The Consequences of Date Setting

By Jason Lovelace

 

 

Key Scriptures:

“Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child that is also born unto thee shall surely die.”1

--2nd Samuel 12.13

 

“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  That they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

--2nd Timothy 2.11~12

 

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked:  for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of his flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

--Galatians 6.7~8

 

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”

--John 4.1~6

 

Once again, another organization calling itself Christian has set a date for the return of Jesus Christ, and the end of Human Time.  Once again, that date and time has come and passed, and the Return of the Lord didn’t take place.  And once again, the enemies of God and his Son Jesus Christ are rejoicing and mocking2.  What people and groups that date set the return of Jesus Christ fail to understand is that there are consequences to this sort of thing.

 

Why Consequences?

The main reason that there are consequences to date setting is that it goes completely against Scripture.  Jesus states it clearly in the Gospels:

 

“Be ye therefore ready also:  for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not”3,4

 

“Watch therefore:  for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”5

 

“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”6

 

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.  Take ye heed, watch, and pray:  for ye know not when the time is.  For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.  Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:  Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”7

 

These verses show clearly as the sound of a bell or a jazz trumpet that no man will ever know the date, day, time, or hour that Jesus Christ will return for his Church, ushering in the tribulation and the end of time for all mankind.  Friend, anyone - ANYONE - who claims to know exactly when the Lord Jesus will return is selling you a bag of goods.  Christ himself states it clearly in the verses above that nobody knows when He will come back.  The Early Church, following Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven preached this doctrine, trusting that Jesus could return any day or time8,9,10,11, yet in no case and in no letter, epistle, book, or writing in the Bible did any of these men write exactly when Jesus Christ would return.  Anyone who does such a thing as set a date is working for the devil.  Satan wants nothing more - aside from getting damned every single person that has ever lived to the Lake of Fire - than to destroy the Church and the Name of Jesus Christ.  Date setting and the failure that comes with it does this probably the best.  Friends, anyone who sets dates on when the Lord will return is doing naught but the Devil’s work, something the Bible warns of12.

 

“Add Thou Not…”

Believe it or not, there are consequences from date setting.  First and foremost, date setting is adding to the written Word of God, something that has warnings attached to it in the Bible:

 

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”13

 

“I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.”14

 

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”15

 

“What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.”16

 

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.  Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”17

 

These verses give great warning to those who would date set.  Nowhere in the Bible, as explained above, do any of the writers in either the Old or New Testament set a date for Christ’s second return to the Earth.  To add to the Bible by setting a specific date is certainly to “be found a liar”, and puts on in danger of having “the plagues found in this book” added to his or her life.  The group that has most recently set a date for the return of Jesus Christ - Family Radio Worldwide (web address:  http://worldwide.familyradio.org/en/) and their leader Mr. Harold Camping - has most certainly made themselves out to be liars.  The amount of mocking and jeering they are receiving is most glaring that this group made an addition to the Word of God that shouldn’t have been made in the first place.  Adding to the Bible or taking away from it not only makes one look foolish, and sets one up for future destruction, but it also makes one akin to cults, especially the likes of The Watchtower Society (Jehovah’s Witnesses), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), The Church of Christ, Science (Christian Scientists), and The Roman Catholic Institution, just to name a few.  These groups - while meaning well - are doing nothing more than leading men and women astray with false teachings concerning the Bible and Jesus Christ.  They are, essentially, also doing the work of the devil in that they are masking their false teachings with additions to the Bible and subtractions form the Deity of Jesus Christ.  The devil wants little more than to totally discredit Jesus Christ, his Name, and his Church.  Cults are an effective tool in the hands of the devil, just as are those who set dates on the return of Jesus Christ.

 

Pushing the Lost into a Further Lost Estate

We live in a world where people are already pretty much disillusioned with the Church of Jesus Christ.  As if it wasn’t enough that the antics and “teachings” of Oral Roberts and his son Richard, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Robert Tilton, et. al ad nauseam push people away, false teachers who also date set do an unimaginably greater job in pushing people away from the Church and from Jesus Christ.  We know already that much of the world is turned off from Television and high profile preachers, pastors, and evangelists because of their false doctrines and asking for money seemingly at every turn.  When false teachers, preachers, pastors, and evangelists add to their falsehood by setting dates for the rapture, the lost are pushed further and further into their eternal and spiritual darkness.  Christ has much to say to teachers and preachers who push people away from him when they ought to be reflecting his light:

 

“For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.”18

 

“Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.  Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.”19

 

“A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?”20

 

“For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.  They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.  Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.”21

 

“How do ye say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us?’ Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.  The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?  Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.  For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.  Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.  I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.”22

