Harold Egbert Camping
Harold Egbert Camping
In a 2010 radio interview with me, one of the hosts brought up May 2011 as a date he noticed that some people proclaimed would be the end of the world (or in this case the supposed date of the "rapture"). I told the host that the May 2011 date was an invention of Harold Camping and that he was getting quite a following for it.
I wrote this article years ago, and made a few updates.
The radio host was unfamiliar with Harold Camping so I informed him that this was the second date that Harold Camping had predicted. Here is one news item from the San Francisco Chronicle about that:
Harold Camping lets out a hearty chuckle when he considers the people who believe the world will end in 2012...The real date for the end of times, he says, is in 2011...
Camping, 88, has scrutinized the Bible...
The world will end May 21, 2011. This is not the first time Camping has made a bold prediction about Judgment Day.
On Sept. 6, 1994, dozens of Camping's believers gathered inside Alameda's Veterans Memorial Building to await the return of Christ, an event Camping had promised for two years. Followers dressed children in their Sunday best and held Bibles open-faced toward heaven.
But the world did not end. Camping allowed that he may have made a mathematical error. (Berton J. Biblical scholar's date for rapture: May 21, 2011. January 1, 2010. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/01/BA8V1AV589.DTL&feed=rss.news).
Of course, if he actually would have relied on the Bible, and not his own imaginations, Harold Camping would not have made the prediction about 1994 or 2011. And while he admits to perhaps mak.ing one mathematical error in 1994, he has made many more. And, course, ended up being proven wrong about his May 21, 2011 date. And even though he was wrong again in May, he then insisted that the "rapture" would be October 21, 2011, despite his assurances that the Bible guaranteed his May 21, 2011 date. He, of course, was wrong about October 21, 2011.
In 2010, I spoke with one from Southern California who followed him somewhat in 1994 and she said at the time she would not listen to him again if he was wrong. And since Harold Camping was clearly wrong, she has not listened to him since, and neither should anyone else have. But sadly, both she and I knew others who were believing in him and his May & October 21, 2011 dates.
Anyway, although I have denounced Harold Camping for some time (see Will Jesus return by 2012 or in 2011?), I also promised to provide more information about him (see Ronald Weinland Made the News for Being Wrong), so, this article is the vehicle that I decided to use to to do that. And while I originally wrote this article in 2010, I have modified since mainly only to reflect that Harold Camping was proven to everyone to be wrong about May and October 21, 2011 as opposed to the fact that I denounced him prior.
In his other (earlier) publications, We are Almost There! and To God be the Glory, Harold Camping claimed that certain biblical passages teach that May 21, 2011 is the date of Jesus’ return (which he calls the rapture) and October 21, 2011 is the date for the end of the world.
Harold Camping uses the term "Family Radio" and in addition to radio aimed at adults called Open Forum, he also has a Saturday morning program aimed at children called Treasures from the Bible. Other programs include Family Bible Reading Fellowship, Family Bible Study, Sunday Preaching, Beyond Intelligent Design, Christian Home, and Family Radio World Wide. It seems that "Family Radio" produces programming in at least 40 languages.
Some have called his religion "Campingism" and his followers "Campingites".
This former civil engineer, Harold Camping, is so obsessed with his calculations, that in his book Time Has an End: A Biblical History of the World 11,013 B.C. - 2011 A.D.he even has gone so far as to claim that the creation was 13,022 years ago and that the church age ended in 1988:
Creation of Adam...11,013 B.C. (p. 101).
A.D. 1988 was exactly 13,000 years after the creation (p. 116).
The end of the church age which coincides with the beginning of the Great Tribulation which immediately precedes the end of the world is awful, traumatic, disastrous to the divine institution of local congregations. Furthermore, it is worldwide in scope (p. 356).
...the duration of time encompassed by the entire Great Tribulation appears to be 23 years (p. 400).
Since the church age identifies with Pentecost at which time the first fruits were brought in we could expect the end of the church age to be the day before Pentecost in 1988 (p.410).
(Camping H. Time Has an End: A Biblical History of the World 11,013 B.C. - 2011 A.D. Vantage Press, 2005)
Biblical chronology does not point to a 11,013 B.C. creation of Adam date (for more details on dates, please see Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?). And while I had one Camping supporter claim (correctly) that Jesus spoke in parables so that all would not understand parts of His message (Matthew 13:13), this does not mean that God put a false chronology in the Old Testament that humans were not to rely on. Adding up the dates in the Old Testament clearly demonstrate that Harold Camping's calculations contradict scripture here.
Also despite Harold Camping's claim, the church age has not ended. The church age started on Pentecost, it ends when Jesus returns. It does not end over two decades prior. Harold Camping's convoluted logic is horribly in error.
The Great Tribulation did NOT begin in 1988. Nowhere in the Bible does it indicate that this period of time lasts 23 years (2011-1988=23), but that is what Harold Camping wrote. The Bible is clear that part of the Church is protected from that "hour of trial" (Revelation 3:10), and that protection is for 3 1/2 years (Revelation 12:14-17). And the protection for the Church starts just prior to the tribulation beginning as the most faithful flee before then (cf. Matthew 24:15-21).
