Harold Camping’s Two Witnesses Provided No Real Witness

Harold Egbert Camping

While Ronald Weinland may be the most well known person to currently claim to be one of the two witnesses prophesied in Revelation 11, he is not real well known and he gave little witness to anyone (other than he has made many prophesies which have proven to be false).

But there is someone who is more well known as a false prophet than Ronald Weinland, and that is Harold Camping. The two have some similarities. Ronald Weinland first claimed that Jesus would return in 2011, then changed it to Pentecost in 2012. Harold Camping originally claimed that Jesus would return in 1994, but now claims that Jesus will return on Pentecost in 2011 (however, since it is June 12, 2011 and not May 21, 2011 as Harold Camping claims, he has even that bit of information wrong).

However, unlike Ronald Weinland, Harold Camping does not claim to be one of the two witnesses or even a prophet. Yet, he has millions who have heard him and he has made false prophecies and other false interpretations of scriptures.

Today, I would like to briefly report a little bit about what he and the Bible teaches about the two witnesses.

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 reasons around this. 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 of Revelation 11:11 have been killed. From the language of John 16:2, we can understand that to be killed is equivalent to being driven out of the churches….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. 31, 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 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.

Similar to Ronald Weinland and his wife Laura (the two witnesses according to Ron Weinland), apparently almost no one heard the “warning message” of Harold Camping’s two witnesses either. And when God does give power to His two witnesses much of the world will be aware of them. And unlike Ronald Weinland and Harold Camping, they will not be wrong about when Jesus will return.

Speaking of witnesses, Ron Weinland and Harold Camping do not seem to embrace the idea that the world will actually hear the message of the three angels in Revelation 14:6-12. Notice, some of what the Bible teaches followed by how Harold Camping interprets it:

6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth — to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people — 7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” (Revelation 14:6-7)

Remember, we read in Revelation 14:7 that the believers are to publish with a loud voice that the hour of God’s judgment is come. (Camping H. The End of the Church Age…and After. 2002, p. 189)

What we read in Revelation 14:7 is that an angel from heaven gets a message out loudly. Not that believers do, which is what Harold Camping is claiming. And the “believers” of Harold Camping have failed to loudly get out any true warning, except they have helped support the following:

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. (2 Peter 2:1-3)

Sadly, those that follow Harold Camping and Ronald Weinland have been following false prophets. And they are both causing they way of truth to be blasphemed. People need to realize that the Bible should normally be taken literally. The way that Harold Camping and Ron Weinland tend to interpret scripture simply blur its true meaning. And many are being deceived by them.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Harold Camping’s Teachings About the End of the World Do Not Agree with the Bible Harold Camping teaches that the rapture will be on May 21, 2011 and the world will end on October 21, 2011. What does the Bible show?
What is the Appropriate Form of Biblical Interpretation? Should the Bible be literally understood? What do the writings of the Bible, Origen, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Augustine show?
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them.
Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claims to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up and that the end will come in 2008 (first April 17th, then June 2008, now December 14, 2008). Why does the Bible show that Ron Weinland is a false prophet? He also has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the Church of God.
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2010, 2011, or 2012? 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?
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?