 

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”23

 

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:  0But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”24

 

“And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”25

 

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”26

 

“If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.  Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.  And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.  If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:  But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.  And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.  And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.  If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you; Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.  And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.”27

 

“But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.”28

 

These verses show the end of those who preach, teach, and stand on false doctrines and false teachings…including those that set dates for the Rapture and the end of the world.  Friends, when it comes to date setting, and other forms of false teaching, preaching, and prophesying, God does not play games!  His word is abundantly clear that false preachers, prophets, and teachers will get theirs in the end….and it won’t be pretty:

 

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”29

 

Date setting turns people against Christ and his Church, and when false prophets, false teachers, and false preachers do this, when they lead people astray by falsely teaching specific dates for the Rapture that have not been named in the Bible, they are not only placing their eternal life in grave jeopardy, they are consigning others to the Fiery Lake, and placing their blood on their own hands:

 

“And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, ‘Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.  When I say unto the wicked, “Thou shalt surely die;” and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.  Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.’”30

 

“Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, ‘Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, “When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:  If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.  He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him.  But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.  But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.”  So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.  When I say unto the wicked, “O wicked man, thou shalt surely die;” if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.’”31

 

Friends, this is the expected end to those who date set, drawing people further away from Jesus Christ.  We, the Body of Christ, and his Church, are to be about the work of saving men’s souls and lives just as Jesus did32, as well as spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will hear33,34.

 

Signs of the Times

Christ himself predicted that there would rise false prophets as a sign of the end times approach:

 

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  Behold, I have told you before.  Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”35

 

“For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.  And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.  And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:  For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.  But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.”36

 

We see above that Christ is warning us about false prophets rising and telling us where Christ is.  This prophecy, as we’ve seen above, includes telling specifics on when Christ will return for his church, and when the tribulation will begin, and the end of human history.  Those who teach and preach falsely concerning Jesus’ return are essentially just as false as those who distort Jesus and his written Word in one form or another, again, as has been explained above.  As such, and as Jesus has promised, there has been a proliferation of date setting false prophets.  Harold Camping of Family Radio Worldwide has, himself, prior to his failed May 21st, 2011 prediction made a previous assertion of the date of Christ’s return, that one being on September 6th, 1994.  And Mr. Camping is not alone in his date setting37.  All of these, including Mr. Camping’s false, May 21st, 2011Prophecy, are all merely reminders to believers that Christ’s return and his Rapture of the Church are imminent.  The explosion of false predictions of Christ’s return, as we come into the 21st Century’s 2nd Decade, is just one more birth pang in Jesus’ 2nd Coming.

 

Defamation of Character and Slander of the Church

A further consequence of date setting is the bad name given to the Church of Jesus Christ by society.  Already, every hostile facet and sector of society has labeled Bible Believers of Jesus Christ as “Fringe”, “Fundamentalists”, “Religious Kooks”, “Religious Extremists”, “Bigoted”, “Narrow Minded”, “Intolerant”, and “Wingnuts”, just to name a few of the “nicer” labels.  When false prophets declare a set date for Christ’s return, especially predicting the very day and very hour, this just adds more ammunition and more reason for the opponents of Christ to slander the church and mock the Name and Person of Jesus Christ.  These so-called prophets fail to realize that an unbelieving world lumps all religions that promote Jesus Christ heavily together.  This includes cults such as the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Followers of Sun Hyung Moon (called “Moonies”), Unity Unitarians, Christian Scientists, and other pseudo-Christian Religions.  Date setters also get pulled into this lumping, so that, when a false prophet sets a pernicious date for Christ’s return and it fails, the entire group is whitewashed with the same brush by an unbelieving society.  Essentially, when date setters do their thing, it reflects badly on the rest of the true Church of Jesus Christ.  As a result, more and more people attack and assault the church, much akin to what they do when discussing the Crusades of Medieval Antiquity (despite the fact that truly believing Christians never mounted a single military crusade against any group of unbelievers, Christians in general get the blame for Rome’s failed Crusades, as well as receiving the blame for the European and Latin American Inquisitions of the same period).  This, again, is another tactic by the devil to discredit Christ, disarm the Church, and slander those who are Bible Believing Christians.  False Prophets and date setters only add to this and only give more room for the enemies of the cross to ridicule and defame when they set dates, and those dates come up short.  This also tends to turn once-followers of said date setter away from any form of Christianity and Belief in Jesus Christ.  Those who staked their futures on the words of these false prophets, who sold all of their possessions and gave all of their money and wealth away in order to be “ready” for Christ’s return, only to see nothing happen, generally become not only rabid opponents of Jesus Christ, but generally are called upon by an unbelieving media to be spokesmen and spokeswomen, giving “insight” concerning “religion”.  This, in turn, only further alienates non-believers, and further casts a more darkening light on the Church and on Christ.