Harold Camping has a habit of ignoring what the Bible indicates in order to come up with his own dates and interpretations. For example, on page 11 of his We are Almost There! book (2008 edition), he claims that Jesus was born in 7 B.C. and crucified in 33 A.D. Now because there was no year zero (for the transition between B.C. and A.D.), this makes Jesus about 39 years of age at His crucifixion. Yet because of statements such as "Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age" (Luke 3:23), pretty much all believers of the Bible have concluded that Jesus was in His early, not late thirties when He was crucified. But Harold Camping had to ignore that for some of his other calculations to come to some of the conclusions he has come to.
For example, notice something else that is in his We are Almost There! book:
The church age embraced, to the very day, exactly 1,955 years in that it began on Pentecost day, May 22, A.D. 33, and ended the day before Pentecost on May 21, 1988 (A.D.). (p. 29)
As we have noted, God further solidifies or locks in this date, May 21, 2011, by placing the day of shutting the door, when the rapture will occur, on the 17th day of the second month of the Biblical calendar. Significantly, the number 17 links perfectly to the fact of the rapture because spiritually, the number 17 signifies heaven. Moreover, the number 2 (second month) spiritually identifies with those who have been commissioned to bring the Gospel. Is it not amazing that they will be raptured on the 17th day of the second month? Is that coincidental? We also have learned that the last day of the earth’s existence, October 21, 2011, is the 23rd day of the seventh month of the Biblical calendar. The number 23 normally signifies God’s wrath being poured out. The number 7 (seventh month) signifies the perfect fulfillment of God’s purposes. Could this also be coincidental, that the final completion of God’s punishment on the unsaved occurs in the seventh month on a day that features the number 23, which is a number that completely identifies with God’s wrath, thus signifying God’s perfect wrath on the unsaved? (p. 61-62)
Now what is that based upon?
In that particular booklet, Harold Camping never explains why 1955 years–he just asserts based on his calculations. And those of us who rely on the Bible realize that his assertions do not count. 33 A.D. is also wrong for the crucifixion, and even it were correct, the 1955 years is simply not a biblical time period for the age of the church (no matter what type of calculation he may show for it). Furthermore, he comes up with his own meaning of 17, 23, and many other numbers, and then based upon his meaning, then suggests that this “proof” is not coincidental. It is not coincidental, he appears to intentionally manipulate numbers and calculations when plain numbers do not work, in order to try to force his conclusions upon people. Also notice that when he makes statements such as “The number 23 normally signifies God’s wrath”, this means that he can decide that the number 23 does not have to mean that if this interferes with any of his other calculations (and it seems that he is very selective that way). Sadly, his followers do not seem to see this.
Furthermore, PENTECOST WAS ON JUNE 12, 2011 AND WAS NEVER ON MAY 21, 2011 (see Holy Day Calendar). Harold Camping does not even understand what Pentecost is all about (to learn more, see Pentecost: Is it more than Acts 2?). Because he prefers his own imaginations to the truth of the Bible, Harold Camping seems to load one misleading calculation onto other misleading information to get to the wrong answer. He should not have been listened to by those that actually believe the Bible. Notice also the following warnings from scripture:
16 Thus says the Lord of hosts:
"Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They make you worthless;
They speak a vision of their own heart,
Not from the mouth of the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:16)26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart (Jeremiah 23:26).
Being wrong on his dates shows that Harold Camping has been prophesying lies.
Although, the biblical fact is that God said He would never again destroy the world by flood (Genesis 9:11), Harold Camping is basing a lot on his inaccurate calculation of when he claims the flood was.
He wrote the following in his We are Almost There! booklet:
There are exactly 7,000 years from the flood of Noah’s day, which destroyed everything on the earth in 4990 B.C., to A.D. 2011 (p. 30).
According to the Bible and pretty much all biblical scholars, Noah's flood was centuries less than 5,000 years ago, not nearly 7,000. The best calculated estimate that I have seen places the flood closer to 4,336 years ago.
Furthermore, Harold Camping seems to be teaching that from the time of Adam's creation (which he claimed was 13,022 years ago) to the time of the flood (which he says was 6,999 years prior to 2010), is 6,022 years (e.g. 13,022-7000=6,022). However, that is simply way out of line with what the Bible teaches:
3 And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
6 Seth lived one hundred and five years, and begot Enosh.
9 Enosh lived ninety years, and begot Cainan.
12 Cainan lived seventy years, and begot Mahalalel.
15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared.
18 Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and begot Enoch.
21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah.
25 Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and begot Lamech. 26
28 Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and had a son. 29 And he called his name Noah...(Genesis 5:3,6,9,12,15,18,21,25,28).
