As fate 😉 would have it – with some others I acted out the above skit to an audience of hundreds only a couple of weeks ago! [I had the part originally played by Alan Bennett]. And now, today, October 21, 2011 – according to Harold Camping – is the end of the universe. (Also see here and here).
Jon : Will the veil of the temple be rent in twain?
Peter : The veil of the temple will be rent in twain about two minutes before we see the sign of the manifest flying beast-head in the sky.
Alan : And will there be a mighty wind, Brother Enim?
Peter : Certainly there will be a mighty wind, if the word of God is anything to go by…
Camping miscalculated – the May 21 date wasn’t the rapture, but a “spiritual coming”. He had previously calculated May 21, 1988, and September 6, 1994. He has clarified this now: “[In 1994] God came to do two things. One, to come as the Holy Spirit to begin the final ingathering of all the unsaved… Two, to lock in the judgment of the churches…” He writes:
What really happened this past May 21st?…These two words, “earthquake” and “rapture,” have been extremely important in our teaching of Judgment Day – May 21….We always look at the word “earthquake” to mean the earth, or ground, is quaking or shaking violently. However, in the Bible the word “earth” can include people as well as ground…this past May 21, even though no one was raptured. No one who had not become saved by that date can ever become saved…Thus we can be sure that the whole world, with the exception of those who are presently saved (the elect), are under the judgment of God, and will be annihilated together with the whole physical world on October 21, 2011…You, too, without your knowledge may have become saved before that date [May 21].
This blog post is specifically because New Zealand is essentially the first past the dateline. Now I’m no expert on all this kind of stuff – but I guess maybe that counts for something? So this post is being posted
a) to say that I’m still here and
b) to say that I haven’t seen anyone raptured and
c) I’ve seen no particular end nighing
Earthquakes (as you noticed above) and other catastrophes appear to feature in apocalyptic predictions. The Christchurch (September 2010) earthquake led to this level of analysis:
The force of the earthquake was 7.1
7 – means – spiritual perfecting and completeness, the covenant between man and God, God’s perfection and timing. It also means – to lead, induce, spring forth
1- unity, new beginnings
The quake was centered 40kms outside the city
40 – deals with probation or trial and also speaks of a divine period of judgment.
Ten miles deep
10 – Testimony; Law and responsibility; Complete righteousness
It took place at 4.35am
4 – speaks of God setting things in order, creation, the world, creative works.
35 – means HopeAll the above number meanings are from a Greek Lexicon, Strongs concordance & about four different internet sites that all said the same as each other.
Here in Christchurch, the earthquakes have been blamed on gays, prostitutes, and (legal) drug dealers. The 28th of September was to be the day of another huge catastrophe here prophesied by someone (an anonymous letter-dropper that went viral). Nothing eventuated.
Omnes : (Chanting) Now is the end – Perish The World!
A pause
Peter : It was GMT, wasn’t it?
Jon : Yes.
Peter : Well, it’s not quite the conflagration I’d been banking on. Never mind, lads, same time tomorrow… we must get a winner one day.
You can respond by
a) registering in a comment that you haven’t been raptured (I suppose you can also register if you have been if your iPhone goes with you – or if you are being raptured if it is a process that is slow enough). You might like to give a location on the globe – so we can keep track during the day
b) state if you have or have not seen anyone raptured
c) state if you have or haven’t seen any particular signs of the end nighing.
Well, I haven’t checked up on everyone else, but it seems as though my wife and I are still here. And the usual Friday rubbish has been collected.
The quote from Camping is terrifying in its constant rethinking of what words actually mean. It reminds me of a feminist theologian called Elizabeth Schussler-Fiorenza who used words to mean whatever she wanted them to mean, making it rather hard to read her theology, and aligning her, somewhat, with the Red Queen (?) in Alice in Wonderland.
I think, Mike, you mean Humpty Dumpty in Through the Looking-Glass. No change here so far – but the day is not yet over…
All present and correct here! No strange sights – though it is very smoky around my town today. I haven’t heard any sirens, so either someone is having a burn-off or the gates of hell have opened up nearby.
Can you keep an eye on that gates-of-hell possibility please, Annelise.
Still here, but then I would be. I’m a Russian Orthodox Christian who follows the Julian Calendar, which means there’s still two weeks to go before rapture.
Maybe God follows the Julian Calendar…
Currently in an unraptured state. None of the clutter around here has been raptured either.
rapturing clutter… now that’s got potential!
