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Well, today it's official: Harold Camping is a false prophet.
Again.
Yes, he's done this before.
His most recent prediction (that Jesus would return on May 21st, yesterday) failed.
(Image from articlesontop.com)
The Family Radio Home Page shows the countdown at "zero": click here
Ordinarily, we wouldn't get too exercised over something like this. Many kooky sensationalists and date-setters have made similar prophetic predictions over the years.
It's been going on for centuries, in fact. Professor Raphael Patai, in The Messiah Texts (Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 1979) documents early instances of Jewish date-setting. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, for instance, thought the Messiah would come during the first century AD (he was actually right, but not in the way he thought). So date-setting and other forms of out-of-control apocalypticism are really nothing new.
However, this instance is different because Harold Camping's prophetic palaver is heard daily on his network of 66 FM radio stations in the US and several foreign countries. For the past several months, Camping has been telling anyone who would listen that "the Bible guarantees" that Judgment Day would happen on May 21, 2011.
Judgment Day à la Camping was supposed to be accompanied by a worldwide earthquake and the Rapture of true believers.
None of it happened, of course; and many unbelievers will no doubt conclude that the Bible (and by extension, God) was wrong.
And therein lies the problem. With Mr. Camping's claims that "the Bible guarantees" the accuracy of his predictions, he's taking it upon himself to put the Bible's credibility on the line. This is extremely sad and tragic.
God himself tells us that it's important to maintain a good testimony before a watching world: "Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by [your] good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation" (1 Peter 2:12).
Mr. Camping has been discussing his predictions on his "Open Forum" call-in program on Family Radio (click here for the archives). If you take the time to listen to the programs leading up to May 21st, you'll notice how he avoids questions that make him uncomfortable. He just says, "Excuse me," and cuts questioners off. The "Open Forum" program for Wednesday, May 18 includes several such instances.
When his earlier predictions failed, Harold blamed it on mathematical error. This time, however, he said the earlier errors had been corrected and he was "100 percent certain" that May 21st would be the long-prophesied Judgment Day.
Tomorrow's issue of USA Today says Camping has dropped out of sight following the failure of his prophecy: click here
Mr. Camping, you can't hide forever. Sooner or later, you'll have to emerge from the shadows and face the music.
Your followers trusted you. Some of them poured large amounts of money into advertising your bogus prophecy.
Your irresponsibility has unnecessarily divided families and caused untold hurt.
You, sir, have a lot of explaining to do.
We call it "Chicken Little Syndrome" (CLS), the obsessive compulsion some Christians suffer from that compels them to attach prophetic significance to almost every current event in the news. Whether it's abnormal weather, political developments in various parts of the world, or even flocks of birds falling from the sky—they see it as a fulfillment of prophecy.
A closely related phenomenon is "date setting." These folks use various biblical passages to "calculate" the precise date of the Rapture.
We talked about this at some length at our recent God, Israel & You conference in Branson this past week (www.godisraelandyou.com).
Family Radio, an Oakland-based radio network, has purchased billboard space all over the country (and even a full-page spread in USA Today) to warn the world that the Rapture will take place tomorrow (May 21st).
The Bible "guarantees" it, they say. So if it doesn't happen, the message is that the Bible is wrong and God himself failed to do something He promised to do.
You see, that's really the problem. It's about our credibility in the eyes of a lost and unbelieving world.
The Bible says, "Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by [your] good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation" (1 Peter 2:12).
The Enemy must be jumping up and down with glee right now.
If the Rapture doesn't happen tomorrow, the world won't be looking at us and glorifying God because of what they see. On the contrary, the result will be disillusionment and disappointment. Some people will think the Bible has finally been proven wrong.
Here's how the whole debacle is affecting one family: click here.
I can't even imagine how the prophecy's failure will affect these folks—especially the kids. Very sad. They seem like a nice, sincere family.
Personally, I hope the Rapture does happen tomorrow. Even better, let it be tonight ... or in the next five minutes!
But if it does happen, it won't be because of Harold Camping's predictions. It will be purely an accident that he finally got the date right.
After all, if someone just keeps on predicting the Rapture, year after year, sooner or later he'll be right!
With all of the important things happening in the world right now, and their legitimate prophetic ramifications, the last thing we need is to be distracted by prophetic craziness.
Like Christianity Today magazine has said, one of two things should end tomorrow: either the world or Harold Camping's prophetic career (click here).
Well, unless you've been secluded somewhere in the Himalayas today, you've probably already heard the news.
President Obama is backing a Mideast peace plan based on pre-1967 borders.
He said, "The dream of a Jewish and democratic state cannot be fulfilled with permanent occupation." According to his vision of the Middle East, any future solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "must embody two sovereign states based on pre-1967 borders" (NY Times).
This is a shame on multiple levels. Not only does it place US foreign policy solidly in alignment with the Palestinian position, but it also constitutes a betrayal of our closest ally in that part of the world--the State of Israel.
We're still digesting all of this. Keep your televisions tuned to the news.
More later.
Tomorrow (Thursday, May 19), the President will deliver a major foreign policy address focusing specifically on US policy in the Middle East.