7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. (Genesis 7:11)
Added up, this equals 1,656 years from the time of Adam to the flood, not 6,022 years like Harold Camping indicates. And while there are some slight adjustments possible as people were not all born on the same calendar date, the biblical account would have to be multiplied by over 3.6 to get Harold Camping's 6,022 years. This is outrageous.
Sadly, he has people who hope so much for the end of the world that they are believing him, his assertions, and his non-biblical logic. They need to open up their eyes and see what the Bible really teaches. And amongst other things, there is no way (from 2010) to conclude that the flood involving Noah was 6,999 years ago!
Harold Camping often does not have the proper ability to compile dates in accordance with what the Bible actually says. People should not accept his arguments that are simply not reasonable in view of the information that the Bible actually provides (for a more indepth chronology based on what the Bible and history show, please see the article Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).
Furthermore, notice what else the article from the San Francisco Chronicle stated about Harold Camping's logic for his "rapture" date:
Meaning in numbers
By Camping's understanding, the Bible was dictated by God and every word and number carries a spiritual significance. He noticed that particular numbers appeared in the Bible at the same time particular themes are discussed.
The number 5, Camping concluded, equals "atonement." Ten is "completeness." Seventeen means "heaven." Camping patiently explained how he reached his conclusion for May 21, 2011.
"Christ hung on the cross April 1, 33 A.D.," he began. "Now go to April 1 of 2011 A.D., and that's 1,978 years."
Camping then multiplied 1,978 by 365.2422 days - the number of days in each solar year, not to be confused with a calendar year.
Next, Camping noted that April 1 to May 21 encompasses 51 days. Add 51 to the sum of previous multiplication total, and it equals 722,500.
Camping realized that (5 x 10 x 17) x (5 x 10 x 17) = 722,500.
Or put into words: (Atonement x Completeness x Heaven), squared.
"Five times 10 times 17 is telling you a story," Camping said. "It's the story from the time Christ made payment for your sins until you're completely saved.
"I tell ya, I just about fell off my chair when I realized that," Camping said...
Rick LaCasse, who attended the September 1994 service in Alameda, said that 15 years later, his faith in Camping has only strengthened.
"Evidently, he was wrong," LaCasse allowed, "but this time it is going to happen. There was some doubt last time, but we didn't have any proofs. This time we do."
Would his opinion of Camping change if May 21, 2011, ended without incident?
"I can't even think like that," LaCasse said. "Everything is too positive right now. There's too little time to think like that."
Now the above is utter nonsense. That rapture date was based upon many faulty biblical assumptions and is also historically inaccurate. Christians need to realize that there is nothing in the Bible about the idea that the timing of Jesus' return has to do with a numerical calculation based upon Atonement x Completeness x Heaven, squared. Multiplying numbers developed for concepts and then "squaring" them does not come from any Bible prophecy I am aware of. For one historical point that should be of interest , the crucifixion was a couple of years earlier than that, hence the "rapture" according to Harold Camping's 1,978 years "logic" should have been no later than May of 2009 (33 A.D. for the crucifixion year has been eliminated by most serious biblical scholars). His followers should take the time and look at what the Bible does and does not teach--as it does not teaching many of the calculations that he is teachings.
Notice the basis for the 1,978 years according to Harold Camping:
1978 = 2 x 23 x 43
Number 2 symbolizes those who are to bring the Gospel.
Number 23 symbolizes wrath
Number 43 symbolizes judgmentThus, by the number 1,978, God is emphasizing that judgment will fall on those who had been commissioned to bring the Gospel (2) and are still subject to the wrath of God (23 and 43). (We are Almost There!, p. 64)
This is presumptuous nonsense. The above is human reasoning, not solid prophetic interpretation. 1,978 does NOT come from the Bible, yet Harold Camping's followers act like he only teaches what is in the Bible.
Now if this 1,978 years is to be exact like he suggests, why then does Harold Camping have to add 51 days to it to get to his May 21, 2o11 date? Cannot his followers see the fallacy of that?
Furthermore, Jesus was killed on the day of the Passover and was our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7). And let's just say for the sake of argument that this was possibly Harold Camping's April 1, 33 A.D. date (even though it was not). Under that assumption then, if 1,978 years has an exact fulfillment somehow related to what Harold Camping is claiming, then the return would need to be on April 1st 2011 (which is exactly 1,978 of his solar years) or at minimum Passover for 2011 should be on April 1st.
But it is not.
The day of Passover in 2011 was April 18th. So, we see that Harold Camping's calculation is not exact and not based upon the Bible. Instead he pieces data together, adds 51 days to get to his 722,500, and then claims it is an exact match. Instead of a true match, it is nonsense.
Furthermore, since Pentecost was on June 12, in 2011, it is not even an exact match according to his bizarre logic. His calculations demonstrate that he does not understand the biblical calendar or even the dates of biblical holy days.
In the Bible, God uses a lunar, not a 364.2422 day solar, calendar (cf. Exodus 12:1; Leviticus 23:4-44). Thus all this solar "exactness" that Harold Camping promoted is not consistent with what the Bible shows.
