The World Ends this Saturday

The billboard in Florida reads: Judgement Day will arrive May 21, 2011; The Bible guarantees it! This certainly catches attention, especially to those who believe in the Bible and know that Jesus will return one day. It probably also catches the attention of those who do not believe in the Bible, but do believe, according to an ancient calendar, that the world is going to end in 2012. Prophecy, especially biblical prophecy, has long been of interest to those who believe in God and read the Bible. Ever since the Bible was written, people have wondered when the Messiah would come, when Jesus would come back a second time, and when the end of the world would take place. Our world jumps on this curiosity by making movies about the topic; and book writers make millions by writing about it.

I have studied the Bible all of my life. I have been a follower of Jesus from a very early age, and have gone to Bible college and seminary. That doesn't make me an expert, but it means I have studied, in depth, what the Bible says about the end of the world. In the general grouping of evangelical Christians, there is much debate, even, as to how the events will unfold and the order of such events. For example, will Jesus come in a Rapture, where all Christians rise in the air, meet Him in the clouds and go to Heaven with Him? Or, will Jesus come right to earth, to set up His 1,000 Kingdom reign? Most agree that Jesus is coming back a second time (the first being His incarnation as a baby 2,000 years ago), to set up His Kingdom and to judge all.

So, as I have read the claims of Harold Camping, who is predicting the end this Saturday, I cringe. Many people will look at his claims as coming from the general group of evangelicals, representing hundreds of thousands of Christians around the world. This may, very well, bring a bad name to Christ and to Christianity. In fact, there are probably not that many people who truly believe Mr. Camping and follow Him. But, because of this bold prediction and our interest in such things, it will be national news. The Bible would call Mr. Camping a false prophet. He predicted the world would end in 1984. The Bible says that if someone is a true prophet, then their prophecies always come true; otherwise, they are a false prophet.

Here is my simple understanding of what the Bible says:

• Jesus is coming back, to get His followers, which will then begin a long list of events to take place, including the final judgments for all people, either to Heaven or Hell


• No one knows when Jesus is coming back (Jesus said that only the God the Father knows)


• Nothing else has to happen, from our perspective, before Jesus returns. The Apostle Peter wrote that the only reason Jesus has not come back yet is because God is loving and patient, waiting for others to trust in Jesus for their salvation


• The fact is that Jesus could come today, tomorrow, and yes, He could come Saturday, May 21st. He could also come next week, next month, next year, or a hundred, or thousand years from now. The Bible says that a thousand years to us is as a day to God. We feel like it has been 2,000 years since the promise was made that Jesus would return. To God, it has only been a couple of days!


• We are to live our lives as if Jesus were returning today. When it comes to practical application, this is the key. I am to live my life, today, as though Jesus were coming today. My priorities, my attitude, everything, should be done with the thought of how I want Jesus to find me living, if today were my last day.

Live for God's glory today; and as the Bible says at the end of Revelation: Even so, come Lord Jesus!