Today, as a prelude to that speech, the White House unveiled a $2 billion aid package for Egypt (click here for details).
This is Mr. Obama's first attempt to codify US Mideast policy in a way that integrates his administration's view of the entire region against the backdrop of US vital interests.
It's a tall order, especially as it relates to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Fatah and Hamas recently signed an accord which has the net effect of moving the entire Arab Palestinian movement in the direction of Hamas, a notorious terrorist organization.
This effort is made even more complicated by all the instability in the Arab world right now. Dictators and kings have fallen and there may be more before long.
There are high expectations for the President's speech.
We'll see what he has to say.
Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, has weighed in on the killing of terrorist and al Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.
Click here for Williams' perspective--along with a brief analysis by NRB President Frank Wright.
Note especially Dr. Wright's observations about the implementation of Sharia law in the UK.
We would do well to glean some helpful lessons from the UK's approach to the issue of Islamic culture and its demands.
May the Lord give us wisdom here in the US and Canada as we face increasing pressures to follow the UK's example.
Osama bin Laden had been hailed by some as the Jihadic messiah of worldwide militant Islam.
But one important fact calls into question his messianic credentials: he's still dead.
In fact, his body was buried at sea within 24 hours of his death.
Unlike the true Messiah, Yeshua of Nazareth, who arose on the third day, bin Laden isn't coming back.
According to early reports, the Navy Seals who conducted the operation reported that, in his final moments, bin Laden was using one of his wives as a shield—and she was killed along with him.
If that turns out to be true, it only confirms that bin Laden and his ilk are sniveling little cowards.
And what a contrast. When Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Tucson on January 8, a Christian man, Dorwan Stoddard, threw himself over his wife to protect her: click here for story. He was killed; she was unhurt.
Bin Laden, on the other hand, may have used one of his several wives to shield himself from the hail of bullets coming his way. What a sad, pathetic, disgusting excuse for a human being. What does this say about his character—and that of his followers?
But it shouldn't surprise anyone. It doesn't require courage to sit in a tent in a tribal area of Afghanistan and order an attack on innocent civilians 7,000 miles away like bin Laden did on 9/11. He never looked those people in the eye. He didn't even know their names. That is the worst kind of cowardice.
And just think: this guy was the "George Washington" of the Jihadic movement, their much-revered leader.
He was the best they had to offer. Turns out, that wasn't much.
It's been gratifying to hear some Islamic leaders speaking out in support of the execution of bin Laden. It's tempting to ask, "Where were you guys six months or six years ago? Why wait until now?"
But like they say, better late than never, I suppose.
Georgia Heisler, our staff writer here at CJF Ministries, sent me this thought-provoking article from the Christian Science Monitor: click here
In some ways, it seems like taking a bullet between the eyes was an easy way for bin Laden to go. Too easy, in fact.
But remember, God isn't finished with him yet.
I'm sure there's a special, hotter, more unspeakably horrible sector of Hell reserved for evil monsters like Nero, Hitler, and Stalin.
Welcome to the neighborhood, bin Laden.
Update: The White House is now backing off its earlier account of the killing of bin Laden: click here
I apologize in advance if it turns out that my reporting above included inaccuracies due to fluctuations in certain source accounts (like the ones coming out of the White House press office).
But I stand by my assessment that the man was a coward and an evil monster. Killing him was the humane thing to do—not unlike putting down a rabid dog. Whether or not he was armed at the time, and whether or not he was using one of his wives as a human shield, is really immaterial to that ultimate conclusion.
We'll keep you posted as further developments may warrant.
President Obama just made it official in a late-night announcement from the White House.
Usama bin Laden, mastermind and financier of the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, has been shot dead in a firefight with US special forces personnel in Pakistan.
Several other enemy personnel were killed in the attack. No Americans were injured.
Bin Laden was reportedly living in a mansion-like fortress north of Islamabad, surrounded by high walls and multiple layers of security.
Here are some of the headlines coming across the news wires right now:
For CNN, click here
For Fox News, click here
For the New York Times, click here
The US State Department is warning American citizens who may be traveling overseas at this time to be especially cautious. There are concerns that bin Laden's terrorist network may attempt an attack against American targets in retaliation for their leader's killing.
The war on terror is far from over. We'd better not let our guard down—more tough times and more threats lie ahead.
We can count on that.
The killing of bin Laden is largely symbolic, especially given his declining health in recent years; he was reportedly on dialysis due to acute kidney failure.
But it's a symbol we're grateful for, nonetheless.
Let's continue praying for our brave troops who are overseas on the front lines of the war on terror.
God bless each and every one of them; and may God bless the United States of America.
We just received news that David Wilkerson, legendary preacher and author of The Cross and the Switchblade, was killed in a head-on collision with a truck earlier today (Wednesday).Here's the news alert from Christianity Today: click here
Let's be in prayer for the Wilkerson family, for the church family at Times Square Church in NYC, and for the people who work for the numerous ministries David founded (like Teen Challenge).
There's been a new and tragic development in Gaza that underscores something we've been saying for years: The proposed "two-state solution" won't work in the Middle East.