 

The Bottom Line - The Consequences of Date Setting are Tragic

Date setting for Christ’s return is a horrible thing.  The consequences not only affect this world, but also eternity.  It hinders the strength of the Church of Jesus Christ to effectively reach the Lost and Dying with the saving message of the Gospel.  It defames the church and Christ.  It drives away those who are lost in to even deeper darkness and lost-ness.  In essence, it really helps nobody when a false prophet sets a date and time for Christ’s return.  It really doesn’t even help the false prophet in question.  Though Mr. Camping and other date setters still have pretty heavy followings, their memberships are all lessened, their words treated with even more skepticism.  Sadly enough, an unbelieving world lumps these who set dates right in with the Body of Christ, as they do other cults.  The result of the date setting simply is one of detriment to the work of Jesus Christ and His Church in this world.  Essentially, this is how it is with anyone who departs from sound Scripture as is found in the Bible, and tries to do things their own way.  Date setters - just like other false prophets, cults, religions, and false doctrines - simply leave the lost wide open for a serious counter-stroke by the Enemy.  Date setting is one of the devil’s most effective ways of turning off the unbelieving to the call of the Lord via the Preaching of the Gospel.  If only Date Setters would take all of this into consideration…but then again, so should all of those who forward a false belief concerning Christ.

 

Conclusion - Want to Avoid Eternal Consequences?  Trust What the Bible Says!

It’s simple, really, friends:  if you want to avoid the consequences concerning the setting of false dates for the Lord’s return, don’t do it.  Period.  Trust what the Bible says.  Believe Jesus’ words:

 

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.  Take ye heed, watch, and pray:  for ye know not when the time is.”38

 

The way to avoid the consequences that are promised to those who set dates falsely is to stick with the Bible and what God has already written.

 

Finally…

As sure as the rain falls in the Spring, there are those who will read this who will be agnostic, atheistic, or in some other way non-believing.  Surely you are scoffing at the idea that there could even be a Rapture of the Church, and that this May 21st, 2011 failed prediction is further proof that god either doesn’t exist, doesn’t care, and/or isn’t coming back.  Remember these words:

 

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”39

 

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”40

 

“He which testifieth these things saith, ‘Surely I come quickly.’  Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”41

 

“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”42

 

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”43

 

We have Jesus’ words and those of his closest followers on record that he IS coming again.  Please understand this:  we don’t know when he is coming back, but he IS coming back.  Just as surely as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, so, too, Jesus WILL come again.  It is important for you to remember this, because there will come a day, and one in which it is least expected44,45, that Christ will return.  Please understand this, and please, believe on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior!  Being left behind when the Rapture DOES take place will not be an enviable position.  It will, in fact, be very, very dangerous, especially for your eternal soul.  Please, won’t you turn to Jesus today?

 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we have had another false teacher set a date for your return.  We pray for this man, Lord, Mr. Harold Camping, that he will come to you and trust in you and your word completely and fully, before it is too late.  We pray the same for his followers and the followers of other false teachers whether they’ve set dates for your return or no.  And we also pray for salvation for the lost.  May this message and lesson reach someone for you for salvation!  We pray that the wavering one who reads this lesson will make that decision, the decision to make you King and Savior and Lord of their lives.  We pray this all in the Precious, Matchless Name of Jesus - that Name above all names, Amen.

 

Verse to Remember

“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

--Matthew 25.13

 Endnotes

 

1.  All Scripture References are taken from The Authorized King James Version of the English Bible; London, England, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; First Published 1611

 

2.  Here is a brief list of websites where the writers have basically mocked Christ, Christianity, and those of us who believe in the Name of Jesus Christ and the Rapture of His Church:

Ø         http://in-reason-i-trust.xanga.com/748261465/lets-laugh-at-all-the-crazy-morons/

Ø         http://ctaretz.xanga.com/748212065/its-the-end-of-the-world-and-i-feel-fine/

Ø         http://saintvi.xanga.com/748251803/so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-fish/

Ø         http://reincarnation-of-jesus.xanga.com/748269828/not-enough-of-you-are-saved/

Ø         http://ordinarybutloud.xanga.com/748266545/y2k/

Ø         http://www.lovelyish.com/748264308/oh-hey-wheres-the-rapture/

 

3.  The Words of Jesus Christ shall appear in Red.

 