Harold Camping somewhat understands that God has a lunar calendar, but Harold Camping tends to ignore it. Notice that he wrote:
The calendar of Noah’s day was slightly different from the later Biblical calendar in that it had 30 days in a month, whereas the later Biblical calendar had 29 ½ days in a month, as it followed the moon phases. (Camping H. We Are Almost There!, p. 60)
Where in the Bible does it say that God switched from a 30 day to a 29 1/2 day month?
Why, nowhere.
This again is something from Harold Camping's imaginations.
Furthermore, if Harold Camping actually utilized God's lunar calendar he would realize that many of his calculations are in error and not biblically supportable. Hopefully, his supporters will pray about this and see that Harold Camping's predictions are his, and not God's.
Notice the following "proof" from We are Almost There!:
Thus, we can know that it is as if there are exactly 7,000 years, to the very day, from the shutting of the door on any further possibility of salvation, both during the worldwide destruction of Noah’s day and the worldwide destruction of our day. Can this be coincidental? (p. 61)
No, there is no coincidence. The above is utter nonsense as, was mentioned before, the flood was thousands of years less than 7,000 years ago and the salvation argument is based upon blasphemy (see later in this article).
Harold Camping's 7,000 years related to the flood and 1,978 years to get to the "rapture" are not based upon the Bible.
If he knew a bit more about church history, Harold Camping would realize that the idea of a seven-thousand year plan was believed by early professors of Christianity. Essentially, it is believed that apostles such as Peter and John taught it, that they passed this on to disciples such as Polycarp of Smyrna, and that others learned it from him or other disciples.
And even though he held some heretical doctrines, Irenaeus (who claimed to know Polycarp) apparently learned the following from him and the Bible does seem to endorse the idea of a seven-thousand year plan (6000 for humans, see Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? and 1000 for Christ to reign, see Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?).
Furthermore, when the disciples asked Jesus when He would return, He did not give those type of calculations. Notice that Jesus warned people not to be deceived about it:
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. (Matthew 24:3-5).
Sadly, Harold Camping is among those who have deceived people about the date of Jesus' coming.
How do we know that?
Well, Jesus listed specific events in Matthew 24 that needed to occur, many of which have not yet happened. Now notice precisely when Jesus said He would return:
29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31)
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:24-27)
25 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." (Luke 21:25-28)
Notice that according to Jesus, He returns after the Great Tribulation, after certain heavenly signs, and with the sound of trumpet.
Now, the Great Tribulation has not began yet, nor did it possibly begin in 1988 as Harold Camping wrote, nor have we seen the signs in the heavens that need to happen (see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?).
And not only has the Great Tribulation not happened yet, it does not happen until 3 1/2 years (the middle of a seven year prophetic "week") after a deal is made in Daniel 9:27:
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate. (Daniel 9:27)
And while many are working towards a peace deal that might fulfill the above (see ), the deal still has not happened yet. And even if it were to happen by the end of 2011 (which is nearly impossible), then Jesus would not return until 2018 (adding the 3 1/2 years to the time, times, and half a time for the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord adds up to seven years).
In order to justify the unscriptural position that the end is coming 7,000 years after Noah's flood, scriptures like the following are sometimes cited by followers of Harold Camping:
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:26-30)
Now, followers of Harold Camping tend to quote the version in Matthew 24:37-39 instead of the version in Luke.
Why not the Luke version?
Well, the Luke version does not say that it will be just like the time of Noah, it also says that it is just like the time of Sodom and Gomorrah. Thus, the time of the return of Jesus is no more related to the date of one of those as opposed to the other.
Although the accounts in Luke, Matthew, and even Peter (2 Peter 3:4-10) mention that humans will be like those who ignored the warnings at the time of Noah just before Jesus returns, none of those accounts suggest that one should add seven thousand years from when the flood supposed was (and again, it really was less than 4,400 years ago) to get the return date of Jesus. The point of those accounts is that since many have not believed that disaster was coming, does not mean that disaster will not come.
However, this did not stop supporters of Harold Camping's calculations before May 21, 2011. And while it is true that the Bible says that a day to God is like a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8), there is no hint that Jesus is to come seven thousand years after the flood. But to justify it, some have cited the following scripture:
10 And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. (Genesis 7:10)
They seems to combine the above with 2 Peter 3:8 and claim that a 7,000 year return date from the flood is when Christians would be raptured--and that is quite an allegorical stretch. If they would stop and think about this, they would realize that all those not in the ark died within 40 days of the rain beginning, yet Harold Camping's date is allegedly 7,000 years after the flood began and his end of the world is six months later. None of those align with exactly 7,000 years from the day the rains began with Noah.
Satan misapplied scriptures when he was trying to tempt Jesus (Matthew 4). Quoting scripture out of context is not proof. And that was what Jesus repeatedly told Satan.
