The End of the World

I recently spent the week in Phoenix Arizona. It was our first vacation with our son Kaeden. And it coincided with the predicted end of the world. ‘May 21st, ‘The Lord is coming’. Perhaps, you saw that billboard in Poco. It was the result of a predication made by a self-proclaimed prophet named, Harold Camping, who is a part of FamilyRadio. His predication was based on a mathematical equation formulated from the flood account in Genesis I believe.

6:00 pm on May 21st passed without a hitch. The world went merrily on its way.

I had a brief moment of panic when I woke up and didn’t see anyone in the living room. Of course the pastor gets left behind.

My fears were unwarranted. The family was on the patio.

Most families have that uncle or cousin that they are embarrassed about. The one who gets smashed at family gatherings, pushes Amway at inappropriate times, or who engages in long winded speculation about the latest conspiracy theory which leads to the occasional roll of the eyes, an awkward laugh, or a nervous giggle. You wouldn’t choose to be associated with this person if they weren’t part of the family. But they’re blood.

My charitable guess is that Harold Camping is a Christian (?). A brother in Christ, part of the family of God, reconciled to the Creator through the blood of Jesus. But I am embarrassed about him. I’m angry at him. I’ve rolled my eyes more than once. He is not helping our team. He’s like the Uncle at the family reunion that other parents caution their kids about, ‘don’t listen to what Uncle so and so says, don’t take him too seriously…he’s a bit odd’.

In fact, he may very well be destroying lives. The family radio guys are destroying families with their radio predictions. What terrible irony. Christians quit their jobs because of what Camping said. Also, think off all the money the Family Radio guys spent on those advertising billboards. Money that could have funded missionary work, alleviated poverty, battled HIV, or rescued girls from the sex trade.

Jesus must weep.

For a moment I cherished the thought of kicking him out of the family. But God is more gracious than I am. God is also more just. I might be trembling in my shoes if I was Harold Camping. James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should become teachers because as such you will incur stricter judgment.” A strong warning for Christian leaders.

Not my favorite verse but applicable in this instance. At least Harold believes passionately about the second coming of Jesus. He just keeps getting the date wrong. Maybe he needs to stay away from mathematical equations and focus on proper Biblical exegesis.

Let me quote my friend Jon (check him out at jonmorrison.ca). He writes “I have learned over many years to never trust a pastor with math equations or any sort of work with numbers for that matter. There is a reason we go into the people business”.

That is a good word. I can barely add.

Now, Let me quote my Lord Jesus, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matt, 24:36).

When someone says they know the time what they are really saying is that they know better than Jesus. Any Christian teacher who claims to know better than Jesus has in that moment completely disqualified themselves.

There’s my two bits on the end of the world that hasn’t arrived yet.