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Don't Believe End Time Theories
No human knows when the rapture will
begin
.
The next time you hear someone saying that the End Times
are near, because of a political change, upcoming war, pandemic or the like,
know that their claims have no basis in fact - the Bible says clearly that we
will not know when it is to come, and furthermore we shouldn’t try to predict
it -
instead, focus your energy on building a better relationship
with God and sharing His Gospel with others
Megan
Bailey
The
world did not come to an end on September 6, 1994.
Nor
did it collapse in May or October of 2011, though Harold Camping had said in
each case that it would.
David
Meade, a Christian numerologist, claims to use ancient science to predict
specific dates.
John
Hagee said the rapture would begin in April 2014 was signaling the end of
times. Yet, that didn't happen either.
Every
year, new apocalyptic predictions waft through the dark fringes of the internet
and the tabloid media.
Sometimes
they come from what seem like reliable sources: Christian radio hosts,
theologians and preachers, or religious TV stars.
They’re
ability to persuade the masses and strong charismatic skills can make even the
strongest Christian start to question if the predictions are true.
Misconceptions about the End
Times runs rampant.
Camping
was so good at it, he convinced listeners of his radio show to donate over $100
million to help get the word out.
Some
believers even max out their credit cards, believing that the rapture would
come before payment was due.
Writer
D.L. Mayfield shared with her followers about how she never made college plans,
as she was convinced the rapture would come before she turned 16.
These
prophets use Bible verses in the Book of Revelation to really drive home the
point that their date is the “right” one, and people fall for it.
Like
many so-called prophets, Camping moved the target date each time he was wrong
about his prediction.
However,
people were still left with an incredible fascination of the End Times.
It’s
readily seen with the popularity of the “Left Behind” series and songs like
Larry Norman’s “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”.
Why
exactly are Christians so fascinated in the End Times, though, and why do they
so easily fall prey to these false prophets’ claims?
Many
Americans, Christian or not, are aware of the concept of the rapture.
This
is a time when, according to some evangelical traditions, Christians will be
suddenly and unexpectedly “raptured” up to heaven before the events that
presage the end of the world.
In
most accounts of the rapture, believers go straight to heaven, while
nonbelievers are left behind to undergo a period of political chaos and
personal torment.
It
can be scary to think that such a large event will happen. How will this happen
and when are some of the biggest questions asked.
There
is a real anxiety that many Christians feel in not knowing God's plan, and that
can lead them to believe prophecies set by "chosen ones" on earth.
However,
Jesus was clear.
It’s
not ours to know times or dates.
Matthew 24:35-36 says: “Heaven and earth will pass
away, but my words will never pass away. But concerning that day and hour no
one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
This is further echoed in many other scriptures. Matthew
24:44 says "So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come
at an hour when you do not expect Him," and Acts 1:7 says "It
is not up for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own
authority."
Nevertheless,
some continue to predict. Each distracts us from the true purpose of biblical
prophecy.
When
these prophets claim that an End Time prophecy is approaching, they are also
claiming that they know even more than the Son of God.
If
it’s wrong to set dates based on wars or rumors of wars, it’s also a mistake to
be unsettled by them.
God’s
people shouldn’t be surprised or dismayed by political unrest and natural
disasters.
Christ
told us they would come (Matthew 24:6–8).
Terrible
and scary things on this earth will happen, but it's not Biblical to jump to
the conclusion that it is the sign of the Antichrist and that we should panic.
We
have to trust in God's plan for us. Better yet, we can hand our anxiety over to
Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us of His promise: "Trust
in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all
your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight."
Rather
than be scared of the End of Times and waste energy trying to predict when it
will come, we should feel empowered by the Spirit to go into the world to make
disciples (Acts 1:6–8).
What could more be more motivating for missions than to
meditate on Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:14: “This gospel will be proclaimed
throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations, and then the end
will come.”
We
are called to be shepherds of Jesus. We are called to spread His love to anyone
who will listen, so that they too can find Jesus before the rapture, whenever
that may be.
The
next time you hear someone saying that the End Times are near, because of a
political change, upcoming war, pandemic or the like, know that their claims
have no basis in fact.
The
Bible says clearly that we will not know when it is to come, and furthermore we
shouldn’t try to predict it.
Instead,
focus your energy on building a better relationship with God and sharing His
Gospel with others.
This
way, if it ever does happen in your lifetime, you’ll already feel confident
that you are going to Heaven.
Megan
Bailey is
the Social Media Specialist and Content Producer for Beliefnet. She attended
James Madison University where she received a degree in psychology.
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