The Bible clearly teaches that God will raise up two witnesses who are prophets, that they will preach for 3 1/2 years, they will do miracles, be killed, the carnal will celebrate this around the world, the witnesses will be resurrected for the world to see, followed by an earthquake which kills seven thousand people:
3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 11:7-10
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:3-13)
Yet, Harold Camping reasoned around this as well. Here is some of what he wrote about that:
At the beginning of the Great Tribulation, the two witnesses spoken of in the Book of Revelation are killed (Revelation 11:7)...Revelation 11:7, the two witnesses (the true believers) are killed (driven out of the local congregations). (Camping H. Time Has an End: A Biblical History of the World 11,013 B.C. - 2011 A.D. pp. 116,340)
The two witnesses are identified in Revelation 11:4 as two olive trees and two candlesticks. The two olive trees identify with the olive tree of Romans 11:16-24. This underscores the fact that these two witnesses represent the true believers...The death of the two witnesses identifies with the destruction of the church. (Camping H. The End of the Church Age...and After. pp. 86,87. http://www.familyradio.com/graphical/literature/church/new/churchage_07.html viewed 05/08/10)
But the TWO WITNESSES are literal people (not all "true believers). The TWO witnesses did not come yet, nor do the specific miracles that the Bible says they would do yet, they not yet been killed, nor have they yet been resurrected, etc. Nor were "true believers" been going around "to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire" (Revelation 11:6).
Harold Camping skipped explaining about all they are to do according to the Bible. And he also tried to come up with a way to explain away the rest of what they do in Appendix B of The End of the Church Age...and After. But his explanations once again are nonsense. For a guy who spends a lot of time with plying mathematics with the Bible, it seems that he still does not understand that two = 2. Or that if the Bible specifies occurrences that they are to actually be fulfilled.
I guess if his followers do not believe that the literal signs that the Bible teaches about the two witnesses and other matters must happen are not going to happen, then this explains why they could follow him (for more information, see Who Are The Two Witnesses?).
Harold Camping officially taught:
Only in the Bible, the whole Bible, can truth be found. (Camping H. The Phenomenon of Speaking in Tongues. Last line of that document)
But by reading his literature and closely examining his calculations and conclusions, it is clear that he did not get much of his understanding from the literal word of God.
While Harold Camping claims that he is interpreting scripture with scripture, instead he is often misinterpreting scripture. Despite the fact that the numbers in the Bible add up to 1,656 years from Adam to the flood, he interprets the numbers differently as shown earlier in this article.
Furthermore, he is often allegorizing scripture, as opposed to accepting it for what it plainly says. And to justify it, he seems to put unrelated scriptures and claim that they are part of the proof. This, sadly, has been difficult for most of his followers to see. For justification he also wrote:
...literal, historical statements also must be understood spiritually... (Camping H. We are Almost There!, p. 4)
While some literal statements in the Bible also have spiritual meanings, they actually have literal meanings. Hence, it is more logical to believe that there are 1,656 years from the birth of Adam to the flood as opposed to the 6,022 years that Harold Camping "spiritualizings" to come to. He also said that despite him saying Jesus would return on May 21, 2011, that instead of him being truly wrong (which he was) that it came in “spiritual sense”--he spiritualizes many events away.
While he condemns other preachers for misinterpreting the Bible, his allegorical style differs from how the Bible should be interpreted by those that actually claim to believe it.
His followers need to realize that false teachers have long twisted and misunderstood scriptures:
16...unstable people twist to their own destruction...the rest of the Scriptures. (2 Peter 3:16)
Here is one more specific example.
Now according to Jesus, the Great Tribulation does not happen until after the abomination spoken about by Daniel is "standing in the holy place":
15 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:15-21).
Followers of Harold Camping thought they "understood" because of what they have HEARD or read from Harold Camping. Basically, when discussing this passage, Harold Camping decides that what Jesus said meant something very different than what He said. Notice what Harold Camping wrote:
However, before this time would come, there would be a period of some kind of great tribulation. Commonly, this was wrongly understood to be a time of massive physical persecution of the believers in Christ. In reality, it is a time that can only be understood spiritually. (Camping H. We are Almost There!, p. 37)
These local congregations are called Jerusalem or Judea because they in an external way represent the Kingdom of God (Camping H.Time Has an End: A Biblical History of the World 11,013 B.C. - 2011 A.D. Vantage Press, 2005, p. 374)
A time would come when all the churches throughout the world, which were typified as the temple of God, would come to an end. “There shall not be left here one stone upon another” (Matthew 24:2). They would be overrun by Satan who is called the “abomination of desolation” (Matthew 24:15). (Camping H. We are Almost There!, p. 46)
And while its true that outside the true Church of God, all the world's churches have apostatized, Satan did not appear in 1988 and Satan was not seen in any massive way personally then. Jesus did not teach that the Great Tribulation was to simply be understood spiritually.
Now let's ignore Harold Camping's explanations and see what Jesus specifically told people that they would SEE the first event in this passage from Daniel (and also contrary to Harold Camping's assertions, there is to be persecution after the abomination is to be established):
31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. 32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. 34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. 35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.