LOL! New Zealand, the “disaster indicator”. Just like New Year’s eve 1999 all eyes are on New Zealand to see what’s going to happen. I am in South Africa and I was waiting up (it’s past 1 am here) for the New Zealanders to be raptured or to start rapturizing LOL I was convinced it was the end of the world since we did not win the rugby world cup! I mean, come on, what has the world come to?! And, really, are those Camping people going to be upset or disappointed that the world did not end? That everything was not destroyed? And everyone did not die? Not very nice… And so much focus is put on the end of the world that they forget to live life.
Now we have to wait for 21 December 2012… Guess we’ll have our eyes on New Zealand again… LOL
Yes, Kate, some made a good income out of the Y2K paranoia. If the All Blacks don’t win Sunday, yes – for some it will be the end of the world.
Glad to find you still here. Well, there.
Early on here in North Carolina, U.S., on the Atlantic. It’s 11:10 p.m., still October 20. Staying alert, though, and will be tracking progress.
Thanks for checking in, Nan. Nothing new to report yet…
Nope, haven’t been raptured here in the USA, Bosco. And haven’t seen anybody raptured. Probably because “the rapture” isn’t something found in the Bible when discussing God’s end game. Just as well — my parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary is the 22nd. Wouldn’t want to see them miss out on that golden milestone!
Yes, it’s amazing isn’t what isn’t in the Bible… and what people are sure is there… Enjoy the anniversary. God continue to bless them too.
Well, we DID have a couple small (<4.0) quakes here in the Bay Area, Camping's home turf…does that count? Anyway, still October 20 here, so still waiting…
Yep, aware of your quakes – and imagine Camping finds that pretty exciting. Thanks for registering you are there. Blessings.
Greetings from the uk. i am still here no rapture in the uk .
Thanks David for reporting in from the UK – we’ve got a good global spread going – so when it all starts happening we should be able to keep up with it as it happens 🙂
So it was Humpty Dumpty….! Well, there you go.
Sometimes God seems distant— no rapture in sight!
So pleased to tell you we are still here Bosco. Ordinary Friday evening with nachos and a nice cold beer. Groetjes
Just getting ready to have fish and chips. Seems an appropriate way to see in the end of the world.
zouden dat niet oliebollen en appelflappen moeten zijn??
Good luck, readers, with Google translate. And the answer is probably yes 😉
“Would not that be doughnuts and apple fritters” – Does sound like rapture has started there!
Hello, everyone, I’m Leslie 🙂
Here in Canada, the full force of God’s wrath is being felt and the Rapture has begun at 0151 UTC -0400.
It’s not true, we have potholes in the road, but I’ve just never been the 1st to start an unfounded rumour before & wondered what it would be like.
What is true is I’ve never seen a website for people of faith like this in North America. I’ve recommended it to my closest friends tonight, & I’ll be back.
I send my prayers & best wishes to the people of Christchurch.
To everyone, else, peace be with you in your hearts and minds.
Leslie Mostrup
Great to hear that the rapture has begun in Canada; thanks for letting us know, Leslie. And I’m quite happy to continue spreading this unfounded rumour. I do wonder what is particularly different about this website to what you’ve seen in North America? Blessings.
Nobody raptured at this point in Hungary… 🙁
Thanks – so it has started in Canada, but not yet rolled around to Hungary. Keep us informed please. Blessings.
Poor Howard Camping – my guess is he’s a French rugby fan and is terrified of the inevitable crushing defeat on Sunday do is desperately trying to make the date disappear!!
Yes, as the rapture hasn’t reached here yet – I’m hoping now that it will roll round with the final being the FINAL thing that happens in the universe’s history. Blessings.
No rapture here in Wales either although Sam Warburton mysteriously disappeared from a rugby pitch in New Zealand a week ago!
Ah yes, the Irish helped the Welsh anticipate the Rapture in New Zealand in the presence of the French – now that’s ecumenism for you!
Nothing unusual in the UK happening here. Unless I missed it of course and I wasn’t looking?
Seems like it will be an ordinary day with no end nighing or rapturing!
@angelfish42
Thanks for the update.
Nope, I haven’t been raptured. There is some very loud banging going on outside, but it seems to be the builders who are taking down the scaffolding on the outside of the house. I do hope that Mr. Camping is, if not wrong, at least a bit misguided as to the actual hour as I am going to be taken out for lunch by a dear friend and I would hate to be ripped out of my clothing and taken up to heaven before we’ve lunched and caught up with each other. If we can postpone it until teatime I’d be happy to be raptured with a biscuit and a cup of coffee on the go.
I presume God has the common courtesy to not upset your planned teatime…
Yes, I do believe I am still here. And there has been no rapture on the Isle of Man either. Of course, there are those of us who would quite like to see blind Irish referees disappear never to be seen again. On a rugby pitch anyway.
