Repent! The End is Near, Q. Cassetti, May 17,2011. pen and inkThis is tailor made for me! No more bunnies for now. I have a few more to post, but between now and the 21st I have a mission.
Yes folks. The end is coming, at least according to Harold Camping, radio host and prophet. Mr. Camping has studied the Bible and has come to the conclusion that May 21, 2011 is the day that the Rapture is going to happen. The Rapture is described by Wikipedia as:
“The Rapture is a reference to the being caught up referred to in the Biblical passage 1 Thess 4:17 when in the End Times the Christians will be gathered together in the air to meet Christ.
The primary passage used to support this idea is 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, in which Paul cites “the word of the Lord” about the return of Jesus to gather his saints.
… and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.1 Thess 4
There are many views among Christians regarding the timing of Christ’s return (including whether it will occur in one event or two), and various views regarding the destination of the 1 Thessalonians 4 aerial gathering:
One event or two
Some Dispensationalist Premillennialists (including many Evangelicals) hold the return of Christ to be two distinct events or one second coming in two stages. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 is seen to be a preliminary event to the return described in Matthew 24:29-31. Although both describe a return of Jesus, these are seen to be separated in time by more than a brief period. The first event may or may not be seen (which is not a primary issue), and is called the rapture, when the saved are to be ‘caught up,’ from whence the term rapture is taken. The ‘second coming’ is the public event when Christ’s presence is prophesied to be clearly seen as he returns to end a battle staged at Armageddon, though possibly fought at the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The majority of dispensationalists hold that the first event precedes the period of Tribulation, even if not immediately. (See chart for additional Dispensationalist timing views);
Amillennialists deny the interpretation of a literal 1000 year rule of Christ, and as such Amillennialism does not necessarily imply much difference between itself and other forms of millennialism besides that denial. However, there is considerable overlap of Amillenialism (such as in most Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians (PCUSA), and others), Postmillennialists (such as some Presbyterians, and others), and Historic Premillennialists (such as with some Calvinistic Baptists, and others) with those who hold that the return of Christ will be a single, public event. Those who identify the Rapture with the Second-Coming-to-Earth are likely to emphasize mutual similarities between passages of scripture where clouds, angels or the archangel, resurrection, and gathering are mentioned. Although some (such as some Amillennialists) may take the Rapture to be figurative, rather than literal, these three groups are likely to maintain that passages regarding the return of Christ describe a single event. Then some may also claim that the “word of the Lord” cited by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 is the Olivet Discourse which Matthew separately describes in Matthew 24:29-31. Although the doctrinal relationship of the rapture and the Second Coming are the same in these three groups, Historic Premillennialists are more likely to use the term “rapture” to clarify their position in distinction from Dispensationalists.”
For more on Mr. Camping’s predictions, his website: www.endoftheworld2012.com. Just to get a peek at where you fit on the saint or sinner scale, there is a naughty or nice to determine if you are a “good person”.
All quiet here. Kitty is settling. Alex is unnerved. Rob is working late. Gloria is on her way!