36 "Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. 37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. (Daniel 11:31-39)
We have not SEEN that first event, thus the Great Tribulation has not began. Additionally, the other events (like all of verse 39) need to be taking place and also have not.
Furthermore, Jesus said that there would be a FLIGHT after the abomination event. Jesus did not say when someone thinks that the world's churches crossed a line, there would be figurative mountains, and then He would rapture the church.
Sadly, it often seems that Harold Camping twists scriptures, relies on his own understanding, puts in his mathematical formulas as supposed proof, and does not trust in the word of the Lord (cf. Proverbs 3:4-5). For more on scriptural interpretation, please see the article What is the Appropriate Form of Biblical Interpretation?
Notice a couple of warnings about false prophets:
22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:22).
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:1-3).
I do not consider that Harold Camping is a real Christian and he has repeatedly proven to be a false prophet. The world did not end in 1994, there was no "rapture of the Church" in May 2011, and no one should base their life on following the dates of Harold Camping. He, and other false prophets, have caused the way of truth to be blasphemed. Sadly, people have spent a lot of money to promote something that will cause the way of truth will be blasphemed by some.
Some believe that the stroke that happened to him was the result of Divine punishement:
Harold Camping, 89, suffered a mild stroke last week that affected his speech. Could this incident be a sign or punishment from God for his false rapture predictions?…The stroke has reportedly only affected his speech, which has become slurred as a result.For many observers, the stroke – while tragic – seemed like a divine act to punish the radio preacher for his false predictions or at the very least warn him not to do it again. (Phan KT. Harold Camping’s Stroke Punishment From God? A Biblical Response. Christian Post, June 14, 2011. http://www.christianpost.com/news/harold-campings-stroke-punishment-from-god-a-biblical-response-51162/)
Similar to others that I have considered to be "false prophets", it is not that Harold Camping cannot accurately read scriptures out loud (Satan can do that Matthew 4:6), but like Satan, he often does not understand what they are supposed to mean in the light of other scriptures (Matthew 4). The fact that he, like other false preachers, frequently gets some correct points made does not mean that he is not a false prophet.
To learn about true prophets, please check out the article How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God.
Speaking of blasphemy, the following appears to be a blasphemous position to involving salvation, and is in his We are Almost There! book (bolding mine):
But the year 1994, in which God began the final 6,100 days of great salvation all over the world, was also a year of horror for the churches all over the world. The Holy Spirit was poured out so that outside of the churches, that is, completely independent of any church anywhere in the world, a great multitude, which no man could number, would become saved. At the same time, within the churches, the judgment process would continue. Satan, who had been installed in all of the churches at the beginning of the great tribulation, would continue to rule. God would continue to send a “strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (II Thessalonians 2:11). God would continue to prepare those in the churches for punishment. It is an enormous horror story for the churches. They, themselves, do not recognize this. They believe they are faithfully serving Christ. But the Bible gives us the truth. There never again will be the possibility of salvation occurring under the authority of a local church...in A.D. 1988 God gave the churches over to Satan’s rule... God ties that tribulation to the tribulation of the churches, when in 1994, it is clear that God was completely finished with them, and He began preparing them for judgment (p. 54).
The possibility of salvation was not to be particularly different a day or two after May 21, 2011 despite what Harold Camping seems to be teaching. And if he is teaching that none not associated with him can have the possibility for salvation after 1994, then this is in complete error and he is being totally blasphemous.
And as far as judgment being on the true Church, this already started by the time of Peter:
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)
Thus, suggesting that the time of judgment for churches started in 1994 seems off by over 1,900 years! When we really let the Bible interpret itself, we often do not come to Harold Camping's conclusions. Cannot his followers see that his judgment teaching is contrary to the Apostle Peter's here?
I do not believe that Harold Camping believes in the God of the Bible.
Why?
Because Harold Camping does not seem to believe that God has a plan of salvation that works.
Notice some of his statements:
In all likelihood, during the first 9,500 years of earth’s history, few individuals became saved. (Camping H. We Are Almost There! Family Radio, 2008, p. 8)
Sadly, during the entire period of Israel’s existence, very few people actually became saved. (Ibid, p. 10)
We sadly learn from the Bible that even before God finished writing the Bible (about A.D. 95), already there was mounting evidence that the church age was not going to be a huge success story. (Ibid, p. 12)
The Bible, the light of the Gospel, was sent around the world, even though the number of those who became true believers during the church age was small. (Ibid, p. 15)
So, in Harold Camping's view, few were saved prior to Israel, few were saved while Israel was a people in the Old Testament, and few are to be saved in the Church age. And while few were saved during those times, the church age is actually a success story as there is something that Jesus called "the age to come" were all who did not have an opportunity for salvation will have it.
