Amateur End Game

From: The Sacred Sandwich:
  
BTW, Harold Camping now says the end is October 21, 2011.  Wish he would just return to "The End is Near."

The New Corrected Billboard

May 22, 2011: The Pastoral Challenge and Opportunity

It is past 6 pm in my time zone, and we're all still here. 'Nuff said about  that

It is easy to make fun of Mr. Camping, but we must also remember compassion on those who fell for his deluded teachings, and the Pastoral Challenge and Opportunity When the Rapture Doesn't Happen.  Here are some kind and wise words from Eric Landry (via Justin Taylor):

We must be very careful about how we respond. Will we join our friends at the “Rapture Parties” that are planned for pubs and living rooms around the nation? Will we laugh at those who have spent the last several months of their lives dedicated to a true but untimely belief? What will we say on Saturday night or Sunday morning?

History teaches us that previous generations caught up in eschatological fervor often fell away from Christ when their deeply held beliefs about the end of the world didn’t pan out. While Camping must answer for his false teaching at the end of the age, Reformational Christians are facing a pastoral problem come Sunday morning: how can we apply the salve of the Gospel to the wounded sheep who will be wandering aimlessly, having discovered that what they thought was true (so true they were willing to upend their lives over it) was not? If this isn’t true, they might reason, then what other deeply held beliefs and convictions and doctrines and hopes might not be true?

It’s at this point that we need to be ready to provide a reasonable defense of our reasonable faith. Christianity is not founded upon some complex Bible code that needs years of analysis to reveal its secret. Christianity is about a man who claimed to be God, who died in full public view as a criminal, and was inexplicably raised from the dead three days later appearing to a multitude of witnesses. When his followers, who witnessed his resurrection, began speaking of it publicly, they connected the prophecies of the Old Testament to the life and death and resurrection of this man who claimed the power to forgive sins. This is the heart of the Christian faith, the message that deserves to be featured on billboards, sides of buses, and pamphlets all over the world. It is also the message that needs to be reinvested into the hearts and lives of those who found hope and meaning in Harold Camping’s latest bad idea.

 Amen to that!

To the Followers of Harold Camping

Unfortunately, there are a lot of deluded people that are going to need to hear this come Sunday, May 22. From Walking Together Ministries comes a very wise Open Letter to the Followers of Harold Camping:

To The Followers of Harold Camping,

I am not writing this letter to offer you more of the condemnation you no doubt are already receiving from many quarters. I am writing instead to plead with you to think clearly in what will soon be the aftermath of the failed prophecy that you have embraced. I do so not to rub salt in the wound, but because you will soon find yourselves at an interesting crossroads in life at which you will be faced with many options. I am writing to encourage you to reject the bad options and embrace the wise ones.

I believe that you are sincere people. I believe that many of you sincerely believe in the Lord Jesus and I believe that many of you sincerely trust in the scriptures. Unfortunately, in embracing the prophecies of Harold Camping, you have sincerely believed in a false prophecy and a false prophet.

On Sunday, May 22nd, many of you are going to face feelings of confusion, loneliness, isolation, and even shame. Many of you will likely become objects of derision and punchlines in jokes made at your expense. You will reach a point where you will begin to wonder how what you previously believed in with such certainty could have been so very untrue. In light of this fact, let me offer you some words of perspective and encouragement for the future:

Much more at the link. I agree with all of it.

Should Christians Care about Harold Camping?

From CT Magazine, Should Christians Care about Harold Camping's, May 21, & Doomsday?  The Article features comments from Al Mohler, Tim LaHaye, Ed Seatzer and Lee Grady

End Times Disease

Do you have Eschatomania? How about Eschatophobia? Michael Patton will help you self diagnose at Parchment and Pen » The Forgotten Gospel of the End Times

One theologian has said that there are two extremes when it comes to studying eschatology (the doctrine of the end times): Eschatomania and Eschatophobia.

Eschatomaniacs talk about nothing else but the end times. With charts in hand they are ready to give the “Gospel of the end times” to whoever will listen. However, their “Gospel” is primarily concerned with issues of the Millennium, the timing of the Rapture, the details of the Tribulation, and the Anti-Christ.

Eschatophobics are a product—a reactionary product—of Eschatomaniacs. Because of the emphasis that many would place on the end times, believing that it is all there is, Eschatophobics shy away from any discussions, commitments, or teaching on the end times. It is seen as “unacademic” and counterproductive to the Gospel.

I believe that both of these extremes are unhealthy for the church and are taking its toll on Evangelical theology.

There's more at the link!

For All You Pre-Trib Rapture Folks

For all you pre-trib rapture folks...

Hat Tip: Rick Ianniello

Interpreting Revelation

From Justin at Cross-Eyed: 7 Interpretive Helps for Revelation

1. Revelation focuses on Jesus Christ. The point of this book is to make known the power, might, glory, and victory of the Lamb.

2. Revelation is given to reveal (make known). The purpose of this book is not to confuse, but to reveal. Revelation is not trying to hide something. Its intent is to show something clearly.

3. Revelation must be interpreted in light of the rest of Scripture (particularly the OT). MacArthur says 278 of its 404 verses allude to the OT Scriptures.

4. Revelation must be interpreted with humility. Godly scholars vary in their interpretations on this book. Being dogmatic about something that is not clear is unwise. Humility demands that we use words like, “most likely,” “possibly,” “sometimes,” “could,” “may,” and “probably.”

5. Revelation has an original audience (like every other Biblical book). Revelation is a letter written to real churches. Real original readers were supposed to hear the content of this book and be encouraged. Thus, interpretations that neglect the original readers should be suspect.

6. Revelation was written to suffering Christians. The purpose of this letter is to encourage persecuted Christians to hold fast to the gospel. It is written so that Christians could know with certainty that the Lamb will triumph. “God gave us Revelation not to tickle our fancy, but to strengthen our hearts." - Poythress


7. Revelation is about Jesus Christ. Since this is Revelation, I had to have a list of "7." So, I just restated the first one to make the most important point again.

Very well said. I could not say it better. I agree with every single point.