the rapture were something to be known, why wouldn't God spell that out clearly, like the rest of it the last days events? All we know of the rapture is that nothing in scripture dictates precisely when it will occur. It could happen today. It could happen two years from now, so it is imminent.
After the taking of the church, the world will remain, and scripture teaches the man of lawlessness will remain seven more years before the coming of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus (Dan. 9:27, 7:18). This begins the time of the outpouring of the wrath of El Elyon (God Most High) upon the earth. People will come to Christ in this time, though it will require their life, and possibly their head (Rev. 20:4).
The real indicator of when the "end of the world" will be is the signing of the 7-year peace treaty by a world leader, who is regarded by humanity as a 'savior'. Then you know there will be seven more years before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But even that is not the end, for in Isaiah 65:20, a passage by many thought to be speaking of the state of the world under the millennial reign of Christ, it states that those who die at 100 will be considered accursed (a sinner). So some unbelievers will live to see Christ come down from heaven, establish his rule from Zion (yes, Jesus is a Zionist!) Zech. 14:9. So during the one thousand year reign of Christ, sinners will have the opportunity to know Christ as their Savior, but even then, not all will.
Revelation gives us a glimpse that at the end of the thousand year reign, Satan, our enemy, is going to be released from the abyss, and he will come out to deceive the nations once more, and lead them in a battle to make war on the Messiah (Rev. 20:7-10) and His people. But they will again, be quickly defeated, and the great judgment will take place, and then God will renew the heavens and the earth (Rev. 21:5), and His dwelling will be among men (Rev. 21:2-3), and so we will dwell with God forever more.
He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen, Come, Lord Jesus. Rev. 22:20
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