But, no Harold Camping does not believe that the God of love is going to save more than a tiny minority of all who lived. Instead he teaches:
...this world will come to an end, at which time God will separate the saved from the unsaved. Both groups know that the unsaved will experience the full wrath of God...(Camping H. We Are Almost There! Family Radio, 2008,, p. iv)
But notice that this is not really what the Bible teaches:
5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished... 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. (Revelation 20:12)
20 Our God is the God of salvation...(Psalms 68:20)
My God is the God of salvation, but Harold Camping's "god" is one who apparently has repeatedly and continually failed to have a plan of salvation that works.
If he really believed the Bible, Harold Camping would realize that all will have an opportunity for salvation, either in this age or the age to come. Only those who accept Jesus will be saved (Acts 4:12; cf. 1 Peter 5:10), but since many have not understood about Him (or even heard of Him), their real opportunity will be in the age to come (Mark 10:29-31). For additional biblical details, please see Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis and the Age to Come.
Furthermore, Harold Camping also seems to feel that God and His word cannot be trusted when he wrote such statements as:
Thus, God is teaching that churches were to be established all over the world throughout the church age, giving the appearance that the church age was enormously successful. But in reality, only a remnant, a small part of the whole in the churches, would actually become saved, that is, actually become true believers. (We Are Almost There, p. 14)
One very big reason for the lack of spiritual success in the church age was the problem of Satan. At the time of the cross, Satan was given a death blow. He was banished from heaven (Revelation 12:7-11), and he was bound so that he could not deceive the nations during the complete period of the church age, which was symbolically described as a period of 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3). The 1,000 years must be understood as a symbolical or spiritual number that signifies “completeness.” The actual period he was bound was 1,955 years (from A.D. 33 to 1988).
Harold Camping's writings seem to suggest that Satan is actually more powerful than God. Further, even though Harold Camping makes a big deal about how precise he believes certain numbers of the Bible are, he absolutely has written off the literal understanding of Satan being bound for a 1,000 years!
Furthermore, if Satan really was bound from 33 to 1988 as he claims, then Harold Camping's own writing about indicates that the church age should have been more successful. He blames Satan for getting in the way of salvation during the church age in the same paragraph where he writes that Satan was bound for Camping's entire church age. Cannot his followers see the absurdity of his arguments?
Again, Harold Camping's views of salvation and biblical interpretation are blasphemous as well as contradictory.
Notice that Jesus teaches essentially that not accepting Him can be forgiven, at the time of judgment, in the age to come:
31 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:31-32).
Now notice that Jesus taught about the coming judgment:
21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you." (Matthew 11:21-24)
13 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. (Luke 10:13-14)
Jesus clearly was talking about people in Tyre and Sidon who never had heard the gospel message or even heard of Him.
Notice instead what Harold Camping wrote about Tyre and Sidon:
Tyre and Sidon, A Portrait of the Church
In any case, Tyre and Sidon are written about particularly in Ezekiel 26 to Ezekiel 28 as a picture of the New Testament church as it sent the Gospel into all the world...
In Revelation 18:15-17, God says:
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
These merchants were the true believers during the church age who had been active in the churches in bringing the Gospel. They had become rich in spiritual blessings as they engaged in this activity in obedience to God’s command to send the Gospel into all the world...
Tyre and Sidon as a portrait of the New Testament churches...The prince of Tyrus represents the spiritual rulers in the churches. They are to be humble servants of God, faithfully preaching only what the Bible teaches. (Camping H. The End of the Church Age...and After. pp. 304-308)
Harold Camping does not once refer to the scriptures from Matthew or Luke in his inaccurate discussion. Nor does he ever even attempt to explain how it could be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than Chorazin.
Harold Camping misses the entire point about Tyre and Sidon, and none of the New Testament passages he referred to in his writing in his section on them in his The End of the Church Age...and After book EVER ONCE EVEN MENTIONS EITHER OF THOSE TOWNS. Does that make any sense when there are New Testament scriptures (like Matthew 11:21-24 and Luke 10:13-14) that actually do? Tyre and Sidon are never once mentioned by name in the Book of Revelation.
Like the Sadducees of old, Harold Camping errs not knowing the scriptures nor the power and plan of God (cf. Matthew 22:29-32).
There were ads on at least one vehicle, as well as at an NBC-related news site that promoters of Family Radio claimed that May 21, 2011 is Judgment Day, with the false statement that "The Bible Guarantees It".
This tends to cause the way of God to be blasphemed as well as people to scoff (see Peter's writings).
Yet, in a sense, there will be a judgment on the promoters of May 21, 2011.
Consider the following scriptures:
24 Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.
25 “And this is the inscription that was written:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 Peres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” 29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. (Daniel 5:24-29, NKJV)
While May 21, 2011 was not THE biblical Judgment Day, in a sense it was a judgment day against the supporters of that date. Notice how I believe that May 21, 2011 supporters should view the "handwriting on the wall":
Mene: God has allowed you to number your foolishness.
Mene: Your May 21, 2011 date is finished.
Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting.
Peres: Your group will likely become divided.
Jesus did not and could not return on May 21, 2011. We in the real Church of God believe:
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (2 Peter 1:19-20, KJV)
Now, Peter is warning that unlike improper human reasoning, prophetic scriptures were not private interpretations. May, 21, 2011 and many of the numbers that have been associated with it were not biblical prophecies, but improper private interpretations of scripture.
