May 21st...and you are still here? What are you going to do on May 22nd?

If you are reading this, that means you missed the “rapture” of believers! That’s what is promised by the billboards and websites promoting the beginning of five months long Judgment (Revelation 9:5) after which God is supposed to destroy the world on October 21 this year, 2011. This “date setting” preaching has built up a significant interest around the world. The movement is led by Harold Camping (born 1921) who was a Christian radio broadcaster and president of Family Radio, based in California. Originally a Calvinist he left the Christian Reformed Church in 1988, and since then is teaching that all churches are apostate and must be abandoned.

The people behind this movement are aware of the Biblical verse that “no man knows the day or the hour” but they argue that it was relevant during the time of the church. And since God has withdrawn the light from the church in general, those who exit the church, every church and join the movement do know! In fact one of the sites is entitled www.wecanknow.com

The movement claims about 200 million followers to be raptured (that’s 3% of world’s population)! And, of course, more are ready to be raptured from the impoverished countries than from North America. This teaching is not new. Back in 1970 Camping published his Calendar of the world, dating the flood in 4990 B.C. Some are asking if “Camping will be stoned on May 22^nd?” by people who invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into billboards?

There is also another preacher, Ronald Weinland, who is saying the date is wrong, it will actually be next year, May 27^th on the Pentecost 2012 (www.the-end.com). People who are preaching this are also “adventists” as they are anticipating the Advent of Christ. They are sincere. But, are they sincerely wrong? Many of them had invested all they had into this movement of warning the world. I would compare their feelings to those of the Millerite movement expecting Christ’s coming in 1844, yet misunderstanding prophecies.

Doug Batchelor and Amazing Facts had produced a website dedicated to this topic, www.aftermay21.com asking the simple question “Will the Judgment begin on May 21^st? It does not offer much explanation or answers but offers brochures and books produced over the past decades on various Biblical subjects. I guess, every sensational event makes a good venue for literature distribution.

Some Adventist churches are even getting baptismal requests in a hurry because of this date-setting. Yet in the long run all these failed expectations just lead to more disappointements, and create more ex-christians. It becomes more difficult to reach people with the message of Christ’s return, as they become more jaded, sceptical and cynical.

There are various reactions to this. Wikipedia informs that the group Seattle Atheists formed the Rapture Relief Fund which they will use "to help survivors of any Armageddon-sized disaster in the Puget Sound area" if the rapture fails to come as predicted, the money will fund a camp that teaches children about critical thinking. The group American Atheists has sponsored billboards in several American cities declaring the Rapture to be "nonsense", and are holding a party during the period of the predicted rapture.

It is sad that such speculations only bring more embarrassment to faith, point out to “what’s wrong with religion,” and make believers and churches even more passive toward proclamation of the repentance for the end times.

How should we react to all this? Should we stop looking for the blessed hope of Jesus returning? Never! We remain to be Adventists, anticipating the Soon Return of Christ. How must we hasten the day? Not by looking for schedules and calendar dates, but by being current in relationship with God and inviting people into the same. Know your Bible, and do not forget that God’s prophetic movement has certain identifiable characteristics, seventh-day Sabbath and respect to God’s ordinances for holy living are among them. No matter how sincere some prophets may sound – their disobedience and ignorance of the WHOLE Bible makes them false.

Adventist Review has addressed this matter suggesting "survival kit" steps for believers today.