4.  Luke, M.D., Friend of Theophilus; The Gospel According to Saint Luke; Imperial City of Rome, Province of Italia; Empire of Rome; 1st Century, A.D.; Chapter 12, Verse 40

 

5.  Levi, Matthew; The Gospel According to Saint Matthew; Jerusalem, Province of Judaea, Empire of Rome; 1st Century, A.D.; Chapter 24, Verse 42

 

6.  Ibid., Chapter 25, Verse 13

 

7.  John, Mark; The Gospel According to Saint Mark; Ephesus, Province of Phrygia, Empire of Rome; 1st Century, A.D.; Chapter 13, Verses 33~37

 

8.  “…Maranatha.” - Saul, Paul, of Tarsus; The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians; Philippi, Province of Macedonia, Empire of Rome; 1st Century, A.D.; Chapter 16, Verse 22

 

9.  “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” --Barzebedee, John; The Gospel According to Saint John; Penal Colony of Patmos, Province of Phrygia, Empire of Rome; 1st Century, A.D.; Chapter 14, Verses 1~3

 

10. “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” --Luke; The Acts of the Apostles; Imperial City of Rome, Province of Italia, Empire of Rome; 1st Century, A.D.; Chapter 1, Verse 11

 

11. “Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.” --John; The Revelation of Saint John the Divine; Penal Colony of Patmos, Province of Phrygia, Empire of Rome; 1st Century, A.D.; Chapter 22, Verse 20

 

12. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” --Paul; The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians; Philippi, Province of Macedonia; Empire of Rome; 1st Century, A.D.; Chapter 11, Verses 13~15

 

13. John; Revelation, Chapter 22, Verses 18~19

 

14. Bardavid, Solomon; Ecclesiastes, or The Preacher; Jerusalem, Kingdom of Israel; 10th Century, B.C.; Chapter 3, Verse 14

 

15. Baramram, Moses; The Fifth Book of Moses, Called “Deuteronomy”; Wilderness of Paran, Sinai Peninsula; 15th Century, B.C.; Chapter 4, Verse 2

 

16. Ibid., Chapter 12, Verse 32

 

17. Solomon; The Proverbs; Jerusalem, Kingdom of Israel; 11th Century, B.C.; Chapter 30, Verses 5~6

 

18. Barhilkiah, Jeremiah; The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah; Jerusalem, Kingdom of Judah; 7th Century, B.C.; Chapter 10, Verse 21

 

19. Ibid., Chapter 23, Verses 1~2

 

20. Ibid., Chapter 5, Verses 30~31

 

21. Ibid., Chapter 6, Verses 13~15

 

22. Ibid., Chapter 8, Verses 8~13

 

23. Matthew; Chapter 7, Verses 13~23

 

24. Barjonas, Simon Peter; The Second Epistle General of Peter the Apostle; Imperial City of Rome, Province of Italia, Empire of Rome; 1st Century, A.D.; Chapter 1, Verse 21 through Chapter 2, Verse 10

 

25. John; Revelation, Chapter 19, Verse 20

 

26. Ibid., Chapter 20, Verse 10

 

27. Moses; Deuteronomy, Chapter 13

 

28. Ibid., Chapter 18, Verse 20

 

29. Matthew; Chapter 5, Verses 17~19

 

30. Barbuzi, Ezekiel; The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel; Imperial City of Babylon, Province of Babylon, Neo-Chaldean Empire; 6th Century, B.C.; Chapter 3, Verses 16~21

 

31. Ibid., Chapter 33, Verses 1~9

 

32. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” --Luke; Luke, Chapter 19, Verse 10

 

33. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” --Mark; Chapter 16, Verses 15~18

 

34. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.” --Matthew; Chapter 28, Verses 19~20

 

35. Ibid., Chapter 24, verses 21~27

 

36. Mark; Chapter 13, Verses 19~23

 

37. A good list of date setting prophets and prophecies can be found at Rapture Ready (www.raptureready.com) at the following web address:  http://www.raptureready.com/rr-date-setters.html

 

38. Mark; Chapter 13, Op. Cit.

 

39. John; John, Chapter 14, Verses 1~3

 

40.John; Revelation, Chapter 22, Verse 12

 

41. Ibid., Verse 20

 

42. Luke; The Acts of the Apostles; Imperial City of Rome, Province of Italia, Empire of Rome; 1st Century, A.D.; Chapter 1, Verse 11

 

43. Paul; First Corinthians, Chapter 15, verses 51~52

 

44. “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” --Matthew; Chapter 24, Verse 44

 

45. “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” --Luke; Luke, Chapter 12, Verse 40

 

 

 

 

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