While we in the Philadelphia remnant of the real Church of God believe that we have "a more sure word of prophecy," it is because we believe that many prophetic scriptures are literal and should often be understood that way. Sadly, those into their own private interpretations have another view.
People need to realize that when Peter wrote that, he specifically was stating that physical events that fulfilled Old Testament prophecies had taken place as that is the context (2 Peter 1:16-18). No one should let Harold Camping or anyone else say that literal prophecies do not have to be fulfilled in a manner that can be verified.
Notice what Jesus taught (and that He did not teach that the way to know is to ignore His words and rely on mathematical calculations that are not explicit in the Bible):
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many...
15 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened...
29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near — at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. (Matthew 24:3-5, 15-22, 29-35, NKJV)
Harold Camping and His followers ignored Jesus' words which could not pass away, as Jesus made it clear that certain events would have to happen--which still have not happened (for just two examples, verse 16 has not happened, nor has verse 29).
Notice also:
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)
The truth is that the events Jesus said must happen have not happened and not all of them can for quite some time.
The words of Jesus verify that He could not return on May 21, 2011 and He did not (and He cannot come at all in 2011 if one also looks at certain prophetic scriptures in Daniel; for details, please see When Can the Great Tribulation Begin?)
Campingnites Still Wrong
Years after all of the false dates, Campingnites still cling to false dates. Notice the following related to October 7, 2015:
When I first heard the world was going to end Oct. 7, my first thoughts were distinctly irreligious. …
Actually, it isn’t quite right to say the world will definitely end Oct. 7, only that there is “a strong likelihood” that it will happen. This is according to a pamphlet sent anonymously from New York State.
As it turns out the group predicting the end is affiliated with Harold Camping, who repeatedly has predicted the end of the world with complete conviction and a straight face every time.
So far as I know, however, Dec. 15, 2013, was not among the dates Camping picked and which was actually the end of the world for him. http://www.news-journal.com/news/2015/sep/23/latham-the-strong-likelihood-oct-7-will-be-another/
That date, by the time they put that out, was also not possible.
And while Jesus absolutely will return, and Christians will meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17), many of the signs that Jesus specifically gave (including the Great Tribulation) have not happened yet. People need to heed what the Bible says and not be swayed by those who make biblically impossible claims from their own calculations and imaginations.
Harold Camping also wrote:
...the last day of the earth’s existence, October 21, 2011 (We are Almost There!, p. 64).
No, the world did exist after that and all remaining followers of his hopefully will be able to realize that Harold Camping was in complete and total error. Others have also put supposedly biblically-based numeric calculations for their version of prophecy that also have failed to come to pass. Simply putting mathematical calculations to prove something in scripture is not enough. Those like Harold Camping who spiritualize away the obvious meaning of scriptures are not true servants of God.
It remains my view that after October 21, 2011, hopefully the warnings to his followers will finally sink in. And some may remember that Jesus said,
11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (Matthew 24:11)
Sadly, because of people like Harold Camping, many have been turned off to the truth about biblical prophecy (2 Peter 2:1-3) and some of his followers likely also will be.
Harold Camping will also give scoffers something to point to (just like other false prophets have throughout the ages).
Remember that the Apostle Peter warned:
...scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:3-9)
So, despite false ones who rise up (Matthew 24:4) and scoffers, Jesus will return. And very soon. Probably within the next ten years (Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?). But it was not on May 21, 2011 (which is not even Pentecost). Harold Camping is wrong. And everyone can now see that.
Furthermore, when the world did not end in 2012, on December 22, 2012, many will point out that Mayan and other prophecies cannot be relied on. Harold Camping was simply part of the group of false prophets that Jesus said to watch out for.
Biblical prophecy will be fulfilled, but sadly Harold Camping was preaching a false message about it. And since the Great Tribulation actually is coming soon, "prophets" like Harold Camping will get many people to scoff and not heed the true biblical prophetic messages.
To learn about true prophets, please check out the article How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God.
Thiel B. Harold Camping's Teachings About the End of the World Do Not Agree with the Bible. www.cogwriter.com/harold-camping-may-21-2011.htm 2010, 2011, 2012 0805 (c) 2015 1005. All rights reserved.
Some articles of related interest may include:
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan?When does the six thousand years of human rule end?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2012, 2013, or 2014? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the "beginning of sorrows"? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical 'place of safety' and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject--thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory.
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter). This link also has YouTube videos. This book documents and explains hundreds of prophecies. And since it was published, many have already started to come to pass. It is for those who want to understand what really is and will be happening.
2012 y el surgimiento de la secta secreta Nuevo libro del Dr. Thiel en Español.
2012 und das Auftreten der geheimen Sekte (German Edition) 2012 Buch von Dr. Thiel in deutscher Sprache.
COGwriter 2010/2011/2012 0820