Good to have the Isle of Man in the picture now. The Welsh early rapture has already been mentioned.
Well its 2:00am in Montana USA and I’ve not been raptured or seen anyone raptured, just another wrong prediction! 🙂 Good luck world! ?
Kevin, you of little faith!!! Your day is only beginning – the sun hasn’t even risen!
It’s 08.51 (British Summer Time) here in the UK and I’ve just checked out the window and cannot see any rapturing! As I live in Wiltshire, this could, of course, be because there are no Christians here, but I doubt it! Anyhow, will keep you posted if I notice anything!
Yes, the number of truly orthodox believers is possibly smaller than we realise!
Here in Texas all is quiet and peaceful, stars at night big and bright etc.
I can’t sleep…but that’s hardly the end of the world : )
9pm and raining here, Tracy – so people might be getting raptured and I cannot see them!
Following up on that most exciting unconfirmed rumour out of Canada, I can definitely confirm that, as should be expected, so far as I know here in the vicinity of Washington, DC, USA, absolutely everyone has thus far been Left Behind.
Don’t you have a law against that?!
Peter I realize the sun has not yet risen, but please don’t question my faith, I became a born again christian over 30 yrs ago and turned my life over to jesus from that point on. I was just pointing out that now as of 3:00 am the worlds still here!
Who was it once said about George Bush during the No Child Left Behind literacy campaign ‘if he was my child I’d have left him behind…’?!
Poem for End Times Predictions:
Harold Camping, with banner unfurled
Predicting the end of the world
But year after year
Planet Earth is still here:
How can he recapture
That spirit of rapture?
Despite his convictions
Inaccurate predictions
Undermine religious fear….
God- I look forward to Thee
Without knowing when this shall be:
I’m biding my time,
Since I’m still in my prime,
Got some work left to do
Until I come to you.
I don’t know your great plan
For the species of man,
Or when your dear son shall appear…
I’m happy to be waiting on you
Doing what I have to do-
Until the time comes
For the rolling of drums
When the trumpets shall sound
Over trembling ground
And my soul overcome
With your spirit is done…
Until then…I’ll just persevere!
Tracy, this is magnificent!
Aaah and I was looking forward to an “end-of-the-world” long weekend. I was going to call in sick on account of this being the last day ever. My house is a mess because I didn’t want to clean up if it was all going to Hell in a handbag anyway. Now my weekend will be spent cleaning 🙁 So much for living in the NOW. Anyway, in all seriousness, (to those who are afraid, unsure or in doubt) even if the world ends, it will not be the end of us (anyone and anything with a soul). The soul is pure energy and a part of God. It cannot be created or destroyed. It always was and it always will be. That is why the Bible states that God will never give you a cross too difficult to bear. So whatever life throws at you, you are able to overcome it. Because within us all is an indestructible soul and source of strength and light that can never be lost or broken and will always find its way back to the source. So you are never alone and there is no “chosen few”. We are all chosen by God. Even if we don’t “choose” Him back, just like a parent will not give up on a child, so He will never give up on anyone.
No, have not been raptured that I know of. Here on the east Coast of the USA I can think of few people I had hoped would be raptured. But alas, it was not to be.
No particular signs of the end nighing, either. But it was cloudy yesterday.
Thanks for the update, Paul. The day is not yet over.
Reporting in from Mexico at mid-day. Nothing to report. I am one of the most righteous people that I know and I am still here. 😉 Mexico is still here. Life still goes on the same.
I did hear that yesterday the terrorist dictator of Libya went home to meet his Maker. Praying for the peace of Libya and success as they transfer their every day life to a democracy.
Yes, it’s a normal Saturday morning here, 22 October – but I know that there’s still some of the day left in the Americas. So thanks for keep us up to date.
Just passing 5:05 p.m. Oct. 21 in central North Carolina USA. No rapturous activities in these parts. I thought it prudent to go ahead to work this morning. Glad I did. At the same time, I’m planning to blame “rapture preparation” for anything personal I didn’t get done today.
Good plan
Things are tense here, Bosco, with only an hour & 40 minutes to go.
Has anyone any idea what catastrophists *do* when they come down from the mountain? At what point do followers stop following?
The closest we’ve come to actual Rapture was avocado & tomato on Greek Pita.
Well one example, Leslie, would be Miller’s prediction that Christ would return on October 22, 1844. When he didn’t, most stopped following him. Some reinterpreted the date to mean that Christ entered into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary on that date and follow the history and you have Seventh-day Adventists 🙂