Nobody's been listening, though, because it's assumed now by virtually everyone that it's the only workable path to Mideast peace.
Israel and "Palestine" (another Arab state in the midst of a vast Middle Eastern sea of Arab states) will live, side-by-side, happily ever after.
At least, that's the plan.
It's been endorsed by the Quartet—the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, and Russia.
Maybe it looks good on paper, but like I said, it won't work.
The main reason it's not workable is that the Palestinians cannot govern themselves.
Please don't misunderstand me. I have Palestinian friends. Back in the 1990s, when we could still take our tour groups to Jericho, Bethlehem, and other places in the West Bank, we did a lot of business with Palestinian shop owners. Our tour groups would sit in restaurants, having lunch, with Palestinian people sitting all around us. Our people loved getting their photos taken with the PA soldiers—and the soldiers loved it, too.
Jericho_Bethlehem1999
All of that having been said, however, the fact is that the Palestinians, as a group, aren't anywhere close to being ready to govern themselves. They probably never will be. I understand the risks of stereotyping an entire ethnic group; but in this instance, I'll chance it: Too many of the Palestinians are uncivilized, impulsive, and devoid of any guiding principle other than the dictum that says they must destroy the Jews at any cost.
In Genesis 16:12, the Angel of the LORD told Hagar that her son, Ishmael, would be "... a wild man; His hand [shall be] against every man, And every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."
Literally, that first phrase should be translated "a wild (donkey of a) man." The New Topical Textbook says this phrase encompasses several nuances of meaning:
- To be wild and savage
- To be warlike and predatory
- To be independent
"Independent," of course, can mean not subject to authority.
In the parlance of parenting, we might say, "Does not play well with others."
Again, saying that all Palestinians (including some very wonderful Palestinian believers in Jesus) are evil or bad is problematic; however, there are certain characteristics that tend to be true of them collectively (i.e., as a people).
If you put a rat in a cage with a boa constrictor, you know what's going to happen. it's a matter of chemistry—and it's extremely predictable. What it boils down to is that the rat is going to do what rats do and the snake is going to do what snakes do. And only one of them will come out of it alive. It's as simple as that.
If you put a Palestinian State next door to a Jewish State, the ultimate outcome is equally predictable.
The recent development in Gaza is that Hamas is turning against itself.
Hamas, you will recall, wrestled control of Gaza away from the Palestinian Authority (Fatah) in a bitter 2007 war.
Hamas operatives (evidently a splinter group of some sort) just murdered an Italian journalist, Vittorio Arrigoni, who was an outspoken supporter of the Palestinian cause.
Here's the story: click here
Mr. Arrigoni was the last person on earth Hamas should have wanted dead. He was one of their most outspoken and high profile supporters in Europe.
But they killed him anyway.
This poor man learned the hard way that when you play with a venomous snake, it will eventually bite you.
Our sympathies, of course, go out to his loved ones.
Meanwhile, Hamas sympathizers are blaming—guess who? That's right: the Israelis.
Some things never change.
In late December of 2008, the Israelis invaded the Gaza Strip. Hamas terrorists had been firing rockets into Israel from Gaza, killing and maiming Israeli civilians. There had been dozens of such attacks. The Israelis couldn't simply fire back because Hamas used schools and hospitals as shields.
So the Israelis invaded. They leveled entire neighborhoods which their intelligence (the best in the world, by the way) indicated had become centers of terrorist activity. Hamas commanders took refuge in hospital basements because they knew the Israelis would not destroy hospitals. In a twisted sort of way, this enabled Hamas to use the Israelis' humanitarian instincts against them.
In the end, however, an estimated 709 "terrorist operatives" were killed during the IDF's "Operation Cast Lead." The term "cast lead" refers to the making of bullets (by pouring molten lead into casts); hence, the purpose of the op was to strike at Hamas' offensive capacity in Gaza.
At the time, the IDF claimed that they were taking great care to minimize civilian casualties; nonetheless, the United Nations denounced the invasion (surprise, surprise!) and accused the Israelis of crimes against humanity.
After the invasion, the United Nations Human Rights Council asked a Jewish man named Richard Goldstone (a judge from South Africa) to head up a panel to investigate possible human rights violations by the IDF in Gaza.
The forthcoming Goldstone Report was scathing. Among other things, it concluded that the Israeli Army, as a matter of policy, targeted and killed civilians during the Gaza military op. Anti-Zionist groups the world over seized on this report, citing it as evidence that the Israelis indiscriminately murdered Palestinian civilians.
Now, however, there's been an interesting twist in the plot. Judge Goldstone says that subsequent investigations have confirmed the Israeli version of events on numerous key counts and that if his report were republished today, knowing what he knows now, it would be "a different document." Here's the report from the New York Times: click here
Now we'll wait and see if the UN Human Rights Council issues an apology for its careless and baseless accusations.
I'm not holding my breath.
Update (April 6, 2011): Wow, this judge from South Africa is a real piece of work. Now he's saying that there's no reason to retract the original report, even though its central theme (i.e., that the Israelis intentionally targeted innocent civilians in the Gaza operation) has been shown to be unsupported by the facts: click here
