The End of the World!(for Harold Camping's Credibility!)Silver Stock Reportby Jason Hommel, May 23rd, 2011Harold Camping's ministry and followers reportedly spent up to $100 million to warn the world that the rapture would come on the 21st. Today, it's the 23rd, and Camping and his followers are still here. I feel bad for them, as I also once tried to predict the rapture, way back in September 11th, 1999, and I spammed usenet to preach it! So, I know a bit of their disappointment. I still believe that the rapture will happen at the end of the world, at the beginning of the day of the Lord, before the 7 year tribulaion. Here's what the Bible says about false prophets: Ezek. 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. Some Christians fear that the recent false prophecy of the rapture ruins the Bible's and God's credibility. No, it helps it! How? Because false prophets are a actually sign of the end times, and they will probably increase just like earthquakes, wars, and famines! Mark 13:21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: Also, I do believe that someday, prophets will accurately predict the Lord's return. Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. Mark 13:23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. Mark 4:22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. But it won't be by gematria. But rather, truth is established by 2-3 witnesses. Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. Matthew 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. Thus, no prophecy will hang on a vague interpretation of one verse somewhere, but truth will be established by 2-3 scriptures, and many Christian denominations all embracing the truth that will be revealed. We should never say, "we will never know when the Lord will return", because not knowing is a punishment for not watching and a punishment for being an evil servant of the Lord. Revelation 3:3 "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Luke 12:39 "And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through." Mat 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; If not knowing the time of the Lord's return is a specific punishment that applies to those who "shall not watch", or the "evil servants", then it seems this punishment could not apply to God's good servants who are watching. Even the foolish virgins of Matthew 25:1-13 who will not be saved, will know the general time to prepare and get ready for the Lord's return. Matthew 25 If, therefore, the unsaved foolish virgins can know the time of the Lord's return, why wouldn't God's wise prophets know? Thus, I believe one day, God's prophets will know the time of the Lord's return. In fact, there are several things that have to happen first, in my opinion, before the pre-tribulation rapture. Specifically, I believe the world will highly value silver and gold, and that the wealth of the world, in silver and gold, will be concentrated to Israel, as the Bible specifically says! How hard is it to believe something written with such specificity, plainness and redundancy? Zechariah 14:14 Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected — great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. Ezekiel 38:13 Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages[e] will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?”’ If silver and gold are considered the wealth of the nations, then it appears to me that the world will highly value silver and gold, and be using them as money, at the time of the end. It appears to me that the invasion of Israel from the north mentioned in Ezekiel 38 will be exactly the right pretext for the Antichrist to come on the scene and blame silver and gold for the world's problems, and usher in his anti-gold solution of the 666 mark of the beast for tracking all economic transactions. The antichrist also is described as the "8th beast" in Revelation 17-18. His world government implies that there will be another world government that comes before it, the "7th beast". That, to me, implies a world government will exist prior to the rapture. Both a world government, and the use of gold and silver as money, implies another important thing: World peace, which is also a feature of Ezekiel 38, specifically, that Israel is living at peace. Three times, Israel is mentioned as living in peace and safety. Ezekiel 38:8 After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. Ezekiel 38:14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? Israel has never been at peace since the modern nation was founded. Military service is mandatory for all people of young age. Paul, when writing about the rapture, in 1 Thessalonians chapters 4-5, mentions this peace and safety that is followed by the sudden destruction, and connects this with the rapture and the return of the Lord. There is only one time in the entire Hebrew Scriptures that describes a time when the people are experiencing and saying peace and safety, which is followed by sudden destruction, and it's Ezekiel 38. This passage also alludes to the fact that the timing of these events will be known to the followers of God. 1 Thessalonians 5 1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Today, Israel is not living in peace and safety, as it will. Today, the world does not highly value silver and gold. But it will. Get ready. Buy silver and gold. This will also help Christians to prepare for the Great Commission, to spend the money to take the gospel to the nations. ===== Jason Hommel |
