The Rapture will occur next Saturday - REALLY?

Biblical scholar and theological genius Harold Camping has demonstrated with devastating exegetical precision that the Rapture will occur on May 21, 2011, followed by five months of judgment on earth with the end of the world occurring on October 21, 2011. You can read the tract here, but the logic is brilliant beyond disputation. You can read more here.

He has based his calculations of lunar cycles and the Hebrew calendar.

I remember the 1988 debacle when millions of Christians bought the late Edgar Whisenant's book 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will be in 1988.

Believers have always had an interest in the end times. When you consider that Heaven is our final destination and a Rapture will end all of our suffering without us having to go through death, it is definitely appealing.

Jesus was barely out of the tomb and the disciples were asking about the end times (Acts 1:7). Jesus did not answer their time-sensitive question, instead he turned their attention to the priority of evangelism and witnessing.

Jesus does not want us to waste time setting dates, predicting Armageddon or making mis-guided "believers" millionaires by buying their books. Instead, share our faith so others can know Jesus now and the future.

Like then, like now - it won't happen. Don't sell your house, your assets, postpone marriages and quit your jobs. Silliness like this hurts us as believers as national news organizations (CNN, ABC, etc) have done stories on this. But use this as an opportunity to speak the truth:

* Jesus is coming again.

* We don't know when.

* But be ready for when He does come.

Read Dr. Al Mohler commentary published here yesterday.