May 21, 2011--when things began to change

Harold Camping, an 89 year old civil engineer turned bible preacher, predicted several decades ago that May 21, that was yesterday, was the start of the apocalypse. He was quite sure of it that he convinced several hundreds of bible-believing Christians to sponsor various ads predicting the end of the world. Those ads spread throughout the world, as far as Russia, the Middle East and even here in the Philippines. 

May 21 came without any fireball. Thousands camped before Family Radio International headquarters in California to wait for the rapture. Nothing happened.

Harold Camping may have forgotten one thing--that God the Father is the only one who knows when the entire world would burn. And second thing of course, is the fact that everything in the bible is spiritual, therefore, it must also be interpreted using the very language of bible.

The bible is simply not literature. It contains very specific scientific or universal laws. When you apply those laws correctly, you'll surely get a result.

For example, Jesus Christ told his disciples that the day of reckoning began when they see the abomination in the temple. That abomination, predicted by Christ, happened in 70AD.

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)  Mat 24:16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:  Mat 24:17  Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:  Mat 24:18  Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.  Mat 24:19  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!  Mat 24:20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:  Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 

Meaning, you have to count from that date, not from the date when the Great Flood came. Why is it erroneous to count from that date? Because God desired in his heart back then that he will never destroy humankind anymore:

Gen 8:21  And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.  Gen 8:22  While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.  

These verses recorded by the Ancients as God's words, were actually a covenant between God and men--this time between Noah and his relatives. This covenant remains. Why? Because God does not change. He honors his covenants.

What happened shortly after the tribulation? There will be regime changes in the world.

Mat 24:29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

Meaning, before the end, there shall be numerous political-social and economic transformations that will cause the fall of several regimes and powers throughout the world.

There will be a power struggle between nations and men, between countries such ferocity, never seen in the history of humankind.

The coming of the son of man shall occur when these things happen: (Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 

Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors)

1.     1.  A catastrophic global war between civilizations

2.    2.  When the entire world is celebrating their feasts possibly Christmas

Mat 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, Mat 24:39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

Then the Son of Man, who is Christ will appear before all the world to see.

Mat 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Mat 24:31  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 

The elect will be gathered and those who are blessed shall be separated from those who are unfortunately, not.

Mat 24:40  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Mat 24:41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 

When will all these happen?

Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Mat 24:44  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.